New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-11
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

v.rroN,I RELIGIONS AND UNIVERSAL RE
IIGIONs By A. KUENEN LII d. ~; De- De- F, CheTso
OF Theology at Leden. 12mc. PIP. XII, 800 Charies
sc.ibners Sons.
The five lectures embraced In this volume were
deliycr.d as the HILBERT course at Oxford during
The present year. Religions according to Professor
Kuepep. may be classified as the national which
are confined TO single people or to group OF
nearly related peoples, and the universal which
know no such limitations. AS to which are the UNI
versal religions, however, opinions diter' some
will only ADMIT Buddhism and Christianity to the
title while others add Islam as third. AS IA meio
question Of fact the spread of Islam over MANY anu
diverse nations cannot be denied but whether
possesses also the qua lity of universally whetnoi
it has spread in spite of or by reason OF It's pecu'
character is another matter It's the genuine ui'-
versallsm of character to which the ec'uio' me-
applies himself; and in more exact phrase II, w.,
iect is the connection between the universal "N
the national religions as furnishing inc captain"
finn and the measure of their universansm III
the pursuit of this theme he avolds lheo'osioa
..o.tons-,rith n care which some believers Will
nerhaps regard as eXcessivc--and adopts a s'rc'y
historical method. Islam and Buddhism are as
cussed somewhat rapidly. The greater part ana
most interesting part of the book is devoted 10
Judaism and the development oil Christianity out
of it, The conclusions reached are: that lslanisn'
entering the world as rounded system seems a'
first to answer to the wants OF those lor "ioi ~
was framed and also to have suited, up 10 INC p'e
eut time the peoples and the individuals WIN h''o
not risen above the standpoint OF leeahsn pu' ~
misses the power of Transforming ltsei 10 'oo' '"0
requirements of higher type oil lie, ana az s'oN
period II becomes hindrance 10 ueVelop'nen'
that Buddhism shows power of adaptation up TO
certain point where it too becomes Inpoteh',
failing to satisfy even the wants OF India ana
most universal oil religious,
the hest ouaifed to inspire and consecrate the
personal and the national life, because as Richard
Rothc has said. il is :" the most mutaole vi al
things" it is able always to enter into new coih-
binaons and to bear FIRE sh fruits anu II refuses 10
crystallize into formul &c and usages. Inc future
of Christianity is a serious problem now Wheh 50
much is being superseded and Is passing away;
but "not vet is the vita! power exhausted whlch
manifested itself so clearly in the rise of the Gath
Ollie Church and again at the Reformation OF the
sixteenth century To this our own experience pears
witness and this the future will proclaim"
EPISODES IN THE LIVES OF MEN, WOMEN AND |
LOVERS BY EDITH SIMEON. IOm"' Up ooo
James X. 0sgood Co.
The chapters of this VOLUME are ed together by
the familiar device of assembling In hoSpilaoie |
country house Il number OF friends whO' al 'ho
masters desire, record in clasped volume stamped
aVignettes some episode OF real experience. buU
if the framework is old there is no lack Oh FRESHNESS
and originality in the fabric displayed upon IT. |
The introduction itself almost novel, there IS
such dainty flavor in its manner and so man
striking fances are interviewer with the sllght
outline of story The episodes have not incident
enough to be called tales they tall for the most part
under the categories mentioned in the prelude,
where we are told that the writers were requested
to set down the description OF scene, moment
q feeling a reflection, something that should be the
Inure entirely their own because of the remoteness
of such yelled confessions from the intercourse OF
ordinary lite" The quality IN which they most
strongly resemble each other is the acute analysis
of feeling Miss Simcox has no little ingenuity III
the in ention of character and situation. but her
personaees always turn their eyes inward with
searching determination, and a selt-peiception
too keen to he quite easy. The philosophy which
pervades the essays is perhaps rather sad, and |
rather obscure, and not altogether wholesome; but
the reader will often lose the consciousness OF 1t In
the charm of the delicate picturesque and suggest
I've style and the brilliant pieces OF description
which fash like an illumination. There are pic
lures of the sea-coast the fields. and the London
streets by night hich would give distinct value |
to the book even had 1t no other claim to notice.