New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-01-28
OBITUARY
VICTOR COUSIN.


Victor Cousin the celebrated founder of the Eclec-
tic School of philosophy in France died of apoplexy
on the 18th inst in the seventyth year Of his age
He was born in Paris Nov. 2S, 1902. His early edu-
cation was received at the humble schools OF MS
nMive city, but his ardent love Of learning INDUCED
his parents who were not in wealthy circumstances
to seek for him the advantages of the superior sem
inaries He completed his course Win inc H'sn0'O
honors and having resolved to engage i'll 'he PIoio'
sion of public instruction. in 1917 was aPPon'0u
lessor in the Normal School OF when ne peoalo 'i
PRINCIPAL subsequent TO the Revolution Oh l''o' az
the same time he held the office OF professor VI P
osopl,v in the University and for seVeral years, suS
tainod the burden of this double teaching. He at
,onco Gained an extraordinary degree of popularity.
The young men who attended his lectures were taken
captve by his rare combination Of profound thought
and glowing eloquence He spoke under the inspiTa-
ton of ideas which seemed to have gained possession
of his soul No teacher of philosophy before him had
shown an equal power in representing metaphysical
distractions in such animated and graphic sketches
After course of travels in Germany and italy, which
he had undertaken for philosophical purposes, on
his return to France in 1920 he found change IN the
views of the Government; he suspected OF hDefI
sentiments in politics. his lectures at the University
were suspended and he remained IN disgrace Ior
seven years. During this interval, though deprived
of all public employment, and destitute OF fortune
he did not abate his devotion to philosophy, and his
writings at this period served to increase his reputa
ton and to promote the interests of his avorte study
In 1924 a singular incident took place which added
en- no small degree TO the prestige which he had
already won by his brilliant intellectual achieve
ments While travelling in Germany he was arrested
at Dresden, and conducted to Berlin where he was
detained in prison for several months. This was at
the instigaton Of the Jesuits who had become his
enemies on account of his attachment to liberal
policy and who accused him of having engaged in a
plot against the German Governments. The affair,
however, terminated to his honor and to the shame
of his prosecutors He displayed throughout the
whole process a firmness and moderation which
gained for him the highest esteem of the Prussian
Government and, in fact of all the enlightened men
of Germany.
After the Revolution of 1890 lie might easily have
entered the path of political distinction, and been
honored with public office like his colleagues Guizot
and Villemain and his friend Theirs but he declared
that he would remain faithful to philosophy. Poll
tics said he at that time, care episode with me
but the foundation of my life belongs to philosophy"
He was placed at the head of the Normal School,
which he reGstabshcd and organized, and from 1880
to 1910 he published several of the most important
works which he contributed to the development OF
philosophy in the nineteenth century For the last fiji
teen years, he QeVOted his SJuules manly 10 to sOCdl
and intellectual condition Of France during the sew
enteenth century and published several historical
and biographical monographs in illustration of the
subject His labOrs in the cause of popular educa-
ton have given great impulse to the progress of in
teIlectual culture and many of his suggestions have
been adopted in the best schools of this cOun-
try The philosophy of Cousin was essentially
protest against the materiastic schools
of the eighteenth century, embodying in broad,
catholic system, the conclusions of the highest
speculative thought of the present age although his
method was original, and deeply stamped with his
own powerful individuality. Is aimed to reconcile
the results of positive science with the fruits OF
spiritual intuition and while accepting to the full
extent the deductions Of experience, to place on
deep foundation the universal primitive beliefs of
humanity. His examination of the philosophical
system of Locke is masterpiece of analysis and
reasoning. Such lucid exposition of the first
principles on which religion, and morality, and the
nOblest hopes of man essentially depend, has been
presented by no modern writer, and this production
alone establishes his position the same level with
his ilIustriOus countrymen, Descartes and Male
branche The principal philosophical works OF Cousin
have been translated into English by several Ameri-
can scholars.
A. c. NJ PENNINGTON.
Alexander c. NJ. Pennington died at his residence
in this city on Friday evening. He was
born in Newark, n. j. He was lawyer,
and served two terms in the State Legs-
1ature. He was a representative In Congress,
from NewJersey, from 1853 to 1887. For long time
ne was a prominent member of the Wing party. AT
the time of his death he was in the 5Cth year OF his