, 1873-11-23

FOOLS.


CHICAGO.
Do tolerant to foolB.-Jfarons AHreffus,
Why is it that fools arc laughed at, oven by
kind-heartod men ? Is not tho lnck OF brainH O.
misfortune to DO pitiod rather than sneered at
by those who are bottor endowed ? IB intelloot-
ual deficiency or dofof1nity loss entitled to our
COMMUNICATION than physical Pascal haa an
wored these questions in Lis usual acuto way.
"Whouco In it," ho aaks, "that lamo man does
not offond us, wlilo tho crippled in mind does
offend us? It is because tho lamo man aolnowl-
edges TINT wo walk straight whereas tho Grip
plod IN mind maintain that it Ii who 60 lan1o.
But for this, wo should fool more compassion
for them tlnn resentment" Tho snmo
profound thinker tolls uB, however, in
another placo, tint man is necessarily so
much Of fool, that it would DO a species Of
folly not to bo q fool,--a comforting theory to
tho stupid, for If wisdom ia attainable only
through foolishness, who ia moro to be con-
gratulatod than ho who has scaled the dizziost
peaks Of folly, the fool par excellence?
Whatever may be tho reaaon, wo confess VIC
havo kindly fooling for fools. Like Charles
Lamb, re love to discover streak Of folly in r.
man; wo yonerato an honest obliquity Of undor-.
standing. The moro ]aughablo blundera q man
commits in your company, tho moro tosts ho
gives you TINT ho is not sly, snaky, and hypo-
oritical-that ho is not, while Whispering honoyoa
words in your oar, playing aome subtlo troaoller-
oua game to overreach you. That fools arc
happy beings, all will admit. It III tho empty
vessel that has & naorry ring tho opan eye that
weops. It is tue great fault OF tho present age
that 1t Is oYerwiBo,-tllat 1t iB too traug
cendontally sapiont for its own comfort. Wo ana
lyzo our food, hunting for adultorations, till
re almost dread to eat for fear of boing poiB-
oned, Wo put microscopes to our oyos, md cau-
not drink for fear of nnlmnlouleH. We nvoRti-
gato and pry into the founlatlons Of our beliefs
till wo become universal Rl1opticB, and arc posi-
two only that wo aro positive Of nothing, In
stoad Of enjoying tho swoot Of lifo rs 1t comes
up, and finding heart to laugh at tho bitter, we
aro continually raokipg our brains to provide for
uomo future dreaded contingency, lottlng the
dower and euintosHence Of life escape ero We arc
roady to enjoy 1t. Wo arc always preparing Tor
rainy day." or aome calamity that may broak
upon uH liko thnndorbo1t. It Is oven raro to
hear any man laugh now-a-tay1, at loast with tho
caroloBs ringing laugh OF folly; nobody giyos
caro- to tho winds long enough for Buoh IN out
burst OF marrimont oyorywhoro wo find TINT
tho l,nppy, aimplo-honrto1 fool Of ollon times is
extinct, aud that the raco OF calculatorr and
economists hayo succeeded. Tho Bcltoolmastor Ia
now abroad, and thoro arc few peraous in these
intouacly intellectual days who sympathiHo with
gontlo Eliu's affection for tho fool. ~ love
fool" says lie, "as naturally aR II wore kith
aud kin to lin. When u child, with childliko
approximations, that diyod not bolow tho Hurfauo
OF tho lnattor, road t1loBo Parablcs, not
Ina at tho Involved wisdom-1 lad moro yoarn~
ings towards tlnt simple architect that built lis
house upon tho sand, than I entertained for lis
moro cautioua neghbor, grsldgod ut tho hard
consuro pronounced at tho quiet noul that kept
| Lia talent. 3. I neyor layo made an nc
auaintnuco snoe that lasted, or friendship that
answered, with any that had not aomo tlno!uro
| Of tho absurd in their characters. And tako my
word for this, roador. aud nay fool told 1t
you, II you please, tint ho who lad not n dram
OF folly in llia mixture, hndpoundaof muoll worao
mattorin Ills composition"
It nay Reem paradoxioal to maintain that foola
aro blessing to society; but a littlo reflection
will teach III largo clmrity for thom-wlll show
that thoy are osscutial to it's worry existenoo.
| They Rro tho oypAors Of the community. without