,
belongs to the history of Xerxes.

The greatness of Darius was the greatness of position and not of
character. He was the absolute sovereign of nearly half the world,
and, as such, was held up very conspicuously to the attention of
mankind, who gaze with a strong feeling of admiration and awe upon
these vast elevations of power, as they do upon the summits of
mountains, simply because they are high. Darius performed no great
exploit, and he accomplished no great object while he lived; and he
did not even leave behind him any strong impressions of personal
character. There is in his history, and in the position which he
occupies in the minds of men, greatness without dignity, success
without merit, vast and long-continued power without effects
accomplished or objects gained, and universal and perpetual renown
without honor or applause. The world admire Caesar, Hannibal,
Alexander, Alfred, and Napoleon for the deeds which they performed.
They admire Darius only on account of the elevation on which he stood.
In the same lofty position, they would have admired, probably, just as
much, the very horse whose neighing placed him there.

THE END.

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