The like of Persons. Every one's glass reflects his bias. If the thinker
views men as troglodytes--like Plato's groundlings, unconscious of the
sun shining overhead; men of the senses, and mere makeweights--they in
turn pronounce him the dreamer, sitting aloof from human concerns, an
unproductive citizen and waste power in the world. Still, thought makes
the world and sustains it; atom and idea alike being its constituents.
Nor can thought, from its nature, at once become popular. It is the
property and delight of the few fitted by genius and culture for
discriminating truth from adhering falsehood, and of setting it forth in
its simplicity and truth to the understandings of the less favored.
Apart by pursuit from the mass of mankind, or at most taking a separate
and subordinate part in affairs that engage their sole attention, the
thinker seems useless to all save those who can apprehend and avail
themselves of his immediate labors; and the less is he known and
appreciated as his studies are of lasting importance to his race. Yet
time is just, and brings all men to the side of thought as they become
familiar with its practical benefits, else the victory were not gained
for philosophy, and wisdom justified in him of her chosen children.
Ideas alone supplement nature and complement mind. Our senses neither
satisfy our sensibility nor intellect. The mind's objects are mind
itself; imagination the mind's eye, memory the ear, ideas of the one
imaging the other, and the mind thus rounding its history. And hence the
pleasurable perspective experienced in surveying our personality from
obverse sides in the landscape of existence--culture, in its inclusive
sense, making the tour of our gifts, and acquainting us with ourselves
and the world we live in. All men gain a residence in the senses and the
family of natural things; few come into possession of their better
inheritance and home in the mind--the Palace of Power and Personality.
Sons of earth rather by preference, and chiefly emulous for their little
while of its occupancy, its honors, emoluments, they here pitch their
tents, here plant fast their hopes, and roll through life they know not
whither.
II.--THE GIFTS.
Instinct is the fountain of Personal power, and mother of the Gifts.
With instinct there may be an embryo, but sense must be superinduced to
constitute an animal--memory, moral sentiment, reason, imagination,
personality, to constitute the man. The mind is the man, not the outward
shape: all is in the Will. The animal may mount to fancy in the grade of
gifts; but reason, imagination, conscience, choice--the mediating,
creative, ruling powers--the personality--belong to man alone. But not
to all men, save in essence and possibility. Man properly traverses the
hierarchy of Powers--spiritual, intellectual, moral, natural,
animal--their full possession and interplay enabling him to hold free
colloquy with all, giving the whole mind voice in the dialogue. Thus:
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