Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1881-09-01
Vol. XVII. Whole No. 1888. No. IS.
Wise Nonsense at Concord.
Prom the Letter Of "A Commonplace Person. In
the Bostlu TrayelierI

Prom the Letter Of "a Commonplace Persou- In
the Boston Iraveller.
have returned alive from morning ses-
sion at the Academe, and a lecture from DIR.
Jones on the philosophy of Law" followed
by an hours discussion BY the various lead
ers, and am sitting up in bed with towel
dipped in ice-water on my head, which feels
very strangely. 1t was hotter at the chapel
than any place have ever been in, and to
tell the honest truth understood scarce one
sentence Of the doctors effort. When he
had closed. Mr.. Alcott rose, flushed with en-
thusiasm, and exclaimed, "Can we now de-
scend on the ladders of our faculties, and
find ourselves here as men and women ?"
He said the lecture Was wonderfully clear
Another wanted it printed in pamphlet
form to be used as guide by the young
men of the land. would have given q
quarters income to know Just hos much of
it had been understood and remembered by
the ladies who made up the audience. Oh,
for a mental photograph TO reveal thought,
or lack of il MY role is that of semi
idiot who really wants to gain IDEAS so |
ask bluntly all sorts of definite questions,
but the answers are so indefinite as to be
deeply depressing. And hear such novel
ties stated with calm precision as undoubt-
ed facts Mr.. Alcott, for instance, this
morning said that Matter is merely the
precipitate Of mind" 'If truly holy. ".
might maintain ourselves indefinitely on
the planet" going back, | suppose, to the
longevity Of Abraham. III all the beings
ceased 10 will. there would be no planet"
We may yet be able TO determine when we
will ascend"
But have thought most on his statement
that We were not evolved frcm animals but
they from US When a man behaves bad
ly tiger or lion leaps out from him on all
fours." (lf Forepaugh could make use Of
this fact, what expense il would save him in
getting up his menagerieD
The hardest OF all for me to bear vas the
question of a western lady TO DIR. Harris:
III the word outside or inside should he ap-
piled to the potentiality Of an atom"
He went on to explain at length in q man
ner utterly unintelligible to me, until am
sure he struck by the utter absence of
light or hope in my countenance, and turn
ing toward ME he said kindly "You can
say either outside or inside with perfect pro-
prlety, as YOU can say Of a handful OF pota-
toes in a hat, that they are either outside or
inside the hat they are both outside and
inside"
have thought good deal on that. He
meant probably outside as regards the text
ure, inside regards the form but 0 dear
the outside or inside of the potentislity Of
an atom But | may get used to it. |
hear conversation on the trsnscendent de-
duction Of the categories, on entity Gently
is mind'l on Enteechias first and second.
This is easy enough. The irst is one who
has not bat can realize the totality of his
potentislity the second is one who mas real
Ized the totentIAlity Of his potality. That
does not seem exactly as it Was given to me.
but my poor head in in such a confused state
that must renew the bsndage.