New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-10
ANIDEALLZED MINORITY.
MR. BRowNELDs FAILAcIoUs CRITICISMS.

MR. BRoWNELLS FAILACIoUs CRITICISM
FRENGH T ~ On h MSSS iamo. PIP 40,
Charles scHbnor's Sons.
In the pseudo-realism Of the so-called French
nnturalists" effects are sought and the sembIance
OF philosophIc justification is produced, by putting
forward the worst and lowest types as repre-
spntative of society and a civilization MS OF
oours,, Is unfair and misleading but scarcely IL
nj all more so than the method employed py MI
BrownelL who throughout his essay appears 70
take the best types as representing the "hoie
French Nation. Perhaps the most destructive
criticism on his book would be TO the following
effect all that he says Is true of some Frcnchmen,
but scarcely anything that he says is true OF all
Frenchmen. He must indeed, be credited
with great industry and ingenuity Some
would also. credit him with large powers
OF observation, but we must hesitate
here. for 10 us his observation appears quite as
often as not perverted and fallscious eaalng
characteristic Of his criticism is the tendency 70
Qeneralize hastily. and that is foioe almost
necessarily fatal TO scientific observation ana soDer
conclusonA In tho present instance 1t is so
marker 40 quite 10 overcome the natural enect OIL
manner obviously intended TO convey the I'M
presSion of restraint, moderation and importantly
Ayain and again we have found ourselves brought
% n halt by the singular combination OF seemingly
cautious and reflective comparison ana actuelly
extravagant and baseless assertions IhH1 MT
Browneh Is writing against general impressions
which he knows to be deep-rooted and believes to
be mistaken, may partly account for his too APP
parent bias and for the audacity OF many OF ms
nosItions, but his total lack Of the genuine phil
osopbio mental attitude none the less wealens and
vitiates his conclusions.
His study Of the French people, as he would
mt it--of q small number of the elect OF Pars, as
we should put it-.has led him 10 number of
remarkable opinions In oil that makes Ire worth
living he asks us TO believe the French people are
far IN advance Of any other nation In manners
in morals In taste, IN art in social amenltes, In
refinement, in everything except domestcity ana
noetrv. they lead the world, Every trenehman
we are gravely assured, from the highest 10 tho
1o1vest is born with an endowment Oh good taste
wholly denied to the Teutonic peoples. Every
Frenchmau has natural feeling for art and recog-
MFRS good work In IL nstinctively Even the at
mosnhere of France Is artistic and accords with
| and stimulates the elear-mindedness which the
| French possess above oil others. All TINS, and
mnch more TO the same effect Mr.. Brownen en-
| forces with abundance Of ingenious ana opposite
| illustrations There can be no question about
tbe interest Of his discussion, though his style Is
omen 20 objection. being less lucid than SO close
4 student Of the lucid French mind should have
been content with, and being also parred no
| ouently by the employment Of barbafous words,
snch as solidarity (which is neither French nor
Fnglisb. The gist Of Mr.. Brownells argument Is
,o Tho effect that the social instinct Is dominant
| IN France; that 10 has made conyentionaiism the
chef influence eyerxwherei that this regard for