Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-06-27

word. Never forget, bat keep steadily
In view the word of your collsQs-mats
and assocsate, let the triune leoeuds o1
your college days ssav and abide viii
You through life. I'm that sion. bv
these words, you will conquer Surely
you may realize the assurances of The
highest earthly hope, for you Will have In.
crease those Rraces by which your natl
will be adorned. "You will have added
TO your faith, virtue, and to virtue,
knowledge, and to knowledge brotherIy
kindness"
Know thyself-To have accomplished
this you will hays learned to love know
ledge; to have acquired wisdom, to have
become the possessor Of healthy, we'll
stored mind. You will have blended
the distinctive attributes Of the three
schools OF philosophy your college life
established, and as children Of the
same alma mater you will indeed be a
brotherhood assimilating the teachings
OF your three societies; you will have
adopted as your faith to brace you in
ilfe's fitfui journey, the happily ex-
pressed, 80 Oft quoted glorious idea:
Know thyself, presume not God to
scan,
The proper study of mankind is man. ~
This immortal couple. proyokes
thoughts to which your consideration ia
invited. Those thoughts will be restrict
ed to man a. an individual, mans duties
az member Of society, component of
commuu1tv-not masculine man, but
Gods image, whether male or female,
equal IN His sight, equal before the Law,
equal in the republic Of learning and
literature, and destined ere long to be
recognized morally, socially and politi-
cally equal.
Mr.. President, since these thoughts
were committed to paper it has been
my inestimable privilege to have heard
Miss Willard address vast audience
spell bound by her matchless eloquence,
and surely among all her hearers none
wearing male attire were her equals in
ability of thought, or readiness to ex-
press them; and may say that to me
there Is no more gratifying reflection
than that through your kindness my
name will be remembered in these exer-
cises a. associated with hers as one of
your speakers. Let me bespeak your
cordial reoeption'of the noble woman,
the exalted Christian, the great philan-
thropist.
"Know thou thyselr' is an inscription
peculiarly appropriate for the entrance
to the temple of science. 1t is the key
to knowledge of human nature, which
of all branches of investigation is most
curious and most important. With that
science all others are intimately con-
nected. Though there may seem to be
u divergence, want of relation. still to
it by one passage or another are they
sure to return. In every art, in every
pursuit, in every study. in every exam
ination of a subject, be it what it may,
the powers of the human mind are
called into requisition. The orator, the
poet, the scientist, the philosopher, the
statesman, the jurist, the teacher, work
upon man in different ways and with
different objects in view, yet the end
sought to be attained is knowledge, il
improvement of human nature, is culti-
vation Of the varied powers or phases
Of the human mind.
The science of human nature or know
ledge Of its particular workings is quite
as distinguished for its importance-as
by its difficulty. Though the mind, the
noblest creation Of Almighty Power, is
Of all the objects by which we are sur
rounde most constantly convincing Us
Of its ever-active presence, yet We are
powerless to solve its operations, meas
ure its attributes or define or grasp its
faculties or methods of working. Phil
Osophers who have attempted to specu.
late upon human nature too frequently
have involved themselves in mysticism
and doubt, because, rejecting the teach
ings OF experience, they adopt conjec-
ture. But such darkness will be dis
PEELED. Science, like the sun, will pene
trate the mists and dispel this doubt.
The powers of the mind will yet be truly
and naturally delineated. Those who
allowed prejudice 30 to distort their
mental vision, will by the new light
recognize their own features In the pic-
ture. With what surprise they will have
learned that things in themselves
so clear could be 30 long involved in
absurdity. To their wonder they will
realize the truth to bo in their own
minds-a realiz alton from which they
have strayed 80 far. in following false
systems and theories. Indeed, the So
cret is already found. The only instru-
mentality by which we obtain O distinct
idea Of the faculties of our own and
other minds Is reflection. This "kuow
thyself power or rather exercise
of the power Of reflection or sslf-exami-
nation is well defined by Locke as "The
act or the process by which the mind
turns itself back upon itself and its
operations, or the act Of turning the
mind back upon its own operations" !"
This turning inward into our very selves
to ascertain our thoughts Is absolutely
indispensable in this investigation Of
what il ourself-of what il mind-0f
what IL % near and inseparablv CON-
nected with us. Such is reflection. A
mental power neither easily nor soon ac-
Quired nor called into exercise. Like the
eye, the mind with readiness contem-
pla.es outward and surrounding objects.
How much more difficult to turn within,
''to turn itself back upon its own opera
tions."
Reflection - searching ones self,
learning ones self, adjusting
the impression made by surround
ing objects In the alembio Of ones
thoughts-like all other powers of mind
strengthens by exercise. Il may be 80
cultivated as 70 become habit, and he
who has accustomed himself to the ex-
ercise Of this great mental faculty can
think profitably and accurately speak
his thoughts-can exhibit knowledge.
To each utterancs value Ia attached.
Each word is assigned its appropriate
place; each word Is selected ~ the prop
or exprssser of distilled thought. Such
10 knowledge. But this occasion for
bids q disQuisitioa on metaphysics.
Lot me only add that mans individu-
ality, his place a. man in the aggre-
gate Of humanity depends not only
npon the operations Of the mind, prop
erly % called, but also upon the exer.
else Of the will, that subtle agency, 10
intimately blended in and really part
of our mental structure or organization
that it 10 impossible that there should
be any energy Of purpose unaccompan-
led by some ACT Of the understanding.
Hence in operations Of the mind, in acts
OF individuality. in the impress which
man makes upon passing events, both
understanding and will are called into
exercise. BY the mind. or its perceptive
powers. We acquire knowledge; By the
exercise Of the will that knJvledge as-
sumes tha power Of action. This indi
vidaality-our thOrouRhnoas OF knowing
oarself-is moro or les marked when