New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-09-25


Schopenhauer, VIII, taken in its most comprehcn-
sive sense includes not only conscious desire, but
also unconscious instinct, and the forces which
act in inorganic Nature. SelfconscOusness IL
only an accident Of the manifestation OF
Win in living beings particularly in man,
hut in Nature there is an unconscious ana
incognitive Villa universal, allpervading VIII, hut
q VIII not accompanied by Intellect, which is the
true ground of all the phenomena of the universe
1t manIfests itself to perception in countless
multitude of forms, the mpenetrability, graVi-
tatiOn, cohesion, attraction and repulsioh OF
brute inorganic matter; as the lie ana prih'po
Of growth plants and animals; as well as IN con-
scious and eoenitive VIII in man and brute. But in
all these concrete cases the individual phenomena
arc only manifestations of the universal. apervad-
ing. unconscious WILL which is tINs brought within
the domain of perception. 4 doctrinGof such sur
prisng import as the Inconsistencies of the WILL
q doctrine 80 much at variance with the natural
laws Of thought so repugnant 70 the habtua con-
ceptions of the human mind, and The received tradl-
tons of philosophical systems can scarcely be com
prehended without a more thorough elucidatlon
than is 20 he found in the present work Prof Bowen
afirms that Schopenhaucr exhibits the nucleus OF
great truth, which he has Incorporated into
bis system. In the assertion that Matter
is nothing but Force, and Force Is nothing
but WILL Prof. Bowen recognises the basis of reli-
gous theory bnt it is by changing the character of
Schopenhauer's doctrine, and substituting for ms
unconscious unintelligent VIII, the Divine viii OF
the Creator Of the Universe. This is construction
of Schopenhauer's doctrine, which he would scorn-
fully dscain, and against which, in fact the
ings Of his principal work, &" The World VIII and
Presentation are virtually directed " Every pho
nomenon," SAYS Prof. Bowen, every object that
appears to our senses and every change that takes
place in the universe is but the manifestation OF
the One Infinite Will that first brought the universe
into being when he first made il present to the con-
sciousness Of man as aliving soul" This is doubt
less excellent theOlogy-as great improvement on
the unconscious VIII of Schopenhauer the change
of waxen doll for living babe-but metamorpho
sis at which the bones Of the grim philosopher would
rattle in his shroud, and which would awake the
language Of rcbuke and scorn that was wont TO
fame from his fiery tongue.
The most interesting. and perhaps, the most able
chapters in the work those devoted to the recent
philosophy of Hartmann. who is the representative
and contnuator Of Schopenhauer, although man
of original and profound genius, thinker of mar
velous acuteness and force, student of rare know
edge in the natural sciences as well in metaphys
les and writer of admirable strength and versatl
ity; bat his great work, THE Philosophy of the I'm
conscious" must be described, reTet to say, as
gigantic attempt to clOthe phantom Of imagina-
ton with the attributes of God. Prof. Bowen
appears have yielded far to the destinations of
his genius as to be insensibe in measure, to the
defects of his system Thus he attempts to relieve
hin from the charge of Pessimism, which, in com
mon with Schopenhauer, Hartmann regards as the
character of the Universe Prof Bowen affirns
that although he is nominally Pessimist-as he
cepts the doctrine of Leibntz that this is the best
II, ~ lo1 hat
would be better if it did not exist-he has as good
right to be called an Optimst either Leibnitz or
Pope. In fact, Prof Bowen suggests that his
Pessmisn appears rather speculative and theoreti-
cal in character than earnest and profound 1t is
only a rhetorical presentation Of the ancient diff
Guilty respecting the origin Of evil. He is not mis-
anthTope, he has not a suspicious and gloomy tenn
permanent he has had a more fortunate experience
in life than Schopenhauer, and as Prof. Bowen
sagely intinates, if he should be favored with an
increase of family"-as he is happily marred-it is
to be hoped that lie may abjure PessmisIn alto
geher
In like manner, the author endeavors to soften
down the atheistic opinions which Hartmann nomi-
nally holds, and to show that ms philosophy so
nearly comedies with the theism Of Christianity
that ii can hardly be distinguished from the theology
which is now often inculcated without offence in
cepts most of the conclusions of natural theology.
| The course of his investigations has brought him
very near to the Acknowledgement of the existence
| of God. With little earnestness of feeling
| and warmth of moral purpose. his doctrine would
have left little to be desired by the most strenuous
believer. This may remind the reader of the remark
of celebrated astute politician. that the body of
man which was fshed up. in Niagara River would
make a good enough Morgan until after the
election" The thesm of Hartmann. in the opinion
of Prof Bowen. if not all that it should be, is at
least good enough at present for all practical pur-
! poses.
! The exposition Of Hartmann's theory Of the I'm
conscious, as gwen by Prof. Bowen, is certainly
not adapted to elevate it, in the estimation Of the
| Christian world as "a of grace" He repre-
sents its purpose being prove that there is
npresent i'll Nature One VIII and Intellect. acting
uneOnsciously in inseparable union with each other,
| through whose agency all the phenomena of the
universe NAV be accounted for. Hartmann does not
consent to worship this principle as Deity, though
he declares that his name for it the Unconscious
is not TO be construed a merely negative express
! sion, sgnifying the absence of consciousness but
that il possesses the essential positive attributes Of
! Intellect and ill. All unconscious functions
exercised by one identical Subject, which has
merely its phenomenal manifestation in null
titude of individuals, corresponding to the
Universal Substance of Spinoza, the Absolute
Ego of Fichte, the Absolute Subiect-Object of
Schelling, the Absolute Idea of Hege and
the viii of Schopenhauer 1t may be worth
while IN illustration of Prof. Bowen's state
ments to translate a few passages from Hartmann
himself which will serve to show very distinctly
his own view of the relation of the doctrine of the
Unconscious to Christian theism. 1.-The doctrine of
the Unconscious" says Hartmann. holds the golden