New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-14

II is refreshing TO come upon a Teutonic
thinker who possesses the happy gift Of
pressing his profoundest thoughts in plain.
simple language. Professor Gomperz gives us in
this volume a rare combination OF depth and
lucidity. Moreover, he can boast style that
adds much 10 the interest Of his writings from
human point Of view. As a general thing the
philosopher. though he may think for the many,
writes for the few. and much that might prove
~ great service to his contemporaries is only
garnered 10y posterity. owing TO the fact that its
form makes it repugnsnt TO the average reader,
and in is laid aside in the stOrehouse of time
until future philosopher, Of less merit, per
haps but % a happier style. whips and polishes
!; into shape that appeals TO the multitude The
Greeks Of Professor Comperz however, are liY-
ing entities like ourselves. with the same feel
ines. thoughts and aspirations. His history OF
Greek philosophy reads like romance, and one
involuntarily passes from chapter to chapter in
II. following the development of Hellenic
thought as eagerly as one would watch the I'M
folding OF the plot in a novel Notwithstanding
this, there is nothing undignified in the profess
sor's treatment Of hts subject; without ostenta-
tiOn he forces upon the reader the abiding
realization OF the fact that he is first last and
all the time a scholar, and that If he writes in
unaffected style it is only because he has
learned the lesson Of the centuries-that sim
plicity is strength.
In the present volume he sets forth the his
tory OF the pre-Socratic period. In his intro
6uction, which is worthy Of the strictest atten-
ton he sketches the conditions and causes that
made Greece the hotbed OF modern thought, and
incidentally attempts to demonstrate what
proves 10 be reeurrent theme throughout the
work-the theory that history repeats itself. He
compares conditions in ancient Greece with con-
ditions that existed in Europe during the Middle
Ages. The resultant picture is perhaps one OF
the most valuable features OF his book, as hint
3ng at the application OF his treatment Of Greek
thought as an evolutionary development. He
then proceeds to show how the story Of religion,
astronomy, mathematics and literature is in
svitablv woven in with the story OF philosophy.
and next plunges with Thales into the sea of
speculation, TO emerge triumphant with the
sophists before venturing afresh with Socrates,
Plato and Aristotle. He does not agree with the
Positivists, as represented by LeTes, in believ-
ing that the Hellenic philosophers thought in a
circle. He credits them with definite achieve
rnents and in their victories he rejoices with
them.
It is here perhaps. that the one weakness Of
the book will be discovered. In his zeal for the
Greeks Professor Gomperz lauds all highly and
some too much. For instance, not every student
Of Grecian thought will agree with him regard
ing the merit Of the work achieved by AnaXa
goras and Zeno. In his defence, however, II
should be said that too many historians look at
the past through the eyes Of the present, and
are apt TO sheer at the views and doctrines of
the Rncients as trivial. whereas II must be re-
unenbered that many an apparent triVialty
really marked an advance in thought. Those
were the days of the beginning, and philosophy,
IS everything else in this world, began in very
humble way Moreover, if Professor GOmperZ
- occasionally overenthusiastic II must be &C
know lodged that he has succeeded where so
many others have failec-he has put himself in
the place Of the Greeks has step by step passed
through the stages of mental development
through which they. a nation, passed. The
wonder. therefore. is that he did not use even a
more lavish brush in depicting the story of
t1recian thought. that he did not lapse from
realism into artihciality.
one Of ris most interesting chapters is that
which has do with PythagOras and the
P,thagoreans. II is especially interesting in
view Of the fact that Oriental philosophy is to-
day invading our shores through the media
more particularly, Of the Theosophists and the
Nedantists. The doctrine Of the transmigration
Of souls is thus more familiar TO US than ever
before. and admirers OF the religions of India
win be pleased TO learn that Professor Gomperz
holds Pythagoras 10 have borrowed his theory
Of metempsychosis from India rather than from
Egypt. as has been the common belief The rea-
sons advanced by the Niennese scholar in sup
port Of this contention are not only curious, but
impressive and go far to combat the theories held
by those who subscribe TO the Egyptian view Of
the case or who maintain that Pythagoras origi-
mated the doctrine for himself. What makes the
authors plea all the more aluring is the careful
analysis he has made OF Pythagoras's work as
whole and the logical safeguards he has erected
around the harvest of this analysis. In fact,
analysis seems to be his strong point. He is an
adept in the art OF picking 70 pieces, Of disclos
ing the substance beneath the form. In some
cases notably where Parmenides is concerned,
the work OF analysis is so intricate and abstruse
IS 10 compel even his clear diction to appear
rnornentarily involved, but even in the case Of
Parmenides he succeeds in gracefully olsen
tanglng himself from the verbal net by which
ne had seemingly been enmeshed; and the mod
srn philosopher who elucidate Parmenidess
doctrines viii have many shortcomings forgiven
him Worthy OF especial notice, too, is his
handling OF the atomic theory. and his explana-
ton IN connection with Hecateus. of the man
ner IN which the spirit Of criticism and scepti-
cism entered into the historical studies OF the
Greeks. But most of all is his power OF analysis
shown in his Interpretation OF the teachings of
Protagoras as found in the few fragments left
by the Philosopher OF Abdera- In this connec-
zion Professor Gomperz makes very interesting
suggestion-that the famous Greek work dealing
with medicine and entitled On the Art
written by none other than Protagoras.
In perusing Greek Thinkers II Will be we'll 10
bear in mind the fact that the author has had
at command many facilities for research not en-
joyed by his predecessors in the realm of the
Interpretation Of ancient philosophy. Archaolo-
gists have OF recent years laid bare much that
has cast entirely light many ques-
tions and doctrines long since thought settled.
When II is remembered that Gomperz has