The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1880-03-30
history ! Up Up % our u present ti%s w

I II ~ nj
find that It is the mighty intellect OF
man that makes any great epoch'. II
Is the intellect OF man that shapes and
fashions human affairs and not hui
man affairs that shape and fashion
tho intellect. The fret can beprOved ;
the last it is impossible to prove, with
all the knowledge that iiian has Tor
thousands Of years accumulated and
preserved. Il.ai YstshgRm u 500
1t was Gutenberg that made an
epoch In the history Of tho world by
the invention Of printing. 1t was
Galileo hatiilmade an epoch by the
Of the Telescope. Kepler
BY tile discovery Of the motions OF
the Heavenly bodies. Newton by
the publication. of his immortal .'Prin-
cipia." TorricelIy by the discovery
OF the law of atmospheric pressure.
Harvey by the discovery OF the circu-
lllati0n ofthe blood. Adam Smith By
the publication OF his Wealth OF Ma
tions, Bacon by the Introduction OF
ihduciive philosophy, Columbus by
the discovery of America, Sir Hum-
phrey Davie and Liebig by the appli-
cation OF the, laws Of Chemistry 10
Agriculture, Franklin nby giving us
tho telegraph, Watt BY the Invention
OF the locomotive, down ito Edison
who will givc us the eleelric light.
Can II DO said that all these grcat
geniuses were developed In conse-
quence Of the auspices under which
they saw the light OF this world ;
When at the same time we know that
the very truths they discovered, that
all their nseftil inventions were often
entirely opposed TO their age; that
even the opinions they held,in regard
to their theories, they were frequent.
ly compelled TO rcno1nce, and failing
to do this, they were brought before
tribunals, thrown into prison, or
dealt with IN q, manner. that causes
US even now ceattiries later, 10 shud-
der. While there can be adduced
thousands of instances, that great
eras began with the promnlgation Of
| new truths discovered BY great men,
1t will be extremely hard for, my OPP
ponents TO bring out q single instance
which would prove conclusively, that
any.great era has been tho cause Of
the appearance In this world OF one
great nian. The age may have some
Thing 10 do with calling into life just
such man as Is, every now and then,
needed IL this world TO make an ep-
och, TO prove this, however, is not a
small matter, 1t lies in my humble
lopinioii, beyond the boundaries OF
human knowledge. The hunlsn mind
has accomplished wonders, 1t has
wrought miracles, il has penetrated
many OF the mysteries of this uni
verse il has overcome nature In in.
Vulnerable instances aud made her
subject 10 Its commands, bnt there is
yet SO much for man TO, learn that
even now, in this enlightened age,
near tile close of the ninete,thl centii
Try, one might excIa;m with the S o
les: "We assert nothing, not even do
we assert, that we assert nothing. V
That the age in which man lives
and surrounding circumstances gem
orally, have some influence upon hi
actions, that these conditions ever
exercise a great influence over his
mode ofthinking,is probable enough
but t Mt docs not at all prove, that lll,
superior Intellect. with which he
unjust be endowed to rank among Inc
great men OF the world was que y
these antecedents, for admitting TINS
we would be driven 10 the CONCLUSION
that the intellect rs something tha'
can be acquired IN this woriu, al
though pnt lew WIN deny 'nat gem
uses are porn ann not nlaue. Inert @
seems TO De no uouo' thnt tne quar-
tity OF brain, OF perhaps oet-r. tne
number Of ce'is OF wmiaa .ne :'r'n -
composer, q any nulviuuabn ~ Ply
por'iona'e 70 lhc ,n'ci,ect, @ ~. W.
nnu ,hat ., Two lnoivlaua,s, uoIn y .,
preciseiy ,ne saiie tiIne, au. lea' o''
ana edncMed uhoer eAac''y lhc sa'n,
conaitions, one my oe = usnoo' guy
III ,hat case VIII aiwuys ie,ua'n ,. ono
ana me o'her may ucye'op N, my y rs, ICY
olu'ioniAer oI s.'.. o., nu,ndu i;.,;i. a'
goes 70 prove 'ha' 'ne 'w1 ln.isluu'
as were enaowea WIN ,;...,' a,ne'e'isq qusm
u'ies OF orain =. 'ne,r o'l.,, Sonu,a M
'ioh, wnics, ~ Ihe oe,enco =, oS,o,o
gy, we hna corroooiateu "a ,;,, inu s.A.e y
mcnt .hs' in.eii.o'ua, q.sos a'' I,
Inherited. Looking over ane SehSa' ga
d ogy OF great man, y - ,1u"u, sna
great men nave preceueu nun aa'ohs
MS ancestors. an,sa's yu' .,w"y on ,,ns
,nothers mue, ana Us 'nis oail "a, =. s.iu ! na IA
loeen Ser,uee III gteat nun,oelv , y. y
stances, nis now oy moss p'9s" my, "
phers' acsepted ~ an es'ao,lsno' ,s',s , u,
iao'. Nviaehce ,or 'ne - uio ptopo ~
siuon can 90 auuuosu on o'ery s,as n.as
among your scquain'aauoo, psrsoha
irieh9s, re'asives, you WI, i,,, nu " q, =,
ihvarlaoie RUE ,nas in'ei''sem. on'' '
aren nave in.eIhsent "u.no.s, @ an,
tnat tneir mo'hSrs asa "erJ s. nn.ul
/ lgeh. women. ~ aso.u aniu.s "a. ~