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life is only reached by lofty contemplation on the true； the
beautiful； and the good。 Subjective wisdom is worth more than
objective knowledge。 What are the great realities；machinery； new
breeds of horses； carpets； diamonds； mirrors； gas？ or are they
affections； friendships； generous impulses； inspiring thoughts？
Look to Socrates： what raised that barefooted； ugly…looking；
impecunious； persecuted； cross…questioning； self…constituted
teacher； without pay； to the loftiest pedestal of Athenian fame？
What was the spirit of the truths HE taught？ Was it objective or
subjective truth； the way to become rich and comfortable； or the
search for the indefinite； the infinite； the eternal；Utopia； not
Middlesex；that which fed the wants of the immaterial soul； and
enabled it to rise above temptation and vulgar rewards？ What
raised Plato to the highest pinnacle of intellectual life？ Was it
definite and practical knowledge of outward phenomena； or was it 〃a
longing after love； in the contemplation of which the mortal soul
sustains itself； and becomes participant in the glories of
immortality〃？ What were realities to Anselm； Bernard； and
Bonaventura？ What gave beauty and placidity to Descartes and
Leibnitz and Kant？ It may be very dignified for a modern savant to
sit serenely on his tower of observation； indifferent to all the
lofty speculations of the great men of bygone ages； yet those
profound questions pertaining to the ＇Greek text omitted＇ and the
＇Greek text omitted＇； which had such attractions for Augustine and
Pascal and Calvin； did have as real bearing on human life and on
what is best worth knowing； as the scales of a leuciscus cephalus
or the limbs of a magnified animalculus； or any of the facts of
which physical science can boast。 The wonders of science are
great； but so also are the secrets of the soul； the mysteries of
the spiritual life； the truths which come from divine revelation。
Whatever most dignifies humanity； and makes our labors sweet； and
causes us to forget our pains； and kindles us to lofty
contemplations； and prompts us to heroic sacrifice； is the most
real and the most useful。 Even the leaves of a barren and
neglected philosophy may be in some important respects of more
value than all the boasted fruit of utilitarian science。 Is that
which is most useful always the most valuable；that； I mean； which
gives the highest pleasure？ Do we not plant our grounds with the
acacia； the oak； the cedar； the elm； as well as with the apple； the
pear； and the cherry？ Are not flowers and shrubs which beautify
the lawn as desirable as beans and turnips and cabbages？ Is not
the rose or tulip as great an addition to even a poor man's cottage
as his bed of onions or patch of potatoes？ What is the scale to
measure even mortal happiness？ What is the marketable value of
friendship or of love？ What makes the dinner of herbs sometimes
more refreshing than the stalled ox？ What is the material profit
of a first love？ What is the value in tangible dollars and cents
of a beautiful landscape； or a speaking picture； or a marble
statue； or a living book； or the voice of eloquence； or the charm
of earliest bird； or the smile of a friend； or the promise of
immortality？ In what consisted the real glory of the country we
are never weary of quoting；the land of Phidias and Pericles and
Demosthenes？ Was it not in immaterial ideas； in patriotism； in
heroism； in conceptions of ideal beauty； in speculations on the
infinite and unattainable； in the songs which still inspire the
minds of youth； in the expression which made marble live； in those
conceptions of beauty and harmony which still give shape to the
temples of Christendom？ Was Rome more glorious with her fine roads
and tables of thuja…root； and Falernian wines； and oysters from the
Lucrine Lake； and chariots of silver； and robes of purple and rings
of gold；these useful blessings which are the pride of an
Epicurean civilization？ And who gave the last support； who raised
the last barrier； against that inundation of destructive pleasures
in which some see the most valued fruits of human invention； but
which proved a canker that prepared the way to ruin？ It was that
pious Emperor who learned his wisdom from a slave； and who set a
haughty defiance to all the grandeur and all the comforts of the
highest position which earth could give； and spent his leisure
hours in the quiet study of those truths which elevate the soul；
truths not taught by science or nature； but by communication with
invisible powers。
Ah； what indeed is reality； what is the higher good； what is that
which perishes never； what is that which assimilates man to Deity？
Is it houses； is it lands； is it gold and silver； is it luxurious
couches； is it the practical utilitarian comforts that pamper this
mortal body in its brief existence？ or is it women's loves and
patriots' struggles； and sages' pious thoughts； affections； noble
aspirations； Bethanies； the serenities of virtuous old age； the
harmonies of unpolluted homes； the existence of art； of truth； of
love； the hopes which last when sun and stars decay？ Tell us； ye
women； what are realities to you；your carpets； your plate； your
jewels； your luxurious banquets； or your husbands' love； your
friends' esteem； your children's reverence？ And ye； toiling men of
business； what is really your highest joy；your piles of gold；
your marble palaces； or the pleasures of your homes； the
approbation of your consciences； your hopes of future bliss？ Yes；
you are dreamers； like poets and philosophers； when you call
yourselves pack…horses。 Even you are only sustained in labor by
intangible rewards that you can neither see nor feel。 The most
practical of men and women can really only live in those ideas
which are deemed indefinite and unreal。 For what do the busiest of
you run away from money…making； and ride in cold or heat； in
dreariness or discomfort；dinners； or greetings of love and
sympathy？ On what are such festivals as Christmas and Thanksgiving
Day based？on consecrated sentiments that have more force than any
material gains or ends。 These； after all； are realities to you as
much as ideas were to Plato； or music to Beethoven； or patriotism
to Washington。 Deny these as the higher certitudes； and you rob
the soul of its dignity； and life of its consolations。
AUTHORITIES。
Bacon's Works； edited by Basil Montagu； Bacon's Life； by Basil
Montagu； Bacon's Life； by James Spedding； Bacon's Life； by Thomas
Fowler； Dr。 Abbott's Introduction to Bacon's Essays； in
Contemporary Review； 1876； Macaulay's famous essay in Edinburgh
Review； 1839； Archbishop Whately's annotations of the Essays of
Bacon； the general Histories of England。
GALILEO。
A。 D。 1564…1642。
ASTRONOMICAL DISCOVERIES。
Among the wonders of the sixteenth century was the appearance of a
new star in the northern horizon； which； shining at first with a
feeble