New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-02-20
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

With a biographical sketch Of the Author oy chAS@s
ELIOT MORTON. svo pp. Asa. Henry HON wv
The late Mr.. Chauncey Wright, whose recent
death has occasoned pereertple void in the ciree oi
American letters was one Of our few native SCHOLARS
with whom philosophical speculation is PASSION an"
whose subtlety of thought Is apty matehe" WIN so,
Of expression His versatility OF talent woud nave ieu
him 10 cultivate the eutire domain of ply SCIENCE III
some departments OF which he had made sghai prog
ress but his prevailing tastes were for the oscussoh "
Art nrincipes in the sphere of philosophy TO WHICH ne
,,onght singular mower of analysis and acuteness vi
reasoning or the details OF his private lie there NJ
pears 10 he only scanty knowledge bu' INC HISTORY "
his mental career is ably narrated in the nteresuns
memoir by Mr. Norton lrefXed to the volume oeiore US
Mr. Wright was born IN Northampton, Mass IN inc year
1890 His father active citizen oil the to~h '"
rvine ON prosperous country trade. and we known as
deputy sheriff of Hampshire County, an once Nnio He
filed for many years. Young Wright Is oescrioe" 90 "
afeetonate reserved and thoughtful hoy iona OF am
mails and plants, and moro Interested IN ou'oor '"""
iodoor pursuits He was not distinguished at SCHOOL,
event 20 n certain extent in mathematics and In
composition which he often preferred to write ID verse
rather than in prose. he entered Harvard 'on9ee :"
1915 His classical attachments were siight nc 'oVA
little interest in study either OF languages or VI III
eratnre. The bent Of his mind was to"aru "pSu ..
pursrits and he applied himself chiefly to ma'heia's
-, nhuosonhv He learned slowly but he knew what
ever he learned His memory was retentvc anu "e'i
icnlined holding its abundant stores In good oruer %
ready use His modest nature prevented hi'u iio'
Intimacy with any large circle OF acquaintance 'u' ~
fire disposition endeared him TO his personal ehs'
and he was held in more than ordinary regard py MS
college classmates Soon after taxing MS ueIreo NJ
cambridge in 1852 he was appointed one OF the com
nners for the Nautical Almanac, and by occasiohai
contributions to scientific journals he crae'aS "o"
repute as mathematician and physicist Oh raro
plishment His attention. however became inoret anu
more fixed on the questions in metaphysics anu pn"oo
pot
spencer and other prominent thinkers OF the day' anu
On 1ssa he nnblished in the North American Review
The first of series Of philosophical essays OF which
n ,s said by Mr.. Norton, who certainly Is not
addicted TO extravagant praise that "t"y iorm
the most important contributions made III Ame'e" W
the discussion and Investigation OF the qnesuohs WHICH
now chiefly engage the attention of the students OF PM
losophy" His personal traits set forth IN the Memoir
were admirable He bad truly elevated nature not re-
mote from human interests, but without any talht OF
selshness or He did not feel the spuE OF am
biton or the sting of envy. No thought OF personal a
vantage no jealousy OF Others affected his judgment or
his conduct His temper naturally calm, and with ms
early habit of selfdscipne always under complete con
troll lie was fond OF debate and argument yet ne was
seldom rufed by controversy, and never made an lu
generous use of his strength The control oil MS own
emper secured that of his adversary go that to argue
with him was moral less than an intellectual dise
Mine He early learned that truth is double question:
and in the pursuit of truth which was the controne
motive OF his life he never neglected the study OF OPP
posing opinions Though trained To habits OF accuracy
which might have tended to exclusive views OF TRUTH he
was In all matters OF speculation essentially seeker
testing every mode OF thought and recognizing the dlh
entities which cling to them ALL Mr. Wright was not
wide reader. He took q deep interest IN the
writings of Sir William Hamilton and John Stuart
MIL and at a subsequent period in those or MT
Darwin and Herbert Spencer The questions opened ana
partially solved by these authors were those when
chiefly occupied his attention during the last ten years
Of his life His position philosopher rested mainly
on the postuate OF the universally Of physical causaon
He was not POsitivist, in the sense OF any speclhc
school of that name, but firm adherent TO the
method Of induction instead of the prlort process in
the investigation of truth Nor could he be called
skepic, in any direct theological significance OF that
term His skcpticsIn meant the temper of mind which
puts confidence unsupported by the evidence OF eXpe
rience which regards the unknown a matter Of in
ouiry not Of dogmatism to which the unlnOwabe,
or that which lies plainly beyond the range OF human
faculties is of concern save as matter OF sentiment
He believed that the highest generality in the elements
of phenomena the utmost reach both in the power
and the desire of the scientific intellect Such skept-
cis had nothing aggressive. He had love for icono
elastic assaults ON ancient beliefs. He would never
disturb the idylc faith which reposed on personal
sentiment rather than on rational conviction He
had confidence in the progressive enlargement OF the
field knowledge but he did not believe that the problem
of the oen and destiny of the universe would lie
included within its limits. He formed no speculative
hypothesis topics that still so greatly exercise
the curiosity Of the raceThe present volume Is made
ND chiefly Of Mr. Wrights contributions to the "North
American Review" and other papers of philosophical
and scientific character They present massive blocks OF
thought for the most part original as well as profound
I'm conception arreachng in scope, and earnest in
treatment and equally lucid and impressive in irstra-
tration. They afford rich store of impulse and sug-
gescn 10 the philosophical student. They cannot fail
greeted with sneerest welcome in the intellectual
circles Of American society the precious frsruts OF
devoted scholar the higher realms of thought who,
had his life been prolonged, would have attained the
honors of an eminent master.
PRACTICAL COOKING AND DINNER GIVING. BY