The Portland daily press., 1898-11-08


called ''gray matter" of our cerebral CON-
yoIxtions. "How''-they ask, sscan the
function possibly persist after its organ
has undergone decay" Thus physiologi-
cal psychology is what is supposed to bar
the way to the old faith. But DR. James
goes ON to show that this objection to
Immortality has in strict logic no deter
rent power; that the fatal consequence is
not coereive; and that even though our
souls life Gas here below reveaie1 TO us)
may be in literal strictness the runction
of brain that perishes, yet II Is quite
possible that the life may stsii continue
when the brain is dead.
The second point relates to tine increol-
BILE andhntolerable number OF beings wnoi
we must believe to be immortal II mliior
tally be true.'' "Falth In I'M
mortality demands Of us nowadays scale
of representation SO stupendous tnat QUE
imagination faints before it. and our per-
sonal feelings refuse to rise up ana lace
the task. The superstition we are swept
along to is too vast. and, rather than lace
the conclusion. we abandon the premise
from which 1t starts. We give up our own
immortality sooner than believe that aii
the hosts of Hottentots and Australians
that have been, and shall ever be, should
share it with us in secula secuiorum.
Life is a good thing in a reasonably
copious SCALE but thevery heavens them
selves and the cosJnic times and spaces,
would stand aghast. we think, az the
notion OF preserving eternaliy sucn an
ever-swelling plethora and glut Oh IL
The obvious fallacy of this view DR..
James proceeds to note. That we nave no
use for these people and feel no call Icr
them. is of no consequence, he argues;
for all the while, Leyond the externality
which is our way of realizing them, they
realize themselves with the acutest inter
nality. while we are blind and senseless
in our way of looking on. Because We
have SO little power of sympathy 1t Is
absurd to think that in the heart OF in
finite being itself there can be such
thing as p lethora, or glut. or super
saturation.
81 hopc you agree with me" says LIE.
James. "that the tiresomeness OF an over
peopled Heaven is purely sup]ecoiVe
and illusory notion, sign Oh human
remnant of tine old narrow
hearted. aristooratic creed. Revere the
Maker, lift thine eye up to his style and
manners of the sky and you will believe
that this is indeed democratic universe
in which your paltry exclusions play no
reaulatiye part. Let us put our
hand over our. mouth, like Job, and be
thankful that in our personal littleness
we ourselves are here at all. Ths Deity
that suffers us. we may be sure. can
suffer many another queer and wondroHs
and only half-delightful thing"
However we may differ from DR.. James
upon some minor points, he has certainly
treated his subject with great skill and
tact, and every word of his addresses is OF
keenest interest.
The book is published by Messrs.
Houghton, Mifain & Co.
Another Houghton Mifflin volum Q Is
A Century of Indian Epigrams, chiefly
from the Sansl1rit of Bhartrihari, delights
fully rendered by Paul Elmer More, au-
thor of The Great Refusal. The Foreword
of the book takes the form of q letter to
his friend Irving Babbitt. Esq, with
whom, in the Cambridge days, he had
discussed SO often the life OF the ancient
Brahmins. comparing their doctrine with
the discipline of Buddha. In these trans
lations MIR. More has brought together,
as far as possible, verses illustrating his
own views, and the preface Is by no
means the least interesting part OF his de-
liehtful volume. which tells us what
there is to be known of the life of Bhar-
trihari, the Hindus having cared little for
historical records. But. under his
name" writes Mr. More, 1--WE have a
book of epierams called the Catakatrayam-
or Century-triad, in which he unfolds
in somewhat broken sequence his expert
ence of life. The first hundred stanzas
are devoted to the love of woman, her
charms, yet her baleful influence. He
sings the power and mischievous deeds OF
Karma, the Indian Eros, of whom many
strange stories are told. Karma is q
mighty fisher.
.sThe Sportive Love-God in this worldly
sea
Angles continually;
And women are his hook, their Turing
lips
The bait that hobs and dips"
1--WE greedy fools, like silly, nibbling fish,
Are landed with swish;
And then, Alack! to end the cruel sea
game
Are broiled on loves quick lame.'
While some of the verses devoted to
women are very bitter, others are most
gentle. Sympathetic and romantic; and
from first to last the little work is deli
cate, dainty and charming.
This year Houghton, Mifiin publish
"The Starlight Calendar" compiled by
Miss Sanborn; and while there is run
ming through it all deep and tender note
of pathos. she has kept to the motto upon