By the Rivers of Babylon [pp. 706-707]

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his honor." The beautiful couplet of a distinguished Poet expresses with admirable pertinence and
precision the character of Themistocles, and, with
a slight alteration, will answer well as the summing
tip of this article —
" An orator all o'er, consummate, absolute,
Full orb'd, in his whole round of iays complete."
Of the early discipline of Themistocles, history
has furnished us with but little information. The
few scattered hints, it does impart, it may be profitable to observe.
The mind passionately loves to dwell on every
circumstance of splendid preparation, which contributes in the least to fit the man of renown for
the scene of his glory. "We love to watch, fold
by fold, the bracing on of his Vulcanian panoply,
and we observe with delight and anxiety the leading forth of that chariot, which borne on irresistible wheels, and drawn by steeds of immortal race,
is to crush the necks of the mighty; and sweep
away the serried strength of arms2"
In regard to those departments of study, which
were considered by the Athenians as indispensable
in forming the polite and accomplished scholar, he
was either superficial in lhis investigations or neglected them entirely. With those branches, however, which had an immediate and intimate connexion with his future pursuits, he was familiarly
acquainted. In this field of instruction, in the
language of his biographer, his acquisitions were
absolutely unbounded-the necessary consequence
of an irrepressible ardor in quest of an object ardently desired, and passionately sought.
Themistocles is considered by some, as the representative of the eloquence of his time; but he
was desirous to rest his fame on his character as a
statesman rather than orator, and his name will
ever be connected with the glories of Salamis. His
qualities as a forensic speaker, however, were high-
ly celebrated. An imagination cultivated by secliolar-like perseverance; a power of invention prodigal even to satiety; a magnificence of genius rarely,
if ever, surpassed; an energy of mind wonderful
in its conceptions and effects; a consummate maturity of judgment; and an unconquerable love of
glory, were his ruling characteristics. All his'
oratorical efforts evince a comnianding reason, a
vast and varied extent of erudition; and they abound
in fine morality and indignant pathos. His powers
of mind must be universally admitted to have been,
of the highest order; and he was equally endowed
with those more practical qualifications, which give
to eloquence its deepest polish, and its most thrilling power.
The decease of the subject of this brief sketch,
which was the obscuration of one of the most effulgent stars in the galaxy of Grecian eloquence,
and was occasioned by partaking of the deadly
poison, that he might not outlive his honor, displayed the same remarkable heroism, that had signally -
marked his whole career, and crowned with a
wreath of unfading verdure the termination of a
life, which had been distinguished throughout by
gigantic and unparalleled achievements.
"It is something enthusiastically great, when a.
man determines not to survive his liberty; but it is
something still greater, when he refuses to survive
" By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we
wept when we remembered Zion.
"We hanged our harps upon the willows, in the midst
thereof
"Fo r they that carried io s away captive required o f us a
songs * * *'
"How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land.
"If I forget thee, oh Jerusalem, let my right hand forget
her cunning. * * *
"Oh! daughter of Babylon. who art to be destroyed,
happy shall he be that rewardest thee as thou hast served
us."-Psalm cxxxvii.
I.
By the rivers of Babylon,
We sat in our wo,
And mourn'd over Zion,
Despoil'd by the foe:
Her homes and her altars,
Profaned and accurs'd
Her sons and her daughters
In bondage dispers'd..
II.
By the rivers of Babylon,
Our harps;-never strung
T o au ght but ejoicings, —
In sorrow were hung
On the willows.-No longer
The rapture which springs,
From a triumph in battle
Could waken their strings.
III.
By the rivers of Babylon,
Qur spoilers came down,
And desired a strain
Of our songs of renown;
But never as slaves
To the stranger, could we,
Lift a voice or a harp
In the songs of the free.
By the rivers of Babylon,
Though eternally set,
Thy beauty, Jerusalem,
We shall not forget;
Nor the day when in happy
Possession we trod,
By the waters that gladden'd
The city of God,!
706
By the Rivers o Babylon.
[SEPTr,,MBF,R,
Chililcothe, Oltio, Sel)t. 1840.
BY THE RIVERS OF BABYLON.
A PARAPIIIZASE.
BY GEORGE B. WALL,IS.
IV.