, 1874-08-11

tejloctt1nl nowora and forceB that tjsttnr1Blted
pishop yyMtelouso. Of Illinois,
PLAT0NIO LOVE.
Tho rrapbfo nnrrativo f<om IL rasb n NJ III,
facts wlich 10 gathered relative to tho Dees,,er
ecanfa1. u,juu hin two 3ava, vs1t tn Mr. oron,ton
and Theodore Tiltou. whi}o it throws n f}ood of
light On many things tlat hayo heretofore an
poared mysterious, briuga out QUO fact With
startling prominence. Ia. thu danrora wtct,
lurk about that sentimental form of affection
known ~ piatonio loyo. Tho whole drift Of tho
testimony in this caae. tho atatooonts of Mr..
Deeehor and Mr. Ti}ton. the ireonur,ous aud
conflicting Testimony Of Mrs. Tiltou. and tho
jotto1s and documents which have thus far {eon
published, tond to show tia. tho attack
mont between Mr.. Deechc, a,nl Mrs. Ttltop,
wl1en 1t first commenced, was ono Of continent.
md as pIatonio "a eyon Pinto himself might
t1ayo taught In any Of hia synuosiuna, It ia
possible 1t might hayo 1omainod 40 had tho con-
dttlous boen fayorablo.-tlat ie, had Nir, Deeoher
a.d Mrs. Tl!ton been POROUS OF equal strength
Of mind and Of equal purity OF purpose. Both
arc sentimental IN their ,deas and noeica1 II not
rnapsodical By nature but beyond this thoy aro
unlike in character. Mr, Decchor Ia a mat huilt
In strong mold; strong in phyaiquo strong
in into,loot, strong in tho powor to fascinate
othora by the magnetism Of lis prof.
once; man entitled to bo called =
gonius, If unY MN in tho American
rulpit can bo ca,1et, 8ucla. Mrs. Tilton, on tho
other hand, has shown by ]lor Testimony, ant,
ovon By tho lottors written to hor h1sband, TINT
alto IL a weak, foolish woman, whose reasou ie
ernod by hor hcart. As Mr.. Tiiton and Afr.
Boocher aro men OF similar taatos and PURPOSES
although tho former has tho manly 1rankneHs
and bo1dness OF youth, and tho other the cau-
ton and eyaaion Of age. tho opporsunities for
interviews between A1r. Dooclor and Mira. Tilton
woro we'll nigh unlimited. oacnmatauccs wore
favorable for tho consummation OF this intimacy
! Mr. Boochoris religious teacher Of consummato
power and oloQuenco and HRS Tilton ia by mature
| a depplY religious portion. Mr.. Deocher ia an
amiuently literary mat, and nlra. Tilton is lover
| OF Ntcrature The piatonio attachment, thoro-
| foro, fcd and thrivod upon religion aud
literature. Like any ong1y.zaligious and
| woahly-eroundoa woman, sho idcailzed hlr.
! Decchor, Ho gradually grew in her imagination
to bo saint who could do no harm. II sho over
had Bcruplo, he could speedily renoyo 1t by the
| ASSURANCE that no wrong could 10 done under tho
cloan Of religion. Ho minihtoroa to her Itotnr1
prido by roudiug to her and consulting with ber
| unon tNorwood," and tho ~ Lilo Of Christ, u
and othor 1nattcr he waa preparing for
tho press; and "Tho Lifo Of Christ "
was subsequently mado convenient
vohic1e for tha forwarding Of appointments
when Mr. Tilton was Away. Thus, whethor MIR.
Doochor started out with m evil purpose or not,
tho platonio friendship carried these two along
until Mrs. Tiltou wished that Hoaven had
made lor such man," Having roachod thil
point. it was easy enough for her to beliovo thai
uoayon had done t1is Tor her, and tho strong
mind, moro aud mora influencing tue weak ono
tho cataatrophe may hayo como unswarcB.
In nine cascs out of ton, tho catastrophe over
taltos platonio frendEltps especially berwoe1
married people, Or botveeu a married person o,
| $HG ONO nnnu AuA q HluEl9 HtFbou Ol &Ht
otbor. It Is doubtful whether oyon tho pla
tonic loves OF Danto and Dontrice, or re
tsasch aud Laura, If all tho facts wor'
known, and they wera stripped OF tho g1amo
which poetry has woven about thom, would ataus
tho test Of strict morality. So long ~ lovo il
physiological emotion. so long must platonf
love sooner Or later be ru,leiy allntterea, nj,
loayo it's v,ctima lluttering In tho dirt with bro
ken wings. Thta IL thu inevitable experience o
up the better will 1t 10 for those who hayo sonti
. nent in tl,oir composition, md arc disposed t
, give 1t play for tho purpose Of roallzing th
/ dogmaa Of Plato. There mny bo raro and gifto
souls who may havo sentiment for each othe
porfeot1y puro aud innocent, but theso ailutie