The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-04

Shakespearo's sonnets to guido u.s. and even
these may be tho outcome OF the craving after
the ideal. not reproductions OF realities.
In the chapter entitled "A Bachelor from
Conviction the writer undertakes to solve
the curious problems suggested by Swft's
relations with stella" and Nancssa.' Mr.
Nandam rejects the only hypothesis. which. in
our Judgment. accounts for tho problem. We
do not propose TO state that theory, but we may
mention that it is distinctly adopted by Sir
Walter Scott. and supported by curious eyi-
dcnce from Swfts writings. Neither does the
account Of Mrahcau and his relations with Nine
Monnicr and other ladies strike us as altogether
adequate. Tho writer's touch is less than usually
incisve. md NJ tho same timc less sympathetic
Mr.. Vandam drops no hint ms to the cxtraordi-
nary resources which Mirabcau found in llol-
land or the contributions to forbidden literature
which daic from that period Of exile. Yet in
spite Of n hundred things which would
mako the average man not merely odous
but loathsome. there is no doubt whatever that
Mrabcau was not only an imposing and fas-
cinatng but an intensely lovable man, For
any shortcomings. however. in this part Of his
work, the author moro than compcnsatcs us In
chapter entitled. plato or prapus ~ whore
he offers an astutc and on the whole eatisfac.
tory analysis Of the most problcmatic character
scau.
We suspect that tho author OF these volumes
has philosophical rs we'll rs artistic end in
view. He seems to bc disciple of Schopcn-
haucr. and to be not unwilling 10 reduce the
romantic relations ot mon of genius, too much
idcalizcd perhaps in popular literature. to the
level Of animal promptings. He cites with mp
prova the German pcssimist's suggestions 10
young men: Let me tell them, to begin
with. that tho object which now inspires them
with madricals and sonncts would scarcely now
win one OF their glanccs II they had happened
TO hc born some eighteen years sooner" We
must conccdc, no doubt that all lovcsicknoss
however ctherally 1t may conduct itself has its
sole root in the sexual instinct nay IL through
out nothing but that instinct specified. having
selected its object. becoming individualized
in the strongest sense Of the word. How
then. can we refuse TO echo another query
Of Schopenhauer's: Why this ado. this noise.
this worry. anxiety and alarm for 40 petty a
cause M every Jack finding his Jill-why should
such a trine play so weighty role and produce
such unceasing confusion in tho we'll regulated
existence of the many. and the high pointed
aspirations Of the few" Because tho final
aim Of oil love affairs. whether enacted in the
sock or the buskin. in tho dream country Of
poets or in the coarse world Of realities. is indeed
far more momentous than what affair socver
in tn" life Of any individual. II has for lis aim
says Schopcnhaucr. nothing less than the con
struciion of the next generation. 1t IL the we'll
being. the pcrmanence, and tho evolution Of the
race which Is shaped and determined by the so
frivolous love-commerce. From this point OF
view the cold glance OF age and Of experience
can follow and half sanction the rowing fcrvid
eye OF youth and Darwin comprohends the in
sensatc rawlings Of Antony;
-" Here IL my space.
Kingdoms are clay our dung oi earth alike
Feeds beast a. man. the nuhoncss If liie
i io DO thus when such mutual pair
And such twain can dot
W II