The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-10
AN IDOL OF TIE FOOLISH.
Nietzsche and His Work Pass Into
Oblivion
CFrom tae LONDON Athenaeam

(From the LONDON AfheBae,sEn-1
Such repul ation as Nietzsche possessed il
this country is a growth only OF the last
decade a proposal was recently set OF
foot to present the whole of his writings
II an English dress, with ali the adYan-
tages that were likely to attach TO volumes
Of imposing exterior and an apparatus Ci
notes and iEtToductions but although two
or three volumes duly made their appear
ance. further publication was stopped, ap-
parently owing 20 the lack Of any consid-
srabie interest in the author. even among
those who might be expected to take with
ayidlty TO anything that was new and
strange. He was the subject Of a few stray
essays in magazines: his writings supplied
maIeTia! 70 aspiring members Of literary
SOCIETIES, or formed the theme OF lectures
IN clubs and institutions anxious TO be
known as advanced His philosophy be-
came for moment at dinner parties a
fashionable substitute for political OF theo-
logical scandal. But Of any serious or abiG-
ing interest in him, any deep impression
that he had seen truth in 2 new aspect,
there was little trace
Nor is there much real call for criti-
cism upon his achievements. If there is
aay feeling that is appropriate. il IS che
Of pity that a man who possessed some
thing Of the equipment Of genius should
have gone SO far astray ana Jared so mis-
erably His vritings-in general so harsh
and chaotic, so full CT conflicting ideas.
50 vehement in tone. but flashing cut here
AID there in luminous aphcrisn, or ssrik-
ing. as it were, by accident. a note Ct the
deepest human mpathy-speak for them
selves Possibly the subject upon which
he wrote best was art With profounder
insight than was displayed in the defini-
ton CT il as "a criticism OF life" he pro-
med &c ha -
On music too. he said some memorable
things. But the ideas and arguments with
which his name is chiefly associated are
20 be found in other felds-in the philos-
Ophy Of ethics, il speculaticns as to the
nature and constitution OF society. or in
the theory Of religion In this wide do
main it is not too much TO say that he
vas an Anarchist. For him society and
all its sanctions were device Of the weak
for mutual protection against the strong.
the invention of the stupid as a means of
warding off the assaults of the wise Civ
ilizat3on was the greatest obstacle to
progress, and Christianity the greatest
blot on civilization. The hopes Of the flu
ture lay with the "Uebermenseh. y the nah
CT force, nay, Of violence, determined to
make his own personal viii prevail, and.
irrespective of others and rega rdless of
their interests. TO succeed in the struggle
for life"
Nietzsehe's exponents appeal to v has
they are pleased TO call the dec rim +
Darwinism in support Of these vi<ws, AMI
contend. in fact. that he is only carry
ing these doctrines to their logical con
clusion- They appear TO suppose that.
because the httest survive under the free
play of the conditions in the physical
world the dttest in the ethical and So
cial world would also survive # ths-e
too, the play were free: to all app ar
ances perfectly unconscious of thu faI-
lacy involved in sUppcsing that what is
'fttest" in Physics-whIch means only
what is best adapted to the environ
ment-is necessarily il the same plane
with 9 best IN ethics This faIlscy IN
cerlies, and also destroys. Nietzsehe's
whole contention. but it is In virtue OF
his contention, which If adopted would
spell simple anarchy. that he has been
rashly pronounced to be the mcst typical
representative of modern thought.
higher compliment might be pa to mod
ern thought by saying that on the whole
it was not disposed to take Nietzsche's
philosophy in serious spirit