Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-16
THE CRITICS REVIEW.
What is Meant by the Word Nature-A
Book for Thoughtful Readers-OrRnuic
Evolution Considered-Poems by n Pitts.
burr Aufhor-Otber worL.

4 b"
Book for Thoughtful Readers-Orgnui,
Evolution Considered-Poems by Pitrs.
burg Author-Other Works.
"THE World Energy and its Conservation
Is. c. Grlggs & Coy was not written for thu
frivolous reader. And the frivolous reader il
not likely to look twice at it. The book bepar
in an answering to the quertion. What is Mans
Place in Nature ? The first step in the answer
ing of such question is to find out what nature
is. For "nature' is one of those words which
we use in a very familiar way, as If we knew
entirely what 1t means, but which, when we an.
proach a definition eludes us. We get along
pretty well with such words In our ordinary
uses Of them, just as architect handles
stone with considerable skill though he may be
ignorant of geology. But when we get into the
realm of philosophy we have to put our words
| through gauntlet of fcross-examination. What
do we mean That is the initial question which
we are compelled to answer. Thus and thus we
say, such and such words we utter but what do
we precisely mean?
| Mr.. William M. Bryant found at the
entrance to his studies into mans place
In nature that he must know what
nature is. What is the nature of nature?
| To this end he examined the conclusion as to
nature at which the great thinkers of the race
| nave arrived. He found the philosophers d-
| Vlded into two great classes: the realists and
| the idealists the men of science and the men
OF speculation. The representative of one
| schooi is Spencer; the representative OF the
| other is Hegel. Mr.. Bryant found much in
common between the two opposing theories of
nature THE more 1 learned. /" he says, "of
| the speculative method of inquiry on
| the one hand, and of the method of in
| quiry in natural science on the other.
| the more did it appear to me, that so far as
men really think, the method of their thinking
nor only must prove. but actually does prove.
to be one and the same" Thus the absolute
idealism" of Hegel and the "transfgured real
Ism" OF Spencer are discoyeredt to have remark
able likeness. One is the counterpart of the
other. One proceeds by reasoning, the other
oy experiment; one is speculative, the other
empirical; but each arrives at truth, and truth
,siah Always at one with truth One is concerned
Win thought, the other with things, but
thought and things are but the necessary
complementary aspects of the one totalitY of
existence"
a length the conclusion was reached "that
nature is not something apart from mind.
On the contrary. it became manifest that nature
is nothing else than the outer mode of, and
hence has its only truth in, mind" What then
is mans place in nature" II this is natureP
Evidently mans relation to nature is now seen
to be his relation 60 the mind which manifests
itself in nature.
This conclusion has much to do with the al
legged conflict between religion and science
The purpose Of Mr. Bryants book is to show
that there is q science basis tor the reconcila-
ton OF all science whether pred0minantly spec
ulative, or predominantly empirical, with any
religion that is worthy of the name." For
nature, being but the manifestation or outer
form of mind, the world energy the force
which lies beyond phenomena, is personal. 1t
Is the one absolute person."
And SO this follows: ITO bring ones thought
into unison with the established order of the
world-itself a world of reason-that is the re-
liaion Of the intellect; to deliberately bring
ones conduct into harmony with that order
thar is the religion of the will: to harmonic
ones feeling. the entire range of his sentiment
with that order, SO that he delights in doing
whatever Is consistent with the rational world
order-that is the religion of the emotions
And yet these three are but the essential and
complementary aspects of religion in its genu-
uine. practical, concrete Specification"
MI Bryant has written careful, well con-
sidered, and clearly-stated book. 1t is Ques-
tion, however, as to its success IN really
reconciling those two old disputants-idealism
and realism. When we read that there is no
material world apart from the spiritual"
and that ''the socalled material universe is but
the out-puttlng the utterance outer-ance,
the external mode of the divine, spontaneous
energy of spirit" and that 'the world in space
is nothing else than the external aspect of the
world as thought;" when we are offered this as
a reconciliation of ideallsm and realism we are
inclined to set this "reconciliation' by the side
of the compromise" which the man made
with his wife about the color which the house
should be painted. She said "wh1te," and he
said brown" SO they compromised" on
brown!
"ss
A LITTLE book which appeared in 1884 en-
titled "The Development Theory" is
reissued now in a new edition, and with q
changed name as a Primer Of Ddr1Dinisn and |
Organic Evolution lice & Shepard, J. r. Weldin
& Co., 81 25); ]. Y. Bergen and Fanny D. Bergen |
are the authors. The purpose is to present a |
and uncontroversal statement |
of the Darwinian theory. The question is |
stated, conditions Of variation and selection of
variations are considered; testi- |
mony is adduced from embryology. geology and |
geographical distribution; and there is chap |
ter Oh the origin and antiquity of man. The |
style is clear; there are many interesting |
instances, and apt quotations; the book is well |
illustrated. One who wishes to know what is |
said on the other side must go to other books |
This is not discussion but Primer"
Another book on good solid subject is The
Economic Basis o. Protection. q. B. Lppin-
cott & Co.; J. R. Weldin & Coz The author is
Dr.. simon N Patten, Professor of Political
IN the University of Pennsylvania
DIR. Patten Is pronounced protectionist He
believes that-whatever may be the best thing
for England or Europe-the best thing for this
country is protection. He lays down three
premises: First, that the American people are
in dynamic state which means that we are
growing; second, that the American people are
not yet adjusted to our present economic envi-
Our economic conditions. in a land
which touch the frigid zone with one hand and
the tortd zone with the other, and whose shores
are washed by the two great oceans are
wholly unlike those of any other country; the
old theories do not fit 1t. Third that at the
present time there is strong tendency in
America to increase the share in the distribu-
ton of wealth which goes to rent and other
natural monopolies. That is there are other
relations to be considered beside the old single
ones between producer and consumer.
Upon these promises DR.. Patten builds up
me conclusion that we are not ready
for free trade. The trouble with the free
traders, he says, is that they have low ideal
of our national position and prospects. They
Jake it for granted that we have settled down
and stopped growing. The fact is we are just
beginning to grow. The difference between
1ationalism and proyincialsm is clearly stated.
oI ne pest tnlng Ior us to do is to develop our:
selves to our uttermost. to make the most of
ourselves: By and by we may be ready for
E DINNA FORGET" by John Strange Winter;
The Perfect Way, in Lovel's Occult
Series, by Edward Maitland and Anna Kings
ord. and Lyrttn, by Ouida, are published by
frank F. Lowell q Co.
Outlines Of Jewish History is issued by the
Jewish Publication Society of America. The
writer is Lady Magnus. The history begins
With the Jews In Babylon. That portion which
s covered by the Old Testament records and
he books of the Aprenypher is recounted the
eign of Herod has chapter; the war with
rome and the destruction of Jerusalem is de-
cribed. The Roman, and Christian and Mo-
amedan persecution are outlined; the Jews in
spain, in Central Europe during the Middle
Ages and in England is set under the head of |
Darkness" The present age is Dawn"
emma Lazarus is the last name mentioned.
The idea is aneXcellent one, though Dean Mil |
nan had already conceived 1t, and executed it,
he idea is carried out, unfortunately not in |
~ historical Txuo |