New-York daily tribune., 1859-08-05
RECENT FRENCH LITERATURE.
From Our Own Correspondent

PARIS, Jaly 90, 1859.
Perhaps this age has been something too hsrdy
taken to task for its practical materialsm and
greed for money making. Passing by the canters
those play wrighis rhymers, and essayists, who,
like the glum morstzers spoken Of BY Cicero, 90
careful to set their names to their well-written
contempt of the vanity Of fame, careful to make
their rio'cue, saire reprOach, s1d lamentaton, as
marketable as possble-we come to quite another
class, sincerely mourning over the moral deadDess
Of the time. They deserve all respect. Yet we
may ash them whst other age in the worlds
bntory would they prefer to this Has the old
fable of the Centaur first come TO have meaning
now In what period since Esau sold his BIRTH
right for mess of pOttage, have men been less
mercenary. less groveling, than to day In what
is moving. machine more degrading than
scythe; a rallcsr than a stage coach Mimic rifle
than a cross-bow; modern cOmpositor than
mODklsh scribe
True enough that for the Ia s. forty years, more
strsiDgy true that for the pact ten years the num-
Der Of intelligent men busted, 0vermuch IT may be,
in the development Of the worlds material re-
sources is greater than fOrmerly-but tae whole
number of actively intelligent men Is greater than
formerly. And il trade, commerce, and industry,
absorb more intellect, it is because they are become
in sort more intellectual pursuits; now, though
intelligence and conscience are not the same, yet
being both spiritual they are likely to dcSelope to-
gether. A railroad engineer needs to be higher
grade of man than stage drter. But am running
ef the track and into great danger OF fools rdicule
In arguing the morality of railroads. For the rest,
to argue 70 Americans that material progress Is
cyihzng progress, is sending Goals to the Lehlgh'
The French DO not understand the matter so
well az YOU. There is reason, though not s9fheeDt,
why they should not. Oppressed by the actual
political regime, which, III Its war upon Iree
thought and ali elevated-that is, a iree-lndNidodi
morality fosters and makes an ally of "materA
interests" they naturally Look too much on the
dsIk side of thirgs. But if there is reason for
their mourning 80 there is reason that 1t should
not be without hope. The simple facts that they
are b. RI, and write in a contrary sense and that
their books are read, are good encouraeements
Here ia Ernest Rensus Essats dc Morale a
Criiigue, the perusal of which was the suggestion
to the above remarks. 1t is collection OF articles
already published in ths reviews and newspapers of
the day preceded, and if / might use the word,
unified by an introduction, 10 which, while lndulg-
lug in sad, gloomy views. he lays down the
broadcast pursst bases oi the highest purest moral
ity When he maintains that our beings END ana
ann is not happiness that sacrifice Is duty, aud one
of cur inherent wants, that the essential work for
us of to-day 10 DO is 10 lay the foundation OF liberty
in the regeneration of the individual conscience,
and when he fLds attentive audience Tor such
word, Ohe book has excited III Paris, tins past
month, not let us be thankful. "sensatico, but
great attention aud discussion) 1t does seem 10 me
that he furnishes the best retutaton o bus own sad
hess and encourog cement Ia Others OF hveher
hope in the future than he cherlsbes himself. L
have not space for an analysis or quotations sutil-
ciepiy extended to convey just idea OF the hter-
ary value Of this volume of NJ. Renan a noble
elevation of sentiment, profound erudition assur-
ing the tx ,cttude of facts, acumen and originality,
are bis charac'cIlstlcs.
Nj, main purpose was to show by this instance
that despiie'tbe taorts of Government interested
In discouraeiug and repressing the better asPlra-
tioDs of men, and desl Ite the much abused mate
rial tendencies of the age, France Is not 80 SUNK IN
dependency or in the pursuit OF gross gains 1nat
she does not hold up her head III high, pure region
of thought aud feeling Beside those no'ellsls ana
dramsusts whose talent consists 10 undressing
vice rag by rag" Of whom NJ. Ernest Feydeau, au-
thor Of Fanny, that Anatomy OF Adultery,
the last worst and most successful example, lhere
are serious writers who also find readers. mus
NJ Frederic Mofier In his rapid survey oi Phiio'
sophicsl works recently published, mentions, among
Others MetapkEsigae IL Scienco, when the aulhor'
NJ. YacheIot, exposes with ability and trench
clearuess all the general results OF German
philosophy and proposes the important prob
lem OF the close relations of metaphysics
IL sceDce-a problem on the solution OF "hich de-
pends the recovery by philosophy of that influence
on society which she has host by resting aside from
the general movement Of reason and humanity and,
in this age of advancing science, occupying herself
too exclusively with abstract psychology. l. ms
foi,s DIES Doctrines Morales ct Poiuiguss dams les
tmps Aneiens a Modcrnes, by NJ. Paul Janoet
although crowned by the Institute. breathes
throughout spirlt of science, frank liberalism, and
js further remarkable for It's intelligent, acid, con-
else exposition Of the Most complex theories. Lib