The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-07-05


he differed in opinion from me, and
concluded every position with a sneeze.
"By the by" said ], "talking of Gall
and Spurzheim, what do you think of
their doctrine2 / am minclined to believe
there must be some truth in it; at least
have seen it verified in a number of
ds,andamong othersi in that of Cicero,
which l saw few years ago in the
sculpture gallery of the Louvre. 1t was
a beautiful head"
"You are right there, my dear friend, :"
replied he. The bead, phrenologically
considered, is extremely beautiful. |
believe / have got it in my pocket. -
4 Sneeze.)
You got the head of Cicero in your
pocket" cried l, with surprise.
go no! not absolutely the head of
Cicero" said he, smiling. "Mark An
tony disposedepf that--but only his bust
the bus you saw"
YOU in miniature of that bust?"
"a miniature, but the real
bust. Yefcit comes-how heavy it is!n
And, to my amazement, / saw him
take out of his pocket the identical bust,
as large as life, of the Roman orator,
and place it on the table before me.
"Have you any more heads of this
description about you?" said 1, not a
little marvelling how he was able to
stuff such block of marble into his
pocket.
II have few others at your service,
my dear friend. Name any one YOU
would wish to see, and l shall be most
happy to produce it,"
Let me see then the head of Copper
nicus." l had scarcely spoken the word
when he brought out the philosopher,
and put him beside Cicero. l named
successively Socrates, Thales, Galleo,
Confucius, Zoroaster, Tycho Brache,
Roger Bacon, and Paracelsus, and
straightway they stood upon the table
as fresh as if they had just received the
last touch of the sculptor's chisel. /
must confess that such number oflarge
heads emanating from the pocket of the
little meagre man in the snutf-coloured
surtout and the scarlet waistcoat, would
have occasioned me Incredible wonder,
had my stock of astonishment not been
exhausted by the previoue display of his
abilities. l had little more to throw
away upon any new subject, and looked
upon these fresh exhibitions without
experiencing any thing beyond slight
surprise.
"And do you," demanded, as the last
named was brought forth, "always carry
those heads about with you?"
81 generally do so for the amusement
of my friends" answered he. "But do
not think that my stock is exhausted
L have still few more that | can show
you-for instance, Pythagoras."
Pythagoras !" exclaimed /; "no,
don't produce him. He is the last of
all the philosophers l would wish to see.
The Stoics, the Epicureans, ay, even the
Cynics, with Diogenes or Menippus at
their head, were sages compared with
Pythagoras, the founder of the most
preposterous system Of philosophy that
ever existed"
MY dear friend" said the little man,
with unusual gravity, "you do not say
SOP"
" do say SO. Pythagoras was fool,
a mailman, an imposter."
"You don't speak thus of the divine
Pythagoras?" returned he, putting his
bust upon the table.
mr. nf hn IL
for such Il person never existed. / speak
of Pythagoras the Samian-him of the
gold en- thigh, the founder of what is
called the Pythagorean philosophy"
And the most rational system of
philosophy that ever existed. Begging
your pardon, think it goes far beyond
that of Plato or the Stagyrite."
If you mean that it goes beyond
them in being as full of absurdity as
they are of wisdom, l readily agree
with YOU" said l, my anger rising at
hearing the divine doctrines of Aristotle,
and the disciple of Socrates, so irrever-
entity spoken of.
"Pray, what were its absurdities ?"
asked he with the most imperturbable( I
good nature.
did not Pythagoras enjoin silence
to his disciples for period Olive years
absolute silence, ,muteness, ,dumbness""
And very good injunction it was.
No man can be n philosopher unless he
knows how to keep his tongue under
restraint"
81 am afraid then yOu will never be
one" ] remarked, forcing a smile, al
tn ough | was at bottom considerably
nettled. He did not seem to take my
observation i'll, but passed it off with one
of his characteristic giggles Of laughter.
You were talking ofhis absurdities,
my dear friend"
"Ah, well, did he not forbid the use
of animal food to his followers? and, to
crown all didhe not teach the monstrous
doctrine of transmigration of souls
sending the spirits Of men, after death,
to inhabit the bodies of dogs, and cats,
and frogs, and geese and even insects?"
And call you this monstrous doc
trine?"
Monstrous !" l exclaimed with sur
prise. at is the ne Plus ultra, theclimax |
of faulty, the raving of disordered !
Imagination"
$50 you do not believe in Metempsy-
Ghosts? asked he, with smile.
no RE coNriNUEpI