New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-10-07
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
THE VALUE OF LIFE. A REPLY TO Mr. MAtIocks
ESSAY " Is LIFE WORTH LiyIsGr' l2mo. PIP 25S d. T.
putnam's sous

IS attempted In the present volume maintains that the
beauty charm OF life threatened by the decay OF
religious faith under the influence OF positive science,
and that the brightest hopes of be preserved
only by the restoration Of theology taught In the
Catholic Church. Mr. Mallock's arguments ind a
strenuous opponent IN the author Of this work, who
contends the other hand, that the spirit OF tue 40
called Positive Philosophy is essential TO the highest
development OF humanity aud 10 the perfection and
consummate enjoyment Of human life. The ground
taken Ivy Mr.. Maliock according 10 his critic is that
modern the entire universe OF matter to
Of physical things. Man Is Included In TINS
mass, and thus loses all the dignity and value
wnicn belonged him spiritual and super
natural being. Hence his life becomes worthless, II
Postivsm spemitted to triumph In destroying the in
fuence OF the Catholic Church the restraints are re-
which for two thousand years have held In cheek
passions of pagapism. Morality, art, personal Dig
nifty. therefore, demand "a vigorous resistance to the
proteasions of positive thought. But the author
frankly calls question Mr. Mallocks competence for
the discussion Of grave tneme. The ervor OF his
rhetoric and the pquancy OF his eoquenee 1t Is adj
mtted suggest serious and profound though sensitive
thinker But the illusion is dispeed by a more init
mate acquaintance with the character of his mind. His
lncessant appeal to sentiment his hippancy OF ex-
prCssiOn his drawingro0m 0riancy OF cplgram, soon
awaken suspicion. closer Inspection discovers many
Jaws In the enamel OF the picture. He found TO he
guilty Of frequent inaccuracies OF expression. OF IN
clcites Of metaphor, which betray false perceptions
his thought learn that the superficial defects OF his
style extend to the deeper slata of his character We
sannot escape a suspicion OF his insincery He seems
to tamper with plain things I'm the interest
Of the which he has at heart. He reminds the
reader Of those tribunals Of the holy office OF
which the victims were kidnapped false pretences,
and bndtod into the Of their Judges
Mr. MaOck never fOrgets that IL is his fst duty TO
victory at all hazards without troubling himself
to understand the subject of which he treats HIS cro
perhaps ,es far IN ascribing 10 him Systematic
and avowed contempt for truth. but no one acquainted
with writings fail To recognize his habitual at'i
tude OF warfare. The OF POsitivsm according
10 the writer ind he basis of belief IN the realities
Of existence The rejection Of doctrine Is matter OF
secondary importance The vital point is to establish
positive ground for thought for action. ana for life III
this respect. the outset. Mr. Mallock. the
author airms grossly msreprescnts the principle of
Po,visn. He makes il consist I'm the fact of denial
But Pcstvsu. a. II Il justly alleged, is not creed, OF
tie rejection Of creed. but method lis characteristic
is the study OF be laws OF phenomena. andno OF
their hidden causes II proposes systematic substitu-
ton OF science for faith, and far possible. of the
habit Of demonstration for the habit Of credulity
The practical OF Positysm, set forth by the au.
thor Is TO bring the organic relation OF human he ngs
more and vvidly into the consciousness of man
kind II ascrbe large part Of the ulseries which now
darken human lite TO the imperfect development the
systematic IeTyeiscn Of the sympathetic instincts.
Hence aims TO develop such sentiments by every prac
ticable means 1t presents the philosophy of the
doctrine those who capable of speculation, and
cornds TO them the TASK Of lis exposition ana lustra
ton To the priests of Catholics opposes the PHI
osophers over persons unable TO comprehend ideas.
1t extends the influence of feelings and sentiments which
the products Of IDEAS. IL undertakes to apply Its
doctrines To department of human lie. not
arbitrary unity, but organic power The great prize
OF ifc the object OF living for each living being.
cordmg the author, consists In the development of
all faculties 10 the greatest extent compatible with The
individual Organization. The rersOn Tor failure
and discomfort il De found In the fact
that valued objects have OF been attained or
that imperfect analysis Of the needs Of
human has overlooked the conditions for their
attainment 1t Impossible, however. the author dis
creeily ADDS, 10 imagine a world good that EVIL
Will he combatted. evil that good
be found continue existence. Perfection Is not the
attribute OF future state be that utopia or the
millennium; Il only exist in moments, but in
jcwcllcd moments, winch are strOwD Ike diamonds
throughout The depths Of space aud time" Mr.
MG'lock would assert thar such life was not worth
possession The rational criticism. 10 here main
tam,d is that tins type OF living Is so seldom realized
that the ieau evolution of lie often tLWaTtcd
ma that II Is constantly dalkencd by tie shadow "
death Bat these evils as the author ains. while they
are dcplorcd by the POStvist waste OF energies,
are destined be spontaneously outgrown, TO be
ovrrcom, by ge0us effort guided by sound know
ledge Tue world naturally Imperfect tends toward
indefinite progress and VIII gradually be mastered 10y
the intellect OF man, who Il to be ITS occupant IL j.
foolish assumption of Mr.. Malock, that achieve
monts OF physical science are devoted exclusively
20 the attainment Of physical comforts. On
the contrary. the author insists that physical
science in many ways transcends the material Obj cts
With which il Is lnedately concerned. In disspatng
tn mysteries which have en-hrouled tine material
world. physical science has dispellod fear, and the
slayi-h habits winch fear cugruders To the degree
wnchl has procured relief from physical PAIN physi-
cal science has quckoned the sentiment OF humanity
TIC personal happiness anticipated 10y POsit il no
vague conjecture Of future possibilities, no sounding
brass aud tinkng cymba to be- strummed in front of
curtan whose rising always promised and constantly
postponed but the real music which it knows may be
10y those who have already mastered the science
OF harmony" The picture OF human society. IL my
be- developed under the influence OF Positive ideas Is
presented by the author In attractive colors. To what
extent II NAV be realized under the intrinsic mpcrec
tons OF mans inward and external conditions is
a problem not satisfactorily discussed in tins vol
ume, and at present, no doubt, f. Incapable OF
a complete solution. The strength OF the work
IS 10 be found in the vigorous exposure
of Mr. Mallock's sOphstues, rather than in It's en-
thusiastic defence of the principles of Positivlsm
The OF scientific nve stigatiOl, which Is ably
advocated. may he sustained ON other grounds than
those adopted 10y the writer Modern science finds q
sufficient basis the Gle OF intellect, patience Of
research and the love Of TRUTH with which it pur-
sued and need appeal the authority OF phiO
sophcsI system The composition Of the work betrays
greater power 81 rc1 elton and keenuess Of criticism
In the literary art. facility and charm
OF expression. The style often obscure and cumber
some. the sentences complicated and incomplete. and
the illustrations destitute Of nicely OF choice aud apt
OF purpos, Iu elevation OF tone. sincerity of
yctou. and profOu1dness of thought, volume sp-
pear to singular advantage. although II shows little
respect for popular beliefs, aud makes attempt
20 cOnciliate popular sympathy The eudeavor i'm
press the public mind with tue principles Of Comte Will
probably prove faacOus the hope OF the sangune