New-York daily tribune., 1849-04-21
Knrepsan soeialIsn-Prsadhen

Knrepsan sociaIlst
Mr.. PROUDHos is becoming one Of the most
prominent men in Europe-or, as some writers
might say, the most notorious He stslked about
in the new spapers and his name regularly figures
in dispatches received by magnetic Telegraph
Heavy reviewers devote long articles 70 discus
sions Of his sayings and doings, trembling Tor
the welfare Of the Continent which contains soon
= destructive Nr. GUIzOT conienes that ne i'
the ablest Of the Socialists as well ss The most
terrific, and then launches into reiutatIon OF his
doc,rine. so weak and shallow as 10 provoke only
a smile from those who happen to be too well
informed to be imposed on by it's gravity and the
elegance Of its style. The daily journals Of Paris
and London, with few exceptions. sing much the
same song. Any one Of them stands ready %
affirm tha, PRoUDBoS is an Atheist and mailman
"a Communist burning 20 plunder the wealthy
the living incarnation Of immortality, disorder and
folly. These things Of course repeated on this
side OF the water. and silly editon-who never
read a book Of PROUDBOs's and know no more Oi
his character than they do Of his idess-tske their
cue from their European brethren and make them
selves ridiculous by taking at second or third
rance and spite at hrsi.
p J. PROUDBOs was born at BesancOn, in the
Department Of Doubs-a region noted for the en-
ergy and talent Of it's natiyes-in the year 1909,
and is accordingly, now ~ years old. His father
was a cooper and his childhood was passed
among the people. The circumstances Of bis
early life no doobt contributed something 70 form
IN him the uDyielding hostility 70 everything that
burdens and keeps down the masses which "a one
Of his characteristics. As boy, he was remark
able for talent, originality aud obstinacy He bad
an uncle who was Professor Of Law at the Royal
College Of Dion. Attracted by tho brightness Of
his nephew, he procured for bim a free scholar.
ship in that College. As student, be carried all
before him, being as industrious as be was gifted
The most sbstruse subject was clear 70 his pene-
trstion he knew, at once, lessons over which
others long and wearily drudged his memory
lost nothing that il had ever seized and a weari-
less activity made his studies as extensive as they
were through He graduated with a reputation
as brilliant as 1t was " ell earned, aud no one
could have had reason 70 doubt that fame and for
tune awaited him Ia whatever profession he
might choose.
But the young student was not like his cOInpan.
ions. The learned Professions did not tempt
him; he fsncied that in none Of them could be
found tha. independence which he knew % be the
first want Of bis nature He must have FOR him
self n position in which his daily bread would
never have "a be earned by reiraining 10 express
what was a conviction, or expressing what was
not Lying in all shades, was 10 him the most
Il r IL L.. ~ .t,a
and hatred Of hypocrisy there was something
almost savage. Less compact, intense, and consis-
tent In his character than that other distinguished
native Of Besancon-CBARLEs FOURIER, be was
equally resoute and more uncomPromising He
Determined 20 leafn a mechanical trade, aud his
scholarly nabits and tastes naturally led him TO
become a printer.
II was not long before the quickness Of young
PRoUDnos had mastered all the mysteres Of typo.
graphy, and he became an excellent workman
lie as soon noticed by the chiefs of the establish
ment, and made proof reader In this capacity
his knowle edge OF Greek, Latin and Oriental lang
uages was OF great service he was employed IN
correcting learned works at higher salary than
ordinary proof.readers His labor gave him living,
and there reason why he should not follow
his bent HIS thinking was much directed TO meta
physical subjects political economy was, also,
favoritc theme of his reflections; but the whole,
philosophy had the preference. lie dug into the
obscurties Of the Germans, searched the panthe-
isms Of India and China and found satisfaction in
the vigorous logic OF Aristotle and the glorious
eloquenoe and glowing characterization OF Plato.
OF all these systems that of Hegel has perhaps
had the most influence upon his mind this inau
ence 10 especially manifested In his largest and in
some respects sblest work, "The Contradic-
tions Of Political Economy, where he sets the
doctrines Of opposing Schools of Economists to
destroying each other somewhat after the fashion
OF the Kilkenny Cats But however tina may
be, the learning of Mr.. PROUDHos in the systems
Of philosophical writers, is immense. We know
privately that Mr.. MoKRrLL Of London, author Of
the recen, history Of Modern Philosophy. regards
him as almost unequaled in this respect.
OF course his sayings and writings during this
period were not calculated to insure Tor him the
reputation of a sound and safe person. lie was
always noted for the boldness OF his ideas and the
fesrlessaess with which they were uttered. He
cared less about having what he said today in
perfect harmony with what he said yesterday
than that IL should be the expression OF hls pre-
sent thought. This sort of honesty he preserves
still, and when he changes has mind or gets new
idea 10 never afraid TO say SO. Then as now he
frightened many who came in contact with him,
but always commanded the respect of all 10y the
sturdy visor and courage OF his moral and mental
constitution.
While toiling in this double capacity OF Prooi
reader and student the Academy OF his native City
proposed in It's regular list OF subjects for prizes,
"The Observation OF the sabbath PRovDHos
wrote upon it, and his book gained the prize. II
has been widely circulated and everywhere Prss-
ed, especially by the religious. 1t maintains with
much power the divine isdom OF the Mosaic law
IN general and Of that ordinance establishing the
Sabbath in particular. Some people wonder how
such q radical and destructive could have written
such book they do not comprehend him. tina,
10 all.
The prize gained was l,sOo francs sS6Ol a
year, for three years, to be expended at Paris in
completing his studies lie went there and
waited no time, lsborlng for the most part in the