New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-01
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
SPINOZA.

sPINOZA
THE ETHIo OF sPfsozA. Translated rom n,,, sne
Latin by WILLIAM HALE WHITE Pr Z'' ~"'"'''''
Whether Il was worth while to put tho "Ethic" Oh
Epinoza into an English dress at this time is qcS
ton which concerns the translator ana puD"snoA
mos. uearlv It's indeed true that the apprecia-
ton of this philosopher has lately H.
creased among thinkers, bnt 1T Is hardy
possible that his system should ever acquire any
popularity Ia lifc and long after. he suffered I'M
jus coutuIely because the intrepidity ana breadth
of his reasoning could not BIO endured by the mario"
and bicoted orthodoxy of the time To-day many
OF the positions which were then denounced as
a,hcistical are accepted even by the churches In
truth Spnoza never was an atheist but on the con-
trary bis religious conceptions were too lofty and
broad for his age And his philosophy is distinguished
both from that of his predecessors and successors py
its affiliations with those Oriental schools OF
Thought whose influence has until recently Deen
denounced by Western thinkers. For though nc 10
constantly insisting upon the predomhshce VI
the reason in the conduct of ie yet he sets out al
ways with the assumption th4S Ia
tutional knowledge may DO OF more Vaiue
than experimental. And though his doctrine
of spirituality cannot be said TO be orthodoX, III Is
certain that all his argument Is addressed 10
demonstration of the necessity Oh thaJ kluu Va
mental cultivation which modern thought agrees
TO DO the best preparation for future state Oh eA
Istence Aud it is interesting 10 observe now
Spinoza's idea of immortality corresponds with
speculatons which have been brought forward as
novelties within the past twenty years splnoza
held That there are degrees IN immortality; that Is
to say that the duration of the soul might be e1-
tended by the cultivation in lie of the higher men
tai attributes and faculties. Take in Illustration
the scholium to proposition 80 part t. IN when ITO
says: THAT death is by so much the less Injurious
20 us as the clear aud distinct knowledge OF the
mind Is greater and consequently as the mind loves
God more. Again. since from the third KIND OF
knowledge wiz, intuitOnaD there arises the high-
est possble peace it follows that it is possible fer
ths human mind to be of such nature that that
part of il which we have shown perishcS with its
body, in comparison with the part of 1t which re-
mains is of no consequence The line of argument
by which Spiuoza demonstrates the direct connec-
ton between the human mind and the Divine essence
is in some respects not accordant with more modern
PHILOSOPHY which las reached the conclusion that
all speculation concerning the essence ana quit
butes of the Supreme Being is frultless, ana Oh
necessity barren. But Spinoza is more consistent
than modern philosophy In that nc takes INTO ac'
count those ntuitional forms of knowledge which,
however ignored by philosophers, have always eX-
listed and have always exercised a potent lnluehce
upon human thought and action. HIS Vows OF
evil and vice are certainly more Oriental than Oeci-
dental, even though these pecularties may nave
ORIGINATED in his mind. In postulating evil as
necessity of the constitution of nature. not to be
denounced, but TO be reckonsa with like am other
natural phenomenon, he exposed himself 10 mlscon-
ceptions aud Lisrepre sensations which were newt
able in that stage of intellectual progress Yet
though modern speculation has come round " many
of Spinozas conclusions. and though he Is entitled
TO the honor of n pioneer in these regards,
it must be admitted, even by those VINO
admire him most that his thought Is
no means clear. Notwithstanding tho osiensiole
precision of bis geometrical methods; that his ter
anthology Is obscure and often bewildering. and
that his style is anything but luminous or attrac-
tive Mr. White has done his best in the transla-
ton, and no doubt he is justified in asking tn c
reader who may here and there complain of OBJ
security to remember that perhaps the Latin
may also be obscure" In fact, Spinoza,
like all other philosophical writers, Is
apt at times to confound words and
things with the usual results of false conclusions
and perplexity to the student. The readers of the
"Eth;c" however, must, in the very nature or
things always be few. The great majority, even OF
students, will prefer to take their ideas of Spinoza
from his mentators and fIoIn the various his
tories of philosophy now obtainable. Those who
are capable of axing their minds by the perusa Of
Rants Crtique may indeed find Spinoza's "Ethic"
light reading but even the most profound and i'm
portant reasonings upon the highest of subjects lose
much of their force and value when they are OBJ
secured by an involved phraseology and made
tedious by iufelicity of style. We may state that
the present translation is furnished with an index,
which is the more useful since the volume has a.
table of contents.
TyST TINE RJOPNCDN