1134. CAPITOL (United States), Inscription for.—
If it be proposed to place an
inscription on the Capitol, the lapidary style
requires that essential facts only should be
stated, and these with a brevity admitting no
superfluous word. The essential facts in the
two inscriptions proposed are these:
“Founded 1791.—Burnt by a British Army
1814.—Restored by Congress 1817.” The reasons
for this brevity are that the letters must
be of extraordinary magnitude to be read
from below; that little space is allowed them,
being usually put into a pediment or in a
frieze, or on a small tablet on the wall; and
in our case, a third reason may be added, that
no passion can be imputed to this inscription,
every word being justifiable from the most
classical examples. But a question of more
importance is whether there should be one at
all? The barbarism of the conflagration will
immortalize that of the nation. It will place
them forever in degraded comparison with the
execrated Bonaparte, who, in possession of
almost every capitol in Europe, injured no
one. Of this, history will take care, which all
will read, while our inscription will be seen
by few.—
To James Monroe. Washington ed. vii, 41.
Ford ed., x, 65.
(M.
1816)
