New-York tribune., 1896-12-01

The first sentence in Professor Johannes
Rebmke's "Grundriss der Geschichte der Philoso-
phie yum Sebststudum und FUR \orlesuhse"
Berlin Carl Duncker; New-fork, q. r.. S'eche''
indicates his aim philosopher, ana oi''c"'
tiates him at once from the majority OF meta
musicians The word philosophy" a: the pree-
ent DAY. according 10 him. desgnates par'cu'"
science-not science generally, as N the ume Oh
Plato and Aristotle He will have nothing 10 90
with the Science OF Sciences spoken OF b. others.
especially by some Of the French thinkers.
Yet he need not restrict his specua'o's ''''
closely since this particular science or MS mas io'
,,s object the world in general. and Tor ns pu'
nose the correc. elucidation OF tho worih anu "'
ufe His definition does not require MN 10 iea'c
any ancient or modern philosopher ou' vi n''
digest OF philosophic opinions But ne ha'u'""Y
,,os roore nages 10 Aristotle than to Plato. Hume
considering the comparatively small bniK OF "'S
writings receives large attention: bur ;hen hume
r,as vorld-shaker and he awoEe Kant, ana
l. ant is 10 Dr. Rehmke IS 10 the DINERS 'he P''o"i
figure in modern philosophy ana me ms'o'S Vi
nhilosophy To Kant the author devo'"s hea'y
as long a study as to all that have followed Nan.
I'm Germany down TO and Including LOVE- anu
tIerbart and OF post-Kantian metaphysiciahs o"'-
is % corn,an,. he saws not a word. Thus il will
no seen that his idea Of proportion ana historic
nerenectiyc though good. Is exclusively '''ih"''
A more compact guide in the history OF ph"oSoP"s
readers might look for long in vain.
Volume " completes Moncurs D. Conwdy's edi-
.,or of .The Writings of Thomas Paine 90. T.
putnar,s Sons) and puts the reader IN possesslo1
of all that remains OF the destical essays IN
cluding "rhe Age Of Reason. 1hc reh'"''
rerusaI Of these papers awakens a feeling OF sur
nrise considering the present state OF theoioeica
sc,epca at the bitterness which they evoked
Noarlv all of Paine'6 learning can be tracer 10
hools that are waymarks In the evolution ol
,bouy., and study about the Bible. II ne had
written without conjuring up the eehc'"'"
century bogy Of priests and priestcran' ana Id" /
mt his illusions to the Founder OF thris'"'"'y
merely in the form that common poiteness sus-
eested he might have passed for the popular 1ore-
runner OF the Higher Criticism His opinion tha'
ca,es,e had n. least two authors Is no longer
startling In fact the only thing noteworthy apou'
II s that he puts II forth as the result OF his o"
coritation not in express words but IN MS "ho's
manner Of treating the theme
A useful addition to Mr. Conway's work woHio
have beer a list Of writers before Paine who rad
.,,,c,nated the criticisms and arguments wh'ch
ba concentrated in 1.-The Age OF Reason Snch
a list would by no means be confined 10 de's's So
called However. Mr.. Conways introductons a'o
notes are interesting for the light they cast on ths
traits OF n ma1 who was more amlable without a
nen than with one. After observing casual re-
merk or two OF Paine and reading some OF the
satrical poems which he wrote. the reader may
conceive the idea that tho angry satirist but good
Churchman Dean Swift, furnished strong ele-
ment in Paine's literary training. and the Deans
bark was much worse than his bite as everybody
knows Paine hated royalty as much as he did
Christianity or the Jews; yet Mr.. Conway has re-
covered letter In which ne deals very kindly with
the Regency OF the Prince OF Wales at the time
when George III insane though personally
the Regent was obnoxious to him. Paine wrote
with more dignity too. in full view OF prosecution
encountered by bookseller who sold THE Age
han he did In book itself
contributions to free-thinking newspapers. But he
IL everywhere worth reading because OF his skill
IN putting his thoughts into the words OF the
common people No writer OF English Is his supe-
ror in this respect.
The contents OF this volume are various. There
are two pieces respecting tina; famous iron bridge
which Paine invented. and noteworthy auto
biographical fragment from the Lenox Library.
In which he shows how little he profted by his
earnest labors for American independence. There
are some letters. too which reveal the genial side
Of his nature.