The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-29
LITERATURE.
Reviews Of Now Books.

THROUGH NIGHT TO LIGHT. By Friedrich Spiel
hagen. From the German. BY Professor Schee
dc We're. New York: Leypodt Holt.
When "Problematic Characters" to which this Is
sequel first appeared we expressed the opinion
that the work was a greg. One and the perusal or
the present volume has fully confirmed sucn opinion.
Its indignant and eloquent protest against tyranny
Us graphic depiclon OF the corruption OF the Ger
man nobility, its keen analysis OF the human cha
racter and its vivid pen paintings OF scenery COM
bne to rvet enc attention OF the reader to one OF
the ablest lctions of the century. IL 1t does not
fascinate rs the Writings OF Victor Hugo do II 1t
lacks the vivid description and the almost painful
earnestness and intensity OF the great Frenchuan.
its effect upon the human mind Is nevertheless
more lasting, because 1t treats OF great social and
political questions III more natural and
phiosophic style. And Jet In spite OF
its greatness land we readily adult that
1t " greag, to those who believe IN
Christianity as divine element the work cannot
fail to be laid aside with mournful dissatisfaction
II it cmbodies brilliant argument agains. the des-
potism OF privileged class, the sef-styled ruers
by divine appointment" the reasoning Is In behalf OF
Human License, and not In behalf OF Human Liberty
1t Is the plea Of pagan rationallsm against the
restraining tenets Of the Christian faith. That which
Is emnently great may also be emnently bad, anu
this work ID both great and bad. Is greatness
dwells n Its wonderful construction, in Its ingenious
argument, which almost conceals the holowness OF
the theories advanced, and In the skiiul grouping
OF characters. Its perniclous tendencies TO be
found III the OF ideas destructive an
enlightened 8 ociety-theories whose putting into
practice would destroy the grand edIhce erected
curing nearly nineteen hundred years, and plunge
the world once more. and possibly irreyocably, into
the abyss OF Roman paganism. For sucn we can
lind no sympathy. We can reconcile political liberty
with Restraining law. CHRISTIANITY luCOiuuati.
bio with even less stringent SOCIAL system than
now obtains
Spielhagen We lind that 1t embodies the doctrine
that the soul dies with the body-or rather, sleeps
eternally. Not even the cOnSoiing hope OF psyche
panychism is afforded u.s. A person dies, ana Tor
ever afterwards 1t is might, aboriginal eternal
night" This Is the reasoning OF these pagan phi.os
ophers who hold that the Nirwana OF Budcna is an
endless sleep. The doctrine Is repulsve TO The very
spirit OF progressive civilization; 1t is the assassin
Of social and political liberty. As . natural result
OF holding sucn view the work throughout contains
the very essence OF materialism. Nature Is every
thing; natures God is nothing. lhe Ideal love
which anlmates the being OF Or. Oswald Stem,
though impossible OF realization, is yet Us broadly
material as the passion can be rendered. Divested
OF those spiritual elements which e.eyRte love from
a mere worldly sentiment We may construct
ideal oil SURPRISING grandeur, unapproachaole aud
unattanabls by man. bul we inevitably ROB II OF al
that makes it endurable. II human misery ~ the
result Of failure to realize such asplra-
tons as controlled the mind OF Or. STEM,
1t Is none the less true that realization,
which gives possessOp would satiate and disgust Ia
q snort time by It's materalisn. lt is no wonder
then that the whole life OF Dr. Stein. who embodies
all the ideas of Splehagen, Is mserably unsatIsac
tory. II we sympathNc with him II 10 with the SYM
patty beg0ten OF anothers suffering in spite Of his
errors OF thought and action. We trace MS career
with lneilable pain; and when ne falls behind the
barrIcade fighting for political idea whose triumph
would curse the human race, ana ID borne MORALLY
wounded TO a room In the h0;el we weep over his
dying form rather because Of that which he could
nave been than because OF that which hs was And 80
with Metta Is such woman character to be I'M
reservedy admlredy Her divinity Is Love aud II she
worships With all the intensity Of ad5ciple OF venus.
II 1t Is ideal 1t Is also material. This alb
surdly inconsistent and yet be true Is there anything
more Utopian more IDEAL than the philosophy whicn
men call materiaisln, as applied TO nature aud to
to those VINO believe in Its doctrnest, Nay Is
1t not impossible to realize The grand results
IL promlsess the work ends with MelttLa en-
ioying earthly felicity, and we cannot resist tho
Impression that she does not deserve II. Her auIss
are many and ner virtues lew. Even Baron 0den-
burg III spite OF his natural nobility Of mind, Is
rewarded yond his deserts. His ldDlooded
cynicsm almost destroys our sympathy for him. OF
all the characters Helen Grenwiz alone looms up
grandy in her innate purity. For ner we are -
pity and affection. Her iallts are due 10 the acci
dent OF birth and TO false education. That sne
should be left with Der young life bighted--the
helpless victim OF clrcumstanccs-ln our mind
almost mars the symmetry OF the work, altnough we
Splelhagens philosophical, or, rather sociastlc
REASONING As Tor the other characters, they al
admirably drawn. Indeed all, incueins tao !ouf
specially mentioned are splendid conceptions. and
are Analysed ~ oliy master mind can analyZe
them. Throughout the work we recognize tue M
press or genius: but, alas IL Ia the genus vi Vol
taiIe, OF Rousseau and OF Mirabeau LIS republican
Ism Is that OF the German rcd republican dreamer;
It's liberty is that OF tie French revolution. WITH me
Goddess OF Reason entnroned; LIS IDEAS or soclety
are . revivlncaton OF the society Of pagan Rome.
BIBLE HISTORY. Containing the Moss Remarkable
Events OF the Old and New Testament Prepared
for the Use or Catholic schools Ia Ihe United ssates
By Rev. Richard Gilmour. Lluclniiati ana New
York. Benzlger Brothers.
With the work OF Rev. Mr.. Gilmour we nave no
fault whatever TO find. Ho writes III most asree.
able style, and In short, simple and easy CHAP -
has compiled all the events OF Importance related IN
the Old and New restamenis. SO lar. then ~ hs
labors are concerned we able TO give praise TO
.he little volume. But wncn We come 10 CONSIDER
the numerous woodcuts that illustrate II our opinion
Is not so favorable To say the least Of 1t the artists
conception of the characters mentioned In the Scrip
lures IA decidedly peculiar II Is almost comcal TO
Imagine q child impressed with the belief that all
the prophets and saints babltually wore an express
sion OF countenance threatening an epcpuc nt Then