The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-05-18
a Dish of "Brains. -

IL N@1A Va I@ssA-4Sa
80 A little learning is a dangerous thing;
Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring;
There, shallow draughts intoXicate the brain,
But drinking largely sObers us again"
Some wise and good odter fdnljIiaS
once said: "My son, live to learnw and
no doubt, when this sound advice was
given, the ideas in the mind of the
young hopeful" were just commencing
TO "shoot ;" so we may easily imagine
that the cheerful smile, the kind voice,
and the inspiring touch of Ddtey'S hand
grated this twig of truth deep into the
young mans heart.
The wisdom and Importance of this
Injunction are pre-eminent. But there
il an additional truth of no less import
ance with which we should be familiar,
viz: that we should also "Iearn to live'
physically, mentally, and morally; 9TH
erwise, the principle of having a sound
mind in a sound body cannot be estab-
lished; ergo: we cannot produce man
of real brains.
Now, by brains 1--WE, of course, take it
for granted you are blessed with a mod
crate supply thereof, else you would not
have tasted this style of serving them
up,) we do not, in this connection, mean
merely the organ or seat of intellect
the throne, as it were, of your intelli-
gence; but simply your understanding
your abstract knowledge.
Some mems brains are like pans of
milk; they endure but one skimming.
But take what little cream may be
found, and churn it at your leisure. II
butter enough of knowledge can be
gained to spread few ideas, our mental
appetite may be stayed until we can
e,,1 II,
In this advanced age of metaphysical
research, it has been a mOOted problem
whether the brain is the sole organ OF
the mind or not. Be that as it may
soul organ or no organ-it nevertheless
plays part indispensable to the har-
mony of our welfare and being.
Some of the ancients believed that the
mind had its dwelIing-p place in the
stomach. They no doubt entertained
this delicious fallacy because they were
enthusiastic epicures. But We ought
never to allow our judgment to be thus
biased by our taste. Such fallacious
philosophy, though seeming at first to
be very consistent and palatable, should
never be heedlessly swallowed; for there
were, no doubt, some ancients who
were but types Of men nowadays,
whose brains Of they have any, are not
in their stOmachs, but in their heels.
This is all the understanding they have.
Profound SdUaIltS of medical science
assert that some children have been
born into the world actually without
brains; but this strange fact need not
astOnish, for nowadays there are a
great many examples of full-grown
men and women without any.
The myriad-minded Shakespeare, by
the mouth of Macbeth, has said: "The
time has been that when the brains
were out the man would die, and there
an end p' But these brainless being,
still live; and the period of probation
we must confess, is very indefinite
Alas with what few brains a man NAV
go into mixed company now-a-days
and not be discovered! Everybody else
is so anxious to show their own knowl.
edge that he does not ask nor care for 8
display of yours.
Bacon has said: knowledge i.
power" ergo, we may add, brains move
the world. The importance of brains
therefore, is unquestionably supreme.
That the ancieRts considered brain.
of inestimaGle value, we may argue
from the fact that Plato, the celebrated
Greek philosopher, after becoming pro
found in knowledge, determined at the
age of thirty to travel into every en-,
lightened country that he might max,
himself master of all the wisdom anC
learning which the world could ther
furnish. One of his friends on certain
occasion remarked that he seemed a!
desirous to learn, as he was to teach, anC
asked how long he intended to be {
scholar. "As long," replied Plato, "a.
am not ashamed to grow wiser anC
better"
That this philosopher must have haC
a considerable amount of brains. w,
may assume from the fact that he re-
ceived the name of "PlatO,n on account
his great breadth of forehead-the ap
pellaJion being derived from a GreeE
word signifyiRg broad. Plato's head
therefore, was unlike some of the large
heads nowadays, which, like hogs
heads, are ofttimes empty. For, although
this man has been dead over two thous
and years, his brains still live in hil
writings as everlasting monuments O
his genius, and as proof of the value
and validity of knowledge.
Although Pope has said: ga little
learning is dangerous thing" Shak.
speare has hinted that "too much learn.
ing doth make us mad.u No one i.
obliged to know everything. This i;
neither required nor possible; yet Baron
Knowall and Lady Ino are always to be
found society. Their brains stick
out in wonderful proportions; they pre-.
sumo to have genius and wit; they spread
their knowledge before the ignorant and
imagine themselves wise and learned
but they never enter the presence of the
skillfnl nor stand the tests of reason
their assumptions outweigh their brains
They have been known, however, lin {
dim light to glow like fire-bug; anC
occasionally have absolutely glared il
conversation-On common tOpics-espe.
cialiy in criticism; but mistaking theil
own feeble light for the brightness and
warmth OF the sun, imagining those
around them were but dim satellites