The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-02-07
CYNICISM
Disco verdi to be a Mental Disorder Result.
ing from Dyspepsia.

ing from Dyspepsia.
1t is pleasing to observe how TIL phi
losophy Of the cynies has of late years
fallen into low regard, until now The
disciples of Antisthencs are seriously
Considered by themselves only. After
iourishing with varying vigor for over
two thousand years the philosophy Of
the cynies has at last totally collapsed
since it has been discovered that the
cynics' snarl is but the manifestation of
distorted liver There is, too, great
lck of romance about a fit of indiges-
ton, and al ill-regulated liver is too
naked of dignity to permit, either to
exert, any i,auence on human thoI ght
outside of the mind Immediately af-
fected.
The disrepute aud final disre yara into
which cynicism has fallen may be writ
ten down as one of the happiest Veto
ries of modern science. The word
would have been saved much Lnhappi-
ness if it had always been possible, as
science has made it now possible, to
classify all cynic!sms under the heads
of their respective causes, as '.in-
digestion, ..liver complaint, etc. 1t
was witty for Socrates to say that he
saw the vanity of Antisthenes through
the hole in his garments, but it is much
more to the purpose that a spectscled
physician Of to-day can trace the mod
ern cynie's most ehur.ish opinion to a
piece of undigested pie or an ultfa-pes-
simistic view to sluggish liver,
That cynieism. pure and simple, has
come to be regarded thus is fortunate,
too, for the reason that it was at once
the cheapest, and, to certain sophomore
minds, the most attractive school of
philosophy. 1t only required of its dis
ciples that they sheer when the preach
ers snarled. Now that it is considered
bad form to repeat cYnicism, as ii one
were 10 introduce the question of rival
creeds, for instance, into polite society,
the budding philosophers are forced to
adopt some other school; and as none
is as bad as the cynics the general av-
erage of philosophy must improve. That
it has improved is apparent from all
sides. Men are now no longer ashamed
to confess preferences for clearly NOR
ais In others, and in this wild virile
West of OURS women are even heard to
boast Of the possession of physie al
health, and with their sex spinal dis
ease is no longer the sole sign of gentle
birth and good breeding. Nations no
longer boast of their vices, and strange
rumOrs are afloat that square shoulders
and tanned face in the modern young
lady are so far from being equivalent
to mark of vulgarity as to be actually
striven for, and their possession cause
for unconcealed pride
1t is simple task to prove these
things some of the fortunate results of
the worlds Indifference to the bark and
snarl of the cynic. Until now, the
world has been afraid of cynicism, from
the time Antisthenes constructed and
Diogenes preached the cynic philoso-
ply, which placed the ideal of virtue in
the disregarding of every interest, hon
or and enjoyment, and in the independ-
ence of every restraint of life and So
ciety. That philosophy would not have
outlived Diogenes had there been some
one there to prove him not correct
philosopher, but confirmed dyspeptic.
Now that science has at this remote
day supplied the necessary proof, no
one is any longer afraid to preach en-
| joyment for its own sake. 1t has be-
come popular to praise the homely do
| nestle virtues, to uphold the conven-
tionalities of society as the obligations
imposed by good taste. So charming
ly natural is the philosophy begotten Of
a release from the fear of cynics that
men are now found bold enough to as
sert life worth living for the mere en-
joyment of good health and clear con-
science Since to be cynic is merely
to acknowledge vulgar bodily infrm-
ity, what the cynics most scott at are
| the things which the healthy world now
most applauds; and thus it has come to
pass that man is no longer ashamed
to confess that he loves his wife, be-
lieves in his friends, has not found life
a bore, considers immortality disgusting
and believes in God.
Some there are of this new school of
philosophy, now that cynicism has been
routed by the superior claims of health
fulness, who are SO advanced and dar-
| ing in their views as to assert that the
time is not far distant when man may
marry for love and say SO without fear
of being sneered off the face of the
earth. Perhaps this is too hopeful a
view of the future, yet what is already
assured makes us thankful that, among
its many triumphs, modern science num-
bers that of having labeled cynicism a
mental disorder resulting from not
nioa bodily ai1mopt - Sny E'rnno;oco