New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-26
PHILOSOPHY At CONCORD.


WATSON on THE PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY
SHAKESPEARE AND IHE PHILOs0PHIC CONTENT
OF HIS DRAMAs-PLATO AND THE DOCTRINE
THAT ALL FORCE Is SPIRITUAL.
TFRoM An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.l
CONCORD. Mass, July 24.-Mr. ID. A. Wasson's
two lectures the philosophy of history are perhaps
the most valuable III immediate reference to con-
crete knowledge thus far given at the
Philosophy School, Mr.. WATSON admits no law
making progress necessary, but hnds that
mans ideal power renders him capable of historic
development. The principle of progress lies in the
human soul, and tho actual process in history is
clarfcatiOn, rather than progress. But although
civilization has died ont here and there, it has
never done 50 without rising i'll higher form else
where. Mr.. Wasson doubted Hegeps assumption
that these separate phases form a regular chain. The
condition of progress is sOcaty; its method that
of independent national civilizations decaying be-
fore they have run the whole course Each national
civilization is partial, led by some limited
aim and therefore temporary. Authority
and liberty have each had their extreme develop
ments. Equality is the cry to-day but inequality
also has its good rights which must some day be
considered. Five stages of progress appear III his
tory: The spontaneous, traditional, absolute,
critical and synthetic. The last, regarding
creation as coming both from above and below, will
comprehend reciprocal Oppostes in their unity of
relations through it, spirit will come to itself as
subject and object and there will be universally
Of freedom and opinion.
Mr. ID. J. Sniders lectures on Shakespeare, which
ended on Thursday, have brought out larger audi
ences than any others. He distinguishes between
criticism of form (the prevalent method and that
of inner substance or as he calls 1t. content" 1t
is the phiosophic content of Shakespeare's dramas
H. nt ptiutr tipfn mn
ganic whole, with characters ard principles in rela-
on instead of as gallery of portraits accidentally
arranged. Mr.. Sniders studies grew in this djrcc-
ton from his occupancy of the Shakespeare profess
sorship in the ST. Louis high schools, and not
the result of q forced theory. 1t is safe to
saw that his views form one of the most luminous,
comprehensive and penetrating bodies of criticism
of the great dramatist which has been contributed
to the literature of the subject DR.. IL. X. Jones
has also made strong impression with his lectures
on Plato thus far. He has a tendency to mytholO-
gize even constituting the " Republic" if | under
stand Alright as o symbolic or hermetic writing
rather than political treatise, and is perhaps too
fond of antithesis But he formulates his view of
tile Platonic doctrines with great cogency, and is
often eloquent in setting forth the theory that all
force is spiritual force and the visible
world only an embodiment of the ideal.
and State. Mr. William l. Harris lee
tured again this morning the relation of phIoso-
ply and religion, and ends his first course on MoD-
day. The bare outline is as follows: PhilOsOphIc
knowing is that third intention OF the mind which
gathers into one view all the species and genera
DISTINGUISHED by reflection Tor second lntentlonl.
Setting up any one concept as essential TO all the
rest results iii philosophy or theology: 1he meth
ods OF arriving at first principle are furnished by
the understanding, the affections and dlalectc.
Dialectic seizes the subject from all sides;
The most central road to conception OF
the first principle is the idea of dependence.
Being is dependent or independent; for
reciprocal dependence gives us one being, and not
two. The independent being on which all others
rest must have particular determinations: other
wise 1t would be nothing. II these determinations
of the First Principle. were from without, 1t would
become dependent. Hence, the First Principle eau
not be limited from without, but must be self-de-
terminng. 1t Is what 1t is because 1t Wills 10 be.
But acting on itself to limit itself, it must one
would say, be part active and part passive. How
solve this problemi The self whlchls active deter
mines itself rs active; the part acted upon
being continually modified by and Identified
with the active This return from duality into
identity with the active has been accomplished
through all eternity. The concept OF matter ss ths
FIRST Principle is absurd; because matter Is only an
equilibrium of forces. Forces are III Gil that Is but
forces are not persistent lhe persistent forOe
arises ont of the play of forces one into another and
must be the sole ultimate Teallty OF forces liz Is
the source of energy manifest in particular forces
and also in their eyanescence hence II Is seli-de-
termininQ IL we conceive of the First Principle as
some form of mind we have an ultimate ac-
tivitv particuiariZng itself i'll chain Of
beings that comes back into itself. But
finite being like man retain permanence OF indtvidu-
ahtv us against this activity The answer Is,
form OF being which realizes all its possibilities at
once is eternal. In such form the individual and
species are ono Man an individual is constantly
realizing himself as species by the cooperation OF
his fellOw-men participates In the life of the en-
tire race Hence man is subsurned under the de-
hntion of immortality. In religion the nature OF the
absolute First Principle is revealed to man under
form of history. Man celebrates his relation TO II
n,N1a ffinat Rna
ntelect and the will The mysteries enumerated III
religion are the deepest statements of the nature of
the First Principle. PhilosOpbic study OF the latter
and its realization in the world discovers many ap-
plications OF these mysteries, which interpret the
institutions of society and the mind. Some such
applications and interpretations were made by the
lecturer referring to the dogmas of the Trinity.
Orr ginal Sln Vicarious Atonement and the doctrine
of Grace. On Monday lie will explain how
philosophy shows that the content represented by
art is rational one, revealing human nature. life
and mind Architecture, sculpture, painting music
and literature are the several steps degrees OF this
revelation, which reaches Its highest capacity of
expression In literature. 49,
A heavy ram night before last did not deter Mr..
Harris's audience, Which Hlled every seat In the
room The conversations on different days have
been varied, lively and suggestive, and among those
taking part were eX-AttorneyGeneral Taft, of Gin
cinnatl, who came to a few sessions, aud Mrs. May
Wright Thompson, the lecturer. OF Indianapolis
Regular students and occasional visitors are re-
corded in the school register as from Minnesota,
Missouri, Louisiana, Virginia, New-iampshlre, Gin
clnnati, Buffalo, Providence. New-York and Brook
lyn and in this State. from Boston. Springfield,
Andover ana Amherst