Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-11-06


Language and Literature before the
Chatauqua Circles are becoming the
center Of great interest. reaching into
the towns about Puget Sound. ! there
fore beg your space to present = digest
OF bis last lecture on Tuesday evening.
The snbject OF the evening Was the
Greek Reader" he first traced the
Greek fable 10 its early origin among
the Hjndoos, travelling westward. being
shaped by Esop and creating an age Of
Crack literature. The first age of the
fable was produced by tho childish be-
lief that animals could really tam. This
deiusion passed away, aud the fable
continued an simple, easy dress for the
ideas Of advancing thought.
There Ii airectness and pith secured
In this method understood alike by
child or PHILOSOPHER; hence Cor time 1t
attained great prominence.
Thus the story OF frog, who. observ-
ing an OK coming 10 drink, was seized
with An inordiuate desire to equal him
In size. Accordingly he began to puff
himself to the utmoat capacity. He
then asked the opinion of the OF, and
received Gathering answer that with
little greater effort he might succeed.
He tried again, and few into a thousand
pieces. Moral: Never undertake to do
that for which you have no capacity.
But the era of fable was short one.
and all the efforts Of later philosophers
to reproduce il have been in vain. La
FoutAine succeeded for time in intro
duoing IL into France. and for n short
time II WAS quite common; but It's life
WAS soon spent. Yet Esop's fables are
always Of interest TO boys.
sfoosD, SATIRE.
The usual Greek course soon intro
dnces Us TO the age Of Lucian, not in
order OF time, bat in course OF progress
sive reading. Lucian WAS great safir-
isl. living ia she second century after
Christ, when the Greek polytheism had
become ridicnlous in the face of ad-
vancing thought, in an age Of culture
and intellectual maturity.
With all the cultivation of the intel
loot there came decline OF morals,
which opened the field for satire.
Lncian had wonderful qualities and
charmed his age, being read in the most
cultivated circles. Bot be was de.
stroyer. tearing down all religious ideas
in common ruin.
The beautiful side OF Greek mytholo-
~ Was not spared. and the rising Chris
tianity was merciiessly attacked. He
was the greatest of negative philoso-
piers. and his teachings removed all
hope from man. Like voitaire ia
France or Ineersoll in America, he gave
nothing In return for the beauty and
power that he destroyed.
THIRD, PHILOSOPHY.
We mnst now turn back seven cen-
turtles to reach the age of Greek philos-
ophy, which aroused slumbering
world.
Tolles sought the origin of things,
and started theary that, as mist rises
from the sea aud rivers and return
thither. all things arose from the ocean.
Anaximamder. starting with this ha.
sis. wrought ont the idea of infinity
floating the earth as cylinder in the
universe, formed by drying mp OF moist.
ore by the sun.
Anaxsmeues, dissatisfied, found al. 10
be around and within all things, hence
concluded 10 to be the source of all.
from which all solids are compressed.
Then came mighty revolution.
The Persians attacked Asia Minor.
Philosophy fed its native shores, aud
found refuge in Athens.
Here Greek met Greek, and the world
was walked up. PythaQorus included
tiker worlds In bis philosophy, and OBJ
serving their harmony and number con-
clnded that number or rhythm 10 the
basis Of all things.
Anaxagorus believed in the atomic
theory classes NJ Ut two kinds-matter
and brain or force. In the work of
reason be traced the work OF design.
This designing mind, he coucladei,
must be q living. centrolltne force.
Men had now begun 20 think. The few
rules OF thought were gathered by all
classes. Order Of ideas was begun.
Returning 10 Athens ne find the
philosophers gathering aheut them the
young mobiles. and teaching them hos
TO control the forces about them.
knowledge IN power" vas their
motto. Philosophy was studied a.
means 10 self exaitatson.
SOCRATES
Now appears TO make great pArs of
this worlds history. de might have
been rich. but 10 secure more force TO
bis teachings. he lived upcn the charity
OF his friends. de taught under the
olives and oaks of Athena.
Man gets power hy tie accumulation
OF forces Bot yshder cripple. without
force, has also claim npon as. Let as
be noble and upriahs. He develops an
ethical systen. Long before Christian
tsy there was grand preparation for IL
IN GFeece. Spertan children had been
exposed IL not strong aud xieoroas
Socrates taught the invaluable rights az
humanity. The Sophisss bad daxslea
by their brilliant eloQuence and smooth
speeches. Socrates sought 10 lead the
people to thsnk for themselves. Bat bis
idsAs we're ahead of bis sime. jealousy
eondesancd him 90 drink the fatal hesss-
lock. he died asserting the Immortal
itS Of the soul. philosophically loakine
forward 10 q continued existence.
The remainder of the evening was
given % discussion Of the relations be-
tveen Greek government and eur own,
the Differences between Atneniau De-
nlocsscy and onr own Republic, and shs
dtsansegTAtang infaannces OF their az
tfenae undergraduates. which might have
led =. q grand nationality u counfsr-
a<'sd by The centralsxing Influence af-
,srwsFus wrought cat IN the Roman
Rspahlic.
Ia Tuesday, November 18Th, Prof.
SaTmAe vii trace the retreat Of tie Ten
lnsasand. using classical maps and
gisshg an analysis ot Aenophonts Ana
nssis. Al lovers OF Greek iitera.ure
are iassfed 10 refresh their memories
apsn this classic book and listen 10 4 |
naaKnrsfa and Instructive spsaker. The
nsa tofis Questions IN tie November |
= AsssassgsaA viii be considered aud /
inSnsnsnas Arr Of Speech- aaa-
asssa' ID. Up.