The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1883-03-16
PRACTICAL EsTHErIcs.
Some Views Called Out by the Article of
"G. C. r. .m .....
HEADQUARTERS YELLows

HEADQUARTERS YELLOWSTONE, !
/ NATIONAL PARK, Feb. "a, 1888.
EditorNeD NORTH West
wish to tender my thanks to you and
your correspondent, sc. c. r." author of
practical Esthetics," which was published
in your paper Of February I'd. The author
is not only man of thought and culture,
but he is also profoundly imbued with the
modern scientific spirit, the aim of which is
to push, draw, or lift man up, out of the
mere animal condition in which, by the force
Of existing circumstances, he Is now grovel-
ling. aElt- ,...... .a
| The lifting up of man depends much upon
the reorganization of the spiritual power,
which, as 1t now exists, is utterly impotent
to accomplish much more while IL remains
under the influence and direction of the old
philosophy, that of theology, system now
so far advanced in decrepitude that it can
neither command the respect of the intelli-
gent nor direct the conduct of the ignorant
The new spiritual power embraces three
classes: The educatory, the advisory, and
the consecrated priests. The first includes
all teachers, and it is somewhat strange to
say that this order is now employed by the
State, and we have in this way restored the
old method by union of Church and State.
We may have reason to apprehend much
danger from this, heretofore, prescribed alli-
ance.
The second order includes the medical and
legal professions, also all the judges and ad-
Indicators who either forestall disease in the
body or mind, or Of the body polite, or who,
in sickness, aid In the restoration of health.
The third class includes all the artist class,
poets, sculptor, architects, painters, musi-
clans, In short, aesthetics In all its depart
ments.
/ might say that the editor would find his
place among the educators as one of our new
priesthood.
If our present school system works well,
the result will be reunion of the temporal
and spiritual powers, as under the Roman
Catholic regime, In which case the entire
priesthood will be salaried and thereby made
dependent upon, and subordinate to, the
State. venture to predict that such will
not be the case. Our school system is al.
ready cursed and blighted by nepotism. The
best teachers are not employed. Their po-
litical availability ovsrshadows their moral
and scientific qualifications. predict, how
ever, that these three orders of priests will
ultimately be placed In new and more whole
some relations with humanity whose servants
they are. The doctor and the lawyer will
be called upon to perform a much higher
function than II Is possible for them under
existing institutions. Self interest tends to
vitiate and degrade these two important
functionaries at present. The physician Is
only called when the patient Is sick and Is
paid no fee If he prevents sickness. The
lawyer has no interest in his client until he
is socially sick, and is seldom offered fee
for good sound advice that will make his
client and theother attorneys client friends. |
This is all wrong, or, rather, It is low social
condition that will and must pass away. But |
did not intend to write an article but mere |
ly to ask you to send me your correspond !
ent's address. and hand him this letter with |
my sincere thanks for his published article |
in defense of Oscar Wilde and the "Human- !
itad," with the whole of the great consecra-
torys who are the high priests of humanity.
Longfellow has left US his greatest poem
in conservation of Michael Angelo who Is In
himself human cathedral grander than St.
Peters and more impressive than the "Judg-
ment." Now that Longfellow has entered
upon immortality we may worship with the
small minority who stand at the cathedral
door that leads to the innumerable host
whose united songs, from Homer up, have
inspired the human race with courage, hope,
faith, love, and have crowned the ever living
man with grace, beauty, strength, and i'm.
not Of men but of man.
G. s. Fl.