90 >ioo.\sHEE documents! 



traced to the fact that he taught a wisdom too pure for the comprehen- 

 sion of his coyntrymen : he told them truths which they could not bear 

 to hear. He, on a certain occasion, said to the Athenians, that they al- 

 ways exiled or condemned by form of law their most distinguished citi- 

 zens, and that no man could expect to live long, who uttered the truth 

 and advised for their good. An infatuated people, that had already os- 

 tracised Aristides, because tired of hearing hini called just, was prepared 

 to commit any outrage. 



Reserving, for a future number, what we have to say on the philoso- 

 phy of this great man, we will conclude with the subjoined beautiful tri- 

 bute from the pleasure loving yet aspiring Alcibiades. "When I heard 

 Pericles or any other great orator, I was entertained and delighted, and 

 [ felt that he had spoken well. But no mortal speech has ever excited 

 in my mind such emotions as are enkindled by this magician. When- 

 ever I hear him, I am as it were chained and fettered. My heart leaps' 

 like an inspired Coryphant. My inmost soul is stung by his words as 

 by the bite of a serpent ; it is indignant at its own rude and ignoble 

 character. I often weep tears of regret, and think how vain and inglori- 

 ous is tlie life 1 lead. Nor am I the only one that weeps like a child 

 and despairs of himself j many others are affected in the same way." — 

 [Plalo''s Symposium.) 



THE MOONSHEE DOCUMENTS. NO. I. 



It is with the utmost diffidence, that the writer presumes to lay be- 

 fore his intelligent readers, the series of translations, of which the fol- 

 lowing may be the precursor. Quietly engaged in a course of studies, 

 which were commenced as mere amusement, and pursued on account of 

 the strange excitement attending them, he little thought of obtruding 

 this necessarily imperfect result of his labors upon the notice of the pub- 

 lic. However, the "even tenor of his way" has been disturbed ; and, 

 by the solicitations of his friend Awr, who, besides placing him in a 

 responsible position before the readers of the Journal, has been kind 

 enough to speak rather flatteringly of his work, he is induced to tempt 

 the cupidity of the curious, by exposing to their view at least one jew- 

 el from his casket. Others cannot be expected to judge so loosely, and 

 therefore, injustice to himself, he thinks it proper to make a few ex- 

 planations. 



The difficulties in his way, he may be pardoned for saying, have been 

 of no ordinary character. Willi the exception of Awr and himself, 

 there is reason to believe, tliat no mortal had any intercourse with the 

 great Naturalist and Philosopher, Mot, wlio was the author of the letter, 



