The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-05-03
LITERATURE.
REVIEW or sew BOOKS,

New York: g. w. Carleton, Philadelphia
Agents: T. b. Peterson e. Bros
AS Milton was continually subject to loss of
sight until his disease eliminated in total
blindness, and as Dean Swift was ever con-
scious of his approaching insanity, so also
must the author of "Prometheus in Atlantis"
have been subject to chronic ill-temper
from his youth up. The work before us is
either the production of mailman or a
pedantic misanthrope. We are rather inclined
to think that it comes from the pen of the lat
ter. II is one long tale of venom and bile, of
meanings and misgivings. 1t is sour from
the preface to the fms, and is thoroughly
lisagreeable It attacks everything on the
earth. 1t makes a wanton and uncalled-for
assault on all the human race. 1t sneers at
the manners, customs, rites, and governments
of the day, and foams in frenzy over the
morals of this age. In every respect it is
peculiar, an extraordinary work, and of its
merits we can form no opinion, because 1T tre-
uuently happens that we cannot detect the
idea at which the author is aiming. We can
arrive at but once certain conclusion, and
that is, that everything now existing is fear
full SIM and that the end of Christian civiliza-
ton is certainly approaching, if anything the
author says be true. 1t may be that we are
obtuse in not at once catching the point OF
some of the sentences; so we will quote a few
paragraphs at random. Speaking OF the ''re-
lations of democracy to literature, the author
says
"Tbe first theology of modern times, in its
initial hom ogeneousness was the inevitable
polythesm OF an idealizing barbariSm engratted
on monotheism with the addition of an ele-
ment which, combining with a profound pa
thology of human nature dark and erroneous
etiology, rendered mans very knowledge Of
himself q curse to him and an aid to his enc
mics. So that when, at length, the intellect
began to scorn the fables Of that faith whose
only claim to the name Catholic consisted in
its homogeneousness and to chate at its misera-
BILE thraldom, and to yearn for pure and lofty
spiritual faith, the only possible method of
emancipatIng 1t and giving it the evangel for
which IL hungered, was through system
which Topped off poetry and the arts at single
blow"
Again, treating of the evils which led to the
"Crisis in $780," and which will destroy all
our civilization, he says
"The one great lack at this time, and it would
prove fatal was OF a proper organization of the
terms of the absolute, and a consequent normal
life of the minor one. Christian society had
reached terms which it was incapable of man
aging, and the movement of the race, without
a curb and wildly careering under the heel of
fanaticism, was rushing to the gulf of ruin.
The world was dying for the want of an orga-
nism capable of continuous and endless appro-
priatiOn and conversions; understanding broad
enough TO grasp all the facts of nature; reason
stalwart enough to assume, spirit strong enough
TO construct such an organism. The ancient
civilization perished in evolving man out of
the homogeneous and ascertaintng him as a
definite fact, the antithesis of a definite Infiz
mite; the modern civilization was perishing in
evolving the absolute In man."
The question, "What is Life,' so often
asked, is at length satisfactorily answered.
life is not, as has been hastily alleged, en-
tirely a matter of the relative. In it the reIa-
tive is appropriated and asSimiated, while the
absolute is transformed. Considered merely as
process, life is a conversion OF physical forces
tion of conversion, the character of the orga-
nism itself is constantly changing, so that it is
strument of conversion. Civilization is a corol-
larry Of the conversion of physical into spiritual
forces. In relation to civilization ITSELF con-
sidered as distinct movement, the ITtnlunl
mobile is spiritual, and the material and intel
lectual movement proceeds from propulsion
material and intellectual movement are them
selves, in turn, converted into spiritual forces,
whence new movement begins.'
The subject of Marriage" also attracts the
attention of the sage, and he develops his
views on the subject pretty freely. After de-
nouncing all our systems of marriage as hal
animal, he promulgates his own views, which
are
"There is just one reason that iustiies mar
rage; it is 1ervent and devoted love There is
just one reason that justities divorce; it is the
decay OF such love in both hearts All laws
which compel the union after love has de.
parted are Immoral Every union not sane
TONED and demanded by love is adulterous
and patchwork legislation cannot make 10
otherwise. The proper duration of the relation
is not SO long as the parties shall live, but so
i long as 3 tney shaIi ioye, and this should be
dissolVes the tie If love survives. Make as many
mere police regulations authorizing separation
as the weakness and wickedness of human ma
ture may render judicious; but to declare the
tie forever ended, Is something which man has
no right to do till God has already done H. and
this He does only by the decay of the love
which authorized the marriage"
We have quoted enough to show that the
work is peculiar. But we hesitate to denounct
it, lest the closing passage Of the work should
apply to u.s.
"Then, befattered, befooled, and diving land
take this book, written on the brink of LIN,
grave and in such leisure as could be wrunp In
shreas Out & OF me, Ihe IRON teeth Of pennry, and dc
towards 1t some one or other utterly contem Mi
BILE spirit, the selection being determined b,
the caprice of the moment is not doubtful No
do care personally how you treat it. That
your concern, not mime. Howl at II, If yo,
choose, till you are called to howl in your owl
perdition; grin at IL till the burning tongs r
hell shall pull your foolish faces straight: IauS
at IL till the ieers of demons in the pit To- whie
YOU are sinking shall rouse you TO know tina
you can be laughed at too. If it is to be a que,
tion between me and the statesmen an
sthinkers,' and other commonplace fools {
the age which is insane-then know, that
would rather be Gods feeblest fool than I'll
mightiest of your vulgar demigods, base ag
and for the grave where l soon shall sleep
ask no prouder or holier epilaph than this;
Here lies one who, with higher truth; pr
moted the extinction of the Christian civiliz
tion.'H