New-York tribune., 1895-02-17

counts for this defect in a measure by saying 'ia'
II was characteristic. Still another consideration
is that there manifest signs OF reao'i's s
for the purpose Of working up the DOOM III
these matters the contrast with Amei IL harAe"'
The Swiss professor not only lover OF nature
bu, delighted in the careful description OF places
which ne had seen. II quotations occur III MS u''
essays they evidently come unbidden. III ne "e'
tons book which he has just been readihg' .hc
criticism IA apt 10 show n departure from MS
habltual line Of thought rather than stuuieu ap-
pr,xnation to It, These peculiarities OF o.ephe',
AIlard do not prove that he Is the creation OF
anothcr's brain, but they give him shadowv anu
dubious aspect The question OF MS reah'y Ut u,'
reality is not one to be solved o1-hand. IL "ou'u
no unjust TO express an opinion too decided on
probem which readers VIII perhaps 'ahe Pied'u'e
in solving for themselves.
stephen Allard's reading wide as this oook SHOWS
II to have been. nevertheless restricted 10 wr"
irgs that deepcned rather than d'spehed MS neia'
cho.y He gave signs or acutehess as et'''' "''
on,v in the one line which all his thoughts were
bont The books which he read snow "iue anse
as to time and place though natural'y co'e,"s
WOO, ,bickv certain mystical periods. tnat OF .>so-
Platonism for example. and Buddmsn. "o'''' .
stocism and French sentlmentahsm' nc ~
much with Goethe and frequently visits 'ne Paee
~ Marcus Aure,ius. The books that he has reau
are not usually those written IN youth he - W
of experiences which rghtfuly associate WIZ" s'''
bairs and a cracked voice. To estimate MS own
character many deductions must be maze. ror '"''
diary IL os;ensibly the record oil youth Ao1''
indeed has it's experience. 1t Is sometimes io'e
cynical than middle life or old age 1t speaks as
II IL were conscious Of all the ages that lie oeh'nu
n But It's words and tones Initiative az RUE
II exaggerates its own maturity lest II seem ia"
and unsophisticated. On the otner manu. IL "'"''
be remembered that some men are porn o'd "eh'"'
on the lips OF a boy in his teens speaks sometimes
with all the authority of the centuries But IL Is
,,otap
cbcose a more difficult mode OF existence ana eH-
pression The philosophy of melancholy IL, az mas
been said monotonous. When everything Is TAKEN
away from stephen Alard that he has borrowed
he is seen to be not unlike other young men vi
delicate tastes and meagre fortunes. He cannot get
al the books and pictures and music 'hat he ue
sires he cannot have a fine estate ana oeau'iiu'
SURROUNDINGS; he cannot be Idle and dreamy but
must devot, a part OF his time to faithful WORK
IN order 10 earn his living. II he could ony con-
vince himself Of the fact he Is really to be enVieo
He Is better than the place to when nature mas
condemned him. He has aspirations Which are
worthy and sooner later. in spite OF III heaith
and a defective physical organism. he may hope 10
attain some OF them. But his defects conquer h''
He takes Amiel's cue and mourns not merely 'ha'
ne never married. but that he was never IN rove
IL does not TO him that he might nave cu''l-
waited a hatred or two. Tho one passion VIII sur
ore up and keep awake as efectuaily as 'he
othor II really does not matter az HES END. IL
YOU have done your work WELL whether you did IL
by dnt OF bitterness or sweetness, ana IL VIII no'
make the slightest difference In the length OF the
PROCESSION or the euogy AT your funeral Inc
rnelan holy man gives his case away when ne
writes about his affections. His reader has been all
the While drinking In the philosophy and wondering
what a soulful person this soulful young person
must be-ani al at once here falls tangie worse
than A witch's forest. Of primal passion and the
physical basis Of life and the corporeai origin oi
mental states 1t is pretty reading: but II 1t proves
ANYTHING Il proves that man Is no better than
roIvn which may also have its loneliness and Its
d,sappointment in life. As to the other primal
passon hunger it is remarkable how rarely IL
ngurcg I'm the confessions OF the modern esoust.
Perhaps Stephen Allard had too ltte TO eat or 100
much Both extremes are dangerous TO mental
se.fpoisc At all events. It did not occur 10 MN
,ba, details ON this point would be Indispensable
N any attempt at cure or prevention. IL one eats
we'll sleeps wei. does his stint OF work IN the "oru
and ls still melancholy then ne has better right
n cav that the word IL wrong than he would have
II ne were only sleepless and dyspeptic
But Stephen Allard IS not to be understood as
h,ap,,nr the world His melancholy is not wholly
undesirable He would cure II. but In his own
way He has his opinion. looking over MS DOCKS.
that the world has better things In store TOT men vi
his kind He looks TO a socialism modihed acco1u-
ing 20 his own for relief 1t Is curious 10 see
how individual socialism Is; every man has MS own
sys,crr az one.. every man had his own god But
FOR himself he must perforce have recourse 10 the
Old remedies a little love. a little art htue
humor A little pride little courage. little honest
belief that selhshness Is not the whole OF h'e'
lite constraint on the tendency TO mediate about
problems that insoluble. The prescription uoeS
NOT prove eflcacous He is really too much In love
with his moodness 20 abandon IT, III ne were not
sad he would be sad for lack OF sadness. pneumonia
solves the problem for him. His last Thought is:
Il have loved wisdom but wisdom has faiea ana
would fail me let my sole wisdom be the wisdom OF
love let me that there Is unity behind anu IN
difference that there IL some reconciliation oi
,.,r,no and haoniness that Love is Lord OF AL"