, 1873-03-02

Even in invention, it 1s urged, there is nothing
| now. Tho mo3erns Lave utilized many old
| ideas, but they have originated nothing. Frank
lin stole the thunder, it not the Lightning, OF
somebody else :; Colts revolver is as old as
Cromwels troopers and it is quito certain
that neither Fulton nor Watt, nor the Marquis
Of Worcester, nor Bl.sco do Garay, but some
count1yman Of Confucius living centuries
ago, invented that wondrous engine through
which tho law1css winds hare been made to
cover before the mightier powers Of steam. In
short, in literature and in science it is alike
true that there is nothing Of which it may be
said, "See, this is new!" but as Ch.ucer COM
planned, five hundred years ago,
Out Of the oldo-telds, mer satthe,
Comcth al this new corn fro ycaE to year;
And out Of olde books, in good fslthr,
Cometh all this newe science that men 1ere.
Is this just statement Of the case? Must
ne admit that every domain of thought was pre-
enpted before the moderns appeared, that the
ancients stole al their ideas before they had
them,-and that to seek for originality in our
day is to chase wi1-o'-the wisp? To
answer this question, it is necessary to
understand clearly what "origin.Gty" is-
II by originality is meant the invention OF
something absolutely new, whether in science,
art, action, reflection, method, or applicatio1,-
it is hard to believe in it's existence now or at
any time since the germs OF thought first began
to shoot forth in the prehistoric ages. No peo-
pie On the earth can CHIN, Independently Of
others, to have struck out any thoughts for the
good Of mankind OF all the nations Of antiquity,
the Phnnicians might most p1ausibIy make this
boast. The first known metallurgists, they also
displayed q brilliant genius for navigation and
trade, and introduced the letters Of the alphabet
into Europe. But rs to originality, they had
mono, except "original sin." Possessing
powerfully receptive nature, and imbiting
largely from earlier and more Oriental peo-
pies, they quickly digested and assiznilated
thoir borrowed knowledge, and, as the great
middlemen between tho East and West, played
An important part But, though admirable liter
ary merchants, they we're not producers of
thought 80, too, the Arabs. with ali their won.
derful qnichness and muscularity Of intellect,
were t'the hierophants, and not the oracle.''
They we're the puryoyors and expounders Of aci-
ence between ancient Greece and modern Eu--
rope; but they gave to the world nothing un-
thought OF before.
Nearly all the great discoveries and original
inventions Of modarn times have been shown to
have existed in their germs, if not in full bloom,
thousands Of years ego. Disraoli believes
that the Romans knew the secret OF movn-
BILE types, but would not let it be known,
for fear Of the spread Of knowledge, and the loss
Of the aristocratic monopoly OF enlightened
thought. DeQuincey holds that printing was
long known to the ancients, but made no prog
ress for want Of paper Gunpowder WAS
pyrotechnlc plaything long before it was used to
kill mon. Telescopes, some scientists tell US,
must have been directed to the stars Of the an
tique heavens, or its astronomy could not have
existed Alexander's copy OF the Hiad, inclosed
in nutshell, could hardly have been written
without q microscope; and the gem through
which Nero looked at the distant gladiators
was essentially an opera-glaas. "The mallea-r
biity Of glass, the indeibility Of col
ors, and fifty other things Of Importance,
dropped by the ancients- into the stream Of
time" says q well-informed writer, " ne have to.
dah up anew" Photography, which the nine
tcenth century Claims IS beyond all cavil its own
invention. is described by a French writer in 176o
with even greater perfection Of detail than We
can now attain to- photography producing color
as we'll as form and II. Fournier has shown
that the magnetic telegraph Was invented more
than two centuries ago. "
What shall ne say, then That originality in
our day is An imposaibility ?-that Parnassus
has been robbed Of it's richest laurels, and tho
unhappy writer OF this century can only pick up
what bygone explorers have loft behind: Yes,
if by originality is meant an absolute creation
Of new material an iso1ated act Of bare I'M
itation, instead OF an act OF adaptation OF mold
ing so as to resemble new creation, and in !
deed, to be one. But if by originality is meant |
q just selection and vitalzing OF materials that
already exist, fresh and novel combination of |
ideas, imparting new life to what ia combined
and this is the only originality that is or ever |
WAS possible in any ase,-then the writer's Of |
to-day are as original as any that evor held q |
stile or dipped their pens in ink. To be liter
ary creator, 1t is not necessary that man |
should make tabuldrasa Of his brain. Genius |
would soon starye and pine sway, If |
not ceaseless1y fed by tho memory As |
Burke Justly says, "there is no faculty |
Of the mind which can bring its energy into |
affect, unless the memory be stored with ideas |
for it to work upon; !" to which ne may add that
the very best pumps will not play till you pour
In water to start them. Originality in tho c1oa-
hive arts, as well as in science, may bo displayed
as signally in method as in aublect-matter. TO |
reproduce is, in fact, to produce again.' The |
process Is the same, provided that it is carried
out With equal energy; md it is simply non
sense to say that vlgor ceases to. be vigor |
because it starts upon + beaten track.
All OF the great poets haro at Soma tino !
been accused Of boing great thieves; but moth
ing can be more foolish than most Of these |
attempts to rob them OF their fame. Every great |
writer ia neceHsarily indebted both to his con-
tezaporaGies and to his predecessors. The finest /
passages IN prose and poetry arc often hut en-
ballished recollections OF other mems prodrc- /
lions. Thought and memory, it has been no !
lees ino1y than Justly said. -ro the Aphcus and |
Tho Arcthusa Of metaphysics; commit sny ma
Ferial to the1a.ter, and after 3 long period Of |
by some subterranean transition,
It will Appear floating On the Hurface Of the for
NOR, Is though it had been thrown up from no !
other sources than those OF pure Invention. Had |
thousand-souled as he vas. been con
tanod from childhood to desert island, could he
have w1itten tbs poorest Of hts ma.ch1ess dra-
mas; or could Newton, unaided by the preceding