The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-01-12
Idealisnn.

The tendency to fashion ideals is in
herent in human kind; wpersons so
prosaic, so lacking in imaginative vein,
as not to have tested its presence at
some period of their lives-few so dull
and spiritless as to be eternally content
with fact
Properly comprehended, idealism is
an aid to aim, be this emotional, ambi-
tiOnal, or Indifferent in range, since
without perfect conceptions there would
be trite approximation unto good. Ideals
are the spurs which urge us to accom-
plishment. To prop our aims with the
same, to rest them in the nearest ap-
proXimate state, is our most available
highway to content.
Unhappily, humanity is prone to for
get that it can but approximate hence
failure and injurious effects. Such se-
quel not only embitters self, but reflects
detrimentally wherever it's influence is
felt. Illustrating its prevalence we
note .skepticism, scorn of the castles
that fresh enthusiasm builds; the old
cautioning the young against imagina-
tion-nOt as power to be curbed, but
as an evil to be resolutely set aside; and
all because men and women have COW
eted ends impossible for humanity to
attain, and crushed by disappointment,
admit safety only in the opposite ex-
| treme.
On such fashion retaliate the majority
of human kind--nOt only in self en-
deavOr, but sharply in exterior judg-
ment crops forth their narrow base.
Religion even is condemned, if its vO-
taries fail to satisfy their pet ideal; they
will cOuntenance no friendship not in
perfect harmony with the same; and so
on through the category, despising
| pleasant fruits iustheir irrational striv-
| ing for as truly rational ends.
But it is in connection with the deeper
| human emotions that we find the best
illustrations of this phase. Take the
premartial state, developed as far as en-
gagement; here is a broad margin for
irrationality and mistakes. Man in
some cases, not content to wed a wom-
an, must needs transform her into a ma
terialized angel; she, in turn, eXalts to
a demi-gOd. Together these look for
ward to a perfect future-a FOOLS para
disc it may be aptly termed For when
the wings drop and the idol turns to
clay, these unfortunates have naught
but husks-few sufficiently wise to ac-
cept approximation as all they can Ta.
| NlOudlly ca pCCb. uc CuID Is uSGuSu
here to restrain such rampant premises
to keep subjected to erroneous notion
that happiness is unattainable save by
idealzing flesh and blood
Again, probably no two human be.
iugs, upon unison in marriage bOuds,
find each other the exact specialtieS
they faucied before; in greater or les;
degree does this discrepancy exist. Just
here stands in readiness a potent power
if it be permitted to work. In illustra.
tion, we have two opposite types. One
woman, if matrimOuy yield disappOint-
ment, cries out against her fate, resO
lutely closes her eyes to the possible
good in view, and retaliates upon he
previous imaginations with the mos
unmitigated scOrn. Another, similarly
circumsta uced, clothes palpable bare
ness in the graceful garments of ideal
ism-setting up the most ordinary o
men as a king, to whom, perfOrce, tht
world must bow, because so deftly anC
determinedly upheld.
Opposed to these active dealers il
idealism is that class of humanity too
wary-tOo distTustful to become simi
larly involved. These walk eternally
celibate, either seeking their idols, con
fident that they will ultimately attain
them, or hopeless that they did ever ex
|. ist-in either case sacrificing much pos
: sible realization to an absurdity lack I'M
in fruit. This class amuse us by thei
sincerity, yet merit pity in their fanati
cal extremes