The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-04-19

al hope" said Donysius, "to prove those
two truths to your satisfaction. But as you
say that all VIC believe ought to be demon
strated, will first offer you demonstration,
| that it is impossible to demonstrate every
thing TO prove any proposition, you require
a second and to prove the second, in its turn,
! you require third; and it is upon the third,
| if you admit it, that the demonstration of tho
first depends. But if you had fifty PROPOSE
tons, or any number, in the chain, what proves
Tie last Of them 7"
Another yet" said Afor.
But" said the Greek d" either you como to
last, or you never come to last. If you
never come to last proposition, you never
finish your proof; you leave it uncompletcd ;
ii remains still no proof at all; you have not
performed what you undertook. And if you
do como to final proposition, which is sup
ported by no other, what supports 1T ?"
There was n little start of pleasure in the
company at the sudden and clear closes to
which the Athenian was, each and every time,
bringing what seemed likely to have grown
into intricate and long dispositions.
My object, Augustus" pursued Dion, was
to show that we are all SO made that We feel
compelled to believe much more than we can
prove. Otherwise, our knowledge would be
confined within narrow limits indeed. He
who knows no more than he can demonstrate,
knows but little. May now ask the distin-
guished orators, Montanus and Capito, for
their theories respecting the questions which
interest us SO much to-nightf"
Qnintus Haterus prevented any answer to
this appeal. 1.-The eloquent and learned
thinker" said he, "who will yet / have no
doubt, DO the ornament of tho Athenian Areo-
pagus-has placed me, and, 1 think, many
others near me, completely on his side, in what
has hitherto passed. Young he is, he has
made us feel the masterful facility with which
he is able to throw light upon errors placed
where truth ought to stand. The operation is
highly amusing; we could pass long evening
in watching it repeated against any number of
antagonists But oome Dionysius, reverse the
process; take your own ground; maintain it
raise there your system like your castle and
let those assa;l it, if they please, whom your
| aggressive genius the contrary turns to
| assail."
Haterius is right" said Augustus. 81
could assist at any numbor of these collisions;
but they take form which presents yonr mind
to us, my Athenian, as hunter and conqueror
| rather than founder"
"Hut l am no founder" replied the youth,
earnestly and modesty land l aspire to
| nothing of the kind. The fact is merely and
simply this: After much study have arrived
ut the convction-first, that there is one alb
solute, perfect and eternal Being who governs
the universe; and, next, that what thinks
within each of us never will die. Since yor
desire to hear the reasons which have brought
me to these conclusions, / cannot decline to
state ono or two of them at least-though this
place, this occasion, and his dazzling company
betit the subject far less, fear, than # a few
studious friends discussed it, sitting under the
starry sky, on some quiet, unfrcqucnted shore ,
"Now We shall hear Plato" said Tiberius
with something almost like sneer.
pardon me-" said Dionysius, "Plato ma,
speak for himself. You have him to read
why should repeat him ? Those who mis-.
| Platos meaning in his own pages would mis-.
it in my commentary"
Julia uttered taunting laugh as she glanced
at her newi husband Tibcrius, whom she al
ways treated with scorn.
"You remember, Augustus" Dionysius con
| tinucd that few minutes ago, Autistiu:
Labio, in answering one of my questions
stated that n force which could move itsel
was more excellent, as such, than one which
required to be set in motion by another, as
the mind of the architect, said he, is superior
| to the stones from which he builds u palace
Labo then very justly added, in reply to an
other QuestoN, that what was moved only b,
the force of something else posse ssed n prope,
force of its own, its force being but a contin
uation of the first, an effect of the impact
| lie finally asscnted, when l showed that it i
| impossible that every thing without exception
+ which possesses force should have received it
because not hdrmg goes before receiving, ant
| because this is only another mode of saying
that everything without exception was one,
devoid of force. If particular being ha.
received the force it possesses, that particular
being must once have been without it ; and i
all beings without exception who possess fore,
have received it, they likewise without excep
ton must ALL in the same manner have first
been without it, supposed state during which
no force at all existed anywhere That any
| being should ever aconire force whom +bor,