The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-01-13
Great Books .s -
- y of the Century

Z
! fsifoalrn and Professor stanley Hall. on
Tie Creates Books of the Century" The
problem as to which are the creates, books
means TO US. rs we presume 1t means to the
! outlook which arc tho books Of the century
h1i viii produce the most permanent ef-
/ fests, NOT those which are he most beautiful
I works OF art still less those which have
made tho creates. sensation In their day
4 How difienlt this problem is those only
4 who have attempted sane estimate OF the
wosld's literature can knew In an interests
ius poem Arnold has sa,irized the constantly
recurring Judgment OF hssty and Super
fcla' young generation which would hustle
| ficm the stage thc grave figures Of the past
ana I'll their places with the men of the
now age But VIII these new men endurc9
The history Ct our century, as OF centuries
before ours. IS strcwn With the wrecks ot
splendid regulations that caught thu form
and spirit CT the passing hour hut not the
snifit Ct the world in It's long travail and
It's eternal secrets. We suspect that tha
lest Judgment on our century may not be the
irhsmen Of the years Immediately 10 come.
~
Bot TO come to these actual criticisms, in
which each writer surely crl,iciscs hirnsoI
Wo agree VITA Mr. Bryce that the Nineteenth
century does not compare with the Eigh-
I teenth a century OF great ana powerful
single works Gibbons Decline and Fail. -
Rousseau's "Contrat Social" Mon,esauieus
Esprit des Lois" Smiths Wealth Of Ma
tions" Rants "Kritik." Ilume's essay
each is luminous mage IN thu history NJ
the humaa mind; men win DO reading each.
as VIC may safely predict; wheii the close
| Of the next century comes almost as eagerly
al now. Even some OF the lesser works OF
the Eighteenth century, such as voliaire's
| "cahdide" Lessings "Nathan," Gold
smiths Vicar of Wakefield" are sure TO
last! they have that easily brilliant style
and these lucid ideas which characterize that
wiss and serene century llut has our over
wrought era any corresponding works to
| show? Have We had tho leisure to be wise?
Does the Nineteenth century in It's literature
realize with Shakespeare that ripcness is
am"
L IS significant that both Mr. Bryce aud
Tho other writers, while differing in many
respects agree in placing Darwn's "oriein
Of Species among the great books Of the
century. They could not It is true, have
done otherwise. but the inclusion by oil o.
this great work indicates the real task OF
the century. II is in science, not in ar, or
poetry or pure literature or oven in phil-
osophy that the true soul OF the century
has expressed itself No critic will certainly
ignore the poetry Of century that has heard
the yro Of Goethe, Wordsworth Keats. BY
| ron. Shelley. Victor Hugo, Berauger. De
Mcsset Tennyson, Browning--,o name but
some Of the lords Of song. Bat VIC fell that
none Of these quite strikes the peculiar
roe OF the century as does Darwin. The
| revolution which tho author OF the "orgin
OF Species" made is fundamental and per-
manent; the new ideas OF the process OF
nature WHEN he has given to the world will
/ go SPINNING down the grooves Of change"
when men ure no longer found reading lies
/ Cnatiments" or the "Idyis of the King
~
The Nineteenth century is above all a
century Of science and Darwin is its SUI
preme exponent Think Of the revolution
wrought in our thoughts about nature since
| presley omigrated TO Pennsylvania and La
/ vosier perished on the gulllotine Think OF
the work done in geology by Lyell, in chem
isrv bv Lehig and Pnsteur in physics by
He mholtz in mathematics bv Cayley, in
physiology by Huxley, in our moro ultimate
conceptions Of the universe by Grove and
Clerk Maxwell All that will be, IN The
long run, counted 10 us of the Nineteenth
century rs our supreme achievement; and
tho one work which will be most representa-
tive. most powerful. most convincing in
method and general result, VIII, We may be
sure OF it. be parwin's Origin of Species. >
we
a. sea Shall we place philosophy next? Mr..
Bryce does; he gives the second place to
/ Hegeis "Phlosonhy Of History Other
/ writer's agree ae regards Hescl hut they DIFF
/ fer as to tho particular work. Dr. tIadley
! OF Yale university prefers tae "Eneyclopedia
ni the Philosophical Sciences, pr, Fairbairn
+ The "Losie," as also does prof Hall. while
7 Or. Tucker Of Dartmouth college votes for
tho Philosophy of Religion" /! seems 10 us
thu. as a basis for the new method, which,
agree with :, or not. as VIC may, has per-
nlanently affected thought. DR. Fairbarn and
FRO. Hall are right, and that the Logic"
viii Gutlive the more derivatiye ''philoso-
phies' Of history ana religion. In any case.
( We must include Hegol among the revolu-
tionary forces Of the century We should
hero fellow Or. IIadley and put in word
for Schopenhsuet.
~ q
We mus, recollect that England is not
tie world, and in Germany and Russia Die
wei; ais Willie and vors,ellung has I'M
auestlonably exerted immense influence. Mr..
Bryce questions on this very ground the Right
To include either Carlisle Emerson or Rus
kin reither has been sufficiently read in
nor English countries But ;hon we might
md II hard with him 10 include Wordsworth.
Wo agree as regards Ruskin, but surely the
/ famous ADDRESS to Carlisle on hts s0th birth
+ Aoy as well as Goethe's famous praise aud
~ Taine's strong criticism, may be held to
prove that sar,or Resartus" at least is
ono OF the great books OF The century. IN a
lesser degree We should be Inclined 10 say
the same OF Emerson's Essays" hailed by
Matthew Arnold as voice oracularr and
acclaimed alike in France and GERMANY. No
English critic would consent to- omit the
Lyrical Ballads" and the Excursion" as
lending more than any English poetry since
I Milton to deepen and ennoble life and With
Ina verdict perhaps so eminent French
xri,c as NJ scherer would asree
Mr. Bryce and one or two other witnesses
4 see that. next TO physical science. new rriti-
esm Of life in the realms Of history and
1 sociology has most affected thought during