New-York tribune., 1907-11-16
GERMAN ASPIRATIONS.
Professor Kuno Francke on His
CoUatTymen.

GERMAN F1i IDEALS OF TO-DAY. BY Kuno
Francke.. Svo. PIP. 341. Houghton, Niifiin & Co
PROFESSOR Francke loves his native land
100 dearly TO remain calmly critical while
discussing German ideals. In his preface
he admits that the temper of these pa pers
Is frankly propa gandist they wish to arouse
sympathy with German views OF pub
uc life, education, literature and art" If the
miscellaneous nature Of the essays here re-
printed works against this patriotic ambition,
their high literary and scholarly character does
SO far more certainly. Writing for converts
Professor Francke gives us a series of critical
studies OF the PHILOSOPHERS of Goethe. Schiller
and that hero OF the Germans, Emerson; the
evolutionary trend of German literary criticism
the inner life Of German sculpture. the study OF
national culture and group of lately current
books and plays A rather heavy dose for the
Innocent objects of salvation. particularly in
view of the writer's fuency in German philo-
sophlcal dialects! Taken apart from their
somewhat fictitious aspirations, however, the
essays should prove readable and instructive to
persons already somewhat familiar with Ger
many and her people. One must know the po-
litical affiliations of the writer as we'll as his
philosophical leanings In order to profit by
reading him. Professor Francke is a stanch
nonarchist and ardent idealist from these
standpoints he discerns the one great ideal of
ell German political parties to be social JUS
tice," the Socialist talk about German republic
TO be so manifestly mere catchword, or at
best so shadowy dream OF immature brains,
that it need not be seriously considered; and
he sees German wishes for non-partisan gov
ernment being realized by the present admin
istration. Social efficiency is the ideal in Ger
man education, and sympathy for all life"
UebenSbejGhWHg) the ideal of German art The
Church. alone of all institutions. is unstirred by
such modern progressive Ideals; "and here lies
the fundamental antagonism, the cardinal para
dox, of contemporary German life Nowhere is
there greater chance. wider opportunity. for
the Church to become spiritual leader than in
Germany. No people is at heart more deeply re-
ligious than the German"
Outside the opening essay and the studies of
Goethe and Schiller. Professor Francke speaks
on his theme only by indirection. In the essay
on The Evolutionary Trend OF German Lit
erary Criticism we learn much about the cogt-
tations Of a coterie OF specialists, among whom
Vclkelt with his psychological theory OF
tragedy, occupies first place. And in the acute
Sketches OF Contemporary German Letters
We find six works OF the most various sorts
reviewed. Hauptmann's "Fuhrmann Henschel."
Michael Kramer" and Der Arne Heinrich"
Sudermann's "Dle Drei Reiherfedern." Wild
mann's Der Heilige und die There" and Paul
sens "Philosopha Militans," taken in detail. and
a horde of other work touched upon in passing
give Professor Francke good grounds for con-
Guiding that Germany is in the midst of another
great Romantic movement. And with this
philosophical ideal. the comprehension of the
world in It's totality." the choir of German as
piratlons Is filed out.