Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1892-11-11
The True Reason.
from The WaUerley Progress, by j. L.
LODGE, ID. D., Editorl

| From HE Wduerley Progress, by j. L.
LODGE, d. D., Editorl
In a recent article on "The Pleasures Of
Literature" the writer gives one or two in
ierior causes of the short duration of literary
societies generally, but falls TO state the great
underlying cause. The real explanation Is
the lack of brains, of that high order of in
tellectual gifts which is known by the ex.
preston and development Of literary taste.
Opportunity granted, and IL may be safely
assumed that men will do what they like;
will follow the bent of inclination. From
extraneous, Intermittent, pressure, from In
| huences active and potent temporarily, q
slight interruption in usual pursuits and
pleasures may occur, and some promise Of
progress in the line of higher things be
afforded; but the sustaining power, the
mental aptitude, the original thirst, the in
nate desire, are wanting, and the relapse
into the commonplace, the groveling, is
natural and sure. College and University
literary societies never die but grow In
strength and add fresh honors as the years
go on. The pleasure of association, combined
with youthful ardor and ambition, might
bind the membership for session, perhaps
for the whole course; but we find the old
men looking fondly back to those dear old
days, and the students of the present de-
lightedly pursuing the courses of their
fathers. No power on earth could effectuate
this perpetuity OF aim and endeavor but the
gift of intellect. One boy must be curbed
and restrained, lest the activity of his mind
ruin his body; another can neither be coax
ed nor prodded into love Of learning.
The difference between shrewdness and
intellect is commonly overlooked. A man
without an idea above the yard stick on his
nj or mo In
ment for success in business How to buy
and how to sell, how to take advantage of
iavoring circumstances and avoid loss from
negligence, is about the limit of his neces
sary knowledge. Understanding of human
nature will, OF course, be largely essential
to eminent prosperity; but little brains Is
required for this-only shrewdness. Many
OF the very keenest students of men and the
best guessers at character are men who can
scarcely read or write; and you will not
need to travel far to be convinced that per
sons of lowest mental grade know how TO
trip the tleetest penny, and that a halfidiot
will probably cheat polished scholar in a
trade. But these are not the men to organ.
ize and sustain society whose aim, objects
and practices are purely literary. In them
all they find nothing but veritable bore.
We have not got much better material for
our purpose in those numerous individuals
who imagine they have literary taste and
/ are fond of reading because they remember
few leading characters In three or four
second-rate novels and have a smatterng of
one or two boarding. school accomplish.
ments. | have known more than one wo-
man who comforted herself with this de.
fusion because she had learned David Cop
perfeld or Little Dorrit by heart, and could
thrash out of paralytic piano the two tunes
she learned at scbool-"Annie Laurie, and
Coming thro the Rye" To this class be-
long also those persons whose tastes incline
to the farcical, the merely funny, the alleged
humorous productions of quite ordinary
wits. But even they have a kind OF obscure
consciousness, an underlined distrust, that
there is really nothing literary in such trash.
They grasp no mighty facts, assimilate no
grand sentiment, make no progress, realize
no Improvement, get no power, and feel no
satisfying or melting pleasure. There is
| only the name without the entity, the veri
est shadow but no reality. Embryonic
mental forces, even if they exist at all, are
starved, atrophied, destroyed. There is no
life, not even contact with vitality. It is
not surprising that an atmosphere OF genuine
culture should at last become oppressive to
such dispositions, and their temporary in
terest in literary society be lost.
petuity OF such societies in rural districts
that physical accessories be supplied. This
is a concession, beforehand, that intellectual
aliment cannot be depended upon TO satisfy
the assemblage. The programme is hurried
through that they may crowd to the feast,
not OF reason, but of rations. The stomach.
call is stentorian, and prevails. Teeth are
now more valiant than tongues. There is
more virtue in a sandwich than a whole
| set OF Carlyle; more poetry in single plate
of ice cream than Byron, Burns, and Brown
ing, all combined. The discussion now be-
comes vigorous, universal, and on equal
terms. Alas, for man, the eating animal
| The feeding over, comes the dance. The
| lightest heads can participate in this, and
the committee need not report a single
failure to take the part assigned. Brains
work easily and without WEAKNESS when
they are in the feet. De gusti6us non dssputan.
dunn est, of course; but why call such smuse.
ment literary, or organize for such an end?
Has single individual been benefited in
mind or helped to think? Lovers OF the
merely animal never had thought In all
their lives.
The great London Literary Society, com.
posed of such eighteenth century giants as
DIR. Samuel johnson, DIR. Oliver Goldsmith,
David Garrick, Sir joshua Re lids, and
their associates, was at no time Humorous
body. II | remember rightly the mem.
bershp of the Club was never greater than
fifty five. Even London did not supply
many fit for its association. Entrance into
it was exceedingly difficult. But ii is
famous in history, and its influence still
bells tho world, for the ablest minds OF every
land bow reverently before the mighty col.
lective genius which still moves Intellect
and heart. They did not guzzle, and they
did not dance. They discussed philosophy,
poetry, politics, law, science, literature, his
tory, government, religion, and men.
Undying friendships were engendered,
cultivated and preserved. Mutually Of at.
traction was in brains. The bond Of union
was brains. The life of the body was brains.
Though the highest model may be quite
beyond attainment. intellect marches stead.
lily toward the best. Ignorance, stupidity,
and indifference are competent 10 swamp
the diyInest effort but the only fit eptaph
for dead literary society is For lack Of
brains.