The Jewish advance. (Chicago, Ill.) 1878-1881, 1879-12-05


band and child, bespeak so much of the
rest that very little is left for others.
AS the only child of such parents,
Josephine grew up and developed into
what she is nova charming woman in
appearance, with heart uncultivated
like that of her father. with a mind un-
able to embrace a large idea, like that
Of her mother. The intellectual quail
ties which her father has wasted and
concentrated on business and which she
possesses in larger portion than he.
she has used up in gathering informa-
tion without any fixed aim and purpose
She has studied Latin, Greek, Hebrew,
Modern Languages History, Botany,
Anatomy, Mathematics, Zoology, Ply
siology, and heaven knows what not
If you speak to her, you will find her
full Of information on any subject you
may touch. If you ask yourself to what
purpose was this accumulation of knowl-
edge made? How can it be utilized :?
You will not be able to find a solution
if you know my cousin Josephine as
we'll as. / do.
THE emotional qualities which my
aunt bestows on herself and her soul
have also no fixed object in Josephine
She hates sanctimoniousness because she
has studied and read too much to be-
lieve in the religion of her mother, and
her father was not the man to widen the
horizon Of religion to her so as to en-
brace the scope Of her attainments.
Religion with her is belief and dogma,
nothing else but her mind is too active
to accept the former, and her spirit is
too insubordinate to submit to the latter.
Thus her emotional qualities are wasted
on impulses and changeable with the
circumstances which prompt sentiment.
"She will one day, for instance con-
ceive friendship for somebody. Upon
this impulse she will act at once with
out any reflection or circumspection.
There will be nothing in her power or
possession which she will not sacrifice
for the friend. No demonstration that
the friend is unworthy the sacrifice too
great, etc, will avail with her The
noble and self-denying image of some
classical hero will be paramount in her
Imagination and she will act in emula-
ton Of his example The impulse once
over, and she will remain as calm and
Indifferent to that friend as though she
had never known him.
"One day the idea will enter her
mind that she might make proper use
Of her learning by instructing poor
child. She will then secure a protege
and begin instructing her OF course,
she must teach the child we'll. And
pedantry will be displayed which must
make that instruction cumbersome and
Improbable. The protcge will become
an object of Indifference in less than two
weeks.
There is no middle course, no calm
and serene reflection, no stability of
sentiment, no perseverance Of any kind
in that girl. Her head is either a dizzy
whirl or dead calm, her heart is either
tearing stream or parching desert, All
this because she had no training, no
education-no ideal or purpose in life
having been mfolded to her, her intel
lectual and emotional qualities are all
in chaotic state Possessing brilliant
abilities, without any training, she will
remain a tickle, unreliable, changeablc
nature all her lifetime. She hates all
that is steady, regular subject to GER
tain laws, natural. She has read the
best works on art and can criticize a
picture like an expert, but she has never
endeavored to draw or to indulge in mu-
sic. She hates flowers she dislikes the
singing of birds-she has no conception
Of the beautiful, although she knows
how to speak about it.
Good heavens How much pain, how
much trouble that girl has caused me
How | loved her, how | hated her Five