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Show A Unique Argument. THEY were talking of the value of education, liberally construed, at an informal neighborhood gathering gather-ing on Sunday evening in Washington, says a writer in New Century, when a legal gentleman, not a Catholic, made this rather unique argument in favor of what might be called the affirmative: affirma-tive: "There is no doubt that an intimate knowledge of the classics Is a powerful aid to longevity and health of mind and body. You needn't smile. History is full of examples that will corroborate my proposition. How old was Homer when he died? You don't know, not one of you. Well, I claim that he had passed the century mark and you are not able to contradict me. But I wish to call your attention to a shining corroboration cor-roboration of this theory still living. The strongest mind, the clearest Intellect, Intel-lect, the most profound judgment of this age is possessed by a man who is 92 years of age. I refer to Pope Leo XIII. In general education and knowl-1 knowl-1 edge he has no superior and in the classics he is a master. His Latin poems are models of polished diction, so acknowledged by the best scholars, and his interviews with the keen minds of the Taft commission showed that he was as bright and alert and quick to discern the salient points of the matter mat-ter in controversy as any of them. To what is this exceptionally fine intellect at 92 due? To his deep and wide culture cul-ture in the classics primarily. Suppose now that he had never received any education whatever; had been all his life a farm laborer, we will say, unable' un-able' even to read. What would be hi3 condition of mind and body today? In the first place, he wouldn't be living, but if he were he would be simply like the rest of ancient wrecks who reach the nineties, conspicuous for. nothing but age and imbecility. As it is he is as young in body and mind as the ordinary or-dinary mortal thirty or even more years his junior. And this Is an ar-gumentum ar-gumentum ad hominem which cannot be disproved." |