New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-02
PHILOSOPHY AT CONCORD.
RFCENT SESSIONS A GREAT sUCCEss.

DNNoUNCFD.
IRON AZ OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THs TnIBUNEl
! CONCORD Mass. July 3t.-The philosopher third
week has been quite unlike the poceman's lot as
cbarac erzed by Mr. Gilbert There have been
some charming diversions since ny last letter The
! Row. Air. Claiming has finished bis course
| giving last Tuesday his view OF true budd-
hism. This differs somewhat from that OF
his son-n-aw. Edwin Arnold as set forth in the
d" Light OF Asia" especially in che Interpretation OF
! Nryana. Mr. Charming studies this religion more
with the wish 10 bring into unfcatiou with Chris
tian doctrine than historically OF the modern pes
sImists he tried to prove hIs last lecture that
! Scnopenhauer Hanpmann and their like have more
! of optimism than pessmism IN their writings Dlt
! the method was assertion rather than proof lie
has Interested his audience however. Mr. John Abee
| who was to lecture on igurauve language and lit
! erary art arrived with long manuscript on the
! latter theme IN the form OF an imaginary CONVERSE
| ton between poet, an artist and philosopher
on the banks Of Concord River. 1t Is written IN
! STYLE Of great charm and elegance, reminding one
Of the finished structure Of Landors " Converse
tons . 1t abounded in wit sense. fresh illustrations
and beautiful images, and wrought up Mr.. Alcott
! 10 high pitch of praise The mere word CONVEX
satlon always stimulates him but Mr. Aibees
| contribution was really charming. and along with
some wise artistic suggestions. contained few sly
but lnofenslve hits at the school ITSELF which were
piquaut. The form of his essay made an agreeable
variety among so many exact trains of thought as
one is called upon to follow here.
Thursday brought the attraction Of a lee
ture by Mr.. Julia Warl Howe on Modern Society.
and society itself seemed bent hearing what sue
had to say about It, so great the crowd IN the
small chapel. People came from Boston or drove
over from neighbonng towns, and COncordlans who
/ I,JL hoo bpfera a willing feet to
hear this grave lady in plain dress aud dark bon
net who read her paper through sDectaces, with
/ exquisite enunciatl0n and quiet dignity She did
not give the philosophy Of society, but there was an
infusion Of phlOsOphic sugges5lveness IN NEST that
she said Starting from Rants definition of an OD-
poste which makes two contradictory DreGicates
consistent in one subject she illustrated the
| tradictions IN modern society Man, TO begin " th
IS at once the most greCariOus and the most solitary
of animals. Then there are not only the oppostions
of .rent races, bur in families, and often in the
same family differences are also found which seem
TO set at defiance all laws of likeness. She also
drew picture of the false priest guilty of sin yet
hearing confession and giving absJiutIOn as type
of discrepancy between the inner and the outer
But many Of these contradictions DO not exclude.
they complement, each other, producing various
social agreements The unity IN this web
Of opposites is great wonder. 1t is
law. OF which the several opposltes are
Only clauses. Freedom is the unity Of natural
diversity and the desire for progressive good the
| most hopeful sign OF the times. Mrs. Howe gave
much space to a vivid account of the Cosmopolitan
society found at a hotel in Cairo, Egypt. as showing
one feature of modern life TO be that everything
| is ererywherer The Zulus are in London the Lon
doners in Zululand Americans read the Declara-
! ZION of Independence on the edge OF the Pool OF
| SLOAN the Prince Of Wales hunts tigers in the
Puniaub and Cleopatras Needles point their moral
| In New-York. In considering this interchange and
| TRANSMISSION she said, we remark that
while the oppositious Of the world wero
formerly national they are now personal
| and moral. The work Of Jesus lay in the normal
direction of human progress, and we are approach
ing the stage when savage passions and an mails
viii be the only enemies of society. Emulation,
that daL gerous stimuant Is not used for self
ism mdIy dual interests, but for the general good.
What men and women good for may be more
| LARGELY stated now than ut any former epoch for
/ science cheap travel and cheap books give Us the
widest possible comparison of human conditions.
! The past is revealed too. Theology long
ago invented the pOst-hlstorlc angel, but
we have found out the prehistoric man.
We ought. therefore. to boz able 90 choose the
best for Ourelyes lie problem ana me ethlcs Oh
modern society found in the query How can IT'S
vast resources Oe used TO the best aovan dge Here
Mrs. Howe passed INTO SCathlng criticism, hinged
with keen satire. tine i0llles OF mere fashionable
society," and what the French call che lie OF repre-
sent9riour which Is TO genuine society IS scene
painting Is 90 a finished picture. Only individuals.
the family, can provide the pleasures OF init
mate Gad real association and the Incidence
OF mankind must bear It's part or tile
blame tor the prevalent worship Of wealth and love
OF show. In her remarks on the modern devotion
70 wealth, which c0rrupts literature Mrs. Howe
seemed TO conrradicI heISelI' because she had
previously claimed thar emulation to-day IS no
longer fish But IN speaking OF Americans who
heroine denatlOualZed by travelling abroad she
ia q pipu some people are porn
tuue- before their time, but many more are born
centuries after"
tory turn and some ladies' found courage 20 speak,
among them Miss Whitehead, from England; the
former wife OF the sculptor crawford now MIS-.
Terry, who Is making a Visit from Rome 10 Boston
and Miss l.. p. Peabody. There was some what
vague and seml-jearful glOrltcatlon Of woman and
some interesting ana touching Things were saiG
about Margaret Fuller. Observers interested III
the success Of the school have expressed much
regret at the mutual admiration tone OF
tins session, winch entirely prevented any
remuneratIye talk on the real subject OF
the address. definite discussion OF
woman's place in society, her achievements aud her
problems. would have been better compliment 10
| Mrs. HOwes thoughtful essay.
THIS morning, Professor Benjamin Pierce being Ill
! and unable to give his lecture, a conversation on
Hawthorne took ITS place. II was an exceptionally
forcIbe, varied and effective talk and have never
before heard a group OF people bring out so rounded
a conception of the American romancer IN converse
tlon The Rev. Mr.. Claiming AMI Miss Peabody
gave "reminiscences illustrating Hawthornes
flce, his patriotism and his generosity and
| practical ability Consul at Liverpool
The weather has been pleasant and recently cold,
bur some OF the regular listeners are getting very
tired This partly due u the Spartan severity OF
the chars provided. l he school has been managed
| with wise economy. money enough having been
made this term to keep intact the Thompson fund
OF 81, 900 but the chairs should be cushioned AS
| one lady remarked: Wow give our at
tentiou 10 unversals, when we have 20 be thinking
! ali the time about our ack-bOnesF
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THE SUNDAY TRIBUNE.
| xr-A..a,rJs issua If VuE STNDAy Tprpr-Nv cop-