The Globe-republican., 1894-04-13

he had some definite end in view.
Desultory readers are seldom remark
able for the exactness of their learn
ing. No man burdens his mind with
small matters unless he has some very
good reason for doing so.
His ignorance was as remarkable as
his knowledge. OF contemporary lit
erature, philosophy and politics he
appeared to know next to nothing.
Upon my quoting Thomas Carlyle, he
inquired in the naivest way who he
might be and what he had done. My
surprise reached a climax, however,
when found incidentally that he was
ignorant of the Copernican theory and
of the composition of the solar sys-
tenn. That any civilized human being
in this nineteenth century should not
be aware that the earth Travelled
round the sun appeared to be to me
such an extraordinary fact that l could
hardly realize it.
"You appear to be astonished, ne
said, smiling at my expression OF sur
prise. ''Now that do know it shall
do ny best to forget it."
10 forget IL.
"You see," he explained, 81 consider
that a mans brain originally is like
little empty attic, and you have to
stock it with such furniture as you
choose. A fool takes in all the lumber
of every sort that he comes across, SO
that the knowledge which might be
useful to him gets crowded out, or at
best is jumbled up with lot Of other
things, so that he has a difficulty in
laying his hands upon it. Now the
skillful workman is very careful indeed
as to what he takes into his BRAIN
attic He will have nothing but the
tools which may help him in doing his
| work. but of these he has a large
assortment. and all in the most perfect
| order. 1t is a mistake to think that
| that little room has elastic walls and
can distend to any extent. Depend
upon it, there comes time when for
every addition of knowledge You for
get something that you knew before.
1t is of the highest Importance. there
fore, not to have useless facts Glowing
out the useful ones"
but the solar svstem!" I protested.
"What the deuce is it to me?" he in
terrupted impatiently; you say that
we go round the sun. If we went
round the moon it would not make a
pennyworth of difference to me Or to
my work"
l was on the point of asking him
what that work might be, but some
thing in his manner showed me that
the question would be an unwelcOme
one. l pondered over our short con-
versation. however. and endeavored to
draw my deductions from it. He said
that he would acquire no knowledge
which did not bear upon his object.
Therefore all the knowledge which he
possessed was such as would be useful
to him. enumerated in my own mind
all the various points upon which he
had shown me that he was exception
ally we'll informed. l even took a
pencil and jotted them down. could
not help smiling at the document when
had completed it. Itran in this way:
SHERLOCK HoLMEs-his limits.
l. knowledge OF Literature.-NI
2 Knowledge OF Philosophy.-NiL
3 knowledge Of Astronomy-Nil
L. knowledge OF Politics.-Feeole.
/ s. knowledge Of Botany.-Variable Wei up
| in belladonna opium and poisOns generally.
Knows nothing OF practical gardening.
G. knowledge of Geology Practical. but
E,aited Tells at glance diserest soils from
es.h other. After walks has shown sse sflasasez
! upon his trotsess sed told rye sy tsseir colo.
and cessisteaee Ia chat pe*seS Losaoe ks pa
received fhssa
kssu.ease II ehwmistsy. -rsafessna : :.
| a ksevseasr - AhsseHag. -Asssfass a'ss N
II nawssss=s OF seasastpaar tatssx1Bre -
n.ncesse. lie appears - kanis esess Aesaa OF
erery hesroe fsexpess4sed IN sfe eensarys
no tgsss lhe vislia reft
| /. Is a. expert &ssese->aiet skaxes. s1sss emf
sxoFasmaa.
= Has saaas seacssssi kHe~leaee d BRITISH
lay.
/ When had got so far in nay list
threw it into the fire in despair. IF
can only find what the fellow is driv
ing at BY reconciling all these accom-
plishments, and discovering a calling
which needs them all" said to my
self, Il may as we'll give up the at
tempt at once"
I see that have alluded above to hi:
powers on the violin. These were very
| rem3rEH Die. OuC rs cccsulIlC lS ~
his other accomplishments. That h
could play pieces, and difficult pieces
knew well, because at my request III
has played me some of Mendelssohn'
Lieder and other favorites. Whenlef
to himself, however, he would seldom
produce any music or attempt any rec
ognized air. Leaning back in his arm
~>,,fIi IIai.I,saHIls,s
! Hk&6S IN II "a, . N.Y.