The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-04-18
Merriam the Philosopher.
(Froln the easy Chair of Harpers

fortune, of some wood to be made into choice
caskets to hold queens jewels of some wa
ter to hear the barge of Cleopatra and OF
some Chairs to be Easy. 1t is also the for
tune of certain "cyces" and "terms'' of hea,
and cold to be noted by f. NJ; but what shall
be said Of an aged veteran like ourselves who
enjoys the fortune of noting f. NJ. in turn
1t has been always the reproach of phlo.o-
piers that they were stranded upon systems
and theories. Their specuations were dear.
er to them than their experiments. Talley-
rand expressed the philosophic view of facts
when he SAID. upon being told that the facts
were against his theory, so much the worse
for the facts"
Tins want OF cohrrency between the idea
and the tact ran never be asserted of the
Phiosophic f. Nj. Thus: "Yrsteray was
Wednesday. At dawn commenced great
cycls of daylight which was completed al,
dark, aid term of obscurity ensned. The
phrnomenenon Of noon was remarked at I'm.
precisely. Rain fell from the clouds and con-
s"qnent wetnrs> was noticed. The water and
dust combining. formed mud The ihprmom-
eter rose and fell during the day, apparently
indicating variations of temperature. Twice
two are tour: bats are blind and dav after
to morrow will De Saturday, unless something
happens TO prevent"
! Ii Is not easy TO estimate the value of these
observations. But when they are continued
by the philo>ophr m'nd tor fifty years. the
philosophr body ony out upon houst tops
in limited linen and halze slippers every five
minutes during the night. tim it b.:D mes
not At all difficult TO estimate the wisdom
Now is he not plain practical public bene-
factor who saws without reservation ut the
beginning of winter: 1T is possible that we
may have mild winter. in which case 50
much clothing will not be required as if the
weather were cold; but As. on the other hand
it Is impossible to toreteIl the weather, it will
be the part OF wisdom 20 provide warm cloth
ING. Then If it be cold shall be ready
for it, and itmld, We can be piously crate
full"
This is science whic., every body can un
der>tand. THIS Is learning made easy; or
the M"rlameter for trIin. what has happen
ed. 1t seems to us As If no man conlh Justly
qnarrrl with such statements for their al.
mlrable luridi'v com,n-nds them to the
simplest mind They have also that air of
probability which Is so fascinating in the re.
suits OF ah>trn>rr studies. They invite belief
They cl0ihe the a>tute observation in the
most familiar yarb, and have even the air of
old ar1uaintaEcrs
1t has long been noticed that people like
to gee famous men; or to express The senti
ment in the ntrlligibe phra>eolo.v of the
Meriametrr, NV hen there is general public
desire to see man, people usually wish to
look at him" We had in our own four-ley
ged person an opportunity of verifying this
axiom when we We're recently asked if we
, wished to see f. NJ. Wish to see F. M?-
Would n man wish to see DR. Primrose, or
POlOniuS:
So our legs were rolled up TO the philoso,
pAer. and we contemp lated him for part of
cycle and for the whole of a heated term.
as the interview took place bv fiery stove.
NJ has shock of long white hair, fr;z
zed. hushv, standing off from his head lie
is deaf, and of mild. courteous m.nners His
eyes are small and his figure stout lie was
dressed in ordinary winter garments, without
an outer coat.
We asked him if he had enoved his i.unt
among the winter mountains. He said that
he certainly had done so, and, showing his
thin summer shoes, remerked that he had
, made the entire tour clad as he was at that
moment. Then. of course, we asked the
question which was ant,pated.
Did You not find it cold, Mr. +. Mp
Not at all. Ii an absurd mistake to sun
pose that heavy rIo'hln! keeps a man warm, ,
responded the philosopher, surveying fur
collar that lay over our arm.
Yes; but white bears
White bears can suck their paws
lh's remark certainly seems to lack the
clearne>s which usually characterzes the
observations of the philosopher for though
it be true III itself. it seems to bear no es.
rPr'a' relation to the discussion The Easy
Char could therefore only respond.
'Trne; and so can We
: Spiders now, continued the philosopher,
'havc no fur
'Grauted'
'"'l'''hry live at the pole as we'll as bears.
The eve has no overcoat.'
. True
, We'll. the eve is the most sensitive mart
of 'he body. You see that winIo~?
Yes
'''' 'Hh' eAtiuutS tDe cOlu As we'll az thA
, stone wall beside it,
AT tins point. horne down by snpprior
srienre, the Easy Chair ftrbv retort.d that
had the philosopher been housed in tn at
room during the late protractpd cold SMELL,
B. and had that room been a simple CRYSTAL
Palace. the good philosopher would have
made no more pedestrian tours in thinnish
clothing wIh the mercury at zero. over the
Z wild NV E".l,ni mountains.
/, But f.. Nj smiled lotrlv. with kind of
tender compassion ter world that would in
si>t upon being cold, when thin coat, and
shoes were 50 pIrntv. and arctic appx.s Of
$ mountains so perfectly accessible The
| needless Easy Ch'ir asked if during hi,
wanderIngS. he still maintained his ohs+rva-
tons; and the Philosopher paused moment
: ami then repllrd. in tone of annIhiIation
: bianinr>s. tuIi of pity and wonder at such 2
-, thon.htIr>s inquiry:
For fifty years.
Peace be with thee, Fest and Nest of
philosophers Peace be upon thy house ton
and endless mercury in thy tubes Still
mayest thou terl and say. when the dog star
RACES that 1t Is a heated term and still dis
:. cover, "h'n the rain has fallen, that the
grass is wet. Still, when water begins to
cohsea', mayest thou sraveIy say look out
: 'or Ice about this time y and when chimnevs
' are ''pplrd over and trees wr+nched up bv
,ne roo'>' announce that the wind j. blowing
"n1n Stars are in the quiet skies, may the
'a'h'u' Mer'ameter still indicate sunset and.
""en apples are pressed, ,toreteIl cider Long
may our Sraetful ears attend the sound that
wafer w'' un down hill and ignted char
coa' burn and our minds rejoice to know
'hat the good old rule of three still works
"rl',~ the multiplication table isn't suspend.
ed'''arpy BROOKLYN! happy house top. happy
linen garments and ha;za J,n,,, Ci'