Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-22

the essence Of wisdom. or tho philosophy
from the Imprisonment OF books: had
passed from the embodiment of letters.
and impressed itself on or fixed itself In
the human mind. and become an element
Of general enlightenment, or become APP
parent in the ways and works OF COM
mon life. The excelIency of knowledge Is
In enlightenlng and enlivening our race:
not I'm being the peculiar treasure and
privilege of the learned.
II the books OF the burned library con-
talned only records OF the wars and bru-
talities Of kings, the luxuries, vices and
scandals Of the great. and the d~epravity
and wretchedness of the people, II is very
well that they were burned. If they con-
tanned merely curious facts and secrets
more likely to do harm than good; where
by the knowing might Cypress the igno-
rant; or, IL they contained idle magma
lions and speculations only bewildering;
or intellectual labyrinthine wanderings.
time-wasters, their loss is our gain.
1t is said that when Alaric captured the
cities Of Italy he took away from the
citizens their warlike weapons, but left
them their books. TO browze on and sleep
over. He felt Satisfied that so long as
their minds were kept occupied with la
borious %tri1es, Deliberately useless and
ingeniously Improbable they were not
likely to do anything to vindicate their
manhood or achieve their freedom.
In early English history, when books
were very scarce and learned men few.
a man might escape the gallows just be-
cause OF the supposed value OF his learn
ing. Men have long had a superstitious
reverence and mysterious awe, more or
less, Of books and learning. Ignorance
and decrepitude are tlmid and easily
awed. And books hold a certain power.
A books a book, although there's nothing
I'm it. And booklshness and literature give
to their devotees mystery and awe. like
that which other idols impose. The simple
In both cases gaze and wonder. Books
and authors and literary men and women
magnify their privileges and enjoy their
supremacy. Delirant reyes. plectuntur
achivi. The superstition and imposition OF
the bookish Cypress and benumb the I'M
instructed underlings. This people that
have not the law are accursed." SO say
the Pharasees, now as Of old. Profanum
vulgusi
Fighting against superstition in every
form, killing giants. exercising spirits,
tripping the consequential, is the business
and amusement Of manhood. In the light
Of day ghosts have no existence. nor
witches. nor jugylers; giants dwindle 10
their true dimensions; Jack o. lanterns are
not misleading; man walks fearlessly.
The day Of tho Lord Of Light is on every
one that is proud and lifted up. In the
light Of truth man sees things and men
as they are, "au unco squad'-wretched
and miserable, poor and blind and naked
most ignorant Of what they are most as
sured-Often most pitiable in the midst Of
their greatest assumptions; captive exiles
Fastening that they nay be loosed; that
they may not die in the pit, and that their
bread may not fail-and yet lording 1t
over their brother earth and ashes!
The assumptions Of the boOkish are
among the most insufferable Of offences.
They are a kind of inebriety, q great phi
losopher says they come of a swelling that
follows the bite Of that old serpent INC
infused ambition into Mother Eve.
Profoundly learned, enlightened men,
with enlarged hearts, are typened by the
elders who cast down their crowns before
the throne of God; by the great patriarch,
who. when the wonderful works of God
passed before him, as in a vision, eX-
claimed: Nov mine eyes have seen
Thee. and / abhor myself"
II is the intellectual lace-makers, ana
man and women milliners, and confection-
ers. and traders. and professions that
offend and degrade the whole business Of
truth and learning. making II a matter OF
ambition and a~varice, OF s~eldshness, OF
idleness and luxury; the highest and most
important concerns and interests Of life
little more than condiments and %irritants'
strong lavors. pickles. and appetiZers.
The highest dignitaries in that business
spinning intellectual spiders webs, daring
10 set human reason in place OF divine
wisdom. and to make themselves equal
with Cod; their gift TO mankind utter
Ignorance OF what concerns them most;
their FIvsium Welding brilliant mists and
tu.oIfoc+,al hfoh wines