The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-06-08

II 0k4nO / a. ! 1OGNOAy.
accomplishment in the production Of
wealth over the less tangible result
of the study of history, literature and
art, and SO there is on the part OF
many men who have attained success
In business life or in the practical
sciences a disposition to extol such
accomplishments beyond all others,
and to undervalue or not at all to
realize the value of mental culture
in any other than purely technical
lines.
1T is to be- noted, however, that
the greatest discoveries in science fol-
lowed that great intellectual awak-
ening which is known as the renais-
sance. The revival of learning-the
desire for general culture which
found inspiration in the study of art,
the literature and the history of the
Greeks and Romans, produced as it's
first fruits the marvellous architec-
ture of Bramante, Michael Angelo
and Brunelleschi; the Basilica of St.
Peters in Rome, and the Duomo of
Florence; the paintings of Leonardo,
Raphael and Titain; the sculpture Of
Ghiberti, Luca delle~ Robbia, Donatel-
10 and Michael Angelo; the immortal
divine comedy of Dante, and the tend
er lyrics of Petrach. Then followed
the philosophy of ERASMUS and Colet
| and More. the epic poem of Aristo,
and the historical work OF Guiccardi-
nj. Upon this splendid foundation of
art and poetry and letters was built
| tho CfQfolv ctrD0turo nf
science
Science and Literature.
"Ccpernicus while studying mathe-
matics devoted his spare time to
painting. Calico was an earnest
student of literature, accomplished as
Greek and Latin scholar, musi-
clan and painter, when the vibra-
tions of the great swinging lamp at
Pisa first directed his attention to a
problem in physics which led to his
great discoveries.
! Newton pursued his studies at
Trinity college, Cambridge, and was
graduated in 1865 with the degree of
bachelor Of arts. The steam engine
was invented by Watt, the locomotive
by Stevenson, and the spinning jenny
| by Albright, at time when the
whole civilized world was in fer
ment of intellectual agitation con-
cerning the rights Of man and the
theories OF social order, and when
the history and the literature OF the
| ancient world were eagerly studied
! for light on the fundamental princi-
pies Of civil government and individ-
ual liberty. Almost without excep-
ticn, the great men whose names
have been written large in the history
Of science were men oi broad culture
often almost as proficient in litera-
| ture and art as in science. The YER
satile Franklin, the 5allwise Hum
boldt, the accomplished Bunsen and
the cultured Priestly are illustrations
Of the fact that mere technical edu-
cation alone has never secured the
first rank In the life oi the commune
t..
THE epic tales of Homer, the di.
vine comedy OF Dante, the logic ol
Aristotle. the human drama of Shakes
peare, all teach the lesson Of human
life, in the knowledge Of which is to
be found power to comprehend anC
help guide and lead men, which is the
supermost accomplishment of man
The temple of Diana at Ephesus has
crumbled away, but the tragedies ot
Aeschylos and the comedies of Euri'
pides remain. The Roman Forum Is
an interesting collection OF ruins. but
the odes and satires OF Horace, the
letters of Pliny and the lines Of Plu.
tarch make the great men of Rome
as real to us as those of yesterday III
France and England. From them
from their experience. their ideas
their failures and their accomplish.
ments, many an inventive mind has
caught inspiration and has had imag.
ination stimulated to the solution Oi
great problems in art, in architecture
and in science. The man who goes
out into the world without the knowl.
edge of these humanities is therefore
lacking in mental equipment which
leaves him subject to q serious handi-
cap. General cultivation today is sc
widespread that the man who enters
upon his life work with a mere tech.
nical training, when he comes in COM
petition with men OF broad culture
is at decided disadvantage.
4 Combination.
"a combination of ideals of purely
technical study with broad university
culture, offers to students the oppor-
tunity of becoming not merely engi-
neers, but educated gentlemen.
have thus far dwelt only upon the
practical advantage of this broader
than merely technical education. But
the refining influence and the intel
lectual pleasures opened by such
study should not be lost sight Of
James Russell Lowell once exclaimed
out of the fullness of his scholarly
mind:
Neither would have you neglect
the humanities. l would wish that
every one of you could enjoy in the
original, Homer and Virgil and Dante
! and Rabelais and GGethe.'
| In an essay written shortly before
his death he revised this list some
what, and characterized Homer
Dante, Shakespeare Crevantes and
Goethe as the five indispensable au-
thors.' Certainly if the work of any
one of them were eliminated from our
literature cur speech there would be
ragged spaces in the fabric.
''Is it not then we'll worth the time
| - IL