New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-07-06


treatise on home education pore admirable than the
Instructions of the Sacred Edct' whose unitarian
wisdom Is here overlooked hy tenderest sentiment
So considerable portion of the volume Is devoted
TO the discussion of Chinese civilization and culture
in general that the reader may he disappointed III
not finding much space given to the specihc SUD
ject of religions he may have been led toanticpate
from the title page of the work. Mr., Johnson. how
ever does not fail to redeem the promise which that
suggests. His ample analysis of the ancient
writings presents the Chinese thesm III an impress
sve light.
In spite of the long list of authorities for the athe
ism of the Chinese. including Leibnitz, Bayle
BENJAMIN Constant, Abel R6nusat, and Barthe-
lemy Saint-IIiaire, nothing can be more EVIL
dent, saws Mr.. johnson, than that the supreme
Ruler" Of the ancient Chinese classics is represented
as an intelligent Providence, hearing the prayers
and knowing the hearts Of men. But the peculiar
habit of Chinese thought has intensified the ten
dency TO make eosmcal nature the manifestation oi
Divine will. IL does not conceive essence apart
from manifestation, the ideal from the concrete
While the old thestic conceptions cannot be III
terpreted mere pcrsonihcations OF the ma
terial heavens, it is true that III a very plac-
teal sense God Nature and Nature was
God. The sharp distinction drawn by ChriSuah
supernatnralism between God ard Nature cannot be
Gus advocates of the divine personality do not ascoe
TO # an external creative power and sclteXlstence
apart from time Blu; il is mistake, the author al
firms TO call the unity of God and Nature Material
ism rather than Spirtualism. The universe Is awe
with moral law and spiritual intent Just as these on
the other hand are inevitably manifested III natufaI
forms and coslnic relations. In the Chinese Thought
the DEITY is identified with the regular and uniform
process observed by positive habit OF mind' intent
on industrial and social uses and thus becomes lle
substance Of permanent law ana me- pu'
free from capricious nterlerences win inc
course of Nature The evolution of this idea
&c the KEY TO the intellectual and religious
phases of Chinese civilization. As i'll such mo-
men the idea of personal will naturally recedes from
that of principles and laws it is not surprising 10
find Copfucus and Mencius induced 10 abandon the
auparent supernaturalism of the Older books
similar disposition Is found in Western races, III pro-
portion as the scientific element suppautS the tr"-
tons of supernatural will. The later philosophy
which forms the high-water marx OF Chuese
thought, shows the tull triumph of tins tendency.
II can never be reconced with the Semitic ana
Christian conception of the universe. AS 'h'3 are
supernaturalism, so this is naturalslh AS
they are anthropOmorphc, so tins Is pahtheis-
tic. Their moral and spiritual ideal Is a Beng
separated from the universe while for this the UNI
activity Of its law. Thus, says Mr.. johnson, the
tional science of our own time finds itself on better
forms with Chinese theism than with the theological
creeds Here are germs of its own prlnciples-that
einO is not to be conceived apart from nalllesta-
ton that the reality of all life and law Is III their
oneratons and that the universe, as the totaity OF
living powers can not be outside the Essential fofce
of them all and hence the cosmos as Inhhl'e' must
he one with its divine substance. MS view Is
claimed by Mr.. johnson as genuine lheisin' moi
Atheism The order of the world, as thus conceived
he suggests involves intelligence; not indeed that OF
an external cause nor yet OF person. III the sense oil
individual effort; "yet such Intelligence as can nc
identified with interchangeable relations gwen Ill
thought, and is itself an all-contalmng unity
The introduction and growth of Buddhism III
China is the subject of a sngularly interesting sec
tion. and is discussed with the fullness of knowl-
edce and breadth Of philosophical comprehension
which characterize the volume. Eighteen hundred
vears have ELAPSED since this religion entered on It's
career IN China. Ii has given dynastcs 10 the Ell-
ure set up its images ia the palace and penetrated
tbe masses with symbolism foreign TO their tradl-
tions. II has domesticated philosophy wholly con-
trary to the mental habits Of the most conservative
nation in history. The influence OF buddhism on
the national character aud habits is illustrated with
great clearness of detail, presenting the accumua-
tinus of wide study in comparatively bTIc1 space,
and m n form which, though rigidly condensed does
not cease 10 be attractive. This, i'll fact, is pecl-
liar feature of the whole work. 1t Is founded on
deptb of knowledge far more profound than
i brought to the surface. A German writer, IN
treating of the SUBJECT would have been apt to make
# bristle with a frghtful array of erudition, that
would have defeated its purpose and removed II
from the sphere of popular instructive reading MI
Johnson on the other hand. has taken the wlser
course i'm using the fruits of reconcile learning but
nresentng them in paatable form, not for display,
bnt for practical service His work is like master
ful painting, in which the ultimate effect is pro-
duced by curious blending of successive colors IN
stead OF crude patches composed of violent con-
trasts The fidelity of its execution Is equal
to its thoroughness of preparation. Free from the
prevailing faults Of haste and superhciality, 1t
affords rare example Of literary consciousness
which might be emulated to advantage by many
American scholars. Nor is the moral tone of the
volume inferior to its high intellectual qualities
Without trace of partisan spirit, ii discusses the
most profound questions with singular Impair
tiality sincerity of purpose, and Wilderness of scope
lis clearness of perception is always matched with
fairness of statement. There is no attempt to make
ont a case for any favorite theories OF the author
or TO find an argument for peculiar philosophical
or historical system He has evidently written III
the interests Of truth and whether his conclusions
are accepted or rejected by the reader, If studied
with the same intent. the book will prove as IN
structive a. il is agreeable.