The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-01-01

BROWNING'S PHILOSOPHY.
Last Eventng--sOme Doctrines of the
Great Author ExpIat ed - Short Sketch
of tho Speakers Personality.

| of the Speakers Personality.
"Browning's Philosophy of Life" was
! the subject of an interesting lecture by
1 DR.. Slicer, pastor of All Saints church,
New York, before the Mems club of the
| United church last evening. The
speaker should not only have a thor
ough. familiarity with the works of the
great author, but large insight into
his teachings and the lecture proved
one of the most instructive Of the
many that the club has listened to
during the past year. AS interpreted
by the speaker, Browning's teachings
were full Of interest even to those pres
ent who had had little or no acquaint-
ance with his works. In addition DR..
Slicer, in number of cases, limited at
difference of opinion entertained by
himself o. The subject under discussion,
and in mai4y other ways held the COM
plete attention Of his audience.
Browning meant by the philosophy of
life, the speaker said, the conscious re-
lation which we hold to the universe.
Life which flows from the loom of vi
tality is a different thing from the life
that is joined piecemeal at the edge.
Such a, life admits of no philosophy.
What we observe in nature, namely
that all things grow from the center
outward, is applicable to human life.
It, too, grows from the center outward.
For the most part the vast body of
people in this world have no real joy
in life, for they are always foreseeing
its termination and they are afraid to
let go. They have a lingering suspicion
that they will be able to make better
terms with life If they hold on. This is
not life's philosophy; 1t is dire neces-
sity. In Browning we find no recognl-
ton of this necessity. He does not
make such terms with the universe as
he can, he compels the acceptance Of
his own DEGREES. In this feeling of
Browning we find his undertaking OPP
tmism. Browning would not say that
this Is the best world, but that this is
the best world up to date. 1t is not
ripe world in which we are living;
even the surface Of it Is cooling yet;
but to say that 1t Is a green world is
to proclaim our own lack Of observation
OF what is in 1t.
There Is room In the world for every
body except to dynic, so Browning
thinks. The cynic unpales himself
upon the sharp point of his own dis
content. find 1t very easy In speaking
of Browning's optimistic view of the
world to turn a.srloral lens upon the
cynic. Browning was not cynic, but
an optimist, as | have said. He knew
that there Is neither side to every
thing, and right here lies the secret Of
his optimistic philosophy. The cynic
covers himself with the garment of his
disgust and WEARS the neither side out
ward. He then looks abroad and Won
ders how he can sleep in the presence
Of such disorder. Browning sorrowed
over the neither side of life, but he re-
garded it from the inside, and set him
self to smooth it out as much as posi-
BILE. In his philosophy he knew that we
cannot do great things as God did
them, but rather according to His pat
terms. Browning said mo pain, no
gain"
Here the speaker said his optimism,
If he might be allowed so to speak,
was of a different sort than Brown
ing's on this question To his mind
pleasure did not begin where pain ends.
But he added, "Browning's optim-
Ism Is what we are discussing now, not
my own"
TO resume, the greatest difficulty in
the study Of Browning's philosophy of
life lies in his seeming willingness to
take 1t as it came. But those who crit
icise this fault of Browning must go
farther. To Brownings mind stagna-
ton is the worst possible sin. He
thought lalssez-faire the greatest evil
with which man is threatened. The
rule of Browning's philosophy was that
every experience Of life should be taken
at its true value. He realized that
nothing helps to get so much out of life
as to nourish it, to feed 1t with tea
spoon, as 1t were.
The governor of New York state a
short while ago at a mothers meeting
Continued on Eighth Page.)