The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-01-13
EVOLUTION.
mr. Nye Decides to Jerk he Rising den.
GRAFTON into the Oaxxll'ig Enuigcnce Of
Earmentlng n2rnknns w 81 % ~ L. N


in clear, resonant tone of voice, before
the Academy of Science and LPugilism
lat Elm Prairie, last month, and as /
have been so continually ana so earn.
estly importtmsd TO kpfint it that life I
was no longer desirable, submit it to
you Tor that purpose, hoping that you
will-print my name in large caps, with
astonishers at the end of the article,
and also in good display type at the
close:
SOME FEATHERS OF EVOLUTION.
No Que. could possibly. in a. brief
paper, do the subject of evolution full |
justice. 1t is a matter of great impor-
tance to our lost and undone race. II !
lies near to every human heart, and ex.
erciscs wonderful influence over our
impulses and our ultimate success or
failur.. When iwo pause to consider
the Opaque and fathomless ignorance
of the great masses of our fellow-man
on the subject of evolution, it is not
surprising that crime is rather on the
increase, an ithat thousands of Ourraco
are annually illing drunkards' graves,
with no other visible means of support,
while multtudesof enlightened human
beings are at the same time earning
a livelihood by meeting with felons'
dooms. '"' tiHl'i't htid lhif
These would ask in all seriousness
and in tone Of voice that would melt
the stoniest heart: why in creation
do you do it?" The time is rapidly
4 approaching when the - will be two or
/ three felons for each doom. i am sure
that within the next fifty years, and
| perhaps sooner even than that, instead
] Of handing out these dooms to Tom,
iaDick and Harry as formerly, every ap.
plicant for felon's doom will have to
pass through q competitive examine
ton, as he should do. "
1t will be, the same with those who
desire to fill drunkards' graves. The
time is almost here when all positions
Of profit and of trust will be carefully
I and judiciously handed out, and those
who do not fit themselves for those po-
sitions will be left in the lurch, what.
4 ever that may be.
=. 1t is with this fact glaring me in the
face that have consented to appear
before you to-day and lay. bare the
whole hypothesis, history, rise and fall,
notifications, anatomy, physiology and
geology of evolution. 1t is for this that
l have poured over such works as those
Of Huxley, Herbert Spenser. Moses in
the Bulrushes, AnaXagOras, Lucretius
and Hoyle. 1t is for the purpose OF
advancing the cause of common hu.
mainly and to jerk the rising genera
ton out of barbarism into the dazzling
effulgcnce of clashing intellects and
fermenting brains that have sought
the works of Pythagoras, Democriius
and Eplurebus. Wherever could
find any book that bore upon the sub
ject Of evolution, and could borrow it,
Ihaye done so while others slept.
That Is a matter which rarely enters
! into the minds of those who 60 easily
and carclessly through life. Even the
General Superintendent of the Academy
, of Science and Pugilism here in Erin
Prairie does not stop to think of the
midnight and other kinds of oil that
have consumed in order to fill myself
full of information and to soak my
porous mind with thought. Even the
OReilly College of this place, with its
D strong mental faculty, has not informed
itself fully relative to the great effort
necessary before lecturer may speak
clearly, accurately and exhaustingly Of
evolution. .,,..
, And yet here in this place, where elu'
cation is rampant, and the idea is
patted on the back, as I may say, here
in Erin Prairie, where progress and
!. some other sentiments are written or
everything here, where am addressing
you tonight for two dollars and feed
8 for my horse, | met d little child with z
bright and cheerful smile, who did no,
j. know that evolution consisted in {
9 progress from the homogeneous to til,
Q heterogeneous. 81 M aSF8.
+ So you see that you never know
S where ignorance turks. The hydra
l headed upas tree and bette noire of self
8 acting progress, is such ignorance as
G that, lurking in the very shadow o.
: magnificent educational institutions
: and hard words Of great cast. Moth
, ing can be more disagreeable to thu
g scientist than the bette noire. Nothing
/ gives him greater satisfaction than t
8 chase IT M n tree or mash il between
Q two shingles.
al For this reason, as I said, il gives mi
4 great pleasure to address you on tn,
" subject of evolution, and to go into de
l. tails in speaking of it. l could 60 OF
8 for hours as j have been doing, dc
S lighting you with the intricacies ant
g peculiarities of evolution, but / mus
r desist. 1t would please me to do so
b and you would no doubt remain pa
|. / tiently and listen, but your bushes
Z might suffer while you are away, ant
~ SO will close, but hope that any on,
p now within the sound of my voice, ant
/, in whose breast q. sudden hunger TO
4 more light on this great subject ma,
/. have sprung up, will feel perfectly fire,
n to call on me and ask me about it O
it immense himself in the numerous tome
o that have collected from friends, an,
v which relate to. this matter. -,r co..
If In closing wish to say that l hay
l. made no statements in this paper rela
Il tive to evolution which am not pre-
If pared to prove; and, If anything,
n have been over conservative. For tina
e reason l say now, that the person VIII,
. doubts a single fact as 1 haze given i
d tonight. bearing upon the great sub
II iect of evolution, viii have to do s
over my dumb remains. y UG.m s
10 And man who will do that is NJ
y gentleman. / presume that many o
thoca c<a ksNv 80, ,,,xs11 4. =.