The Washington times., 1919-12-07

Read voItaire.
Try "zadig."
Or "Micromegas."
Also the philosophical
Dictionary"
By Arthur BRISBANE
(Copyrfght. 1sfeD

Read Keats "On First Looking
Into Chapman's Homer" and learn
what q book can do, for a recep-
tive mind. That book inspired the
frSt good sonnet that Keats wrote,
boyish. but with wonderful lines.
He looked into the ancient book.
Then felt I like some thatcher of
the skies
When a new planet sVtns into
has ken;
Or ike stout Cortez, rhen tctth
eagle eyes
He stard at the Pdcifc-dnd all
has men
Looked at each other Dith pild
Slsxt upon peak IN Ddrion-
With his friend, Clark, of
The Gentiemsn's Magazine, Keats
read Chapman's book all night long,
then sent the sonnet at 10 O'Clock
the same morning. That is the
way to use books; read, feel, and
think.
Not every ybody can be architect,
painter, or sculptor. But every
man can look at great buildings,
paintings, and statues that the
others have made. Not every man
can be student or be we'll ac-
Quaintea with the worlds great
literature, but each can and should
rcd the really great writer's of
the world. The first three are
Homer. Dante, and Shakespeare.
OtAers. among the great army of
genius. are Cervantes of Spain.
Moliere Of France, Goethe OF Ger
many, Bunyan OF England. Frank
lin. Poe, and Emerson of this
country, Tolstoy of Russia, and,
chosen for today's discussion,
voltaire, the gigantic French in
teilect, wit, and brave fighter.
Rsad his story "Zadig. Mystery
of Pate" And since only a few
days are left of a most important
year. begin here with the conun-
drum OF the grand maG that Zadig
had to solve, to marry the lady.
What, of all things IN the
scesh, Is the loxgsst and the short
est, ths ssciftsst and the slorest,
tie Ssost divisibte amd the most ex-
tsnded. tho wsost neglected and the
most regretted, without rhich
n0tkiHg can be done, which de-
vosSs az that is little, and enlir-
enc sU that - greot!7
Ysu guess the answer.
xadig aid that it was time.
~NetSise." added hs. ~is longer,
49, 4 = tks sssssurs of eternity.
Mol1flG = ahorter, siace it Is ~
sof61fSnt ~ Ats accomplishment
sf]001t-r.sjsees. Nctxinc more
stssC 70 h;4 that sxpscts,. nothsng
~asss fepid to kiss Htat enjoys. II
sreaksssss 4 sxtsxds to txfnity; IN
saso5&ssse Il - ixfxitsiy diristbte.
~ nsR Hsgisct n; al regret the
toss Of e.; nothing caw be dome
,cithswt It. 1t coHsigns to Oblivion
scAotevsr - wnrortht of being
transmitted to posterity, and It i'm
wsortatses sxeh actions as are
trMlr great
There ID wisdom in few words,
Business men might have the
quotation printed in large type,
hung up where it will be seen by
yo0ng men still ignorant Of the
f1ct thst time is their only asset.
The grand magi's next question
was:
What is the thing ,chich tce re-
eeirs tcithout thanks. phich ,ce
enjoy Without knowing hop, and
which voc lose trithout perceiutng
itr
You, like Zadig, naturally an
swer, Life" so well described in
the question.
Read in Zadig the story of two
married ladies. One, Zadig's own
wife Anzora, is il great rage be-
cause Nthe young widow Co.'S
rou" two days before had raised
. tomb to her young husband, near
the rivulet that washes the skirts
Of this meadow. She vowed to
heaven, in the bitterness of her
grief, to remain at this tomb whilst
the water of the rivulet should
eontinus to run near it"
The indignant Anzora found the
widow Cosrou turning the course
Of the rivulet."
zadig pretends to be dead, in
vites his handsome young friend
Cad0r to come and comfort his
widow. Cador pretends to have a
pain. "Art thou subject to this
cruel 6sorder?" Anzora asks.
1T sometimes brings me- re-
1lied Codor, ito the brink of the
eruvs; sHd there Is but one rem
0dv that cax otve me relief-and
that +, to apply TO my side the
moss of man Uho Is lateiy dead"
Promptly Azora, thinking her
sef . widow, goes to cut OF the
nose OF Zadig, to relieve the pain
of . new found friend Zadig, ris-
ING from his bier. says: