The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-28


recent writer's on religion who lay no claim
to orthodoxy, although some of the most
gifted Of them, like Renan in France and
Matthew Arnold in England, are attractive
subjects Of comment and criticism. We
venture to tread upon this delicate ground
at all only because one or two fresh pub
LEGATIONS in our own country bring itwithin
the domain Of journalism. 1t is not less the
duty Of the journalist to take note OF the
great movements Of contemporary thought
than OF the wars, treaties, negotiations,
parliamentary contests and political events
of his time. The journalism of this age, IN
becoming more independent, has also be-
come more various and comprehensive than
the meagre gazettes and decaying party
organs that satisfied the demands OF former
period. That splendid passage OF Cicero
which declares, in the highest strain even
Of his eIoquence, that all human interests
are linked together and that nothing which
concerned humanity was foreign to him, IS
destined to become the motto, in spirit, at
least, of the journalism Of the immediate
future. Art and science and literature and
ethics and religion are to become staple topics
of discussion In the daily press, as well
as politics and commerce, the only limlta-
ton being the sound rule OF all true jour-
nalism that the discussions are to be
founded on emerging events and to ''catch
the manners living rs they RISE" I'm
promptu discussions Of such topics may
sometimes be hasty and crude, but they
will at least serve as an index to what is en-
gaging the attention Of the best minds OF
the period, and even when most faulty will
be redeemed from contempt by evident
interest in great questions and by setting
an example Of independence and candor in
handling them. 1t is the business of
journal to be always ON the very crest of
the ever advancing waves OF public thought,
and it is entitled to indulgence for that lin
bility to error which attends the earliest
discussion Of new questions.
We venture, with modesty, to touch upon
the religious controversies of the period,
because we have no right to keep our read
ers ignorant Of their existence. The lite
rary periodicals are full of them, and the
writers on the sceptical side are among the
most eminent men Of letters Of our time.
Rerie,c has an article, the beginning OF
q series, by Froude, the historian, on
"Science and Theology and the May
June number Of the North american
Rerieu has far more attractive and
interesting article on '.The Sovereignty
Of Ethics" by Ralph Waldo Emerson,
the subtlest and most accomplished
Of our native sceptical or semi-sceptical
writer's The only point of resemblance
between these spectators on religious
questions lies in the fact that they are both
ex-clergymen, Froude having begun his ca
reer as minister of the Church of England,
and Emerson as a Unitarian minister in
Boston. No two minds could be more un-
like. Emerson is like rich porcelain vase
moulded Of the finest clay into form Of
exquisite elegance, while Froude is n
good specimen, not without flaws, Of
more common crockery. MIR. Froudss
recent article being only introduce
tory we will not notice it further
at present; but Mr. Emorson's article in the
North Americas Rerie,o is 80 characteristic
and unique that we may be pardoned for
bestowing upon it some attention. Mr..
Emersons modes Of thinking and exquisite
literary execution are redolcnt OF q refined
spirituality which makes his productions
pleasant and suggestive reading even for
those who most widely differ from him. His
productions are splendid refutation Of the
charge that American literature has no orig.
inality, but consists OF mere limitations of
European models. Nothing could be more
absurd than the suggestion which used to
be made of a resemblance between Emer-
son and Carlyle. One might as well
liken a conservatory of rarest flowers to
a huge and gnarled oak wreathing its fan
tastic boughs. There is a delicate spiritual
aroma in the writings Of Emerson which is
entirely wanting in the more rugged and
masculine productions OF Carlyle
1t is juster criticism on Emerson that
he lacks sequence and logical connection.
As mere statement this is true rs an accu-
sation it only illustrates the intellectual
narrowness Of the critics. Mr. Emerson 8
the highest order of intellect is intuitive.
The light which Shakespeare SO often flashes
upon the deepest secrets of the human
heart is worth carloads of the regular
deductions Of philosophers. The teaching
OF Christ ito recur to the highest of all
models for awakening spiritual capacities) is
never consecutive and logical, but the fruit
of intuitive insight clothing itself in popu-
lar and fgnrativc language II Emerson is
sometimes obscure or meaningless to
those who are not habitually conversant
with the deeper spiritual problems it is
for the same reason that the celebrated
"NIaxms" Of Rochcfoucauld (Which also
have no logical conncction) would be
obscure or meaningless to readers
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