New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-17
NEW PUBLICATIONS

~, porca has here doyeIoped doctrine of philo-
sophlc ideaiisn from the starting point OF "hi' -
called modern doubt. Scepticsm he rcsards "' no'
only an important characteristic OF 'he phioS"Pl0
spirit but as the very foundation OF poSi1,Vo 'ys
tenn He treats first of the search for Moral ldea.
onn attor considering the various solutions OF TINS
problem proposed by dogmatlc Christianity oy "
trr;s,n and NV epoism as well rs the desparlug
sprre,dcr Of the pessimsts and declaring all tneSe
answers to be self contradictory ana uhsa'siyi"e'
he finds the desired ideal in Moral Insight, that is'
in the realization of the true inner nature Oh GER
tain conflicting wills that are actual IN the worio'
II ia ont of scepticsm itself that no draws 'ni'
piipciple. Ethical sceptcism Is hesita''oh 10
sultipg from the realization OF seVelal opPoS'"s
ends. and from simultaneous reproduction Vi 'no
wills that aimed at them. If absolute ethical scep
t;c;sm were possible 1t would not really be inc
total absence of moral aim butthe neutrality wmch
must result from o provisional acceptance OF al
the conflicting aims in the world of action ana IL
would still presuppOse end, namely 10 harihoh-
ize ali these conflicting aims. Its own aim "ouiu
be harmony and unity of conduct. ana tnereioio
ethical scepticsm is self-destruct1ve. III coll
tains moral doctrine in its own heart Morai ih-
sight involves the will to act with strict regaro W
the consequences of ones act for all the moments
and aims that are to be affected by this act; III
other words to mould ones conduct according 10
the universal WILL As applied to the organization
of life, moral insight teaches us to work Tor the
bringing of humanity into harmony with the uni
yersal will. "Our vocation, whatever IL DE, must
not end simply in increasing what people call the
aggregate happiness of mankind, but in giving hui
man life more interconnectiOn. closer relationship
Therefore we must serve as we can ART, SCIENCE
truth, the state not as if these were machines Tor
giving people pleasant feelings, but because they
make men more united. When we urge or seek In
auct do an
because such independence is a temporary means
whose ultimate aim is harmony and unity of all
men on q higher plane In all this we must keep
before us very often the high ideal that we are
irving to approach And when we judge OF good
action we must say, not that this was good because
it made some happy. but because II tendea
directly or remotely to realize the Universal WILL
But man needs some stronger support than this
ethical ideal; and in the second part OF MS WORK
Mr. Royce passes on to the search for Religious
Truth. By a system of reasoning parallel with that
of the first part although somewhat more eiaD-
crate he arrives. through analysis of the nature
of truth and error necessary conceptions at the
existence of the Universal Thought, which COM
bincs the thought of all of us into an absolute
unity of thought together with all the objects ana
all the thoughts about these objects that are, OF
have been or will be. can be in the universe.
1t may be imagined that In discovering universal
Will aud Thought our author has discovered Goa,
and he does venture aud then to use term God
for the Universal Thought. But lit is not the 1od
of very much of The traditional theology and 1t is
not God the creator; does this infinite ideal
appear to have any tangible concern with mankind
MIR. Royce refuses to define his system as either
Theism or Pantheism, and as for such religious
problems as immortality, progress and the ultimate
triumph of goodness in this world, he processes
himself an agnostic His argument is often ab-
struse but his style 10 remarkably clear and at
traclve.
THE BUNTING BALL 4 Grgco- American american Play Play.
trations by c. ID. WELDON. Funk * Wagnalls
"Socjetyn so-oaled, offers abundant opportuni-
ties for SATIRE though satire has never yet exer-
cised the least influence upon it. from the days Oh
Juvenal to the days of THE Bunting Ball" The
great but unrecognized world which is outside the
pale, however will always find amusement and to
some extent consolation for its exclusion from the
penetralia, in censuring those follies and mean
nesses when nevertheless continue to find SUCH
eager imitators. The author of 1.-The Bunting
Ball. about whose identity perhaps needless air
of mystery has been thrown, has attempted a
somewa at perious and daring feat in undertaking
q long rhym cd satire on a semi-classc model with
choruses after the Greek STYLE The plot is slight
but sufficient millionaire Western pork pack
er's wife and daughter, returning from Europe,
give ball on Fifth Avenue. inviting everybody
though they know nobody. The daughter has fallen
In love with a poor dry-goods clerk, and elopes
with him during the ball, returning. married, to
assist in dismal deAouement. The father, impa-
tient of the restraints imposed upon him, slips
away to JON some congenia friends at neighbor-
ing bar room returns than mellow, and
makes dreadful scene. These outlines afford OPP
portunIty for several choruses. by dudes" Anglo
maniacs. bellies wall-howers and gossips, in which
extremely candid confessions are made relative to
the underlying motives of the respective groups
classes.
TIE versificltion indicates practised hand. II
is throughout easy, smooth, light and for the most
part graceful The satire is often sharp, though
polished The imitation of the Greek style is suffi
ciently clear for the neral purpose. The poem
has plenty of spirit and sparkle, and regarding the
work as a whole the labor and skill employed APP
pear too considerable for the Importance of the sub
jcct 1t is O necessity of the case that the people
satirzed are always the last to comprehend and
appreciate the rdicule aimed at them,
and "The Bunting Ball." though GER
tainly clever and very neatly turned.
will probably not discomfort, if indeed its
existence is known to, the shoddy aristocracy.
whose ambitions and failures it describes the
gossps and dudes" whose malice and whose in
antics it censures still it must be admitted that
it is we'll done, and that it conveys much whole
some truth in vein of light and flowing persifage.
The illustrations by Mr.. Weldon particularly
good the sketch of the gossips being really full
yuggestiveness and life while those of the dudes !"
and the gluttons only less meritOrious. The
book is handsomely printed, and with taste. The
publishers offer reward for the discovery of the
author; presumably trade device which may or
may not prove profitable. The Bunting Ball /" is
good enough to stand on its own merits, and even