Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-05-07

/
| a paper at MarShalltOwn, Iowa. and the fol-
| lowing reply was made by gentleman hav-
| ing sister in Lancaster who, because of its
| excellence gives it to The Herald for publ
| catlOn-Ed Herald.l
In recent issue of your paper [
noticed this question, namely, "What
is platonic love ?" Webster defines it
as follows: "Of or pertaining to
Plato or his school or his philosophy /;
platonic love, pure, spiritual affec-
tion existing between persons of OPP
posite sex, unmixed with carnal de-
sires and regarding the mind only,
and its excellencies. -
Now, to attempt an answer, we
must start with the proposition that
throughout all animated nature there
are but two loves. sexual and platonic.
By this first great and universal law
we came into sensitive being and by
the second or platonic love we were
nurtu1ed, admired and protected.
Through sexual law all life except
sporadic is propagated. So also.
through platonic love. life, comfort
happiness and protection are eagerly
sought that they may be bestowed on
those we love. God is love platonic.
as witness the gift of his only be-
gotten Son whereby all men may be
saved. This is the love that sat our
planetary system in :cotion, dotting
space with other systems. 1t is this
great, universal law that actuates man
to do good. It built the Peace Palace
at the Hague, and instituted the Red
Cross throughout the world. 1t in
fiuences philanthropists throughout the
world to give millions yearly for the
uplift of mankind. Through its in.
fiuences the hungry are fed. the naked
cared for. The stranger within our
gates is not forgtten, but is sent on
his way rejoicing. The members of
the home, the neuclei of all just
and happy. They love everything
they possess-horse and COW, pigs and
poultry, the dog and the kitty. Of
course the members of this domestic
family are happy, and their domestic
units are the foundation of all govern
ment. All love is platonic CT
spiritual except where coupled with
sexual desire, only differing in in
tensity. For example. we love wife,
father and mother, sister and brother,
son and daughter more intensely than
our neigbbors. but only differing in
degree Notice the young lady
jauntily attired, descending the steps
of her residence to take a carriage
airing in the open. If platonic
girl, before seating herself in the
carriage. she will step to the team
and give them love greeting before
starting Did you see the elderly
lady slip and fall on the crowded
street crossing, tenderly cared for by
two noble young men, who swiftly
came to her rescue and Immediately
notified her physician of the accident
See the bevy of young ladies in the
conservatory, almost worshipping the
grand, floral display. or dropping
nickels in the till of the blind
organist at the street corner. This
hidden, platonic love force gave to
the world such men as Huxley, Car
lysle. Sir Herbert Spencer, Lubbock,
Darwin and our own lamented Agassiz.
Throughout the world men are daily
| risking their lives to save their
fellows, as witness the heroic com.
mander of the Inflated Titanic, as
he faced the crowd who were trying
to escape immediate death, with gun
in hand, repeating in a loud voice,
Ladies frst!' 1t drafted and COM
PEELED d British King to sign the
great English magma charta. the
bulwark of all human liberty through
out the civilized world.
1t impelled the drafting of and be-
queathment to future generations that
inspired and heaven born document,
the preamble and constitution of the
United States. The physicians i'm
PEELED by this influence, rush to
the scene of the train disaster or other
great and unexpected calamities, to
administer to the needs of the suffer
! ing 1t is the corner stone of all
fraternal organizations throughout
the universe. 1t is the good
Samaritan of every worthy deed; it
is Gods friendship, love and truth
bequeathed to men for their protec-
ton and preservation. It abhors
persecution or cruelty and would have
it replaced with faith, hope and
| charity for all of Gods creatures.
There are many other closely allied
or associated forces to platonic love
that should be considered separately
/ nut I am trespassing on the space of
your valuable paper. and will close.
Very truly yours,
IT'D r,