Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-04-20

which in their magnitude had almost
upset the world a wise man of great
repute and a man of letters; indeed,
that which he did not know was said
not to be worth knowing.
One who might have seen the Genius
setting out upon his morning walk
would have said that he was plunging
rather than walking, for he lifted his
feet in purely automatic manner, with
"A mechanical motion, putting them
down again as if, having no further use
for them, they were to be left indeti-
nitely upon the spot where last placed,
as if they had no connection whatever
with any other portion of his body, AT
his sides his arms hung 50 limp and
listlessly that had they not been so Sc
curey attached by nature thereto, they
would most certainly have fallen away
from his shoulders, while his long,
gaunt, emaciated hands seemed too
weak and nerveless to grasp pen, much
less to frame the words which should
stir nations His head had sunk down
into and between his shoulders, until
his chin continuously rested upon his
Cravat
On his head he wore a hat which had
seen far better days; his clothing suffered
for the application of a brush while his
shoes, from their appearance, might not
have seen backing in ages.
In his eyes there was a wild, vacant
stare, and as he walked he looked
straight before him, casting a glance
neither to the right nor to the left, but
forging ahead, absorbed in thought.
Ever and anon, as he walked would he
mutter aloud, yet to himself, as some
thought of more than usual significance
flashed across his sensitive mind.
1t had been said by great many peo-
pie that the Genius was not so wise as
he appeared, for he did many remark
ably foolish things; but these people
had been laughed down by the neigh
bOrS.
Men inyoluntarily stepped aside and
raised their hats as he passed, notwith-
standing that they had not the honor of
his acquaintance for this was mark of
respect which they considered due to
the posseSsor of such wisdom, Yet at
the same time they derived therefrom a
certain amount of satisfaC tiOn to them
selves for the privilege to be with and
to see and admire his genius, next to
the privilege of ownership. The school
children shrank away from him with a
feeling akin to awe, whispering and
nOdding among themselves, for lHis
man was SO great as to become to them
mysterious and entirely beyond their
comprehension. Still the Genius
plunged ahead, obliviOus either to the
good or bad opinion of others, his mind
riveted upon men and things in the alb
stract.
Now, the Fool and the Genius, pro
ceeding at right angles to each other,
eventually reached corner which they
attempted suddenly to turn, and col
lided with such force as to almost pros
trate both.
Fool cried the Genius "why do
you not look where you are going?
Have you not eyes to see, that you
should 60 laundering into your superior
in this manner? Verify, sound drub-
bing would put a few ideas into your
empty skull In truth, that is what you
require
The same question | may with pro-
priety put to YOU" returned the Fool.
Have You not also eyes to see, that
you should 90 laundering into your in
ioA ipio ~ WIS ltidc anu uu9eellHy uldl~
ner? As we collided | distinctly saw
that your eyes were upon me"
" cry likely very likely" replied the
Genius, my eyes may have rested upon
you, yet they saw you not, forI was oc-
cupied in thought In my walks my
eyes are turned upon many things to
which | myself am nevertheless blind;
but II your vision was clear enough to
! perceive thatmy eyes were upon you,
how happens it that you did not get out
Of the way"
The fact is" said the Fool my eyes
being constantly upon everything, | see
and comprehend nothing distinctly.
My attention was finally called to you
too late to avoid the collision. But in
this respect am no worse than your
self, for while my eyes, in their attempt
to see everything, actually see nothing,
your eyes, fixed and intent upon one
| object see nothing also; therefore you
have yourself to blame as much as for
the collision. As for the sound drub-
blng which you think would put some
ideas into my head, your language
would indicate that you deserve the cpl
tibet which people apply to me. Like
! yourself, that which | am, am |. can
neither unmake nor remake myself. |
am fool not from choice, but from ne
cessltY. Unable to transform myself
into anything else, must remain fool.
for the same reason are you genius,
from necessity, not from choice. You
cannot be anything else. Yet it is
through no effort of your own that your
ability was acquired Your genius was
born with you, in the identical manner
with which | became possessed of my
idiocy. You cannot undo it. nor can
you add to it; it is with you invoun-
tary. You walk along the street your