Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-10-02
NO. 233
MistellaneoMs.
BR0K EN- CAREERS.

ii we single out of the whole rance of
human history, the few men of genius
whom we are constrained to regard as the
| eminently favored and endowed of our
race, we find what broken career has
been allotted to most of them. Have not
many OF them, possessing courage TO in
splre, Intelligence to enlighten, sensibilty
to refine the world, sickened under the
languor OF neglect or got imbittered at
endless contradictions and misrepresenta-
tlons OF their fellows, dying at last as un-
fortunate men, unhappy to themselves, un-
beneficial TO their contemporaries What
an evil Is the not unfrequent deprayty of
genius, and which under happier circum-
stances might have been great salutary
influence instead Might not the tremend-
Gus forces OF Swift for example, have
turned to better account than lett to ex-
plode in shocks of half diabolical hate in
earlier days, and in madness at the end
Think OF the generous human heart, brave
Will, and clear head of Burns, man OF
quite transcendent powers, vet fain to
stink past on the shady side OF the street,
left to bleed so wretchedly to death in
the midsummer of his days. Contemplate
the great intellect and great heart OF Les
sing, man of thrice-excellent mother
wit and effectiveness, disposing with a
lordly air of the whole literature of Eu-
rope, awakening with his clarion voice his
slumberlng nation to new intellectual con-
quests. yet himself imprisoned for SO
many OF his best years in the sitting libra
ry dust of Wolfenbuttel, isolated there in
the midst OF an unhealthy swamp, the
world such dish of skinned milk as to
be incapable OF any sense of honor. Was
not Lessing's child a boy of remarkable
sense, who no sooner came into the
world than seeing his mistake, made
out OF it double quick Is it not proba-
BILE that many brave souls, brayer and
better perhaps than any known to fame
have gone down to silence unregard-
ed the worlds stupidity being more
than match for the gods themselves (?
Think of good Edgar in king Lear" and
had he been untrue to fact ? Even the one
or two to whom fate has been most pro-
pltious, Shakespeare, a Goethe, have
not they too suffered from the bruises of
t1attery Of fortune. fallen at any rate far
short of the fullness and balance a hap.
pier age and education might have con-
ducted them to? People are indeed fond
of iaising monuments and holding CEN
tehares Qo the so-called honor y of great
mfn, but do you think there is any signif-
icAnce ut the bottom of it Very little in
| deed. The fathers kill the prophets, and
the sons garnish their sepulchres. In the
| iate OF these facts aud considerations how
disgusting to hear the universal cant
about public opinion" The shoemaker's
opinion may indeed have some value on
the matter OF boots, the tailor's on that of
clothes; but what opinion can the masses,
all absorbed in the question of simple ex-
istence. have about government and edu-
cation and religionP At best they are ca
pable OF "A total heart-belief in names. of
dying as martyrs for names. Dean STAN
ley admits that most OF the noble MARTYR
doms have been in attestation of peculiar
combinations of letteis OF the alphabet.
see the intellect and heart of Scotland
wrangling, down into the latter end OF
the nineteenth century, (and into how
many later centuries p as to whether lit
lie children at school shall learn to define
eifeclual calling, and distinguish between
Justification, adoption, and specification
MdcnittanS Mdgd%ine