The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-05-09

when he says. / have no pleasure in
them.
Just as distance softens the rugged
landscape. and throws oyer its defOTmi-
ties a veil OF enchantment, so the errors
OF the evils, the wrongs, and expressions
Of former generations are hidden from
view. and only the memories of its emf
nent men or of the brilliant events OF
its history are brought pleasantly 20 re-
collection. How easy, for example, to
forget the true condition Of the people Of
England, when dazzied by the brilliant
reign of Elizabeth we remember only the
splendid constellation that Illuminated her
court-with Bacon for her chancellor ka-
leigh for her counsellor. Spencer for hei
laureate, Blake for her admiral, and
Shakespeare supreme I'm all the realms
of song-forgetting the tyranny OF the
great MOBILES the prosecutions OF the non
conformists, accompanied by fines, Inn
prisonments and torture; the brutal and
demoralizing sports of the lower classes,
and the dense ignorance Of the over
whelming majority Of the people.
The difficulty in coming 10 a correct
conclusion on the part Of the man who
affirms that the former times were better
than these, arises from The fact that his
view is necessarily a limited one. Judg-
ing by what he sees Immediately around
him. he might be right I'm thinking that
the community is degenerating, but other
communities Of which he has no knoWl-
edge. may be improving, and hence his
inference would be unwarranted because
of his ignorance Of all the facts in the
case 4 whole nation might be degenera-
ting while scores Of other nations might
would require very comprehensive
mind to survey the whole field OF the
world. and TO acquaint itself with all the
mast history Of the world II would re-
auire a very judicial mind 10 give 10
each part Of the testimony its proper
weight in order to reach a right decision
Such a nudge cannot be infaliole' because
he himself is an actor IN the scene, anu
co like a soldier in battle. who may Nho"
how the fight Is progressing IN MS own
yaoin,ent but there may be whole dlVls-
TONS I'm the distant parts of the held OF
\, hose movements he knows absolutely
rotbing II Is only the general VINO
planned the battle and who sits quietly
on his horse on yonder hill. with his stan
around him. who surveys the whole held
and knows whether victory or deleat
awaits his army.
Tor All these reasons the rebuke given
IN the pessimist Is just rebuke' Inc
sunorioritv he attributes to former tunes
arises either from sentimehtal Wv %
a." nae+ or from incapacity 10 view the
whole field. or from ignorance OF the true
history OF former ages, and therefore ~
&c ,,n,yise in making such sweeping as
eorfiou and mistaken IN the opinion that
amman thought has reached MS ultimate
..I1,,,ont or human institutions their
perfection. -, ~
7, &c NOT meant that we are undeF DO
obligations to the past or lhal " "a"
teach us no lessons Of value. Oi lhS ~
trerv tho ORIGINAL fountains OF an ne
I've which now fertliZe the world lie
tn tbe mast and whatever prOgress nlodeIH
society has made is owing to the inhoehceSS
which All former generations nave eNel'tu
and tbe treasures they have oequealHeu u
OF n he carefully noted, also, that the
text does not assert or even lhtliha'V 10
the memories Of former times may NO. -"
tendercr than anything IN ine 49, 49,
nreeent IT cannot be denied with some
tbere are no pleasures half so precious as
those Of memory: no possible assocldtion9
+, the present half so sacred or so uea.'
with some nearly all that makes tfe
briont and sweet belongs 20 days lot
eyer gone. Solomon is not referring %
these personal experiences but 10 III. pr
eress OF the race Ii is not lndlVcuel MS
toyv he Is considering, but the history
OF mankind. and ne rebukes the error OF
those who affirm that the worlds best
era was I'm the former time; that the
greatest good humanity is capable or en-
iovinp has already been enjoyed. Thus
far / have argued the subject negatively
Let MS consider now some OF the positive
reasons for the belief that In coming
times we are to find some or the hopiesl
- fsfr4
patriots and saves OF the World nave cF''
looked and longed for.
And first. there Is great cheer In the fact
mt me hest men OF the ages have always
Cherished such an expectation. II mas
bSen go from Plato 20 Augustine. ana from
Auoustine TO Milton and Tennyson IL
bae insnired the song OF the para. the
homo of the sage. the prayer or the SAINT
the fervor of the patriot, the seI-sacH-
fciuc toll of the philanthropist- rms pc
lief i'm progress gives support ana stimulus
to all striving after higher ire, ".s. ~
Individual or national To nproot TINS
hone from the great heart OF humanity
would be 10 smite the earth with curse
Par II cannot be eradicated; u is an IN
aspiration. II is an impress
sive fact that while the historian ana
ethical writer's Of The ancient pagan
nations predicted ultimate disaster ana
overthrow, and while one by one their
homes Of a happy future went down mo
the sad sea which never gives up It's dead
that ever since the beginning OF the Chris
tian era the anticipation OF radiant
future has slowed in the hearts or con-
secrated men like a perpetual altar hre.
and their steadfast expectation mas beeh
the coming of the time when the intel
lect of the world will he illumlned by
celestial truth. when the heart OF the
world will be satisfied with immortal
love and the conscience OF the world
trano ui]iized with supreme rtrhteonsness