Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-03-19


Fermenting Brains.
The following paper was read by mo
In clear, resonant tone of voice, before
the Academy OF Science and Pugilism
at Erin Prairie, last month, and as l
have been so continually and so earn
sstly importuncd to print it that life
was no longer desirable, submit it to
you for 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 FEATUREs OF EVOLUTION
No one could possibly, in brief
paper, do the subject of evolution full
justice, 1t Is matter of great impor-
tance to on lost aud undone race. 1t
lies near 20 every human heart, and ex-
ercisos n wonderful influence over our
impulses and our ultimate success or
failure. When we pause to consider
the Opaque and fathomlcss 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, and that thousands of our race
are annually filing drunkards graves,
with no other visible means OF support,
while multitudes of enlightened human
beings are at the same time earning
livelihood by meeting with fclons'
dooms.
These would ask in all seriousness
and in q tone of voice that would melt
the stonicst heart: "Why in creation
do you do it9" The time is rapidly
approaching when there will b. two or
three felons for each doom. l am sure
that within the next fifty years, and
perhaps sooner even than that, instead
of handing out these dOoms to Tom,
Dick and Harry rs formerly, every ap-
plicant for II felons doom viii have to
pass through competitive examine
ton, rs he should do.
II will be the same with those who
desire to fill druukards' graves. The
time is almost here when all positions
Of profit and Of trust will he carefully
and jldiciously handed out, and those
who do not fit themselves for those po-
sitions will be left in the lurch, what
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
| I hay,, ,,o,,ra1 n.,a, o,,oh ,,yn,Ls N thnsn
of Huxley, Herbert Spenscr, Moses in
the Bulrushes, Anaxagoras, Lucretius
and Hoyle. 1t is for the purpose OF
advancing the cause Of common hu-
manity and to jerk the rising genera
ton out of barbarism into the dazzling
eilulgcnce Of clashing intellects and
ferrhenting brains that have sought
the works of Pythagoras, Democritus
and Eplurebus. Wherever could
find any book that bore upon the sub
ject of evolution, and could borrow it,
| have done so while others slept,
That is matter which rarely enters
into the minds of those who go easily
and carelcssly through life. Even the
General Superintendent of the Academy
of Science and Pugilism here in Erir
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 thu
O'Reilly College of this place, with it
strong mental faculty has not informed
itself fully relative to the great eiIor
necessary before lecturer may speal
clearly, accurately and exhaustingly o
evolution.
And yet here in this place, where edu
cation is rampant, and the idea i
patted on the back, as l may say, her
in Erin Prairie, where progress ant
some other sentiments are written oi
everything here, where am addressing
you tonight for two dollars and feeC
for my horse, met little child with |
bright and cheerful smile, who did no
know that evolution consisted in I
progress from the homogeneous to th,
heterogeneous.
So you see that you never know
where ignorance turks. The hydra
headed upas tree and bette noire of self
acting progress, is such ignorance a
that, lurking in the very shadow o
magnificent educational institution
and hard words of great cast, Moth
ing can be more disagreeable to tn
scientist than the bette noire, Nothing
gives him greater satisfaction than tt
chase it up tree or mash it between
two shingles.
For this reason, as said, it gives m
great pleasure to address you on tn
subject of evolution, and to go into dc
tails in speaking Of It. 1 could go oil
for hours as l have been doing, de
lighting you with the intricacies an,
peculiarities of evolution, but mus
desist. 1t would please me to do so
and you would no doubt remain pa
ticntly and listen, but your busines
might suffer while you are away, an
so will close, but | hope that any on
now within the sound OF my voice, an
in whose breast sudden hunger TO
more light on this great subject ma
have sprung mp, will feel perfectly fire
to call ON me and ask me about it o
immerse himself in the numerous tome
that have collected from friends, an
which relate to this matter, "a
In closing wish to say that hav
made no statements In this paper rela
tive. to evolution which I am not pre-
, pared TO prove; and, il anything,
have been over conservative. For tha
. reason l say now, that the person VIII
doubts a singh fact as 1 have given
tonight, bearing upon the great sub
ject of evolution, will have to do S
over my dumb remains.
And a man who will do that Is n
, gentleman. l presume that many Q
these statements will be snapped u
, and sharply criticised by other thee
| logians and many Of our foremos
thinkers, but they will do well to paus
4 before they draw me into controversy
\ for have other facts in relation
, evolution, and some personal remir
= iscenes and family history, which ] al
, prepared TO introduce, if necessary, tt
\ gether with ideas that | have thougl
! up myself, So l say to those who ma
hope to attract notice and obtain mott
I riety by drawing me into controvers,
: beware. 1t will be to your interest
beware!-BM Nye, in Boston Globe.
a -
0 Getting Up in the World.
WHY, hello, Bob,n exclaimed q