Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1875-12-28
Written for the TIMEs
Criticisms on the Age in which
We Live.
BY d. r. MANNING.

This is . peculiar age. From th'
press, the pulpit, and the rostrum
it has been proclaimed an age o
progress, Of light, and of knowledge
And it has very consistently beer
termed . fast age. Writers wht
seem to he posted, speak in term
most unqualifedly, and in Ian
aguge most glowing Of this our ags
Is being unparalleled in the line Of
invention and improvement. The
history Of the age in which we live
will require . mind Of extraordinary
ability to write faithful account oi
these times, TO insure . success OF
svoid Q failure. We all seem to re.
gard it as special favor of Divine
Providence conferred upon US, tha,
we have been born in the nine.
tsenth century. and live to play
some conspicuous part and enjoy a
portion of its benefits. It is the
general opinion that he wno lives
in this period Of the worlds history
fifty years, gets more of real life
than he who lived Q lifetime when
the term allotted was q thousand
years. It is believed that he sees
more, hears more, and actually
knows more.
Every observing. thinking indi-
widual must very readily see that
we do differ from our fathers in
many and very important respects.
We ssoem to have made the most
rapid progress, and even now, to be
gliding along with an almost in
credible velocity. But as families,
societies, and nations, we would do
we'll to pause in our rapid course
and reject. examine our rapid pro-
gress and its results, and if possible,
ascertain if it is q wise one. The
ancients adhered with M affection
ate fondness to the custo ms, man
ners, laws aud habits of their
fathers. and manifested q pride in
obeying and enforcing them rs
though sacred; while We has ten, in
the most undigpified manner, to
throw oif every ves;ige of wnat re-
anains with.us Of our fathers, and
take pleasure in calling them "old
fugies," and their doings and say
ings the illusions of benighted
minds. ....
The ancients. as we'll as those Of
more modern date, have exhibited
greater wisdom, caution, and care.
in proportion to their advantage,
than we, in all their saying, in all
their writings, and in all their acts.
Our speed has been SO great that
We have taken no time for thought
or reflection; consequently many OF
our sayings and acts Of whatever
character, religious, political or
literary, seem to be more the result
Of wit than wisdom. And those
who have written such exalted
eulogies ON tie wisdom of this age,
have most unq uestionably mistaken
wit for wisdom.
This rspidity Of fight is not
peculiar to us alone. but We find
the same spirit largely developed
all over the enlightened world. 1t
10 . spirit not confined to any par
ticular locality. but strangely SO, to
the age in which We live. But be-
cause We are moro ready to act, and
more rapid when we do act. it does
not argue that we are more wise
than our fathers; but it argues that
We think with bat little discretion,
and are never aware 0f our course
until we are awakened by the ter.
rors Of an ungusrded step. Our
fathers thought much, weighed
every point, and considered every
bearing before acting. No literary
production ever left its authors
hands until it was written and re.
written over carefully and critically
a SCORE Of Understanding all i'm.
perfection of thought and rough.
sess Of style before submitting il
to tas public. No law passed the
law-msking power until it was
properly mstured /; no bill eve'
'"stepped through" Legislature
without knowledge OF the mem.
bers; no legislator voted until he
thoroughly understood with he Wa
doing. He always considered. moi
only the intrinsic worth If the law,
but its adaptation of the wants and
sentiments OF the people, and when
once passed it was not likely to be
violated first. by the lawmakers
themselves, nor altered. amended
or wiped from the statute books, by