The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1877-07-26
Novelty.

- "'l'H'Hs wv 'Abh'i VI i9
friends or enemies, take the trouble to
discover. II they did perhaps they
might find that they do not differ from
each other so widely after all. There
Is no such thing as inherent novelty.
IL cannot reside in anything apart from
u relation TO IT,. Intrinsically, there
is nothing new under the sun. What
ever we see or hear, or discover for the
first time, we call new or novel; 10
every II else 1t may be quite familiar,
and time will make It sc to us also.
Thus to the infant everything Is new;
TO the youth, many things; to the old,
but few. Novelty Is then only a rela-
ton, and that a transient one, between
any subject or thing and our knowledge
of 1t
We are so constituted, however, az to
receive pleasure from this relation. 1t
arouses our senses and faculties into
action, and that activity Is the chief
source Of happiness. Sensation or feel
ing of any kind, when UNMARRIED and
continuous, pals upon us, and wears
itself out. The eye, the ear, the
thoughts, the Imagination, are ever
craving and enjoying new objects and
conceptions. This pleasure is based on
the real needs Of our nature. We are
not stationary but progressive beings.
The activity Of all III faculties is
necessary to our happiness, because it
is necessary to our advancement. De-
sire and hope, ever fixed upon what Is
new and untried, are inextinguishable,
and those who wholly condemn the
love of novelty are really, though
unconsciously, warning against a most
essential element of our happiness and
progress.
Closely connected with the presenta-
ton Of every new object, however,
should follow an exercise of the judg-
ment. Tothe infant, the pleasure of the
new object Is not supplemented by any
graver considerations. But as he learns
TO think and compare, he also learns to
inspect and distinguish. AS his judy
ment natures, so does his responsibility.
The novelty alone, though still bring
ing Its own peculiar pleasure, Is nc
longer sufficient to warrant his accep-
tanoe. He must find the worth and
utility Of the new object or Idea before
he embraces 1t. If he fail to do this he
is acting the part Of the infant, though
endowed with the powers of the a
1t is Just here that the only blame due
20 novelty seekers can be rightfully
accorded. 1t Is not the love Of what Is
new that is to be censured; that, as we
have seen, Is natural and good; 1t Is the
tailufe to Judge of Its merits or dement's,
and the readiness to adopt 1t with no
other recommendation than Its novelty.
There are some who rush indiscrim-
inately after every new thing. The
Last new fashion may always be seen In
their costume, the last published
volume will be found on their table,
their furniture will embody the latest
designs, all their purchases VIII bear
upon them the stamp of "just out"
They are ready to accept every new
idea, every new invention, every new
doctrine, almost without inquiry. They
will embark in new undertakings, en-
brace new callings, accept new respon-
sibilities, without hesitation. New
friendships absorb their affections, new
countries their loyalty, new forms OF
worship their devotion. Now, in these
persons 1t Ia not the love of novelty, but
the lack of wisdom to be condemned.
They do not pause to ascertain whether
the new fashion be sensible and COM
Portable or extravagant and %inconven-
lent; whether the latest designs are
tasteful or awkward; whether the in
vention be valuable or useless; whether
the doctrine be true or erroneous. In
fact, they do not exercise their judg-
ment on the matter at all, or, at best,
only in a superficial way; they accept
without warrant, and adopt without
reason.
These who set themselves resOlutely
against whatever is new, rejecting 1t on
that account, although seeming to be
the direct opposite of the others, are
really guilty of similar folly. They,
too, fail to weigh and consider, to test
and prove, to discriminate and Judge.
Actuated by an opposite tendency, they
yet embrace the same error. As the
others accept without examination, so
these reject without trial. The one
yields to impulse, the other to prejudice.
The effects of one extreme, though
different from those of the other, are
equally disastrous. If the novelty
seekers stumble blindly on, meeting in
their eager haste with many a fall and
mishap, the novelty haters, on the other
hand, remain stolidly behind They
shut out one chief means Of their i'm
provement, and lose many rich harvests
of good that will be reaped by the care
ttn3 ShltNation of new soil Novelty
alone forms no ground for either accept
ance or rejection, though 1t Will greatly
add to, the pleasure of what Is truly
valuable, and to its inspiritlng effect
upon us. In the words Of a thoughtful
writer, novelty may be compared to
the cipher In arithmetic, which adds
greatly to the value of significant fig
ures, but when put by itself signifies
nothing at ALL"
A BloodthIrsty Bird.
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