,
after the fall of Wolsey. Livia and Sejanus are said by Tacitus, to have
restrained the worst passions of the Emperor. The two best authorities
contradict one another; they differ, as much as our political organs
differ, about the characters of living statesmen: and who are we, to
decide absolutely, from a distance of two thousand years, at our mere
caprice, and generally without sufficient evidence, that one ancient
writer is correct; and another, dishonest or mistaken? This is only less
absurd, than to prefer the groping style and thoughts of a modern pedant,
usually a German as well, to the clear words of an old writer, who may be
the sole remaining authority for the statements we presume to question; or
for those very facts, upon which our reasonings depend. And how easy it is
to misunderstand what we read in ancient histories, to be deceived by the
plainest records, or to put a sinister interpretation upon events, which
in their own time were passed over in silence or officially explained as
harmless! Let me take an illustration, of what I mean, from something
recent. Every one must remember the last hours of the Emperor Frederick:
the avenues to his palace infested by armed men; the gloom and secrecy
within; without, an impatient heir, and the posting to and fro of
messengers.
Pages:
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26