New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-30
SCHOPENHAUER
HIS OWN TIN COOLING.

LIFE OF ARTHUR sCHoPENHAUER.. BY W Wal
lace. 16mo, PIP. 217. London: Walter Scott
The biographer of schopenhaucr has peculiarly
difficult task for at the outset he must encounter the
dictum of his subject, that those who, instead OF
studying the thoughts Of a philosopher make them
selves acquainted with his life and history, are ike
people who, instead Of occupying themselves with a
picture arc rather occupied with its Frame rehectng
OH the taste Of It's carving and the nature Of its gliding
Professor Wallace has his best to neutraze TINS
criticism by drawing freely from the works Of his
author and the result is life which gives clear II
not an entirely Just and comprehensive view OF the
philosopher of pessimism. But IL may be c0ntendcd
that schOpcnhauers idea of biography Is really FAR
less true as regards himself than from general point
of vew for II is difficult to Understand several things
in his philosophy without some knowledge of the man
and his habits Of action well Of thought whereas
in great many cases authors writings are apt to
be the better appreciated the less We know OF the
writer's personality. Arthur Schopenhauer was from
the first peculiar and with strong mlsanthropic ana
pessmistic bias. 1t Is possible that II he had been
obliged to make his own way In the world he might
have acquired healthier views but he was provided for
at an early age and life of leisure guaranteed TO
him. The main facts OF that life arc too well known
TO require rec1pitulaton. lie evidently predestncd
10 ceIibacy, for one holding the opinion he did of
women could hardly have married without self-stulti
fcatlon II was fortunate for some woman that he
remained bachelor, for it is not possible to imagine
such man making a wife happy
All bachelors, it has often been said, are selfish.
though the saying like every generalization is too
sweeping Tlmldity and sel,-dstrust probably often
operate 10 prevent men from marrying, but nothing
of the kind Influenced schopenhauer whose dominant
note always was arrogant self-conldcnce. The world
did its best u cure him OF his ngrained conceit by
snubbing and ignoring and laughing at him. When nc
set himself up privat Decent" and undertook
enter into open rivalry as lecturer with iiegel and
Schelling the students left him alone and noched TO
the classes Of the teachers whom he denounced and
desD,sed When he had published his magnum opus
The philosophers and the public agreed in taking no
notice of it, so that he worked himself into the belief
that a conspiracy of silence had been organized
against him. and bitterly complained Of his treatment
But-and no doubt partly because the man really
possessed some spark Of scnius-Eothng could daunt
or discourage him. soured lie undoubtedly was. but
by temperament much more tllGn by experience, ana
il was impossible for him TO take any other than
cynical and suspicious view of life. one seldom en-
counters a colder or more intensely selfish character
than that of this philosopher, who held that the only
salvation Of his lay In the cN;irpation OF selfish
ness Such paradoyes arc indeed not rare, but they
arc always interesting lie seams never TO have known
What love was Ills attitude to his mother was that
NJ a harsh and intolennt critic Though he wrote en-
Enthusiastically Of his father it Is plain TO be seen that
This was due 10 the underlying idea that his father had
recognized his genius in making life smooth and pleas
ant for him.
Professor wallace devoted but single chapter 10
schopenhauer's principal work. "The World as VIII
and Idean and the space accorded TO the subject
nerbaps Il conld hardly been better treated But
the book really requires much more enc dation tah ths
bopraphor has GWEN IT, ard In respects his repre-
sentapns are apt rather to milead than TO enigncn
The part played by schopenEauers studies III the
Upanishads for example. seems TO us to be INSULT
GENTLY emphasized. schopenhauer himself does not
appear to have realized how much he himself was in
debted TO Asia for his root IDEAS. lie thought he was
following and expanding the speculaions of Kant when
in reality he was only adapting them TO his Hindu
model. The truth Is that The World as VIII and
Idea" is founded upon that defective version OF the
Asiatic doctrine which WIS alone open 10 western
scholars at the time. Professor Wallace Is right III say
ing that Schopenhauer read between the lines with
really wonderful insight. lie did so TO certain eX
tent But when he lived nothing but the mere outline
of Hindu philosophy was available and his mistakes
we're consequently as notable his perceptions Great
confusion introduced to his principal work by his
vague and indeterminae use OF the term "Will,' by
which he represented sensations and desires. His
notion OF World-will, moreover was not clearly
worked out If, indeed such notion ever could be. In
rejecting great Prime Cause he fell into sort Of
bastard Panthesm and his doctrine of blind Necessity
called for the selfcontradctory conception OF an a-
tomato undireced, yet intelligently acting, Force.
Intellect 1t Is true he assigned 10 man Alone but his
World will operated with all the marks Of intelligence
and 10 what only be described as conscious end
Taking the Buddhist view of life TO a certain extent
ONLY lie completed the doctrine for himself by applying
remedy for the assumed ills OF existence which, II his
premises right, must be utterly impracticabe.
Having proved to his own satisfaction that life not
worth living he proceeded 70 discover Of emai.
clpaton. since all existence was deducibc from the
strength and persistence Of the desire will to live
II .l..f. .st.., 49,
In the conquest of this dominant desire. That con.
quest accomplished. The great spring and susaner OF
life would be eliminated. aid In short time the race
would die ont But he felt that something more than
mere disgust with life necessary TO rouse into
action force capable OF resisting the Unconscious or
subconscious will TO i've ard he skecbed a curious
metaphysics, combining the Ideas Of the Buddhist
Sirvana and the Christian Heaven. \ stranger more
marvellous conception was peyer framed The mys-
ticlsm Of the medieval scs Is here mingled with
the philosophy of the UpSnsshads and the Bhsgnvad
Ghta, while dash Of modem spirtualsm Is thrown In