Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-04-26

4IeJ~tu3 VI Ouo u IIOleSSOl OugOI 1oStuACo
before the Institute in that city, win be found
very interesting to all our readers, but espec-
tally SO, to those who have listened to Profess
sor Guyot's lectures before the Teachers Insti-
tute at the CITY HALL.
Physical Geography
The second lecture before the Teachers In
stitute was delivered on Tuesday evening, by
Prof. Guyot, upon thus subject, of which this
is brief outline. South America, from its
formation and position-from the whole APP
pearance Of its surface, constitutes an entirely
one sided view of physical nature; its three
immense rivers, 1.-The largest being more than
five times as extensive as any in the Eastern
Continent. and far greater than the largest of
North Notwithstanding a territory whose
vastness is excelled only by its extreme fertil-
hty her boundless forests consisting of the
most luxurious vegetation the world produces,
and extending in some instances over fields of
1000, 900 square miles-her wide expanse of
luxuriant plains covered with grass which
grows to the hight of eight and ten feet-the
remarkable adoption of the climate to vegeta-
BILE production, all proclaim South America
emphatcally the vegetable kingdom of the
world. Vegetable life is here the great end
and aim of nature.
Now Africa presents an entirely different
aspect. In the same degree that all the ele-
ments seem combine to produce an abundance
of vegetable life in South America, they
seem to combined to perfect animal life in
Africa. The largest and strongest animals
Of the world-the most muscular and feroci-
Gus, all seem collected there. The Elephant,
Rhinoceros, Lion, and Tiger, are all natives Of
Africa, and there seem confined. There the
greatst development of man is seen. No race
under the sun is SO muscular, so large, aud ca
pable of endurance, as the Negro. There an
imal life is presented in its most extreme and
remarkable developments; and this life is the
end and aim of of all nature in Africa.
Asia, on the other hand, is the starting point
of intellectual man. All nations under the
sun acknowledge and claim Asia as their COM
mon origin in their histories and traditions;
here all the prominent systems of religion
found their being; here the religion Of the
Hindoos still prevails, which has 800, ZOO, 900
followers, far greater number than any 9TH
er system in the world, comprising third of
all the inhabitants of the earth. Here, in the
very centre of the Eastern continent, Chris
tianity and Mahomedanism had their origin,
and thence radiated the former penetrating
the remotest corners of the world, and destin-
ed to be acknowledged by the whole of it, as
the only true religion. In the extreme east of
this continent, the Chinese are found, whose
condition, as well as the consideration of what
has already been said, show plainly that ASIA
| is not country for full Development. The
Chinese have stood still for Ave thousand
years; they are now exactly as Confucius left
them; no change with them presents a new
phase or develops any trait of character they
are truly Asiatic. and that continent has al
c1ad
has left the Western countries to develop the
same.
We see consequently that Europe, on the
other hand, only draws out and Celebrates as
it were, what she has received from ASIA
Europe is progreSSive, whilst the former is not
hence she is the seat of ciuiIizaton, of the arts
and the sciences; and the further west we
proceed the more evident does this truth be-
come. In France the people have clear and
lively ideas of things. They are fond Of sci
entifc Investigations; they love the abstract,
and are eminently intellectual; they greatly
admire that clear,sesS and vivacity of express
sion, which their language allows to such a
remarkable degree; they are SO pleased with
clear conception, that they will not
stop to inquire whether it is true But
the Germans are profoundly reflective,
the very kings of thought, applying to every
| proposition the guage of moral conscience;
| questioning the truth of everything until log
icauy and relgiously established. They will
not admit the truth Of any conception, or
| proposition, however clear it may appear, I'M
til it hasbeen tested by the most critical inves-
| tgation. They are great metaphysicians, and
| give a metaphysical turn to all ideas-indeed,
they are too speculative, for they carry their
abstract discussions of truth SO far that they
| forget to act upon their oscn decisions. Now
the English, situated at the extreme west of
| the European continent seem to inherit, to
certain extent, both the French and German
cast of mind, backed by logged and irwin
chile will They have the French perception
to see, the German philosophy to reason, and
the English will to act A real John Bull
| will act any way. He knows what he knows,
and that's enough; he is stubborn fellow
that you must not oppose. He says what he
| thinks, and does what he says. He is the per-
| lection of the Eastern continents ideas of in
| tellectual and religious mind and action his
only trouble is that he does not enjoy COM
| plete personal and political liberty, and there
fore, the great efforts of the English are in that
| direction-personal and universal freedom is
| their aim.
In the last of the great continents, North
America, particularly in the United States,
this difficulty does not exist the perfection Of
| human freedom is here attained; no greater
| individual or more universal liberty, which is
in accordance with healthful morals, can be
desired or imagined than is here enjoyed -
hence our great work is spiritual-the devel-
| opment of the moral conscience and religious
| liberty. The spread of the true gospel, and
the perfection of the spiritual man should be
the honest endeavor of every true American.
| LONGEVITY OF GREAT MEN.-From the adj