THE 



MONTHLY AMERICAN JOURNAL 



OF 



GEOLOGY 



AND NATURAL SCIENCE. 



Vol. I. Philadelphia, October, 1831. No. 4. 



AN EPITOME OF 'the PROGRESS OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 

 {Continued from page 104.) 



We have seen how truly science and arts may be said to have 

 been cradled in ancient Greece. The Romans received them 

 late ; they were amongst the other fruits of their conquests, and 

 they retained them but a short time ; two centuries of intellec- 

 tual splendour being all they can boast of. Victory, and its at- 

 tendants, riches and luxury, corrupted the Roman people ; the 

 ancient simple national spirit fled, barbarians filled the ranks of 

 their armies, and thus the glory of their name, and the integrity 

 of their wide possessions, were left to the protection of strangers. 

 Then came the contests for supreme power, amongst the Roman 

 leaders, and the successful ambition of Caesar, who ceased to be 

 a Roman when he triumphed over the hberties of his country. 

 Fatigued with civil dissentions, and the bloody proscriptions that 

 had almost extinguished the class of pre-eminent citizens, those 

 who remained, were glad to take shelter under the protection of 

 one, who had once been their companion and equal, and who, to 

 the military renown he had acquired, united the greater security 

 of a highly cultivated mind. That vigilance for the public wel- 

 fare, which had been the common duty of all, had now devolved 

 upon one, and to him, the source of honour and power, all con- 

 secrated those energies, which belonged to their country. Adu- 

 lation took the place of patriotism. This base spirit arose to a 

 fearful height, under his successors, Augustus and Tiberius. 

 Panegyric alone was permitted in Rome : the eloquence which 

 has truth for its object, was unknown, both to the forum and the 



Vol. I.— 19 145 



