The Irish standard., 1886-12-25
THiE GREAT EDMUND BURKE.
4 Paper Read Before Michael Dayitt
Branch on the Political History Of
the Great Irish Orator,
BY JUDGE STEPHEN MAH0NEY.
In Amplitude Of Comprehension and Rich
ness Of Imagination He Surpassed All
Orators Ancient or Modern

We are told tina. next to the study OF
the laws of God comes the study oi
history. We are told also that mans
greatest study is man. When, there
fore. we have combined the study OF
iliEtory and of man in a single object,
it would seem as though we had reached
very high and interesting field OF
thought. The study Of historic char
acters, the study Of that living force
which gave history it's direction and
made it what it is, has a deep interest
for every intelligent and thoughtful
person.
A wise man said that there is some
ching about good book which tends to
make us like itself. IT we read book
containing an account of the life OF
some great and good person we are un-
consciously Influenced and led to imi-
tate the actions we admire. And often
the career Of individuals has been COM
pletely changed by poring over the life
of some martyr or hero. The best way
to inculcate good qualities is to hold up
characters that exemplify what you
wculd teach. 1t is difficult for the
human mind to grasp and retain and
assinilate to itself the abstract vir-
tues when they are simply called by
name. We talk about honor and char
ity and wisdom and piety-those mere
names are apt to pass in at one ear
and out at the other; but when we see
them embodied in a living human be-
ing. and see how much better he is
than other people, chen we appreciate
what those virtues really are.
Aside from the teaching Of vicarious
sacrifice, Christianity has enjoyed In
estimable advantage from the life and
character of She Savior. For through
Him divinity WAS brought down to the
earth III visible form, and it's attrlb~
utes exhibited through the medium Of
flesh and blood. 1t was brought before
finite man in form that he could un
derstand in character with which he
could sympathize and which he could
initiate. And so the highest Ssttrib-
utes that belong to humanity are best
taught by the best human examples.
No one can study Che life Of O'Connell
OF Washington or Lincoln without be-
iug inspired with new idea Of life's
possibilities and duties. We see at
once that we are not doing all that we
might do, that we are not what we
ought to be. Everything narrow, sell
fish and weak in us is rebuked by their
broad minds and noble hearts. We are
reminded of the careless manner in
which we waste our tilne when we see
the wonderful use they made of theirs.
We are ashamed when we compare Our
little store of knowledge with their in
exhaustible supplies. They raise our
whole natures into a higher and purer
atn1osp here. This intercourse with the
great dead has q salutary, ennopling
influence on the living. 1t is the next
thing to personal association with the
individuals themselves. We know that
wa can never see the gigantic form OF
O'Connell, nor hear him pour forth the
lofty language of inextinguishable hope |
and inflexible resolution. We can never
listen to the sweetly modulated voice
Of William Wilberforce, nor learn from
his lips the principles Of universal char
ity which carried him into every low
dungeon in Europe. We cannot see
Fox as be has been described in the
full paroxysm of inspiration. foaming,
screaming, choked Off by the rushing
multitude Of his words. We cannot
SEQ the large, round, lovabie face of
Burke, streaming with tears, as he de-
seribed to the Commons the tyranny Of
the British Government in India, and
wound d scorpion lash around the
writhing form Of Warren Hastings.
We cannot see or hear these men as
they were. We lose the magnetism
shat is produced by the presence OF the
living, acting man, But they have not
from this world entirely.
They have not wholly died. We may
read the history OF their lives; we may
read the works they have left us, and
by that faculty which enables us to
live in the past we can still enjoy a ra~
Cional aud intellectual intercourse with
them.
@ IF we should attempt to select a,par-
ticular character for study and emula-
lion our choice would be unlimited,
and no two would agree on the same
one. But, take it for ali in all, it is
doubtful whether we would find a
single character combining a larger
number OF good qualities than that Of
the Irish statesman and political phil
osopher whose name ! have already |
menti tioned Edmund Burke. Others