New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-12
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
LIFE AND THOUGHT IN THE skCOND CEN
TIrPY

MARIUs. THE EPfCUKEAN is se NJ %,
Ideas. BY wA,rsR vd IA' svo pe $50, GAG Mac
milan h Co. ,
The slight thread Of narrative which runs through
this poljshed piece of literary art serves 10 n''o
series of exquisite pictures OF Roman society IA
the time of Marcus Aureius, and OF studieS Va INC
religious nd philosophical systems WHICH p'0''o
I'm the capital of the world dufiDg INC 'eoi ne
yesrs Of napauism. The author chooses for his nero
,,o,uc man Of ancient family. of ample accom-
pl,shm~nts, and of serious religions ana ain'aoie
tonnarament: and in describing the associations Oh
Marms and tracing the development OF his mlnu nc
.,rves not only to set before most interesting
neriod in the history of civilization. but 10 Apply
the tombstone to certain speculative ana etnicai
tendencies which in our own Time arc ios"H
some of their lost credit. Inc INTRODUCTORY
chapters present the young Marius In an .'ua0'No
light cnltiyatng in his country home the devouV
Instincts and the habitual recognition OF super
natural power which still fingered among the puiei
and nobler spirits who chung to the dying rei'eon
From the severe dgnihed and CONSCIENTIOUS i'i0 u
the villa with Its solemn and poeticai rtes Vi p.9'
its stimulating intercourse with nature and us us
cpline of quiet and ntrospecton. he passes 10
school of rhetoric in Pisa, and there falls uhder
,o,yerfrl literary influences which have upon the
whole not unfayorable effect in the formation Oh
bs character He contracts warm friendship ior
the Young poet Flavan, whom Mt fa'er in'.ouuS0'
as the author of the "Pervigilium Veneris' anu d
leader in the movement toward 1astiuious io,'nV
ment correctness and elegance OF language VIM"
IN successive ages has assumed large Importance
OF the principle of this study OF the ART Oh
sion-this euphusm-the author makes an acute
examination and defence. Flavian dles oeiore no
hos finished his poem. The episode in which ne
forms the central figure is extremely brilliant ana
-. uda
scr;ntons appreciative criticisms, and q remarkaple
vars;on-nurifed and exated-of the story OF CUPID
and Psyche which the friends are represented rs
reading together in the "Metamorphosls Oh
Apuleius.
Proceeding to Rome Marius receives an appoint
ment at the court of Marcus Aurelius In the
chapters which tell of the youths journey 10 the
eapital of the splendid professions ana ceremonies
which he witnesses. OF his brst interview Win .ho
Emperor and the life of the imperial househoid MI
Pater displays the richness and grace OF MS ar.'
fascinating the reader at every page Ills es'ihate
of Marcus Aureus. both in this part OF the WORK
and In later portions, is singuarly modefate' "o
may say unfashionably moderate; and IN MS ren-
dering of an address of the Emperor TO inc senate
We feel the coldness and insullicency OF stoicism
through all the dignity of the measured phrases
It touches us as it touched Marius. When the new
conrt;ar left the eminent company to which he had
inst been admitted and concerning whose way OF
life at home he had been so youthfuiy curious ana
sought after his manner, to determine the main
trait in all that he had to confess that IL was
sentiment of medocrity. though OF mediocrity ior
once really golden" Marius, in the meantime, hhd-
ing it impossible to believe any longer III inc ola
religion of Numa had sought repose In the Eplcure-
ansm of the Cyrenaic school, not the gross pursuit
of sensual pleasure into which the philosophy Vi
Eplcurus inevitably degenerated, but Denei ho'
unlike the modern doctrine of culture which re-
cards life as the end of lfe and not pleasure but
fitness. completeness of life generally as the
practical ideal of wise living. "And toward sucn
a full OF complete life, life OF various YET seiecI
sensation the most direct and effective auxiilary
must be- in word, Insight, Liberty OF SOUL Tree
dom from all the partial and misrepresentation
doctrine which does but relieve one element III our
cxnerence at the cost of another freedom from all
the embarrassment of regret for the past ana cacu
laton on the future; all that would be out prehl-
nary to the real business of education-lnsight' IN
SIGHT through culture into all that the present mo-
ment holds in trust for u.s. we stand so briefly Ill
its presence From that theory. of Life as the end
of lie. followed. as a practical consequence. the
desirableness of refining all the instruments OF IN
ward and outward intuition, of developing all their
capacities. of testing and exercising oneseu III
them. till ones whole nature should become COM
pick medium of reception. toward the visioh-'ne
beatic vision if really cared to make such-oi
our actual experience in the world" The career OF
the disciple of this Cyrenaicism is described
with. profuson of rich and attractive detais,
pictures of scenery, of town and country me- VI
public worship and amusements OF character anu
of literary circles in which the hasty reader Will
easily lose the course of philosophic development
Indeed it must be admitted that large part OF the
hook has not only the splendor of soothing dream
INT also something of its lovely and placid vague
ness The sequences are always clear; and we re-
main in doubt whether it was logical process OF
Epicurean estheticism or the spontaneous growth
of his natural virtues which at last brought Marius
into relations with the Christian Church
Defective however as the story unquestonably
is at this point, sooner does MI fater Degih 10
deal with the Christian community, still worship
ming i'm the catacombs, but not observing In these
peaceful times the rigid secrecy OF an earlier age,
than his manner assumes fervor and dlrectness Oh
which we had felt the lack before. The poetry OF
che new faith the aesthetic aspects of Christian
life and manners and ritual and philosophy, appeal
70 him with an irresistible charm, and while he
touches directly upon no points of controverted
doctrine and even leaves aside the essential differ
ence between Christianity ana the systems OF
oaoanism his last chapters are illuminated with
new glow of sympathy and strengthened by an I'M
wonted inciveness and energy OF thought. Marius
advances close to the threshold OF the church. but
does not enter It, He loses his life in saving that
of Christian FRIEND and in his last hours his mind
drifts into languid and wavcring train OF refec-
ton which perhaps may lead us to the solution OF
Mr.. Paters problem. For the Cyrenaicism Oh
Marius has been treated all along as careful and
refined culture of the receptive faculties.
Throughout that elaborate and lifelong educa-
tion of his receptive powers, he had ever main
tanned the purpose of o selfpreparation toward
possible further revelation, some day-an ampler
vision which should take up into itself and explain