New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-02-11

80. ,c,ntms understanding relate him 10 nature
sons and his rational understanding relate him 20
80 or his fellow man And his ideas relate nin %
ca Nov ~ 70 the fret two Of these spheres man
affection il obviously absolute H. Tor example ne ~
sise HE aypdhes caprciousy beyond certain luni1
~ soys penalty whatever be his alleged sovereign.
~ And Il he indulge tis passions beyond me IlI
rrescrbe by the interests of society ne pays an h
stle penalty in that care a,o however su9t .s,p ~
beautiful his private pre:ensiOns may be- 10 AA =,
nus sovereignty therefore IN either pnysceiOI
rinf Of view save exeTted IN the obedience VI
al and moral limitations, " transparent nonsense
even REGARDED "a exerted, the nonsense " -,
more opsoue For what kind Of sOyerelsny - 60
which Is known only by its limitations, wlgn e &c
cised only in subsection 70 something eisef !o,is
indeed irdsputsble sovereigns without any hac.n.a
er alfcGtiops but their titles are allowed on "a be
they are men Of diseased facutes, whom one "0'''
unwilling TO rob of q soothing illusion. L., oT br,nan
Whist then Is the sphere OF human ne snbere Of
sovereignty 1t u the sphere OF ined1 s;, "a Inv
man o,-ea, -, ',,,ospcy. az they are perfectly
good and true and besutiful, 90 Of oy1iSe W - 80
limited mans subjecfiOD 70 then ;., o. 80
unlimited becomes his freedom n ~ bn.elf s1eedilv be-
obeys his sppettes merely. hnes hn-en eHS.ii4y oo
,ysyea Ly tbe inseble laws OF nature 20 disease ana
death He who obeys his passlons mercy, mus mn
sef BETRAYED by the inSexioie LAVE % socy - shsue
"a saa,.to, But he who obeys dess he VINO gives
tiS 49, >, ,be gujdaDce ofinnnite goodness truth, and
h.,,x epconnters no lmitao2 al the hands either OF
nonre on sociefy and, instead Of disease and shame,
fruiS OF helltn ana lulfnOrtHl n0nOr.
ons,,utes the express and nscrutabe perfection
- - Siyfpe life that be who yields himself with least
erve 30 that most realizes life In himself: even as he
,bo bestskpew iH depths, mys,cally said. WAOso piu
Lb Tie temporarily shGu find CterR1ly, and Utoso
IN sare IL shall lose IT,
But the indispensable condition OF onesreszingfree-
dom sovereignty in this sphere, rs that ne be pre-
yiously in complete accord with nature and society,
with his own body and his feOw-nan. Because so long
s uans phygical subsistence Is insecure. and the re-
spec. Of his fellowmen unaancd u s evident that his
highest instincts his ideas Of goodness and truth can
yeceiye no direct but only negative obedience HIS
as;v bread IL still uncertain and the socia position Of
biu.sef and family completely unachieyed these ends
consequently claim all his direct or spontaneous activity
and be meanwhile cOnfeeses himself the a9ect yasse OF
sture ard society In this state Of thngs OF course OF
while be remains in this vassaage-whe his whole soul
il intent upon purely finite endsthe ideal sphere the
sphere OF inhnitude perfection, remains wholly shut
ID or else only family maged TO him in the symbols OF
sensuous Theology. cay "of course Tor how can
the infaDte imagination Of instructed as yet only
by the senses, receive any idea Of good which IA in
hnites necessarily views the infinite as only an in
definite extension Of the finite and accordingly swamps
the divine lfcswamps the entire realm Of spiritual be-
ing-in gross materialty.
No man accordingly can realize the true freedom he
has In God until by the advance OF society or, what
the same thing the growing spiritual culture OF the
race he be delivered from the bondage Of appetite and
passion AS appettes and passions are as strong under
repression Bs Why does ne not yleld them the
ready obediencei IL IL because society mas placed
of spiritual culture and bringing hun accordingly under
the influence Of infinite dea under the direct nspra'
lions of God The sentiment OF unity he experiences
with God involves that also Of his unity with nature and
society and his obedience 10 appetite therefore
never run into vice. bis indulgence OF passion into
crime. In short the inexpugnabie condition OF hts
every action rs that involve no degradation TO his own
body and no setriment 20 his felowmaA Now what
society has done for IL has yet 10 do for b. and the en-
tire alphabet of lie members. When il has brought
them into perfect felowshP with each other, or made
duty and interest exactly reciprocal, then every man
will be free TO do as he peases because his appetites
and passions receiving their due and normal satisfaction.
will no longer grow inurate from starvation nor con-
sequently permit the lOathsome and morbid displays
they yield. ! will not say any such stupidity, az
that will then be free do az he pleases provided
he will take the consequences for in true fellowship
of mankind action OF any member can possibly be-
get evil consequences either himself others, since
the universal practical reconciliation OF interest with
duty will always make 1t his pleasure 10 do only what Is
noble and undeled freedom which consists in TAX.
ing the consequences OF ones actions when ones &C
tons not at the same time perfectly regulated by
scientific society or fellowship among men, Ia such
freedom men may enjoy in he'll where might makes
right and nsensbity constitutes virtue But incline
10 think that hell with Its fashions Is dying out OF hui
man respect every day, and that society ia continually
spproximsting that contrary state in which mans
power will accurately reflect the Of his human
itary worth, what II the same thing his elevation be
strictly proportionatc 10 his humility.
Your correspondent, very consistently, exhibits
sovereign contempt for eociety and calls the state
"mob y and this Judgment gives you fair insight into
his extreme superciality of observation. irresponsible
governments or those which do not studiousy obey the
expanding needs oisociety doubtless entitled hsar
~ contempt Their day indeed is over, and nothing
mans In the sight of all men but TO give them decent
Dterment But society never decays IL increases in
vigor with the ages IL Is in fact the advance OF society
among men, the strengthening of the sentiment OF el
wshp equality in the human bosom, which s chiefly
uprooting arbitrary governments ltsbecause man now
beginning 10 feel he felt before, his social ON.
impotence or the boundcss succor both material aud
spiritual which the fellowship Of his kind ensures him,
that he Is looking away from governments and from
whatsoever external patronage and finding true help at
lat In himself Accordingly, If shere any hope which
now more than another brghens the eye OF Intelligent
persons II il the immense social promise opened up TO
them by every discovery in the arts and every new gen.
ersila of science Society IL the sole direct bene
fciary OF the and sciences and the individual man
becomes partaker OF their bountes only by his iden.
tifcnon with H. Thus the best aspiration of the ind
vius mind Us bound up with the progress OF society:
Only as society Tpens, only fellowship go sacred
obtains between and that each shall spon-
taneous do unto the other he would have the other
do 10 hnself will the true development of individual
character and destiny be possible Because the very
unity of mans creative torbds that one OF Us
creatures shall be strong except by the strength OF all
the rest. Yours, truly,
Nae LORD, Jan 81 HENRY JAMES