New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-11-14

soon took Thereafter in his essay he discusses
simply the artists attitude toward the problems
OF government. or rather the Ideal ATTITUDE Oh
the Government toward the artist Stabiity Is
the intrinsic tendency OF the State constituting
the uncC:3cious aim in every h'gher human
effort to get beyond the primal need. namely ID
reach freer evolution of spiritual Attributes
which is always cramped so long as hindrances
forestall the satisfaction Of that first root need
The voucher for this fundamental law lies in the
monarch.
In State is there weightier law than
that which centres its stability in the supreme
hereditary power Of one particular family. uh-
connected and uncommnsling with any other
lineage in that State. Never yet has there been
constitution in which. after the downiail OF
such families and abroRatiOn or the kihSl!
power some substitution or perphrass has not
necessarily, ard for the most part necessltousiy,
reconstructed a power Of similar klnu IL
therefore is established the most essential
principle OF the State; and as in 1t resides the
warrant Of stability. so in the person OF the
King the State attains Its true ideal. For as
the King on the one hand gives assurance OF the
States solidity. the other his loftiest inter
est scars high beyond the state. Personally ne
has naught in common with the interest or
parties. but his sole concern is that the CON
lict Of these interests should be adjusted pre-
cisely for the safety OF the whole. His sphere
Is therefore equity. and where this Is unauain-
able. the exercise of grace (Gnade). Ihus. as
sentative Of purely human interests. and in the
eyes of the party-seeking citizen he therefore
occupies In truth position well-nigh super
human To him Is consequently accorded a
reverence such as the highest citizen would
never dream Of instantly demanding for him
self.
The reverence which the King commands
Wagner traces to VAIN" sort Of semi
conscious and pleasurable illusion. which he
compares. following Scbopenhauer. with the in
stinctive impulses noticeable in insects like bees
and ants. which mpel them to provide for the
perpetuatiOn of the community even at the ex-
pense Of the individual. In political life this
VAIN is patriotism. 1t is not necessary to
go deeply into this. Certain It is that the fan
tastic notion had always strong hold in WaS-
ner's mind Hans Sachss second monologue In
Die Mestersinger' is devoted to its eXplota-
ton and when Wagner after his years of
homelessness. built the mansion still occupied
by his widow In Bayreuth he named it VAIN
fried" because II there that he had found
surcease of his "Wahnen." Enough has been
said TO show that the essay. cCnfessedy writ
ten for his patron-King and not printed until
nine years afterward is a plea for monarchy.
which, in view Of his address to the political
club and the letter to Won Liittichau. easily finds
its explanation. in spite OF the democratic spirit
Of all his writings in his almost fanatcal de-
votiOn to art to which he was always willing to
look for the regeneration Of society. The vol
ume also contains the essays on German Art
and German Policy" first published In 1SiI.
and What Is German" which. tho ugh II may
have been written early as 1SGI was not
printed until February. 1878 when IT appeared
in the official organ Of the festival plays. the
"Bayreuther Batter" These papers constitute
the political portion Of the volume TO which.
following his earlier example Mr.. Ellis has gone
for a specific title. The remainder OF the book
consists of the short articles on w. II. Riehl.
Ferdinand Hitler Rossni and Eduard Devrient.
the admirable essay on conducting already ia
mar to English readers from Mr.. Edward
Dannreuthers fine translation and four short
poems ITO the Kingly Friend" "Rheingold,'
ION the Completion Of Siegfried and "Au-
gust 18th 1870 ION the foundation Of the Ger
man Empire). The excellent features which
have been commended in the earlier volumes.
preface. Introductory AM footnotes. summary
and index. again attest Mr.. Elliss zeal AMI
good judgment