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

mans convenience and use In our modes
Of travel, Ia the transmission OF intelli-
gence, in the employment of innumerable
mechanical appliances, the change be-
tween the present century and the one
preceding II may be illustrated by the
revolution of naval architecture when we
compare the little caravel in which
Columbus crossed the Atlantic with the
formidable iron-clad, with it's tremendous
armament.
10 has also been a century Of quickened
intellectual activity, now theories Of So
cial life have been prOfounded. new sys-
TENS of philosophy, new codes Of ethics
new schemes Of education, new forms
of government. The world has been full
Of unrest. Of eager competition, Of daring
enterprise, and never was life so intense
as now; never was progress exhibited on
so grand a scale or with such CELEBRITY Of
advance.
IT is not an open question, therefore.
whether the world is making progress,
but there is a question which can be raised
and which, in fact. is most eagerly dis
cussed, as TO whether the progress is in
the right direction. is it a progress to-
wards the highest and nOblest ends? Is it
one that tends 10 develop men in all the
departments Of their nature, physical,
mental and spiritual? Is It one which
make humanity not only wiser and
stronger. but better and happier? Is 1t enc
worthy OF beings endowed with immor-
tality and capable OF endless growth in
goodness?
l need not remind you that the pessimist
school founded by Won Hartmann and
Schopenhauer sill has its disciples and
great many of them 1t may be that the
school of writer's is increasing who assert
4 I'm ftnf
society Is degenerating that civilization
is "a splendid sham, that when we study
Il in it's great capitals, such as London.
Paris, Vienna, or I'm the chief cities OF
America, we see on the one hand the
greatest wealth, culture, virtue and Re
finement. and on the other hand starVa-
ton rags, brutality, and a prohigacy
pervading all classes which was not eN-
ceeded by that of Rome in its decadence
Of POmpeH in its overthrow. SO they
contend there can be a progress downward
as we'll as upward, backward TO barba-
risrn as well as onward TO the golden age
i'm which Justice, truth and love shall be
come the triumvirate regnant over a
happy world. In the conception OF such
ressoners humanity is like a river. clear
and pure at it's source, but growing Drack-
ish and filthy as ii approaches the sea.
While they mourn over the degeherdcy
of the present they cast fond retrospec-
tive glance towards some undated era
Of the past when the world was supposed
to be better and happier than IL is now:
though when we ask when. where and
in what respect we can learn nothing
more explicit than is conveyed in the
oft-repeated phrase. "the good old times
n is unfortunate that the date Of that
happv era cannot be ascertained THE
pursuit of knowledge under difficulties, Is
Illustrated when the attempt is made TO
ascertain the exact chronology OF the sood
old times. Such a chase Is like thal or
children trying to find the END OF the
rainbow u does not seem to De very
far of: they see ii bending down IN neiu
lust this side Of the woods, but when they
reach the place the rainbow has recedeu
and they fail TO find the bag OF money
they were told was suspended from me
and Of the bow There has never been an
age since the discovery OF the art OF
printing in which passages cannot De
found in the works Of authors bewAllhs
the deeeneracy Of their own times ana
eulogzing the superiority OF an carrier
era. So we might go back through an
the generations Of the past TO tile days or
Solomon. finding in each the same COM
niaiufe. indeed, we know that spirit did
exist in the days Of solomon, Tor ne
rabtikes this very class of malcoAtentS
I'm the text, where he gives the command
"Sav not that the former times were Det-
ter than these. for thou dost not inquire
wisely concerning this.
The unwisdom Of such lamentations Is
evident from the fact that the very peIlod
which the compiainants REGARDED as tne
golden-age was by the age Itself regarded
as anything but golden. II might be ron
or brass, or clay, exciting longing Tor
the return Of a previous better ana nap
nier era that never existed but in the
Iaaginations of men.
Hut II must be admitted that his dispo-
sition 10 yaarn for the good old times Is
natural The world in this respect is
like the good old man, who fondiy re-
lis the days of his youth. when the
skies seemed brighter ana the 1000 on
his mothers table sweeter. and the waters
~ the spring under the poplar more re-
Sr.shine and the faces OF the maidens
Mo Won his admiration falrer than any
that no finds around him now. lie for
gets The change Is not In the sky, nor IN
he food nor in the spring nor I'm the
nafden. but in HIS own failing suscepti-
hIifv. in the dulling Of his senses; In the
feehie heating OF the pulse that once
throbbed with the thrill Of passion; In
the general decay of his physical and emo
tional nature No wonder that he nVes
I'm the past for what Is the present 10
him, when the strong arms, the keepers
OF the house, trembie; when the eyes
the windows of the soul, are darkeNed'
when the undressing siumbers OF the
night are disturbed by the light twitter
OF the bird; when, through loss Of the APP
petite, desire fails, when to the tuneless
ear the daughters of music are brought
lou ana when the evil DAYS are come