MARK TWAIN, PHILOSOPHER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 579, 6 August 1909, Page 6

MARK TWAIN, PHILOSOPHER.

'". Mark Twain, Philosopher," l was the subject of a lecture delivered before the members ; of the Kafori Debating Society by Mr. F. V. Waters last evening. -'Mr.. Waters Regarded the famous humorist as a philosopher of ; the social improvement order, possibly transcending , such philosophic theorists as; Plato, Bacon, or Locke in-the intense practicality of his wisdom. 'A course of Mark Twain; considered the lecturer, would go far to'inoulcato. the virtues of true manliness in half-educated' , boya : whom it was desired wholly to'educate. Twain's humour, which he .did not gainsay, was the vehicle,! so to Bpeak',\of his philosophy; the saying grace of humour-was, in fact, the necessary,'accom-' paniment ot overy- intellectual ; lesson 'that was worth the giving. Twain's'characteristic disgust at presumptions, his hatred of pretence, pity for weakness (moral or physical), his- patriotism, , . , admiration of self-sacrifice, tenderness for religious scruples, and derisiori of religious unscrupulousriess were admirably summed up in his book "Joan of Arc." That 'book was > history; it was also an education.- . The lecture-was-inter-spersed with readings of- appropriate extracts from the works of the airthor.