Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-07-22

moves among sages, lords and profits.
He becomes companion of Solomon,
friend of Socrates, a guest of Cicero.
In the past he moves in the channels
once cut out by Bacon's power,
channels through which flowed a
Millions love. He can think as
Shakespeare thought. Those men are
dead, but through the medium of
history their lives have pulsated with
increasing power down through the
ages.
The Interpretation of history is the
Interpretation of human nature. We
must interpret the past as we interpret
the present Human nature does not
change. The days of ancient chivalry
must be interpreted by our days of
chivalry. The relics of different ages
indicate their own Interpretation.
The monumental age of eastern lands
display an age of physical energy.
The following ages gave a wider scope
to Individual liberty in thought and
action. The most prominent things
in history are facts, the most important
are principles. Facts are easily under
stood. Principles are different be-
cause of the complexity of intentions
eomsumating the action. The pro-
vince of history is to interpret the
principles from the facts. It searches
for the reasons why Egypt is land of
monuments and mummies, of toombs
and pyramids, rather than merely de-
scribing their parts. The mind longs
to know the secret of their origin.
The man like Belshazzar of old, wants
to interpret those mysterious hyero-
glyphics written on their walls and
searches for the silent eloquence that
lies hidden in in those voiceless
witnesses. The complexity Of history
needs Interpretation. Much Of natural
existance is made up of changes and
revolutions. Many of its facts are
the relics of primeval discord when
war was considered the natural state
of man. The whole tenure Of ancient
history was war and rebellion inter =
woven with plots and individual
exploits. Men remember through its
medium the dark and savage traces
that have existed in the race and
profit by the example. But all history
need not be Interpreted as the I'M
natural throes and death struggles of
men. 1t contains more than merely
mans dissatisfaction. Many a path
has been strewn with flowers. The
lille with it's tints Of golden hue and
modest mien has represented the
beauties of many a gloomy forest.
Un-numbered heroes from whom the
world has never heard have triumphed
in the victories of life's beauties and
died in the richness of immortality.
Above the tolls and struggles of life
love and friendship have cheered the
soul with gladness. Love and friend
ship have formed many link in the
golden chain of lifes memory.
TIL rough the medium of history the
mind moves back 1000 years and sees
Rome in her living splendor. We
hear the mighty tread of martialed
| hosts, we read the Il came, saw, |
conquered Of Caesar. We hear him
pronounce in solemn tones, the die is
cast, then crosses the Rubicon, and
Rome is his. We hear the eloquence
of Cicero condeming the conspiracy OF
Catalina. That clone mother OF
empires" impresses US not now except
in hi story as the "Niobe of nations -
The mighty memories that are recalled
by those magnificent ruins of Rome
are but thoughts Whirling up from the
eddying currants of the past. They
are but page in the great book of
history.