Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-04-04
UiaEIy-CuItivntcd.
observations Of a Philosophical Frien
OF OurSl

observations Of a Philosophical FRIEND
Of Ours)
A friend OF ours who CHANGED to Visit
some OF the best Of the English people
in their homes reported that there was
ten times more OF ambition, assumption
and pretention, and cold reserve in the
kitchen than there was upstairs. Down
below they were exceedingly Jealous OF
their rights and places. and OF the re-
spect that should be paid them, and they
very ruthlessly trampled on the rights
and feelings of the underllngs. There is
a chapter Of "Tom Jones" contrasting the
easy and considerate manners OF the
gentle Sophia with those Of her attendant
which might be read generally with ad-
vantage. 1t IS near about the same IN
all cases Of estates, degrees. and dignl-
ties Of high and low-the struggle Is
near the bottom. AS the footing becomes
surer and the ascent easier, the prospect
broader. there's less OF fear, Of jostling,
and less of rivalry. When the highest
level is reached the ways are plain, the
light clear, the outlook broad and gene
raj, and the air serene. There envy ana
jealousy are not known; but enfranchised
souls enjoy life in the Higher Country;
all Of one accord and one mind, in loving
worship and honor Of the Supreme.
The high places" OF the earth are
scriptural, and they answer to our day
dreams, our unacknowledged aspirations
our longings and cravings, our dim or
distinct visions, our dishonored divine
ness. Fall TO your grub; mind your
business; ye are idle. ye are idle" says
the practical. realistic, commonplace
world. "Your sentimentalities will take
you 10 the poorhouse. Your ideals are
waste of time. Go find something to do"
And the poor, dishonored go of under
it's orders on the lOwlands, into the fields
TO feed swine. and live on their husks.
And so the rabble Of high and low, rich
and poor. move on; the blind lead the
blind; and quacks and undertakers and
graVe-diggers make merchandise OF them
and consume them with their vanity and
vexation. And yet there's plenty OF 'cul-
tivation' in the throng. They cultivate
themselves and sharpen their wits TO
climb over each others shoulders; TO
bite and devour one another; TO astonish,
beguile. and rule one another. Their
highly cultivated" are those that dazzle
and bewilder the underlings, and shine
in the crowd; still-of the earth eartny,
no matter at what cost 10 the -nisled
If their quackeries will sell and g u them
gain and reputation, what care they for
the consequences? What matters 1t whose
heart and soul and life is destroyed or
starved?
In very truth, commonplace culture, or
as they have IL, "culchur," and ambi-
tious, high cultivation are among the
pomps and vanities Of the day. And the
world of literature, in its common as
poets IS not readily distingushable from
the Limbo Of Fools" The great philO-
pher says OF books: Simple men admire
them; wise men use them. Unluckily for
mankind, very few books have been writ
ten by practical. working, active men.
Few men have been born when Saturn
and Jupiter-the planets OF contempla-
ton and action-were in conjunction;
therefore, there have been very few au
thors Ike Moses aud David, julius Caesar
and Shakespeare; therefore, the great
majority Of books are mere imagination,
airy nothings. lying vanites. and bewil-
derments, that impart a knowledge that
merely puffeth up; or they are like
clouds and wind without rain.
Never was the world so overwhelmed
with books as at this time; and never
was the public mind and heart so paper
ed over. With idle orators and chaI1y
books filling our ears and eyes. and be-
setting every avenue TO the soG, lotus
trees, saving all Intellectual labor and
superseding all exercise Of judgment and
sense of responsibility and self-reliance.
what is 10 keep us from becoming idiots
or learned pigs? And how near does the
regular literary rabble come to being in
telectual inebriates and idiots, anyhow?
There is nothing true or natural about
them. They are fictitious from centre