The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-10-28
Men Believe Silly Things To-
day, but What Nonsense They
USED to Believe
We Shall Recite Few Of the Ancient Beliefs and You
May Supply Appropriate Modern Comment

francis Bacon. who. BY the way, did NOT write Shake
s known Another Of the three was Aristotle the Greek
You may select your own third.
Bacon took "a knowledge for his province wrote on
conceivable subject and died Of cold contracted when
be got out Of his coach stuff the Of hen with
snow to whether the cold would the flesh That
experiment the forerunner of all the refrigerator you
sse today.
Bacons chief interest was in abstract thought the beliefs
Of men, the science Of his day. the wisdom Of the ancien
ana the scientific thought that he originated He is practically
the father Of mental scientific experiment first Of the great
school Of students that have taken facts which to base
theory and generalization whereas the ancents took their
fheories and forced the facts to agree with them
Read Bacons wisdom Of the ancien brief presentations Of
strange things that believed for centuries uncomfortable
fcies that taught religious truths in Greece and
elsewhere and you will not wonder that believe in foe
superstitions, and bigotres today.
Bacons plan to tell the ancient beliefs briefly then
Psychological teaching.
# would interest probably to try the experiment
FOR all those ancient stories ridiculous as they sound have
real meaning in e teach express in
fairy tale language Of humanity infancy truth and the
perencs Of the race as far as it had progressed
For instance take:
The Story of Narcissus
Narciusus said have been extremely beautiful and
eomey but inoeraby proud and dsdanf that pleased
with himself and sccrnng the world he led solitary life in
the woods hunting only with few followers who were his
protested admirers amongst whom the nymph Echo
constant attendant In this method Of life was once his
aate to approach clear fountain where he laid himself down
70 rest in the MONDAY heat when behodng his image in the
water he fell into such rapture and admiration Of himself
UnaG ne no means pc away remained
tnualy fixed and gazing till at length he was turned
flower Of his nae which appears early the spring and
Is consecrated to the Internal ds Pluto Proserpine and
the Furies.
SO Bacon tells the story of Narcssus handsome young
man who could admire nobody but himself for any
thing else.
What do YOU make Of that ancient belief which is
fable with meaning?
Bacon in principally the that falls upon the
very vain man, the very good-looking youth
'hch first HOurshes and Is talked Of but uUhen ripe
illustrates the expectation conceived Of it."
And he adds:
Ad that this fOUer should be sacred the Internal
pOWers carries the asion still futherbecause men
Or this huor perfectly useless in all yespects
whatever yields fruit but passes and more like
the OF ship IN the by the Ancients
Grated to the internal shades and pOuers." -.
70 Americans who possess among national cuiosties
number Of these human narcsus flowers these be
especially appropriate and interesting feature in the fact
that the original Narcssus had his constant companion the
only thing that he really liked beside himself 1.-THE nymph
Echo"
The modern Narcssus selfindulgent conceed is beau
u not in face but in fortune Unfortunately riCh and
happily free from any doubt to his PROJECTIONS he
very numerous product Of this rich Republic
Cursed with money that they haven't earned and do not
know how to usefuly these young gentlemen and old
gentlemen Of the useless spending Narcus class also take
their favorite THE NYMPH ECHO.
This in effect echo Of themselves Whatever they say
Che fawing parasite, Echo, repeats
Their words echoed and until they actually
begin to believe that they have a meaning.
You may well pity the poor creatures and pity also the flat
kerer who plays the part Of Echo the modern Narcsus If
only they like their ancient brother might change into flowers
and thus stop eating and drinking and wasting what workers