HISTORICAL PARALLELS.
f To ma Emma or sae "Brseraron"j
Sra,—The following extracts from Gibbon's Decline and Fall may be of interest at the present time r-
" It was the opinion of Mercian, that war should be avoided as long as it was possible to preserve a secure and honourable peace; but it was likewise his opinion that peace cannot be honourable or secure if the sovereign betrays a pusillanimous aversion to war." "The facility with which Attila had penetrated into the heart of Gaul, may be sem-Haat to his insidious policy as well as the terror of hie arms. His public declarations were skilfully mitigated by his private assurances." "The senator Loftus . . represented to Theodorie, that an ambitious conqueror, who aspired to the dominion of the earth, could be resisted only by the firm and unanimous alliance of the powers whom he laboured to oppress." "The example of the Goths determined several tribes or nations, that seemed to fluctuate between the Huns and the Romans."
He strenuously urged that it was the duty of every Christian to ears from sacrilegious violation the churches of God and the relics of the saints."
"The unusual despondency which seemed to prevail among the Hans, engaged Attila to use the expedient, so familiar to the generals of antiquity, of animating his troops by a military oration."
"The cautious steps of their enemies, their strict alliance, and their advantageous posts, he artfully represented as the effects, not of prudence, but of fear." "The nations from the Volga to the Atlantis were assembled on the plains of Chfilerus ; but many of these nations bad been divided, by faction, or conquest, or emigration?' "A conflict, fierce, various, obstinate, and bloody; such as could ant be paralleled, either in the present or past ages." "The Buns were undoubtedly vanquished since Attila, was com- pelled to retreat. " The imperial general was soon satisfied of the defeat of Attila, who still remained inactive within his intrenehmente."
"Yet the Gotha themselves were astonished by the fierce and undaunted aspect of their formidable antagonist and their historian has compared Attila to a lion encompassed in his den, and threatening the hunters with redoubled fury." "All his instruments of martial music incessantly sounded a lend and animating strain of defiance."
"Neither the spirit, nor the forces, nor the reputation of Attila, were impaired by the failure of the Gallic expedition."
" The succeeding generation could scarcely discover the ruins of Aquilcia. After this dreadful chastisement, Attila pursued his march, and as he passed the eities of Altinurn, Concordia, and Padua were reduced into heaps of stone and ashes.... Milan and Pavia submitted without resistance to the loss of their wealth ; and applauded the unusual clemency, which preserved from the Eames the public as well as the private buildings, and spared the hem of the captive multitude." "Many families of Aquiloia, Padua, and the adjacent towns, who fled from the sword of the Huns, found a safe though obscure refuge in the neighbouring islands."
.Palmem qui nteruit, feral.—I am, Sir, de.,
HAROLD B. HAnuison.
Applchayes, Clayltidon, Devon.
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