The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-08-31
is TT DECADENCE2
4 SHARP CRITICISM OF THE DO MOTH
ING TIME IN WHICH WE LIVE.

An Age of Mediocrity In Which About
the Only Activity Is In tho Direction of
Fatiism-There Are No Great Questions
and No Prc-eminent Men.
1t is serious question whether we arc
In II period of dccadcncc. Thowhulo world
appears to be in II condition of intellectual
Inactivity, or Mt least without those great
mental struggles which characterized tho
recent pnst. Wo arc numerously following
fads, exercising tho mind on trifies, read.
ing and writing trash and interested In
few general problems. Tho long peace of
tho world has cnervated mon, especially MS
thero have bccn no grcnt problems of peace
oven. The preceding century closed in
storm, the American and French reyolu-
lions having excited the energies of tho
world. Tho present century promises to
close in calm that breeds malaria Tho
last generation, active over the antislayery
conflict and civil war, prolonged its ex-
citemcnt through tho German wars against
Austria and Franco. Tho present genera
ton is relatively without interest; people
have nothing specially great to think
about. When 1T WINS question of saving
the country or settling great moral prob
activities Oh u corresponding scale. Tho
world was undertaking gigantic tasks. and
brains were in demand. The orator, tho
poet, tho statesman wero busy in their
greatest creations. Tho intellect of tho
people was fovcrish. With universal dis
cussion and discussion of weighty prob
lens the times produced men like Bcccher,
Lincoln and Bismarck. Whittier wrote
his I'm War Time" tho sanitary commits
sion was created, tho development of phi
losophy launched and Italy united. Tho
world WAS doing something and mankind
was conspicuous for working as q whole
or in great groups.
or late, however, thcrc is widespread
feeling that we have nothing to do, and
tho people, like idlcrs, aro dcvising spc-
cious tasks for themselves mostly means
of recreation. We are in u period of dict
tantism. 1t Is tho age of bric-a brac in
art, of ceremonies and entertainments in
religion and OF dress in society. Scholars
gossip in clubs, instead of debate In lycc-
un:s, and college students are known chief
ly ms football players. No new philoso-
pliers have been conceived in this age. no
great poems have appeared or remarkable
adventures. 1t is an ago of mcdiocrity, in
which many como forward in every de-
partmcnt, but none is conspicuous. Tho
whole world has been recently convulscd
over wedding. a superficial book on bo-
hemianism has made the greatest success
in literature. Tho principal interest in
politics Is an easy way to pay debts. So
cialism is as deep rs tho public can sec in
to government. Claptrnp interests men.
and public officials AFRO capitalists instead
of statesmen.
is all this an evidence of dccadcnce. or
Is 1t inscparablo from n long career of
peace? When the great questions arc set
tied must the people turn to the small? If
anything important Interested us we
might go to war, whereas now peace is
maintained by having nothing to fight for.
Such languid feeling rs the present
could hardly be reused to war. We arc not
interested enough to dispute seriously,
much less fight We are making some
progress, indeed in the re1ncments of
life, and perhaps advancing In slow way
by catching up with great projects con-
ceivcd whom mon were moro vigorous
But when an age is refining 1t Is usually
doing littlo else. The people are polishing
whit they forged in the last generation.
This is n period Of rhetoric, when mon try
to say nicely instead of think greatly. 1t
gives fewer thoughts to the world than it
rcStatcs. BY correcting and identifying
the more vigorous productions of other Pc
RODS 1T does its characteristic work
Life is not rs serious rs 1t was 30 years
ago. when men lived for something. Tho
question then was how to do, whereas IL
is now how to live. Instead of acting men
are behaving, and the amenities of life arc
our chief interest.
Trying chiefly to get rid of the attri-
lions of society, We arc learning to uso
what wo have rather than getting any
thing for humanity. Wo arc in II period of
adjustment and exercised over what to do
with ourselves. The present problem is
mainly to keep men good or rather TO
keep them proper Social lifo is about tho
highest problem we are considering. Men
need to bc recalled to tho vigorous The
struggles of life must DO entered to pro-
duce strong people. There is nood of
some of tho old Puritan enrncstuess. Lilo
should DO moro serious and lived on a
larger scale. Tho pleasures take too promi-
ncnt place, rs In the beginning OF the
eighteenth century. The abcst minds are
largely engaged in amusing the people.
Tho drama is tho chief department. that
prospcrs, and tho greatest thing now seen
Is an opera or pageant. We are celebrating
great deeds instead of doing them. If wo
arc to be much In the near future we must
look around for greater undertakings
There Is enough to be done to mako heroes
Though no new worlds can be discovered
or races freed. there are lines of enterprise
waiting to bo pursued. Africa is yet to be
settled and reduced to civilization; new
basis is to be found for social life; religion
is to be conformed to science, and perhaps
new lnstauratio, greater than Bacon's
Is to be applied to interpret the world
Tho nineteenth century need not go out
III dwindling unticlimax.- independent.
Her Purchase Was Wrapped Up.
I went into n Columbus nvnnnn drug