New-York tribune., 1902-03-29
WOHEN AND LIFE.
A FRENCH PHILOSOPHERS IDEALIsTIC
DISCUSSION.

THE ART OF LIFE. BY R. de Maulde Ia Claviere
viii, 342. C. p Putnams Sons
The art Of life" says NJ de Maulde la CLAW
ere is the art of drinking for ourselves at the
inexhaustibIe fount of beauty His philosophy
is a gentle and thoughtful one urging the sweet
ening of existence. rle throwing off Of strain
and stress. The right ordering Of the emotions
is the way through which he believes we must
reach the goal and the duty Of exercising II
falls 10 women Much of his discourse is. there
fore directed to examination Of the lnilu-
ence of women on modern life. Woman IS
formed by manly education. then as trans
formed al perfected ny her husband women
are artists in their love of nature, much as the
Greeks were. and as St Francis Of Assist was
We quote characteristic passaer of Nj. de
Maude Ia Claviere on the saints enthusiasm
for universal love:
How great an artist, too. was St. Francis OF
Assist, He never said within hlmset that ne
was accomplishing a work OF ART, bul 10 MN
in his simple. unchecked transports OF en-
thusiasm, all things were love. He could nave
discerned in a stone, as with Rontgeh rays,
spark OF life. Fire and hail snow ana va
pours praise We the Lord" said the Psalmist.
And St Francis also poured out MS "hole
heart I'm sonE. with his sisters the flowers ana
the animals his brothers; every page OF MS ne
speaks of his relations with the lambs ana the
birds He discoursed to the swallows that
focked to him at call, interpreted TO them the
hearty Of their life and drew sOlaCe from their
pipings and the beatings OF their wings
one la-. oroSsiuE the Venetian lagoonS with
one OF his brethren. he passed by a bush vocal
: with song He said to his companion: 'Lo. the
birds brothers sing praise to their creator;
let us therefore draw near and blend our
praise with theirs. singing holy office. Of the
Church
And thus indeed he d;d. chanting in anti
phon with the birds, from time to time heseech-
ing them TO hold silence while he should up
lift his strain. And he discoursed to them, and
blessed them. and bade them iOyOuSly and
RlOrify God in the pure regions of the air. And
himself happy. Il perceive It's Heavens
brethren the birds seem to find SO great COM
fort in beholding us"
After forty nights II sleeplessness st. Francis
fell into a trance and. bidding one Of his
brethren take pen burst forth into a marvel
lous canticle to the sun, a hymn Of human JOY
closing with eulOgy of Death: for to him
Death itself, serene. radiant. becomes Life!
Exquisite song Of triumph the 1ubilate Of this
poor tattered wight this pilgrim Of love:
Blessed be God my Lord for all His creatures,
and blessed above all for our Lord and brother
the Sun. giver OF the days light. Beautiful is
he. and he glOWeth with WOndrOus spLendOur,
bearing witness Of Thee, my God,
Blessed be Thou O Lord. for the Moon sis
ter. and the Stars, Praise TO Thee for my
brother the Wind. for the Air and the Clouds
And thus he continues the litany Of universal
love.
The book is full Of suEgestiveness and Of a
certain elevation of thought that is wholesome
and uplifting. Its value is not in it's consecutive
development OF single train Of thought, but
may be. Of a serene philosophy.