IGNORANCE OF EDUCATED MEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6362, 8 April 1882, Page 7

IGNORANCE OF EDUCATED MEN.

LoxnoN Wiinui has an article on ignorance of educated men. It is surprising, it says, liow high men of real brains .iml application may climb in professions that are learned and iiitelleutu.il, ami yet how infinitesimally little they pick up of general culture or of insight into the rationale of events, past or contemporary. There are, of course, in England hundreds of lawyers whose minds are embellished with every kind of knowledge, whose intellectual treasue-house is rich in :i multitude of delicate thoughts and fancies, who have travelled widely, seen much, heard much, and forgotten nothing; who would have been bishops it they bad gone into the church, .and would lmve won for themselves the highest niche in the temple of fume if they had taken to literature. Vet lawyers, as a rule, whether barristers or advocates, are not men eminent for intellectual accomplishments. Their conversation alternates between shop and slang. As much almost may he said of the politicians of the period. The average member of Parliament is. one of the most unidead, unintelligent people imaginable, lie can talk to the House, and he can sometimes talk over his constituents. Very likely ho belongs to the Uarrick Atlien.'eum, hut in general soeict} , he is nearly speechless, and when he tries to be facetious in a country bouse his best jokes are memories of liossett's room. The atmosphere of the best of society in the present day is the reverse of intellectual.