New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-03-18
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
JAMESs SOCIETY THE REDEEMED FORM
OF MAN.

TURF; AFFIRMED IN LETTERS TO FRIEND by
HENRY JAMES l2mo, PIP. ASS. Houghton, ossood'
The profound ideas in the exposition OF when
Mr. James has attained an eminent rank among
living philosophical thinkers, are here reproduced
with fresh and copious illustrations and perhaps
in a more popular form than that in which they are
presented in his previous writings. AS is we'll
known to the readers of his works. Mr.. James taxes
deep interest in the teachings of Emanuel sweden
borg although he acknowledges no intellectual as
ciplcship to that celebrated religious MASTER nor
does he make any attempt TO present MS doctrine
in n formal and consecutive system. Mr.. James is
always original and productive. His style OF tnlnk-
ing is marked by a no less peculiar individuality
than his mode of expression. Everything takes
the coloring of his own mind. Even the suggestions
which have given him q starting-point become
fruitful in fresh ideas and novel applications. HIS
writings possess q vitality, pungent Julclness'
which soften the rigOrs of profound discussion ana
make the perusa of bis chapters an act OF personal
communion.
The relations of Mr.. James with Swedenborg are
described in brief sketch. presenting a rare spec-
men Of sincere intellectual autobiography. AS
long ago as the Spring of 1874, while residing IN
the neighborhood of Windsor, England, much
absorbed in the study of the Scriptures he 1eH
into q peculiar state of mental dependency which
in spite of judicious medical treatment and resi-
dence at n famous water-cure, where he received
his first strong impressions of the exquisite charm
of English landscape and enjoyed the full relish
Of Epeland's pastoral beauty. Mr.. James here re-
cords a singular psychological fact, which serves
70 throw powerful light on his subsequent intel
lectual experience. He was struck with the as
interested way of the English in looking at thelr
own hills and vales-the disowning mood so TO
speak, with which they habitually regard the most
ravishing pastoral loneliness which the sun shines
upon. This always gave him sense OF beng a
discoverer Of the scenes, and of consequent nght
TO enter upon their undisputed possession lie thus
conceived the idea, which holds so conspicuous
place in his writings. that the feeling of sethood Is
the curse of mankind. He said to himself: GLOW
sweet it would be to find oneself no longer
man, but one of those innocent and ignorant
sheen pasturing upon that placid hillside
and drinking in eternal dew and freshness
from Natures lavish BOSOM" Still his peace OF
mind was not yet restored He felt sure that he
had never caught glimpse OF truth. lie l0st all
interest in the previous studies which had resulted
in immense piles of manuscript, at when he mas
not since given even passing glance. Ills con-
sciousness was that of utter restitution of truth
Indeed ne began TO doubt whether the discovery OF
truth was possible to man. His Ieasonings on this
point took shape as follows: Truth must reveal
itself If it would be known and even then, now
imperfectly known at best! For truth IS God, the
omniscient and omnipotent Sod and who shall pre-
tend to comprehend that great and adorable
perfectioni And yet who that aspires to the name
of man would not cheerfully barter al he knows
of life for a bare glimpse of the hem of its gar
ment.D In this crisis, cOnversing with friend
lsnce deceased a lady of rare qualities of heart and
mind he was asked what had brought him to the wa
tecurc After his reply she told him that 1t was as
she had already suspected, and that he was under
going what SwedenbOrg calls a rdStdtOR and
though he was himself respondent about the issue,
she could not but take hopeful view OF his pros
poets. Not being familiar with the Swedenbor-
gan technics he begged her TO turn the contents OF
the very handsome Latin word she had used into
plain English. The lady mOdestly replied that she
only read SwedenbOTg as ali amateur, and was not
qualified to expouDd his philosophy. There was no
donbt however about its fundamental pOstulate.
which was that new birth for man is the secret OF
the Divine creation and providence that the other
world furnishes the true sphere of mans spiritual or
individual being the real and immortalbe being which
he has in God and that this world, accordingly,
furnishes only preliminary theatre of his natural
formation or existence. Hence the question of hui
man regeneration Is the cardinal problem OF philoso-
pbv. The lady continued that she had been struck
with the philOsophc interest of his narrative
in this point of view, and had used the word
rastatiOn to describe one of the stages OF the
regenerative process, as laid down by Swcdcnborg,
proceeding to explain her conception OF his entire
doctrine on the subject. Mr. James was so much
interested in the account that he at once procured
some volumes of SwedenboTg and set about the
serious study of their contents. AT that moment
his intellect had been so completely bereft of every
r ,vlori It'd from no 10
in state of such "sheer and abject famine with
respect to Divine things that his relief was almost
instantaneous He found in those books such a
testimony TO the loneliness and grandeur OF the
Divine name that they seemed TO impart heaY-
enIy JUNCTION to his soul. But still he does not set
himself up as the personal attorney OF solicitor OF
Swedenborg He has no wish to eXtol his personal
genius or worth. His books Mr. James remarks,
invite appreciation of the most opposite character
"Thev nave all the breadth and variety of nature
in their aspect now smiling with celestial peace,
now grim with internal storm and wrath" But he
does not avow any profession of faith i'll Sweden
borg or ascribe to him any more dogmatic au-
thoritv than he should ascribe in their
various measure to Socrates or John Stuart
Mill He is at best mere informer re-
portcr though an exceedingly intelligent
one. in the interest of new evolution of the human
mind. speculative and practical. Hence his testi-
nony to the spiritual truth Of the case is not for an
instant TO be regarded as a revelation, or con-
founded with living Divine truth. Nothing could
have awakened blush of deeper resentment on
his innocent brow. if he could have foreseen the
outrage than the base spirit of sect. which in the
face of the broadest denunciatOns Of it ventures to
renew its unhalowed empire by clothing him with
Divine authority" His own faith is devoted exclu-
siveIv to the sole consummate revelation OF the
Divine name made III the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
His sole intellectual pretenson is to emphasize the
eternal ustre Of the Gospel to mems regard by dis
closing its interior spiritual and phlloSophic con-