The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-06-28

one
conveniently can, and he Is sure that he
can foreteu the weather every time.
''Well, sab, " he informs me, 81 knowed it
were 20 be dry month. The moon said
so plain as dat ar hoe handle. But they
wouldn't believe me-"
What sublime contempt be has for the
rest of rs. We are bundled of in that
parcel of nobodies called they" He is
absolutely sure that he knows more than
any and all other people. This is one COM
pensation of ignorance that it is supremely
wise.
But" say, "Ned, how do you come to
know what is ahead when no one else
doesi" He does not undertake to tell, but
Is puzzled over the undoubted fact, and
stands a moment on his work with an in
trovereed hook. No matter, he knows, and
that is quite enough; and it begins to dawn
on him that he is peculiarly gifted man,
probably prophet.
The bulk of our prophets are uneducated,
and most OF them of the most ignorant
class. He has only TO conceive a thing to
insure its truth. His facts are not common
property that any one can investigate and
verify or disprove, but are private affairs,
known nowhere outside his brain.
UNQUESTIoNING sZAPLEToNIsM.
Another consolation of Ignorance Is
eredulity. There really is no sentiment so
delicious as being fooled No, I do not
mean being fooled by professional jokers,
such as kept my black fellow up till g last
night looking for vast comet with a tail
as long rs half the heavenly span, and q
head as big as the moonI but being fooled
by popular theory. 1t is eNasperating to
doubt, and when one gets to have a habit
of looking all around matter. and under
it, and over it. there is no end of pother
and brain work.
Why, the worst quarrels ever known
have been over Greek accents and Hebrew
vowel points as big as fly specks Igno-
rance notquite of the ignoramus sort avoids
all this by just believing the current no
tions without examination. I say this is
delicious in more ways than one.
My friend Raymond is going to eternal
Paradise, where he will be waited ON like
king, have ell his wants supplied, and
never know a care; all this because his
creed IS sound. His wife is unable to give
him peace and rest here, although she
works hard enough to do it. He is a dis
satisfied, fretful creatures; but he is conf
dent that in another world he will be abso-
lUtely painless and careless, and full TO the
brim of bliss. What large compensation
is this for unquestaoning simpletonisml
Ignorance has other advantages IL Is
clear enough that Governor Berkeley WAS
right. 1t takes a very solid ignorance to
insure social peace. Printing presses bring
in a host of clashing ideas. New ideas
have habit of humping against each
others pates.
TIE AFFECTIONS OF THE LEARNED.
There never has been as merry a lot Of
people in America as the negro slaves were
before emancipation, Notwithstanding Miss
Stoves pathetic Uncle Tom. You and
never are contented because we know
there is so much more to be known We
are afflicted with our ignorance; we feel
squelched more and more lby the fact that
we canot begin to keep pace with science
and literature.
1t is really painful to take up the pub
Iishers' bulletins and see how the world is
away from us. There Is just a
little comfort in not looking at the English
and French and German lists. All, if one
IAN but crawl back into himself and be
,tolidly Indifferent to these thingsI Igno-
rance can, but we cannot. Simply because
Ee know a few things we have found out
bur ignorance, and are finding it out more
zeenly every year.
4 really wise man gets almost wholly
by the conviction of his lack of
VIII this go on, and how
ar will it go oni Egotism is interested in
moving what will be the limit TO the
nodeSty of really info rmed man.
Perhaps you have heard the comments Of 4
n average audience on a very able lecturer. 1
once heard Emerson discussed by group /
making its glad exit from Faneuil hall. /
Couldn't make out hts drive" said one.
Don't think he could himself" replied
econd. Ignorance goes on utterly IN
uff1ed by the fact that It cannot define
or remotely get an idea
what trauScendentalist is driving at
here are probably books enough already
q the world to run US comfortably for the
ext Thousand years Ignorance writes
1ost of them.
MEN WHO MAKE BOOKS
Two hundred years ago no one wrote a
ook unless he had gift or at least some
hing unusual TO say. The books OF those
avs had readers, and lived. The books OF
1day are got into print by paying the pub
Shers Tbsy do not expect 70 be read-at
.ast are not. What q funny place Is .
ook stored The Old stock in a dry goods
ore has a value, but not 50 here. Yet
AS about 70 suggest that the new copy
ght law be entitled an ACT TO Encourage
The more ignorant q tourist II Of Amer
a the more sure he b TO publish bis nete-
Dok when he gets back to Europa Since
ir Charles Dilkes book concerning Us not
pc has had an iutellec4oal value except I
lat Of Professor Bryce. Our own travellers
ave for the most part given up publishing
Dp, skip and jump snnotstsons Of foreign
.n6s.
Literary ignorance Is by DO means the
orss phase Of stupidity. IL Is a happy
snt for fellJ. When q man has said
dish thing In print be Is satisfied Then
II done up IN leather. IL can DO no harm
aleSs il h real wonder what are the
TACT probabilities that feeble book viii
read The publishers tell Us that fey
SoE,s sell 30 copies. How about those that
Il ten or thirty or fifty oops4sl are they
e really valuable bookst
How long viii Literary energy take 70
end itself Ia ths eoaRtry On such basis
remuperaEsSnf II TORE any way where
ve cza have VARIABLE critical to1rnAI ]
tel as sAe truth About q Dooxi-SS. .
ouis Globe Democrat ,