The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-09-14

how false aud groundless are yo1ts in ferencss
Every reasonable mon knows that the brain is
Inc ans.ianisns OF the mind which enables it
TO Pafucipate IN the world of sense ; now,
when the instrument is destroyed, the partici.
patton OF the mind with the outward world
must cease: Although man may be an expert
on the Vioiin, he cannot play if the strings are
broken or ont of tune. Bat the player, his
ideas, the art, still remain. In like manner
the spirit remains, although it can no longer
play on the injured or discordant fibres of the
BRAIN"
You must read the whole book, father, and
then those others there"
but, Richard, you must not read books
that rob man of ali dignity"
49,, Of course not. should do rs tho ostrich.
When he Is in danger, he sticks his head into
the bushes not to see the danger. prudent
plan. But cannot close my eyes to the light,
even if that light should destroy my human
respect"
Greatly afflicted, Herr Frank returned to the
doctor.
Great God in what condition is my poor
Richard !" said the oppressed father.
He will, hope, be rescued. My stay at
Frankenhobe was to end with the month of
May but cannot forsake a Young man whom
love, in this helpless state of mental deliri-
um."
81 do not understand the condition of nv
son; and yonr words give mo great anxiety.
Lave the goodness to tell me what is the
matter with Richard, and how it came about"
1T would be very difficult to make Your
sons position clear to you. In You there is
only business, lucrative Undertakings, specu-
latve combinations. The bustle of the money
market is your world. You have no idea Of
know the thoughtful, intellectual nature of
your son and here begin. In the first place
1 will remind you that Richard wishes to be
governed by the power Of deduction. With
him fantasies and passions retreat before this
force, although usually in men of his years.
and even in mon with gray hair, clearness of
mind and keen penetration are often swept
away by the current of stormy passions. Rich
ards aversion to women is the result of cool
| reflection and inevitable inference, and there
| fore on tEis question do not dispute his
views. I know it would be useless, and l
| know that the study of pure feminine ma
| ture would overcome this prejudice. The same
force Of logical inferences places Richard in
of the materlalist. There he found the physi-
illogical proofs that man is o beast. From these
proofs Rob ard drew all tho terrible conclu-
siors contained in those destructive doctrines.
As tho intellectual life predominates in him,
and "a he has strong repugnance to material
istio madness, his nature must be stirred in
Profoundest depths. If Richard succnmbs, he
will act In his habitual consistent manner All
moral basis lost, morality would be foolish
ness to him, since it il useless for beasts to
curb the passions by moral laws. As with
Immortality disappears mans eternal destiny,
it would be foolish to fight the giant fight Of
duty If he is convinced that man is q beast,
no viii live like beast-although he might
and thus suddenly would the sensible Rich.
ard Stand before his astonished father q ruined
man. This is one view there is still another"
said the doctor hesitatingly. IL remember
wrote on slip of paper, 'What do /
heref Eat. drink. sleep, worry, ard fret;
much sofsring little Joy theretoFs and the
insupportable; it is foolishness to q man who
thinks, and is at the Same time q materialist."
What propects-horriblem cried Herr
Frank, wringing his hands "Accursed be
those books. and tho IF
fortunei"
"The involuntary cause" said Klingenberg
ton Of fie devastating effects of those as Saa
bcSks. But how many are there who consider
every warning in this connection an exhibition
Of prejudice or narrow-miudednessl How few
readers are so modest as to admit that they want
the scientific culture to refute o bad book, to
separate the poison from the honey of sweet
phrases and winning style! How few can sec
that they cannot read those bad books without
detriment! No one would sit on a cask Of
powder and touch it of for amusement: and
yet those helli,h books are more dangerous
comprehensive. Poisonous food is ALWAYS in.
furious; yet thousands and millions drink
greedily from this poisonous stream of bad
readlng Thtoh aelnges oil grades of society,"
said Herr Frank as he hastily rose
"What will you dot"
"Iake from my son those execrable books"
would be a psychological mistake Richard |
would buy the same books again at the book |
shop, and read them secretly. man who has
the resolution of your son must be won by |
honorable combat Authority would here be-
badly applied, Therefore forbid you TO in
terfere. You know nothing Of the matter. |
Treat him kindly, and have forbearance with |
his sensitiveness. That is what must require |
of you"
Greatly afflicted, Herr Frank left tho doctor
Overwhelming himself with reproacbes be
wandered restlessly about tho house and gar.
den. He saw Richard standing at the oren
window with folded arms, dreamy and nile.
his hair in disorder like q storm beaten wheat
feld-truly a painful sight for the father. He
went mp to his room, where tho small library
stood in it's beautiful binding. A servant stood
near him with a basket. Tue works of En-
gene Sue, GutZEnow, and like spirits fell into
the basket.
GAN to the fire." commanded Herr Frank
The doctor had compared bad literature to |
poisonous food. The comparison was not in
apt; at least, it gave Richard the appearance
of man in whose body destructive poison
was working. He WAS listless and exhausted
in walking, his hands hung heavily by his
vide. His eyes were directed to the ground, AZ
Il he were seeking something. II he saw
snail, he stopped to examine the crawling crea- {
lure. He sought to know why the snail crawls ,
about, and, to his astonishmcnt, found that I
.he snail always followed An object; which ia :
lot always the case with man, animal of the ! {
who goes about without an ohiect
e n caterpillar accidentally got under hi. | =