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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 light； gradually surpassed the brightness of the planet
Jupiter； and then changing its color from white to yellow and from
yellow to red； after seventeen months； faded away from the sight；
and has not since appeared。 This celebrated star； first seen by
Tycho Brahe in the constellation Cassiopeia； never changed its
position； or presented the slightest perceptible parallax。 It
could not therefore have been a meteor； nor a planet regularly
revolving round the sun； nor a comet blazing with fiery nebulous
light； nor a satellite of one of the planets； but a fixed star； far
beyond our solar system。 Such a phenomenon created an immense
sensation； and has never since been satisfactorily explained by
philosophers。 In the infancy of astronomical science it was
regarded by astrologers as a sign to portend the birth of an
extraordinary individual。
Though the birth of some great political character was supposed to
be heralded by this mysterious star； its prophetic meaning might
with more propriety apply to the extraordinary man who astonished
his contemporaries by discoveries in the heavens； and who forms the
subject of this lecture； or it poetically might apply to the
brilliancy of the century itself in which it appeared。 The
sixteenth century cannot be compared with the nineteenth century in
the variety and scope of scientific discoveries； but； compared with
the ages which had preceded it； it was a memorable epoch； marked by
the simultaneous breaking up of the darkness of mediaeval Europe；
and the bursting forth of new energies in all departments of human
thought and action。 In that century arose great artists； poets；
philosophers； theologians； reformers； navigators； jurists；
statesmen； whose genius has scarcely since been surpassed。 In
Italy it was marked by the triumphs of scholars and artists； in
Germany and France； by reformers and warriors； in England； by that
splendid constellation that shed glory on the reign of Elizabeth。
Close upon the artists who followed Da Vinci； to Salvator Rosa；
were those scholars of whom Emanuel Chrysoloras； Erasmus； and
Scaliger were the representatives；going back to the classic
fountains of Greece and Rome； reviving a study for antiquity；
breathing a new spirit into universities； enriching vernacular
tongues； collecting and collating manuscripts； translating the
Scriptures； and stimulating the learned to emancipate themselves
from the trammels of the scholastic philosophers。
Then rose up the reformers； headed by Luther； consigning to
destruction the emblems and ceremonies of mediaeval superstition；
defying popes； burning bulls； ridiculing monks； exposing frauds；
unravelling sophistries； attacking vices and traditions with the
new arms of reason； and asserting before councils and dignitaries
the right of private judgment and the supreme authority of the
Bible in all matters of religious faith。
And then appeared the defenders of their cause； by force of arms
maintaining the great rights of religious liberty in France；
Germany； Switzerland； Holland； and England； until Protestantism was
established in half of the countries that had for more than a
thousand years servilely bowed down to the authority of the popes。
Genius stimulates and enterprise multiplies all the energies and
aims of emancipated millions。 Before the close of the sixteenth
century new continents are colonized； new modes of warfare are
introduced； manuscripts are changed into printed books； the
comforts of life are increased； governments are more firmly
established； and learned men are enriched and honored。 Feudalism
has succumbed to central power； and barons revolve around their
sovereign at court rather than compose an independent authority。
Before that century had been numbered with the ages past； the
Portuguese had sailed to the East Indies； Sir Francis Drake had
circumnavigated the globe； Pizarro had conquered Peru； Sir Walter
Raleigh had colonized Virginia； Ricci had penetrated to China；
Lescot had planned the palace of the Louvre； Raphael had painted
the Transfiguration； Michael Angelo had raised the dome of St。
Peter's； Giacomo della Porta had ornamented the Vatican with
mosaics； Copernicus had taught the true centre of planetary motion；
Dumoulin had introduced into French jurisprudence the principles of
the Justinian code； Ariosto had published the 〃Orlando Furioso；〃
Cervantes had written 〃Don Quixote；〃 Spenser had dedicated his
〃Fairy Queen；〃 Shakspeare had composed his immortal dramas； Hooker
had devised his 〃Ecclesiastical Polity；〃 Cranmer had published his
Forty…two Articles； John Calvin had dedicated to Francis I。 his
celebrated 〃Institutes；〃 Luther had translated the Bible； Bacon had
begun the 〃Instauration of Philosophy；〃 Bellarmine had systematized
the Roman Catholic theology； Henry IV。 had signed the Edict of
Nantes； Queen Elizabeth had defeated the Invincible Armada； and
William the Silent had