Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-02-18
THE IMAGINATION.
The Eloquent ingersoli studies Himself
and Defines the Word.


The man Of Imagination that is to
say, Of genius having seen a leaf and
drop Of water, can construct the for
ests, the rivers, and the seas In his
presence all the cataracts fall and
foam. the mists rise. the clouds form
and float.
TO really know one fact is to know
its kindred and It's neighbors Shaks-
peare, looking at a coat of mail, in
stantly imagined the society, the condi-
tons, that produced it, and what il
produced, He saw the castle, the moat,
the drawbridge, the lady IN the tower,
and the knightly lover squirting over the
plain. He saw the old baron and the
the glory and the grief Of feutlal life.
The man Of imagination has lived the
life of MI people, Of all races. He was
citizen OF Athens in the days of Peri
cles; listened to the eager eloquence Of
the great orator, and sat upon the cliil,
and with the tragic poet heard ''thc
multiiudinous laughter Of the sea. = He
saw Socrates thrust the spear of qtes-
ton through the shield and heart Of
falsehood; was present when the great
man drank hcmlock and met the night
of death tranquil rs a star meets morn
ing, He has followed the perpatetiC
philosophers. and has been puzzled by
the sophists. lie has watched Phidias
as he ohiseled shapeless stone TO forms
of love and awe.
He has lived by The slow Nile amid
the vast and monstrous. lie knows the
very thought that wrought the form and
features OF the sphinx He has heard
great Memnon's morning song-has
lain him down with the enlbalmed and
waiting dead, and felt within their dust
the expectation Of another life mingled
with cold and sailocating doubts the
children born of long delay.
lie has walked the ways Of mighty
Rome, has seen great Caesar with his
legions in the field, has stood with yast
and motley throngs and watched the
trlumphs given 70 victorious men, fol.
lowed by uncroWned kings, the capt
ured hosts, and all the spolls of ruthless
war. He has heard the shout thai
shook the Coliseums roohcss walls
when from the reeling gladiator's hand
| the short sword fell, while from his bo.
som gushed the stream OF wasted life.
He has lived the life Of savage men
has trod the forests silent depths, ant
in the desperate game of life or death
| has matched his thought against the in
/ stinct of the beast
| He knows all crimes and regrets, III
virtues and their rich rewards. lie ha:
| been victim and victor, pursuer ant
pursued. outcast and king has hearc
| the applause and curses of the world
and on his heart have fallen al tht
4 nights and Moons OF failure and success
He knows the unspoken thoughts, Til,
4 dumb desire. the wants and ways q
! beasts. He has felt the crouebing tiger
| thrill, the terror of the ambushcd prey
and with the eagles he has shared tn,
ecstasy OF fight and poise and swoo3
and he has lain with sluggish serpent
on the barren rocks, uncoiling slowly il
/ the heat Of noon.
/ lie has sat beneath the no frees con
/ tcmplatiye shade. rapt in Buddha
mighty thought, and he has drcame,
all dreams lhat Light the alchemist
has wrought from dast and dew ant
stored within the ,labrons poppy
subtle blood
lie has knell with awe and dread a
every shrine, has offered every sacrific,
and every prayer has felt tie consola
tion and tho shHddering fear, has seer
AL dcgls, has mocEcd and worshipe,
all the gods enjoyed al heavens an,
fell the paug Of every hell
He has lived ali lives, an1 through hi
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