156 REPORT — 1875. 



might have suggested that those exhibitions entered as factors of some importance 

 into the formation of the Roman character. It is impossible to go beyond that in 

 the way of looking only at the bright side of things. Still -we ourselves have 

 less difficulty in recollecting that there were 300 Spartans sacrificed to the law- 

 abiding instincts of their race at Thermopylae, than in producing, when asked for 

 them, the numbers of Helots whom Spartan policy massacred in cold blood 

 not so many years after, or those of the Melians and Mitylenseans whom the 

 polished and cultivated Athenians butchered in the same way, and about the same 

 time, with as little or far less justification for doing so. Homer, whom I have 

 above quoted, lived, it is true, some centuries earlier, but living even then he might 

 have spared more than the five words contained in a single line (176 of ' Iliad' xxiii.) 

 to express reprobation for the slaughter of the twelve Trojan youths at the pyre of 

 Patroclus. The Romans could applaud Terence's line, " Homo sum, humani nihil 

 a me alienum puto ;" but it did not strike them till the time of Seneca that these 

 noble words were incompatible with the existence of gladiatorial shows, nor till 

 the time of Honorius did they legally abolish those abominations. Mutinies and 

 rebellions are not altogether free from unpleasant incidents even in our days ; but 

 the execution of 6000 captives from a Servile war, in the way that Crassus executed 

 his prisoners after the final defeat of Spartacus, viz. by the slow torture of cru- 

 cifixion, is, owing to the advance of civilization, no longer a possibility. If the 

 road from Capua to Rome witnessed this colossal atrocity, there are still preserved 

 for us in its near neighbourhood the remains of Herculaneum and Pompeii to show 

 us what foul broad-daylight exuberance could be allowed by the public conscience 

 of the time of Titus and Agricola to that other form which sits " hard by Hate." 

 The man who in those days contributed his factor to the formation of a better 



{(ublic opinion, did so at much greater risk than any of us can incur now by the 

 ike line of action. Much of what was most cruel, much of what was most foul 

 in the daily life of the time, had, M. Gaston Boissier notwithstanding, the sanction 

 of their state religion and the indorsement of their Statesmen and Emperors to 

 support it. There was no public press in other lands to appeal to from the falsified 

 verdicts of a sophisticated or a terrorized community. Though then as now, 



" Mankind were one in spirit," 



freedom of intercommunication was non-existent ; no one could have added to the 

 words j ust quoted from Lowell their complemental words, 



" And an instinct bears along, 

 " Sound the earth's electric circle the swift flash of right or wrong.'' 



The solidarity of nations had not, perhaps could not have been dreamt of — the 

 physical prerequisites for that, as for many another non-physical good, being 

 wanting. 



Under all these disadvantages men were still found who were capable of aspi- 

 ration, of hope for, and of love of better things ; and by constant striving after their 

 own ideal, they helped in securing for us the very really improved material, mental, 

 and moral positions which we enjoy. What they did before, we have to do for 

 those who will come after us. ■ 



BOTAST. 



[For Dr. Sclater's Address see page 85.] 



Notici of Bare Plants from Scotland. By Prof. Balfouk, F.R.S., F.R.S.E. 



Notes sn Turneracese from Rodriguez. By I. Batlet Balfour, D.Sc. 



