The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-08-05
Cultivation Of Curiosity.

DOES curiosity grow with civilization!
1t would seem so, if we may believe Mr..
Herbert Spencer, who has just read an in
teresting paper on Comparative Psycholo-
gy" before the london Anthropological So
ciety. He stated that it was character
istic of low state of mental formation to
be comparatively injurious. We often,
he said, expect barbarians to be astonished
by the wonders of our civilization because
we unconsciously put ourselves in their
place and fancy how such wonders would
strike us if never seen before. But the
savage sees such things with a feeble eye,
and without knowledge of the vast varie-
ty of things with which they must be com
pared for their importance to be realized.
He sees them detached from their history
and their scientific relationship. This
statement has been illustrated by every
Oriental lion whom we have entertained.
The Sultan of Turkey stood dumb as
wooden post before all the splendors with
which royalty, nobility and wealth sur
rounded him in London. The Shah of
Persia manifested no pleasure in anything
he saw except Nine. Tussaud's waxworks.
And now the Sultan of Zanzibar is carry
ing the MI admira1i to such an extent
that London is wearied out with trying to
bring smile to his lips. He looks just
like one of those old friends of our child
hood who figure in turbans and long
fI,rDn,rh ha A ral,,nr Niphtc ~
and if he had Aladdln's lamp in lis peck
ct and the magic carpet in his portman-
teau he could not be more stolidly in
different to the marvels of English civili-
cation. Once, indeed, thrill of joy
passed through the army Of reporters by
which the Seyyid is surrounded. 1t was
while the fireworks were going on at the
Crystal Palace that the great Arab turned
and made a remark to Dr. Badger, the cx-
missionary, puffy old gentleman, who
acts as guide and interpreter. But it was
ascertained that the only remark made
was: This is some of your Badgers
work" During the military maneuvers
at Aldershot his only expression of inter
est was in two horses that got kicked; he
asked if they were hurt. When they
showed him the huge cannon at Wool
witch he turned from them to notice some
children who stood near, and said to Dr.
Badger: "How curious to see little chill
dren playing near these tools of slaugh
ter" One or two remarks he has made
which suggest that he may hide considera-
bic sagacity under his wooden exterior.
He said the finest thing he had seen in
England was the Prince of Wales embrac-
ing his children. That was before he saw
the Queen. When he saw her he deliv-
cred himself of an amusingly perfunction-
airy eulogium, and when he was subse.
quently shown about the castle remarked:
"This is only the casket have seen the
gem" The Khcdive of Egypt never
made so clever a remark as that while he
was here The Khedivc and the Seyyid
are both claiming sovereignty over large
regions of Africa which neither knows
anything whatever about; and when the
time comes for England to arbitrate in the
matter the Sultan's Two Enthusiasms-
one for the Prince kissing his children,
the other for the Gem of Windsor Castle
may be remembered.