New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-05


After learning the preparations OK INC author Io'
his solving the riddles Of biology, the reader wall he Gu
know his method of COnGrct.ng th" txiernsi
He addresses himself to the greet pro,'-in' beiorr nm
with aaunty gayeiy eyucng the
OF ancient and modem learning On the UPS on nis
ngsr- The mysteries 81 pnye e1 a sc famr 70 s
mind the poetry OF tno New-Engfnd ffmir oT tis
prose OF the Assembly's Catechism TINS mass oi nm
yersal knowledge IL teInpcIed and softened
by the benign Influence OF radiant imagination lie so
den combines 1pncies aud facts in sparkling dis
course that YOU are a TO determine whether you
listening 10 the dreams OF poet or The reso1ne
OF phosopher The strength his argument ~ oft n
e. ncsneu nv uxurianec OF flowers, but doubtless the
edge OF the sword Is not buuted by Tao wfcatns t.l
adorn the hilt Mr. Cocks style ipoced, model oi
exubeyant original ard striking uagery. auditisrnre
that truths science and the deductions OF phos
phy are set forth with seductive eoquence, snch
p0mp ana glory ard gorgeousness of magnificent ian.
guagc. Happily, ho9ever the intoernDie spenuors Oh
his dcton arc relieved at frequent intervals by passa-
yes of skeIetonke analysis, which present the doc
trues discussion with the gnasty dryness of the
bones in a dissectlng-rCom
In different style again is the analysis OF the
character OF Voltaire, which appeared as an
editorial article in THE TRIBUNE of May 30, 1873
on the occasion of the centenary of that phiioso-
pher:
CHARACTER OF voLTAIRE.
The earliest dates in the history OF Votare present
Transparent contrast to the glory OF its final schemes
appears IN The character OF cunning Bohemian, IN
tent on Sing "a livelihood from "a reluctant world,
rather tnsn a OF genius whose writings were TO
excite fermcna zion OF thought ana dissolve lne Iecs
of tradition from opinions of the His frst step
was change his family name OF Arouet TO me NOR or
sOnorous utle of Noltalre. lie soon mus NJ
place in the brilliant and coreupt society g,
that period HIS pen bis free exeIelEe 10 nS nio
early he sends the sh 'is OF bis VII win eSs
Iner siroke and by the time he Is twenty old he
Is thrown INTO prison Tor lInpOOns ON TIE hihg but be
soon turns tables, makes friends wtA MS acrusri
and is again aunched on the topmoSt OF social and
literary success. He becomes shrewd financial wan
sIn and ofIjs AM a contractor WIN the Cover nulent
for furnishing the Amy with bacon and beef
stages II his doubtless due TO the sihuous "a
cy with which he ddaped himself TO the spirit OF ne
are H. struck while the iron hot IL was an epoch
of trausIicn from medieval righteousness - Doue.
neethnklng. The whispers OF doubt against Tue au-
tburty o the Curch muttcrea IN secret but Vol
taire proclaimed upon tae hOusesOps MsuI hau
been suspected in She cen 81 me timer anu anu
10 the ideas watch had been cherished 10 private ana
the secret Of the scepiic Decme me pfopety oi tn
iGenned with the faith Of the Church ~ the leading
rctual circles OF French society. PrOesaniism
mad made t Tie Roadway in land Of the Huguenots.
Ine Roman Catholic fMtn was considered tHe Genuine
type Christianity, winch was held Responsible OF
the cucrOacent OF PccleS Gstcal power on the clhls
OF human freedom. N0itaire made no destined non De
tween eigOn and Catholicism In his attacks On ollSion
he ceIneu the defender % freedom and supposed
trat ne battling for the cause of humanity whe Al
tempting to demol sh the authority OF the CnuIcn. or
was VUtire sympathy " iii the thofonghgnlng scep
tclsul The CHARACTERS OF The eighteenth
century; he attacked religion less as a creeu OF se
than obstacle, ia us existing iois
to liberty oi thought ana whiie he sept 10 terms WIN
the ecclesiastical authorities OF me age was Wpnt ~
pics. has conviction OF Tetribuuve Providence ana
1 ven a. u
preme Beng, when, however anu pfInala Justly VS.
recognized less a. evidence Of pety than OF vanity
Tae influence Of Votaire on MS age, accordingly was az
me champion Of mental freedom Of tle uhembarssed
pursuit trutn Of the rights OF man. TO use phrase
which was then coming INTO vogue ana "hlch mas slice
served AS the Keynote 10 pregnant Vi Pupio
| policy. ,-.,,. 49, ,
from the character OF the ae as r0l MS own mel. q
| tuai traits and Tendencies. 1t was period
! when the grave aspect OF the scholastic phllOs,
| opny was softened down into the unwrnAled
vislge OF modern yivaciiy. Noltare was essentially
the royal jester III the court OF literature. ne lu no;
undertake. to sap solemn creed by -Oicnh sheeI,
bat tried undermine Tie aiIh Of by gay rib1dry
aud light perShase lie conrGd inquiry wn some ne
sorry joke on his ps anu laughed Oh Inc a-e nay 9o
could nos destroy b. serious Iscussion lie seemed To
have no earncstnesS Of character, 10 play VITA his
paree TO a lucid argument and in us most strenuous
cOIublts TO rely more on the HhsheA ana HOUR
the blade. HIS attacks on religion pariook u me snail
bri liam polnt against the priesthood he took lit
ca 10 verify He held Christui,v RESPONSE
bic with It's lie for many Anticipated theories wDlch
suce biz have parted win much % Inc prestige
that had enbLmed them in tine odor 81 sanetty, and
which are means considered as as htla cle-
OF an orthodox creed His famous, or ra'her III
famous wachword, winch has usually been thought to
apply TO the founder OF the CHRISTIAN religion. was
more probably dir cted against the protensions OF
pontifcal authority but he was always too Aasty and
careless thinker seek essential difference
under apparent resembiances.
still In his airy knocking way, V0ltaire was no doubt
lover Of humanity. He mad Of the evil.
OF modern society and certain half lronica hope that
lions that were under the sum-" but was less
feeling OF the oppressed than hatred o. the oI-
he race he like the Mephi,toyhelean III the
ward, OF hospital VINO approaches his patient WIN
dcmonac grfa lnsteao OF cheerful smile and handles
TIE mD Is racked by rheumatic ueonles with
CYNICAL laugh AZ the pam rather tGan tender sympathy
Win ali LIS remarkable gifts OF brilliant execution the
nature OF Noltdlr; Was essgnlia.y heaSrr and 'h'i
never rising TO tue lOiest Iruts VI eelAg OF Gesceg
ing TO prOIOuudest depths OF Thought Bu,h MS
mora aGd en'a ga e' "1,q tio e ~ ~ NV
been sincere; inat Is e cherished no donDt II the abb
surdy which ne dragged 10 ight IRON beneath lie mask
Tor truth the master sentiment winch Inspire the
sOaTings OF philosophy ana hurthes ne Vgia OF sci
cnce IN this oct ne compares uniavorabl{ with
Rousseau whose widest speculaOns were marked by
not a. irut O1 nmbe fancy, but rs vital truths
for the regeneration 81 the race. Vol are nos only
It's conspicuous type and characteristic expression
he was the apostle, and prophet aud bgh priest 0l me
scted whm the domain al she senses, and IT, g. Mes
GINNING cOutIivance for he highest deRree OI st, en-
oyment. The present century has opened q
NV era In which Voltaire would find
himself a stranger aud a foreigner Ills influence
has let but few traces the intellectual development
oil TIE age his genius for sarcasm and muckcry Bas
ness AID the profound SERIOUSNESS OF inquiry wAien
mark researches OF mod I'm science ANA the hollow
and selfish cynic isIn OF lis morality has thrown
INTO eclipse even by the imp tssiOned appeals ofAugstt
Comtc in tbs respect al least has approached tnt
borders Of the Christian aiih. In claiming regard Il
the welfare neghDor less Than oi ourselves,
the supreme legitimate principle vi human action Inc
spirit Of the nineteenth century ca Is iol
guides and teachers Of different metal from
That OF VOtaire. Let the mocking spectre re-
| pose unmOested in the. realms OF shade
lei violence offered TO his aged bones they RESI-
their aureled though moss grown sepulchre. but lei
him not LOuOrcd the intellectual sovereign OF TIE
present or coming The sceptre has departed
from the OF Ferney let his name DE no Longer ih
vUKcd the awglyer OF thought but whue he Is de
tnrOned from hrs intellectual supremacy over "A super
fetal age, let us not aI 10 do Justice o. hts higher quail
ties as armed foe OF superstition and the alert cham
Jion OF the freedom OF the human mind
Mr. Ripley was one of the founders OF Harper
Magazine and edited the literary department o.
that periodical for many years. In connection witt
Bayard Taylor whose firm friend and congenial as
sociate lie remained until death INTERVIEWED he pre-
pared n Handbook OF Literature and tn,
| Fine Arts" which was published III New
| York in 1852, as of a series of use
| full works of reference in a small compass
He had nearly reached the period of life at which
| most men who have labored so hard and accom-