The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1895-09-19
TALENTS AND VIRTUES.

............."
The tendency of modern thought is
towards discrimination Just as evolu-
ton in the physical world leads to diff
ferentiation Of species, so the evolution
of mind leads to the differentiation of
ideas. In ancient philosophy we find
little or no distinction made between
talents and virtues. Indeed. we are
told that "the word translated virtue
was undoubtedly used by Greek writer's
for any admirable quality whatever"
All excellence, whether mental or moral,
all that is estimable, whether an endOw
ment or an requirement, was esteemed
by Socrates and Plato to be alike good |
and virtuous. knowledge and wisdom
were one with righteousness, and
there was 40 marked division between
the intellectual and the moral facul- |
ties
Gradually, however, this separation
has been made, with more and more
rigor. Character is commonly thought
to consist mainly in the habitual exer-
else of what we call morality; virtue is
confined to such qualities as can be eX-
hibited by any one without reference
to his natural ability or acquired knowl-
edge 1t is not impossible that we
may have somewhat strained this dis
tinction. 1t is true that a man with
great talents and fine intellect may
not be a good man, and another who is
conscientious may be grossly ignorant;
yet fortunately, We do not take either
of them as mode, Both are failures
as far as true manhood and fine charac
ter are concerned, and the question with
us should be not which of the two is
preferable, but how to avoid either of
them.
The ideas commonly held upon duty,
responsibility and moral excellence are
far TOO narrow. SO far from the moral
realm being limited to certain practices
which any one can follow, it embraces
the whole of human life; it enters into
every part of our being; it employs every
faculty, makes us eff every talent; COM
z prehends the claims of the body and the
E mind. as we'll as those of the heart and
4 the soul. 1t may be said that natural
powers of any kind however admirable
= in themselves, do not rebound to our
+ credit, nor their absence to our dis
r credit, as we had neither part nor lot in
I placing them there; but it must be re-
y y rendered that every such gift increases
l. our responsibility, both in cultivatine
it and in putting it to good uses. Oh
course no innate ability is either mora
or immoral, but its pOssessOr must bt
either the one or the other, according
a to the way in which he develops an(
# employs it. There is always something
n which each of us can do better thai
r. other things, and moral excellence de
j. mands that we discover what it is, fos
v ter and strengthen it, and devote it t.
If the best purposes we can. All this de
m mands the exercise OF intelligence AM
S. wisdom, as we'll as will and effort; there
r. fore no one who contentedly remain
ID ignorant and thoughtless has any RICH
in to plume himself upon being good an
IS. moral man, whatever, or however nj
a merous, be the virtuous practices whic
as he performs.
er This truth needs much emphasis i
y, our day. 1t is very common to exhol
ct men to be temperate and pure, truth
SIS full and honest, just and generous, will
~ out ever urging them also to cultivat
n. their powers, to preserve their healtl
or to add to their knowledge, to strengthe
ng their judgment, to use their opportun
~. w. ties. Yet these latter duties al
,m equally binding and necessary. Indee
of there is no moral virtue that can
rs, successfully acquired without the he
'na of intellectual qualities. To be hone
On and fair one must be able to apprecia
lie, human rights; to be truthful, one mu
he be able to see and hear with accura
III and remember with exactness; to
la. just, one must know in what justi
ate consists; to be truly generous, one mu
nd have wisdom to guide the generous il
hio pulse.
Moral duty not only demands su