Page:History of Greece Vol IV.djvu/70

52 HISTORY OF GREECE. informants, or because there AVOS nothing in it to captivate Uin imagination in the same manner as the Persian or the Pelopon- nesian wars. From whatever cause their silence arises, it is deeply to be regretted, since the phenomena of the two centuries from 776-5GO B.C., though not susceptible of any central group- ing, must have presented the most instructive matter for study, had they been preserved. In no period of history have there ever been formed a greater number of new political communities, under such variety of circumstances, personal as well as local. And a few chronicles, however destitute of philosophy, reporting the exact march of some of these colonies from their commence- ment, amidst all the difficulties attendant on amalgamation with strange natives, as well as on a fresh distribution of land, would have added greatly to our knowledge both of Greek character and Greek social existence. Taking the two centuries now under review, then, it will appear that there is not only no growing political unity among the Grecian states, but a tendency even to the contrary, to dissemination and mutual estrangement. Not so, however, in regard to the other feelings of unity capable of subsisting between men who acknowledge no common political authority, sympa- thies founded on common religion, language, belief of race, legends, tastes and customs, intellectual appetencies, sense of proportion and artistic excellence, recreative enjoyments, etc. On all these points the manifestations of Hellenic unity become more and more pronounced and comprehensive, in spite of increased political dissemination, throughout the same period. The breadth of common sentiment and sympathy between Greek and Greek, together with the conception of multitudinous periodical meetings as an indispensable portion of existence, appears decidedly greater in 560 B.C. than it had been a century before. It was fostered by the increased conviction of the superiority of Greeks as compared with foreigners, a convic- tion gradually more and more justified as Grecian art and intel- lect improved, and as the survey of foreign countries became extended, as well as by the many new efforts of men of genius 'a the field of music, poetry, statuary, and architecture, each of whom touched chords of feeling belonging to other Greeks hardly less than to his own peculiar city. At the same time, 'h9