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indeed manifested at the bar； in the senate； in the field of battle； in the
schools of philosophy。 But these are not her glory。 Wherever literature
consoles sorrow； or assuages pain； wherever it brings gladness to eyes
which fail with wakefulness and tears； and ache for the dark house and the
long sleep；there is exhibited； in its noblest form； the immortal influence
of Athens。
The dervise； in the Arabian tale； did not hesitate to abandon to his
comrade the camels with their load of jewels and gold； while he retained
the casket of that mysterious juice which enabled him to behold at one
glance all the hidden riches of the universe。 Surely it is no exaggeration to
say that no external advantage is to be compared with that purification of
the intellectual eye which gives us to contemplate the infinite wealth of the
mental world； all the hoarded treasures of its primeval dynasties； all the
shapeless ore of its yet unexplored mines。 This is the gift of Athens to
man。 Her freedom and her power have for more than twenty centuries
been annihilated； her people have degenerated into timid slaves； her
language into a barbarous jargon； her temples have been given up to the
successive depredations of Romans； Turks； and Scotchmen； but her
intellectual empire is imperishable。 And when those who have rivalled
her greatness shall have shared her fate； when civilisation and knowledge
shall have fixed their abode in distant continents； when the sceptre shall
have passed away from England； when； perhaps； travellers from distant
regions shall in vain labour to decipher on some mouldering pedestal the
name of our proudest chief； shall hear savage hymns chaunted to some
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY
misshapen idol over the ruined dome of our proudest temple； and shall see
a single naked fisherman wash his nets in the river of the ten thousand
masts；her influence and her glory will still survive；fresh in eternal
youth； exempt from mutability and decay； immortal as the intellectual
principle from which they derived their origin； and over which they
exercise their control。
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