The Yazoo Democrat. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1844-11-19
Mental IndOlency Of the majority OF
Mankind.

/
but to the past history Of the human family.
Look, for momeni, at the false doctrines,
the puerile theories, and monstrous absurd
tiles, that have prevailed for ages and ages,
for centuries and centuries. The doctrines
Of Aristotle, for example, the founder OF
the Peripatetic school, held The world in
absolute mental vassalage more than, two
thousand years. And those who pretended
to think at all, during that period, were bu-
sled in speculaIions, concerning occult quat'
tiles and imaginary essences; and an ac>
quaintance with certain terms, such as for
mGlity, individuality, intnity, intention and
remission, proportion and degrees, with
other equally unmeaning and abstract no
tons, constituted the philosophy Of former
ages. The potency Of Arislotle's opinions
were not only felt and acknowledged by
the healbcn world, but even by Christians,
Jews, and Mahometans. Not only Europe,
but Africa and Asia bowed TO bis notions,
md acknowledged h;g sway. indeed, such
vs. che influence had almost said. such
/ was the omnipotency of the ArisoteIiRn
subtletes over the minds of men, that even
the .thunders Of the Vatican, awful as they
were at that period, failed to impede their
dissemination; and the dialectics, physics,
and metaphysics of the Stagyrile, were in
lroduced into the University of Paris, the
decree Of Pope Innocent 10 the Contrary
Notwithstanding. During the reign Of
Francis the First, il was made punishable
offence TO question the infallibilliy OF the
AristolIean doctrines. And, in fact, IN
many Of the Universities Of Europe it was
made obligatory by law TO follow Aristotle,
as the ony guide. What n comment upon
the wisdom and sagacity of man! The in~
qenious nonsense Of one Individual belooled
the world for generations and generations:
and had not BACON lived, the wand OF the
enchanter, perchance, had still retained lis
magic. But the philosophy Of reason and
common sense, as laid down by Lord Blcon
in his NoDum OrgGnum, overthrow, al
once and forever, the ianciful theories. the
chmericaI system~, ard subffInated foiitcs
of the Scolaslics. Yet such is the mental
indolency Of man, that question whether
there be one out Of fifty, even among those
who make pretcnsions to literature and
science, that are thoroughly and practically
acquainted with the indactiue OF erPert-
mental system of phiosophy-or, with any
other system! for that matter.
The Ptolemaic system of astronomy,
which mistook the apparent motions OF the
heavenly bodies for the real ones, and sup
posed the whole universe to be carried
round the earth once in every twenty four
hours. was recognized and acknowledged,
by even the learned for ages. During the
period which this system obtained, the most
visionary notions were regarded by man
kind as astronomical and philosophical
truths and those who could discourse OF
centres and cccentrics-of cycles. epicycLeS.
and chyrstaline orbS, were supposed 10 be
acquainted with the rhery Of the solar sys'
tenn. and accordingly, dubbed astronomers.
But at length thinker, reasoner, The i'm
mortal Copernicus came upon the stage,
AMI the ancient hypothesis was exploded
and the sublime science of astronomy es>
ltablished upon the only true aEd infalllb'e
basis, demonstration But, alas for The 10.
dolency Of the human mind, not one in ten,
even among those who are considered iOeIl
informed, are conversant with either the
PIolemaan or COpernicaa system Otastron-
omy. Not only in philosophy aud the sci.
ences, but also in the policy Of nations, and
in The laws and institutions of State, have
the great mass of mankind exhibited fatal
lethargy--a culpable suPineness OF mind
and most grieyousIy have they suffered Tor
their folly. Whilst one set of politicians
we're amusing the people, by attempting to
prove that the odIy true foundation OF gov
eminent was an original contract, incapa-
ble of revision or amendment, and in which
twas stipulated 10 surrender to certain
line or family Of princes the rule OF the
slate. and that this covenant was neeessa'
rily and perpeIualIy binding, always sub
iecting the msiorily to the will and contro
Iorthe minorily;-anolheF class, but whose
principles were equally iaimical to the IN
lerests Of The people, were cOnten6ihg tba
aDivine Right" or Legitimacy" was The
ONLY true foundation. This doctrine Of th'
Divine Right held, that the warrant by
which the king and bis hereditary eoun
sellers rule the sta e, was no less than thu
win Of God, and consequently, that resist
ance 10 The Sovereign on The part OF th'
people, was not only unlawful, but saeTi
leaious; and such was the blind iniataallol
81 the people, that in the strife OF the con
LENDING parties. ihsv lost sirht Of the fac