New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-28
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

~ d
BY Leslie stephen. l2mo. PIP. $50 o. T. fu'-
MANS sonsJ
The author Of these papers is one OF the most
brilliant, trenchant and uncompromIsing of the
band OF English Agnostics He has entered the
lists frequently to battle for his night not TO
believe, and he has at all times caused his advcr-
saries. no matter who they We're. TO bc"aI"
of him In truth. he is one OF tie douehtc't
champions of that peculiarly ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
doctrine according to which we know nothing ana
cannot know anything, and ought not, cohsc-
quently, TO attempt 10 know anything. Ilie
Agnostics ably represented by MI. Leshe
Stephen could perhaps hardly have a better text
book of their faith than the modest volume before
us. II is a condensation AMI iecapitulation OF
all that has been or which can he said against
the Supernatural
And if those who continue 10 believe That
there is a Supernatural desire TO meet the keen
and cogent argument here set forth with great
dialectical skill by Mr.. Stephen, il is clear
that they must in the first place refuse TO meet
him upon his own ground. If they fail in this
precaution they will assuTedly be discounted IN
any argument which may cnsue; for if Mr.. Stephen
is granted the premises he demands, le Is thence
forth invincible. But in truth this CONSIDERATIONS
uKderlies all polcmic of the kind ConioVcrslaIs'S
who occupy Numerically opposite POSITIONS can
in the nature of things never meet. III all s"ch
cases moreover the one who Yields points and
who makes concessions is lost. In order 10 bring
about a state Of ratiocinatioN promising more
than the mere beating Of tin pans, winch mas
during too many centuries passed Tor COZ roNelS@'
il is necessary 10 determine as " sine qua non
precisely about what the dispute is held.
Our modern ontologsts seek to block ont all
inquiry in certain directions by asserting an IN
capacity Of attaining knowledge in those regards.
Rut in making that assertion they necessarily join
issua with another body of equally earnest seekers
after truth who have affirmed, during ages. tina;
the knowledge so declared unattainable Is really
not unattainabl bic: but that on the contrary II
can be and il has been attained. Ii Is not, IN
Iced given to every philosopher. as II was 70
Kant TO hold briefs on both sides of the question:
though Kant is by Means the only modern
thinker who has reached the conclusion that what
his like regarded as baselcSS speculation might
after all, represent profound truths III Wo""'
indeed be interesting, and perhaps suggestive. TO
inouire into the relations between the most uncoh
fined and icoroclastic MODERN thought and wna'
ia called mysticism; for il is precisely at this
point SINGULAR as il may at first appear, tha'
Acnosticsm and Belief approach common Pol"'
of view and cease 10 he irrcconcllablN h'>'Hc
OF course the Agnostic seems to be ylcidihS H''1c
or nothing at first: but really whch lie S""'''
this point he has lost his invulnerahlllty' ana
exposed as other men 10 the chances OF oa'ue'
Mr.. Stephen practiscs little art-peri"pS
forensic art would apply-in selecting HIS p'Si-
tion He appears the meek ana uhaeAics'i'v
critic who desires only TO live at peace VIII" an
the world and only seeks 10 lie let alone an
he claims is the right TO deny everything Ni'''"
cannot be proved; TO eschew old wives tables
+n assume that the most important factors IN
human life are beyond the reach OF human
..;enoe Let others believe they choose II"
and his house will follow agnosticsm ana ne re-
s;oned 70 whatever ensues. But unhapplly tno>c
other neople who will insist on believing lncr'ul-
hle things cannot be persuaded to let the poor
Aonostics alone They will keep calling names
and using bad language, and they Will oSS'"o
q superiority which, in the peculiar CIRCUMSTANCES
Il is quite impossible TO admit. All TINS requires
IN be set right and so Mr.. Leslie stephen goes at
the work. ICON amore," and in tho clever papers
here reprinted from The Fornghtly" he lays the
whole edifice of belief, religious and supernatural
in ruins and pets believers with the fragments
until they should look round nervously for shelter
Now of course there will he plenty of answers
IN MIR. Stephen probably there have been al
,.adv Bnt these or any such answers viii be
totally ineffective until and unless an attempt Is
made bv the believers in ii higher life 10 establish
fhor nostions more securely. In tie Mridi"
Arcs the Schoolnen undertook this, but their
efforts were maIred by the concenltal defects "l
their whole ratiocnatve SYSTEM SuI the lddlN
ia there and can be utilized by any VINO see 'he
point: and modern science let us ada' has "'l-
consciously thrown out several very strong al"
striking lights upon this whole matter Men Oh
science often do not perceive whittier their re-
searches are tending, but there really is curious
however slow, "rapprochement' between some
very ancient and some very modern doctrines
and the real tendency Of all this though at pres
ent il is little perceived, is 10 reinforce human
faith in spiritual life and all that belongs thereto
ESSAYS like Mr.. Stephens play their part IN
bringing about this change, though at the moment
they may seem merely to strengthen the current
OF materialism. And one reason Of this is that an
argument may bc so complete as TO de.troy IT'S
own force: and this happens when dspntaht,
by appearing TO leave no standing aground for an
onnonent forces the suggestion INTO the MIND OF
TIE reader that ne has created situation 70 suit
Simself This we submit, is what many think
era will be apt TO reflect after perusing MI
Stephens brilliant essays and such ideas generate
reactionary thoughts and schemes Of thought.