New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-09-30
THE LECTURE,

THE LECTURE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: For all TINS Kind
ness thank you. II is a instinct of human
nature for man love his friends. beg you, there
fore to accept my whole heart. lAlplause] Now am
"a speak TO you the Problem of Life, and OF course
do not noau Prof IIuAley's inquiry into life ana It's
probems whether the origin Of matter is protopasm or
Cerm-cell Inean this common everyday life OF ours
whose burdens bear, whose praises we Seek
whose vicisstudes such a mystery, and whose
functions are so little understood Prof IIuxcys query
Is new n mine old old the ages, unsettled as the
sea and yet vital human desire. For suppose
that every man who has had fair share of human
experience that is every who has gone far enough
into life the burden and the heat OF the day. every
man who stood ut the altar Of his marriage looked
into the cradle OF his children, every man who las gone
into what Wordsworth calls the years that bring
the philosophical mnd-eyery such man is often
brought to a stand-shI in the midst Of the hurry
burly that we call the world, to aek himself what
the function what is the mystery what ia the problem
OF life Solomon, the wise Ean, considered IL long, ana
q, the all his learning and and pleasure his
conclusion was, Vanity OF vanities all Ii vanity job
the patient man. dwelt upon only 70 1nd it give him
greater pain, until he put forth that most pitifu eAca-
nation that rose out OF human heart when lie
said: Cursed be the day wherein was born"
Well then IL the Problem Of Life has thus taxed tho
wisdom of Solomon and the patience of job and brought
that wisdom and that patience both to despair, IL 10
question which shall undertake to discuss but dare not
hope 10 settle. What is lifef L do not mean
in the scientific but in the popular sense :
And suppose II ia sufficiently accurate II should say
is the world spread around U.S. here is man placed
in the midst OF it, and the relation OF man TO the world is
what we call life and the grca, question s how much is
there In the world and how much can man get out of
for himself Now there many good people inveigh
ing agans, the world and vet think that as God who
made II called IL good, 1t is unbeecming in man,
for whom He made it, to pronounce it i'll.
For indeed IL is rich glorious and wonderful world
But inventory of its contents. lie counts its
worth by the treasures which holds. Gee what stately
planet God bss given 10 dwell upon! lie created 1t
not In moment Of Divine haste, but in Divine leisure
1t Was 90 created that should have DO
opportunity 70 be disappointed with the work
What sconcos have we! Calculating to-day's eclipse
20 the very nicely Of the shadow Of shade yea weigh
Ing the sun, MOON and the stars in scale almost
exact that OF the Divine justice itself What ans and
Industries do horel What temples of worship !
What houses and homes scattered up and down the
earth like tents Of an army covering the plains!
LIMITATIONS OF MANS ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Why what uyrads OF objects the earth for mans
use 40 that not all the languages, living or
dead, have names for them; ample that life, even
list recorded would not be long enough to read
A. yea SO multitudiuous that the human mind has not
capacity 20 grasp the catalogue. Well hcn II is very
evident that there is great dea in the world, II only
every could have for himself but out OF All THIS
abundance how small IL each mans individual share
Now, out into this embarrassment Oi arls
snd and equip hun to gather as much OF the world
he Whom he has done as much ds IIin can 90,
~ nG n a ns nS dpr S5s viii he hIeY we'll Give him
health, perfect and uninterrupted; give him years
three score and ten and II ny reason or srestI I91r
sni every faculty alive give him opportunity give him
ambition all there ID IN the desire fo obtaining fame for
learning, for Oye-gve all these, and scd INN out III INC
world and how much any man gather IOf Ills own
suppose il were his ambition TO he "a landhoder how
pose II were his ambition to be b0okreader, how many
OF the esrths Volumes could one man read
Suppose It his ambition TO be money
he carry in his purse Now you can eye man all
eau hold all his mind can learn, all that his heart
feel all that his soul can grasp how much Then
he possess for his own pleasure OF al Inc woidf
We'll now, perhaps you answer in Goldsmiths ne Man
wants but little here below" friend of mine made
movements, said there only little in muscular Chris
ianity They said that tle they were trying TO find
Well SOW that 10 the principle upon which every
goes INTO the great world II he is
Paris world OF Itself London is world OF itself II
you have been 10 Paris or London, What did you gather
there in Parisi The Louvre Notre Dame the Arch
of Tiumphi No lie has left notes. Ike simply
trees Of tie garden OF the Tueros. He London.
What did he zee therei Did he note London Tower or
ducks Tying TO the North That is Audubons choice.
who takes course naturally leaves other courses.
man strive he may cannot master the world. His
only chance is to fling aside his ambition to tho
purple, and u undert Ike 10 master himself lAppiauSe
JIH DEVELOPMENT or CHARACTER.
The problem OF life IL Ia find out i,s object and hav
,ng found it, to follow il, The object Of life is not for
worth nor for learning; no, even for happiness.
The object OF life In view is the development OF hui
man character Suppose the problem OF life tie
attainment Of wealth How many men are richf sup
pose the problem Of life the attainment of power.
How MANI men are powerful Here and a. e is pow
eifu1 r1Dg-snce they are so rniscflc' u.s. heaven
be praised they are comparatively few. snpposing
tue problein OF life fame How many
are fsnoWl don't believe that of the millions that
breathe the vital air around the globe tonight there Is
one who Will not DC forgotten few centuries hence
Iogue OF the Presidents of tho Un.ted statesf don't
mean who knows who is going 70 be tie President
Laughter and sppause IL seems 10 he fore~rdaned
si every American 10 cast that horoscope IN advance
u were 10 uaiD happiness How many
happy ia the word! Carlyle S.ys hapIhess Is cheap
we only apply ~ tue right souice.
Immortal IL that story OF the Eng whose malady could
be c,ued only by wearing the shirt Of happy man. and
the happy man when found bad no shirt. How many OF
spplause Why, ladies end geItcmen you appear TO be
In 90 merry hunor, half suspect you dare not unbut
ION your vests again re Problem OF Life consists
Of these clements for over none OF these has an
sny CONTROL Once sgaA let me repeat the Problem OF
Life 10 the devooproent Of character mans
character 10 something not only In his own
kec ping but In his own making. All, j cay
ehasaotes, I DO not moan reputation msDt