Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-02-24

of literature and matchless productions of art and
| not gro: warm with enthusiasm: The glorious
recollections of nineteen hundred years We're theirs
| They seized the prize at the moment when all En-
rope and a sis were moving. Great political events
| were going on. The Crusades had brought the be-
| nighted inhabitants OF Western Europe in contact
with the civilization of Asia and, at this very
men' eenghis Khan Possessed the mighti@st empire
| ma, and with the other Poland. Through his do
mnions. extending across Central Asia, active
correspondence was kept up To me il Is a Il
astonishing that the magnetic needle. gunpowder.
the manufacture of slA and the burning of pitcoal
were at this time so InvSteriousv made known in
Europe. The route through which they came i
obvious enough. The political connections of these
times preciptated the extreme east and west
France and China-on each other. and made Con
stantinope the very focus of Asiaric and European
knowledge 1t Is fact OF significant import that
at this very time professorShip of the Tartar Ian
.uage was founded in the University of Paris
From the crimes of ambition and the Hseries of
war how delightful il is to the course of events
ending IN the advance of knowledge and the pro-
duction of blessings,
The learning of China exercised no ordinary in
fuence on the Intellect of Young Europe Without
her mariners compass would there have been at
this day any United States: The social habits of
men have been changed and improved by her. The
intoxicating beverages III which ancestors de-
hehted have TO some extent been replaced by the
drinking of tea. And, again. in our times the vio-
ence of war has opened TO the treasures of that
hoary empire. and there Is the surety that are
reap from her science her literature her arts her
histories OF thousands of years, rich harvest
only a few years ago. there were published Chi
neSe astronomical records of the successive appar-
lton OF HALEY comet, "a far back the year 45l
showing that that wandering star has once had a
period of M years Time. which has carried in
It's flow the Egyptians, the Persians and the Ro-
mans, has spared TO these DAYS in the re1noteSt
East, that primeya empire. III which more than
onethlrd of the human have been shut out from
Us by the secrecy of that enchanted wall.
Again repeat. IL Is TO the capture of Constant
ope ny the French. that the resurrection of learn
ing l. 10 be traced. The consequences this event
are plainly shown in the immediate foundation of
not less than thirteen universities in Western En-
rope That, of itself, constitutes an imposing fact
Nor was this all; the older establishments of the
klnd underwent sudden expansion. Among these
may distinguish flor il bore no common share in
the events which soon came to pass,g the Universe
And here for moment may pause and before
TINS audience, and in this CIJ NAV ofera reflection
not out OF place. For we are living in times when
war Is declared against the higher institutions of
learning by men who have either forgotten or new
er known how intimately the greatness. prosperity
and reputation of nations i connected with the
WeII-belng OF their universities. There il sense
less outcry that these the institutions of the
rich, and should never be patronized by govern
mehtS, whose only cares ought to be directed TO
schools OF elementary education. The last six hun
dred years have shown that il is mainly through this
cflannel That persons born in humble station in
Aie have reached the direction of public affairs or
adorned their country by attachments in letters and
science Universities are founded not for the sake
OF the ahluent but through Il state necessity: for
NATIONS must now have such men a. they alone can
produce The University OF Paris became thus the
centre OF the grand movement which now com
mcnced- The biographies of the most eminent men
then hoUrishing show how extensively communion
iuS ifu-
lions Thus Arnold OF Villa Nuoya. fled to it from
one OF the Spanish colleges. and was excommuni-
Gated on an accusation of changing plate of cop
per INTO gold. From it Raymond Suiv went 10
England, and ii Is said. compelled in the Tow
er of London to make gold for King Edward II
from which a coinage was struck R5uer Bacon re-
moved from oxford to that of Pari. and there NV
him some OF the most brilliant discoveries We're
made communication among the colleges was
then carried forward TO an extent we can scarcely
realize. Ii UnquestonabIv from the RELIGIONS
organizations Of those times The direct result of
these events was the establishment of learned So
cIetles These in their origin. were small associ-
atoms of philosophers. who met on stated DAYS tn
relate the various experiments they had made and
10 eNhlbt them 10 each other. The Italian Socie-
ties- and AT a later period. the ROYAL Society of
London, originated in this manner They exist
now, every knows in all parts of the civil
lied world. The results which ensued were sucb
that. To use a vulgar phrase the world was turned
upside down Not calling in life, not sfassion
the connection of Wikclftfe and Huss, and fh@n
came the burst of the Reformation
In science, the discovery of the New World by
columbus the doubling of the Cape of Good Hope
by Nasco de CANA, the circumnavigation of the
globe by Magellan, and the discovery of the mech
aniSm Of the universe by Newton
might here stop to enquire where was Nndi-
cine Whcte was our chosen science? Il has been
the experience Of every age that all attempts AT ref
ornation, IN pursuits from which extensive bodies
of men draw their daily bread. are destined 10
meet with furious resistance. Try a reforma-
ton III any of these, and what * the result.
TO acknowledge that he has been living in ionor-
ahce al MS NE These are no new principles
Iley were put loTth by one in Oidcn times and I'M
derstood as well as now :. Put forth thy hand and
touch him in his substance and he will curse thee
10 tiny lace To accomplish such changes il needs
men of uncommon frInness and decision
Thus we see II was by the furious invectives Of
malignant quaCk that the grand principle of
philosophy was brought into medicine This
drunken yagabond. rcjoiced in the reSounding name
Of Aurclius Philipus de Hoheuheim Theophrastus
derng philosophers of those times he Travelled
through Central Asia and s-nt by the Tartar
which city. he tells Us he was taught the art OF
making gold. by an Arab. And in these wander-
lngs, ne learned the value Of two very important
arucigS OF the Inaterla medlca, opium. and mcrCu-
~. What with his opium. and what with his
mercury, he arose to an immense popular reputa-
non. lie delivered, and published, the most scan
dalOus diatribes against the old physicians On bic
" burnt the works of Galen Avicenna and those
old authorities. which the profession had bceu fol
lowing Tor hundreds OF years. The great principle
which actuated him, was the preference of his own
experience to the combined wisdom of antiquity.
But, perhaps. do an injustice 10 the memory of
this immortal Quack. The reformation he was
called 10. demanded such man-strip him of his
alchemy. which never could prevent him from be
ING deplorable paupcr, and of his elixir OF life. of
which he carried bottle always in his pocket and
which could not prolong his earthly existence be-
yond the forty seventh year and he did great things
for our profession.
He made the doctors in white gloves. for so he
called those who were too vain to soil their fners
in a laboratory. : laughing stock from one ed of
Europe. 10 the other: and the fury with which
they retaIated and prosecuted him. served only TO
confirmed the principle for which he struggled
The prevalence of that principle. that our own OBJ
SerVatoEs must take the precedence of every other
species oftestimony, was followed By its nccessa-
" consequence. the emancipation of the mind
With the single exception of The chemical writers
the tone OF every philosophical book had been a
servlIe dependence upon the ancieutS
80 Intimately connected are thought and action
that freedom OF one most inevitably gives yigor to
the other.
He who surrenders his mind to the guidance Of
anotheF may i've without apprehension, and at
his ease, but he lives the life OF slave. He who
assumes the position which a free man ought TO
assume IN this world that he i the creator and
therefore. the lawful master of his own thoughts
VIII never fail 10 make the actions of his life the
representative of the liberty of mind What was
IL. but this self reliance. which gave birth 10 the
great nar3tlmo enterprises. which carried Colum-
bus across the Atlantic Ocean. aad De Cana to
round the Cape of Good Hope The men OF those
days could scarcely realize the distance that had al
ready separat d them from their predecessors \
new geologic epoch had transpired, new man
was made. { .npowder had given him an earthly
omnIpotence. The printing press AZ earthly i'm
mortality.
| have not the time. nor indeed am able TO
trace the action Of the new system of things in the
various departments of life Ii il only to general
Effects that look and take the present condition
OF the world a. the result
Here : al North and South America once q VII
dcrneSs. now covered with rising nations And
from the same cause in Europe, the lower classes 80
greatly elevated. that public opinion has tribunal
from which there i no appeal
pom those nations who have steadily pursued
tuls system prosperity and glory have 30 greatly
descended that peace has become their true inter
est and Justice, and mercy their best policy
Above all the more noble quantities OF the mind
have been developed for. unlike q mirror which
reflects all objects presented 70 il. but takes no
permanent impression from auy the mind receives
from external nature indeiNIe stamp and that
philosophy whose grand Objects 70 study the uni
verse has len Its proper effects upon Is.
Inc seed Tuat Il PIT into the ground uu5er the