Evening star., 1928-04-17

f
1t Is said that all men who in the be-
ginning peepled the earth were created
everywhere az the same time. and they
>-cre all infants. and were nouriSlled by
bees. goats and doves, In the manner
that poets tabled Of the rearing Of Jove.
And the earth was much smaller than II
IS now, nearly all the regions level, the
sky without stars, the sea not yet form
e6--and there appeared in the world
much les variety and magnificence than
st now possesses.
Nevertheless. mankind. taking mex
hauStihle delight in regarding and con-
's.t ring heaven and earth, wondering
at them beyond measure, and account
sNr the one and the other most beau-
4ifl,s, and not merely vast but infinite IN
extent SIS in majesty and lovelneSS'
ro,,rtShing themselves moreover. with
the most 5ovous hopes and drawing from
every sensation Of their life incredible
pleasures. grew up With much content
end believed themselves 10 be almost
completely happy.
Eayinr thus fulfilled very sweetly
childhood and early adolescence ana
reached msturer age. they began 10 eX-
x,evience some change For the hopes,
whose fYuition until then they had gone
on putting of from day TO oay. not
being realized, they began 10 lose falth
in them And 10 content themselves
with what they had actually enjoyed,
without the prospect ot any increase oi
good. seemed 70 be against their nature;
particularly as the aspect Of natural
things and every part OF their daily
life, whether by long usage or because
the firSt vivacity Of their minds was ol-
nninished. became much less delightful
and grateful than in the beginning.
They wandered about the earth, visit
Ing the most remote regions, since they
could easily do SO. the districts being
level and not divided by seas nor OBJ
struete6 by other difficulties. And after
some years most Of them perceived that
the earth. although great, was not so
VsSt as To be without well defined linn
its. and that all the parts Of IL and sll
Its Inhabitants with but slight dlfter-
ences. we're similar one 70 another.
Wherefore their discomfort 50 in
creased that they had not vet outgrovn
their youth when 8 6iStaSte for their
them. And step by step in their ma
turity and vet more IL their declining
years. safety being converted into fa-
tired. some Of them arrived at such des-
peTation that not enduring the light
and the life which they had at first
loved SO much. they spontaneously. some
IN one mode and some In another. ended
their existence.
1t seemed dreadful TO the gods that
living creatures should prefer death TO
life and destroy themselves without be-
ing compelled by any unavoidable cir
eumstance or extreme necessity. 1t
cannot be told how much they nlarveled
that their gifts should be accounted so
81 IL ,
with al their force nenounce and reject
them, since they believed they had put
n the world so much good and beauty
and such regulations and conditions
that this dwelling place ought 10 be
not only endured but loved by all ami
na1S whatsoever. and most OF all by
men. whose race they hac formed with
singular care and wonderful excellence
But az the same time, besides being
touched with no little pity for the hu-
man misery which was so sadly mani
Tested they even doubted whether those
gr1evous examples being renewed and
multiplied. the human species In q short
while IN spite OF destiny, would not
wholly perish and the world be deprived
nf that perfection which accrued 20 II
Hrun our race and themselves OF those
Donors they received from mankind.
JoEe. king Of the gods. therefore
resolved 10 improve. as improvement
seemed needful, the conditions Of
human life. and % provide IL with
additional means for attaining hap
piness. Men chiery complained. he
found, that things we're not immense
4n greatness, nor infinite IN beauty,
perfection. and variety, as they had
deemed At first But these things we're
indeed very limited. ali imperfect. and
nearly uniform. and that. complain-
ing rot only Of their age. but of their
maturity. and even Of their youth. and
desiring the delights Of their earliest
years. men srdeniiy prayed 70 be re-
converted to childhood. and In that
condition 70 remain all their lives
In wh5cs1 Joye could not satisfy
them. u being contrary 70 the uni
versa laws Of nature, and 10 those
functions anC uSese which mankind
ought according 10 the divine inien-
ta0n and DEGREES. 70 exercise and full
I'll Nor could he communicate his
own iDlnity 10 moral creatures, nor
make matters infinite. nor infinite the
perfection and happiness Of things and
men.
However. he thought il expedienf 70
extend ts9e limits Of the creation. and
70 further adDrn and vary IL. and
having THIS resolved, he enlarged the
earth on every side. and created the
sea. wi'n the object 81 diverSlfvang
the worlds surface by its inteTposiilon
between tile various inhabited regions,
and O. preventing men. by the dsfH~
caltiek of navigation. from too easily
discovering It's limits. while giving 20
the eye a. the same time q vivid inn
preston q immensely
AZ which period the new waters oe-
ez1psec the land 81 Atlantis and not
Only T. but also other innUmerable
ard very extensive tracts. although OF
that only the memory remains. pre-
served through countless ages in story
and legend. Many districts he ce-
pressed. many flied up by raising
mountains and hills. sprlnkle1 the night
with stars. heightened and proper
TONED more 6iYeraelY the colofs Of
the heavens and The landscapes, and
gsaaXeo the generations Of mankind 50
that Ire olo age II some fen IN the
same tine - The youth and childhood
Of others.
And having determined to multiply
1sae appearances of that iFgfanifu6e
wi2ich men 10 arsently desired (ssncs
hs could not CRAFTY them with the
realty. and wishing 70 cherish and
no1rlEb their lfnsR3nstlons from which