8
THE BATTALION
centered for a life-time on one object is unequally developed ;
he is called eccentric or cranky ; he is, probably, in spite of
fame gained by his superior knowledge, miserable all his life,
because he has never learned human nature, or because he is
ignorant of the grand teachings of phylosophy and of Chris
tianity ; for a knowledge of the first would have helped him
to avoid many worries and misfortunes, while acquaintance
with the second might have taught him to endure” the una
voidable with patience.
The best definition of a good education ever given, was :
“To know something about everything, and everything about
something.” The plan is that of a general education as an aid
to a special one.
It is the doctrine that has been followed by most famous
men—no, let us not use that word, it is so often used to stir
up selfish ambition—let us say rather, men who have done
great good in the world.
Bulwer Litton says : “If there be some one specialty in
art, literature, science, active life, in which we can best suc
ceed, that specialty is improved and enriched by all the con
tributions obtainable from other departments of study.
Whatever our intellectual calling, no kind of knowledge is
antagonistic to it. All varieties of knowledge blend with,
harmonize, enrich the one kind of knowledge to which we
attach our reputation.”
These are the words of a man w r ho was not only one of
the three famous novelists of his generation, but also a suc
cessful playright, poet, politician, and essayist, as well as a
lover of music and the arts. He is himself an example of the
wisdom of his own words.
Like the aid given a doctor by comparative physiology,
so the general knowledge obtained by study outside of one’s
usual sphere of action often opens up new lights inside that
sphere.
The most remarkable instance of this mutual interde
pendence of all subjects of human thought that I recall just
know, is the work of Henry Drummond. He is to-day the
most famous living religious writer, because he has applied