Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 29.djvu/657

Rh discerned the right decision, express it in few words that not a syllable further be needed. Above all things must the judge be honest, and his chief excellence consists in this, that he is learned and self-controlled, and keeps himself from forbidden things. Dost thou desire to become a physician? Then must thou learn the theory and practice of medicine. Thou must investigate fire, air, water, and earth. Thou must learn to distinguish the temperament, the sanguine, the choleric, the melancholy, and the phlegmatic, together with their related sources, the blood and the gall, also their corresponding principal organs. Thou must give attention also to the senses and their powers, seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, and feeling; also to the inner powers, the imagination, memory, and reason; also to the animal powers, activity and repose. By the sick man himself lay thy hand upon the pulse.

"Dost thou desire to become a poet, so give heed that thy expression in the poems be clear and plain. Shun dark speaking; write not poetry without imagery, taste, or art.

"Dost thou desire to learn music, then must thou be well-habited and friendly, not of evil habit and ungracious. When thou comest into the company, be not always playing light songs and melodies, or always playing hard and difficult pieces. For the people assembled are not all of one nature, but are often quite opposed to each other; as generally men are not all of one taste. Therefore must thou be instructed in all forms of melody and various kinds of instruments, that all the people may receive pleasure.

"Lastly, my son, art thou called to be a ruler—guard thyself from all that is forbidden. Reach not out thy hand after another's possession. In all things thou undertakest, first seek to bring thy desire into harmony with thy understanding; then begin the matter. In no affair over-haste thyself, but when thou hast hit the fitting time then come to the work. In all things regard consequences—a ruler must be sharp-sighted, and consider the end. And whatsoever possessions thou mayst have, and whatsoever occupations thou mayst pursue, seek always to reflect upon the beginning and the end; seek to know eternity and to gain the honor of the virtuous, that, among all men, thou mayst be one of the most excellent."

These words show a culture of which no people need be ashamed. Were there power to apply their wisdom in our day, life would enter upon its fuller fruition, and men would be more helpful one to another, because more noble.



O any one who will scan the human race, from the time when Greece and Rome were in their zeniths, down to the present day? it will be apparent that men have degenerated physically. We may have high examples, here and there, of some specialized feats of strength or skill, but, taking the races man for man, we are vastly inferior physically to the Greeks. One prominent cause of Grecian 