glory. [See the tenth volume of the "Journal of the Royal
Asiatic Society."]

Kings who thus seek the admiration of posterity are little likely
to dim the record of their successes by the mention of their
occasional defeats; and it throws no suspicion on the narrative
of the Greek historians, that we find these inscriptions silent
respecting the overthrow of Datis and Artaphernes, as well as
respecting the reverses which Darius sustained in person during
his Scythian campaigns. But these indisputable monuments of
Persian fame confirm, and even increase, the opinion with which
Herodotus inspires us, of the vast power which Cyrus founded and
Cambyses increased; which Darius augmented by Indian and Arabian
conquests, and seemed likely, when he directed his arms against
Europe, to make the predominant monarchy of the world.

With the exception of the Chinese empire, in which, throughout
all ages down to the last few years, one-third of the human race
has dwelt almost unconnected with the other portions, all the
great kingdoms which we know to have existed in Ancient Asia,
were, in Darius's time, blended with the Persian. The northern
Indians, the Assyrians, the Syrians, the Babylonians, the
Chaldees, the Phoenicians, the nations of Palestine, the
Armenians, the Bactrians, the Lydians, the Phrygians, the
Parthians, and the Medes,--all obeyed the sceptre of the Great
King: the Medes standing next to the native Persians in honour,
and the empire being frequently spoken of as that of the Medes,
or as that of the Medes and Persians. Egypt and Cyrene were
Persian provinces; the Greek colonists in Asia Minor and the
islands of the AEgean were Darius's subjects; and their gallant