New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-21

THE DISEASE OF THE CENTURY.

rom the he second Edition Of the German WORK.
octave. Pr. XII, ~, l. Appleton " CO.
Often the diagnosis Of disease is potentially
Its cure. A consciousness Of the meaning Il vice
springs from consciousness Of the meaning Of
virtue, a proposition SO obvious as not t. need
restatement except in the face Of such misun-
Outstanding seems to oVcrtake many a reader
OF Herr Nordaus book The criticism in that
book is destructive. but his very brusque Ger
man is far from being the Needless conDclast
who figures pOrtentousy in hasty estimates IL
his work on the contrary his assault upon Ger
tain current enthusiasts is at bottom an afii.r-
nation of sound law. Upon his las, page he
quotes with justinable pride the solemn words
Of Matthew: Think not that am come to de-
stroy the law. or the prophets; am not come
to destroy but to fulfil" It is well for the reader
to ponder these words at the outset. for they
undcrly the argument from beginning to end.
Nordau's rhetoric is hamboyant. t. say the
least; but. 1t happens. that Is minor point.
and nothing could be more shortsighted than t.
condemn him offhand because he speaks with
almost shocking emphasis. because his trenchant
journalistic style is fierce to tho point Of bru-
tally and c0arscness He IS vituperatiyc
because the abuses he attacks are not Of a sort
to be argued with softly. He attempts to sift the
trash which has been getting Itself accepted OF
late under any number Of high-souni.ng names,
symbolism. impressionism. realism. naiuralism,
Ibsenism and thousand other sms; and when
considers how tho so-callcd dccadents Of
Paris and London handled by most con
temporary critics timidly. even respectfully. one
Is ready to forgive Nordau his contempt. He
sees art literature. music. serving IS vehicles
for emotions which arc inmical 10 society. Trac-
ing them to disease, lie uses the scientific direct
ness Of "A medical expert. and ne urges the lat
ter's remedies. Medical science does NOT hest
tate to suppress murderer becaus" the man
kills from an organic impulse Impossible 10 re-
s!st 1t holds him irresponsible out it confines
him 50 that his craving shall not work damage
to others NoTdau regards his prose writer's,
musicians and other patients from similar
point of view. He asks pointcdy whether art
IS to be a sanctuary in which men are to be al
lowed to give rein to any emotions whatever. on
the score of "sncerity" He constitutes himself
a policeman Of aesthetics. Officers Of the law
are famous for the bluntness OF their speech and
manners. But behind them looms the law. which
means the greatest good Of the greatest number.
Nordau's right OF arrest may be called in ques-
ton but only IN case he fails to prove that his
cuiprts are really diseased, and therefore in a
condition threatening to the public good. ANY
one familiar with the state of affairs which could
tolerate Verlaine In Paris or Oscar Wilde in
London. would be likely TO grant our German
critic his authority at once. Nevertheless IL is
expedient to scrutinize his Indictment closely
He draws il against one Of the most lusive
and privileged classes Of modern society, against
the hyper-cutivated diletanti Of Europe. against
intellectual and aesthetic faddists everywhere
but he draws II along lines for whose source one
must 20 to the most unfattering department OF
the clinic I.ombroso was Nordaus master
this book Is dedicated t. him. and il Is frankly
am application of his principles. Students Of
hyster.a must know those principles well. BY a
patient analysis Of nnumerable cases the noted
alienist Of Turin has traced the minutiae Of
mental disease to their physiological source. and
he has given to the different characteristics Of
hvsteria in each case more tangible significance
than was realized before. II, has sought to I'M
rayel the may threads Of excitement by which
the lunat.c or hysterc is controlled; and In clari
fying those threads his observations have led
TO new subdivis Of criminal anthropology.
He has extended the limits of he study Of
dementia. and has made 1t possible TO anayze
phases Of mania with greater exact.tude. EN-