New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-21
An IDOL OF THE FOOLISH.
NIETzsCHE AND his WORK PASS INTO OBJ
LTVION.
From The London Atheneum.
L4IVION-

From The London Athen8um.
Such reputation as Nietzsche possessed in this
country IS a growth only Of the last decade. a
proposal was recently set foot to present
the whole Of his writings in an English dress
with all the advantages that were likely to
altach 10 volumes OF imposing exterior and an
apparatus Of notes and introductions but, al
though two or three volumes duly made their
appearance, further publication was stopped
apparently owing to the lack of any consider
able interest in the author, even among those
who might be expected take with avidity to
anything that was new and strange. He was
the subject Of a few stray essays in magazines;
his writings supplied material TO aspiring mem
oeTs Of literary societies or formed the theme
OF lectures in clubs and institutions anxious
TO be known as advanced. His philosophy be
came Tor moment at dinner parties a fash
I"hdbIe SUBSTITUTE for political or theological
scandal But Of any serious abiding interest
in him, any deep impression that he had seen
truth IN a new aspect, there little trace.
Nor is there much real call for criticism upon
his achievements. If there is any feeling that
is appropriate il is one Of pity that man who
possessed something of the equipment of genius
should nave gone 50 far astray and Jared so
niserably- His writings-in general so harsh
and chaotic. 50 full of conflicting IDEAS Vehe-
Tn=nt in tone but flashing out here and there in
luminous aphOrism, striking, as it were by
accident, note Of the deepest human sympathy
SPEAK Tor themselves. Possibly the subject
upon which he wrote best art. With a
profoUnder insight than was displayed in the
definition Of il "a criticism of life he pro-
claimed it the great incentive to life" On
music too, he said some memorable things. But
the IDEAS and arguments with which his name
felds-in the philosophy Of ethics, in specula-
tons as TO the nature and constitution of socie-
", in the theory of religion In this wide do
main II IS not too much 70 say that he was an
Anarchist. For him society and all its sane
lions were device of the weak for mutual pro-
lection against the strong, the invention of the
stupid as a means Of Warding off the assaults
Of the wise. Civilization was the greatest obsta-
Gle to progress, and Christianity the greatest
blot civilization. The hopes Of the future lay
with the ''Uebermensch, the man Of force, nay,
Of violence determined TO make his own per-
sonal VIII prevail. and. irrespective Of others
and regardless Of their interests, TO succeed in
the struggle for life
Nietzsche's eXponents appeal to what they are
pleased 70 call the doctrines of Darwinism in
support Of these views and contend, in fact,
that he is only carrying those doctrines to their
( logical conclusion. They appear to suppose
that because the fttest survive under the free
play Of the conditions in the physical world, the
( nttest in the ethical and social world would
also survive if there. too the play were free; 70
+ all appearances perfectly unconscious Of the fal-
lacy involved in supposing that what is nttesr'
in uhysiCs-Which means only what is best
I adapted 10 the enViTOument"-is necessarily in
/ the same plane with best" in ethics. This
faUacy underlies and also destroys, NietZsche's
whole contention. but it is il virtue of his con-
tenti0n. which II adopted would spell simple
anarchy that he has been rashly pronounced to
be the most typical representative OF modern
| thought A higher compliment might be paid
to modern thought by saying that on tIe whole
il was not disposed to take NietzSchs'f phnoso-
ply IN a serious spirit.