Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1883-12-27
THE PAST AND THE PRESENT.
What Has Been Accomplished an
What IN Hefnx AccOmulfsh shed.


What Hns Been Accomplished and
What In being Accomplished.
The following most ably written article
on "Things we are taught by experience"
appeared 10 recent issue of the Bslti-
more Days
1.-THE progress Of the world In meohan-
iosl and other arts has been very
marked during the last half century, and
yet many of our industrial inventions
and moral and reiormatcry schemes have
simply been experiments which have
soon failed and given place to others.
When We boast of the high state OF oiyili'
cation which we have reached we are apt
10 forget that other people, who have
passed away and been forgotten, painted,
carved, built and sang and in may things
were our superiors. 1t Is common to cite
the Pyramids, the Sphinx or the city Of
Thebes, with its hundred gates, ss evil
denoes OF the culturssnd wealth Of design
of the snoients. Bat We need not so so
far from home for this purpose. Even on
our own continent there have been
uneartbed the ruins Of cities aud temples
built by some mysterious race, which has
lett no written record behind it, and con.
corning which history Ia ignorant and
tradition silent. The discoveries OF
Schliemsnn have shown that whether or
not the Had ID myth and the Troad a
dream, people lived In the east.
of whom we know nothing, and
who we're skilled in the arts of war
aud peace. The poor, despised race Of
I,af .yA,i 10 do Ia rnlaI hy TIM
descendants of savage Briton, had an
empire before England was heard OF and
has built temples. OF one Of which al
English statesman once said ave have
no right to rule over people who could
rear such structure" The Cathedrals
of Europe, built In the middle ages, stand
to-day, and in their massive simplicity
shame the buildings which We rear.
Our painters have never yet found a
more perfect model than the Madonna OF
Raphael our Hculptors etill seek their
inspiration from the Venus de Medici OF
the Apollo B ,lvidere, and our poets,
when they wish TO drink dteught OF
pure English, undefiled, seek 1t from the
fountain OF Spenser or Chaucer. The
Centennial exhibition at Philadelphia
did much to open our eyes to our own
shortcomings. We bad been accustomed
TO look upon the Chinese and the
Japanese IS tsrbarlsns, and right In our
midst. amongst the treasures OF our
household and the Injuries Of our
modern lie. were TO be seen their mar
vicious productions, challenging criticism
and oslling forth admiration and envy.
IAN She blsssings, both civil and re-
liRious, which Wa enjoy to day, have
5een gained by suffering and experience
The battle Of freedom has always beer
'bequeathed from bleeding sire TO son,
and has originated in the despotism which
taxed and ground down q people, which
made wives widows aud children orphans
out of this suffering came the sentiment
which dethroued kings, and from it our
government sprsng. The structure whiel
onr fathers built was formed by gathering
together old materials which were
crumbiing into dust under the touch o
time. and breathing into them the spiri
of the age, which gave coheBiyeness snt
stability. But as years passed on, snt
circumstances changed, additions had t
be made 20 ii, go that we have been con
tinually working out fresh problems Ii
| political life SIS our fathers did, while tn
| arbitrary law of change has st every
fresh stsp opened up the way for snothe
step in advance Of it. ....
'.But this experience 10 not siinpI!
gained in politics. Philanthropy see
that the acheme6 ii elaborated La
| decade will not answer to day; theology
| finds that the arguments it formerly usej
cannot grspple with the facts OF science
sud law is convinced that the statutes o
William, Of Charles or of Mary are mn
suitable for present conditions. And 81
the philanthropist devises new schemes
the theologisn hunts up frssher argu
ments, and the jurist frames more sub
stantial and progressive laws. And 81
on through all branches OF humai
economy we are gradually bsiag mad
perfect through suffering. AZ the thre
hundred who fell at Thermopyla had tn
epitaph written over them, tell Spart
We lie here in obedience to her laws g.
out of all the dis10rd snd pestilence, tn
flames and torture which have afflicted
humanity rises the truth that the wisdom
of the many has been gained by the SUI
feriEga OF the few,
"With sill cur constructive wisdom sut
Intellectual power We are, however, Oftel
put TO shame. What Ia required G
science and jurisprudence is not tina
they should give comparative but sbao
lute safety both to the foundations G
government aud to life by sea and b
land. Oar railroad bridges should be a
endurabie rs adamsnt, our ships e
secure at rock, our theatres and publ
buildings as safe as a mountain cave, gu
engines and boilers impervions to ouisid
influences, our houses health producin
instead of disease breeding and whe
We have gained this knowledge by expt
rienca We will be in position to boss
rigbttully of our progress and to poin
with pride to the vast results we hsy
achieved over the ages of the past"