The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-04-20
RECENT ESSAYS.

"Things Of the Mind" is the name
which Bishop Spalding of Peoria has
affixed to a series of thoughtful essays
on the three general themes of educa-
tion, religion and patriotism which are
gathered into neat volume by A. c.
McClurg & Co., Chicago. The first three
chapters present the authors views OF
education, which contemplate COM
prehensive development of the mind,
soul and body, and not simply. as under
our present free school system, a fur
bishing of the intellect at the expense
of the sensibilities. We note in glanc-
ing through this portion of the bishops
book that he, too, has his fault to pick
with the newspapers, for he says: THE
worst consequences of the newspaper
habit may be seen in the young, for
whom each morning, like daily meal,
accounts of vice and crime are served
up, to make them incapable of admira-
tion, reverence and awe. What father
employs burglars, murderers and adult
erers. or quacks. liars and sophists, as
tutors for his children? A mans daily
reading, like his habitual conversation,
is a symbol of his life and character"
Following these chapters on general
education Is one concerning profess
sional education, which is in the main
a plea for higher standard of dignity,
learning and character among profess
sional men. "Whoever belongs to a
learned profession" the bishop re-
marks, in a passage which sounds the
key note Of his chapter, should have
thon r,rnfasSinnaI lknpyU1aIpa nf n
skill He should be representative of
the science and culture of his age.
Where the standard of education for
the liberal professions is low, the life
of the nation cannot be high"
In a chapter devoted to culture and
religion. the author considers from
many standponts the tendency of cul-
ture to make men selfish and of religion
to make them unseltish. He does not
fail to recognize the obvious truth that
intellectual development tends to weak
en- faith, and we close his chapter not
much the wiser touching what he
would offer as the ground of harmony
which culture and religion must occupy
II both are to survive. We note in this
chapter the following passage, which to
in the epoch of transition. The decay
of faith in the Protestant sects is ac-
celerated by the consciousness that
their existence is a contradiction of the
fundamental principle of Protestant
ism; and among Catholics wide
spread indifference and new modes of
thought created by the scientific devel
opments of the age, have cooled the
zeal and weakened the faith of many.
The wavering of religious belief has
unsettled all other things, so that moth
ing seems any longer to rest upon g.
firm and inmovable basis" There is
something almost hesitant. it seems to
us. in the short conclusion which Bishop
Spalding reaches after several pages
full of talk like the foregoing. THAT
in the end" he says, 'and after never
SO much science and theory, the per-
feet wisdom of humble and trusting
faith will be made only the more evil
r. dent is in no way doubtful" But our
eyes deceive us if the bishop does not
himself at times get very near the shore
line of doubt with respect to this final
conquest. Else why so much pertur-
baton?
From the same publishers comes, in
neat gold-on-linen covers, another vol
une, of essays-nay, the word is too
formal; let us rather say observations
called I'm Maiden Meditation" which
is as its unknown writer tells us,
record of the flying thoughts that have
come in the midst of dinings and
do ;e
commingled with a dash of daring in
this conceit of feminine Epictetus
rushing from her place let us imagine
at the front of the german to a conven-
lent cabinet to jot down, ere it escapes
her, a flying thought. But upon ac-
Quaintance we rather like this trait;
for we soon discover, upon dipping into
the book ITSELF that the writer Of 1t,
albeit dealing with thoughts on the
wing, has cunningly arranged them so
as TO invest even the lightest of them
with some spell of clever woman's
cleverness. Thus in the chapter headed
after the Ball'--but not thus cap
toned, we will go bond, in mean aflu-
sion to the abominable current lyric
we read. apropos of the sight of dis
carded gown: 1T is exquisitely alb
surd to tell a girl that beauty Is of no
value. dress Of no use. Her whole pros
pect and happiness in life may depend
upon new gown or a becoming bonnet;
and If she has five grains of common
sense she will find out that love itself
will hardly survive a winter hat worn
after Easter. Men may pretend to like
intellectual women, but they can par
don anything better than an ill-fitting
gown. Better a thousand times be
frivolous than badly dressed. Moral
lists may continue to impress upon the
world that beauty is delusion, faces
are masks; but it remains an axiom Of
life that charming face can make
man campaign and fight and slay like
a demon, can make a coward of him,
can fill him with ambition to win the
world, and can tame him into the do
mesticity of dining-room cat" Call
this Thackerayesque If you will; it
remains undeniably clever
A'-d again, crying down the theory
thdforauty, however pleasant. is every
th!sg, our fair essayist charms us with
this passage that carries with it the
flavor at once Of Thackeray and George
Eliot: II have friend or two whose
class of features is such that the Apollo
curl on the summit of their brows
would be decidedly trying; yet, to my
certain knowledge, tender hearts have
beaten for them. and their miniatures,
flattering but still not lovely, are kissed
In secret by loving lips. l have seen
many an excellent matron who could
never In her best days have been
handsome, and yet she has package
of love-letters in a private drawer and
sweet children shower kisses on her
sallow cheeks. And I believe there
have been plenty of young heroes of
middle stature and feeble beard, who
have felt quite sure they could never
love anything less magnificent than n