New-York tribune., 1907-04-10


the Angel Of Gloom wrestles with the Angel of
Strenuous Resignation and is finally thrown
with thud on the Steps Of Life: and the GAL
lery OF critics exclaim in uncertain raptures at
ehe hnish; 1T is magnificent. but IL is not
philosophy
headable and consolatory as Hilty's essays
are the candid critic must sorrowfully warn
the pubic against them, for the following rea-
SONS Ihey are not sermons, addressed TO re-
hslous persons peculiarly. nor, on the other
hand' are they effectively critical essays; they
are private impressions of the most casual sort,
but handed down like divine DEGREES. In this
DAY and age man VINO says that 1.-THE way to
happiness is ever plain and open to air.; that
the lmmanence of God is but another name for
aIheishl that we must have sorrows because
misfortune is really in most cases the only
means to salvation: that women follow. al
most without exception, the character of their
family; that public judgment about a. man
seloom goes astray," and that the wide diffu-
sion of photography has been very injurious
lor the knowledge of human nature'-a man
saying all this convicts himself of about every
CRIME IL the philosophical calendar. The critic
paGuons everything, though, up to the point
"here the essayist says that "the character Of
women can very woli be judged from their treat
ment of flowers" The critic refuses to be en-
ticed up the Steps OF Life by soothsayer.
Nevertheless Hilty's mind is interesting. be-
cause it is a perfect type OF thoughtful but un-
trained intelligence. 1t proves that constitu-
uonal law throws no light upon philosophy and
psychology. A blend of common sense and un-
common faith long experience and impulsive-
ness, deep. courageous faith and laughable Gre
dulity, the essayist gives the public that most
futile kind of literature. impressionistic phi
losophy
II is relief to turn to unadulterated credulity
in The Psychic Riddle; for here at least will
ingness to believe is not marred by anxiety TO
speculate. Mr. Funk automatically separates his
reVeTies from the main chapters of his book
under the head of appendices and Chips"
He is first concerned with evidences of spirit
life found in his many medtumistic experiences.
Certainly he recounts wonderful tales of disem-
bodied ghosts. floating voices and wireless te-
lepathy. the truth of any one Of which would
knock out half the cogs from the wheels of
ordinary thinking machines The lamented
Richard Hodgson contributes largely to the
mysteries by messages 10 Professor Hyslop. and
Professor Hyslop declares that every condition
making error or fraud possible was eliminated
from the tests in which the late secretary of the
Society for Psychic Research manifested his
unworidly presence.
Mr.. Funk's complaint against those who ridi-
cule psychic research is. as a general PROPOSE
ton, well grounded. There can be no justilca-
tion for the attitude taken by many intelligent
people against the scientific inv stigaton of
psychic phenomena. And yet Mr. Funk HIM
self has pursued methods which must bring
down upon him the suspicion. if not the scorn
of scientists. His Investigations of the best
mediums have been conducted-how and where?
Under the eyes of psychologists? In specially
constructed laboratories? No: in the presence
Of two or three interested friends who called
themselves critical skeptics, but apparently had
no technical training in the manipulation OF
scientific experiments. Why is II that mediums
shun psychological laboratories? Can II be, as
Mr.. Funk suggests, that the experimenter must
have faith or be IN psychic sympathy" with
the medium? or that light IS a physical him
drance 10 spirit manifestations? i priori such
suggestions have certain value. but they do
not remove all suspicion from the performers
Mr.. FunlSs book is mentioned here along with
philosophical ones because IL illustrates most
beautifully a common philosophical sallacy
upon which nearly all modern splrituausm is
based. Mr.. Funk. like nearly all his fellow be-
levers, infers from the phenomena which he ac-
cepts the existence Of intelligences foreign TO
us who can communicate with us" Any ANA
teur materialist though. could glbly explain
every one of Mr. Funk's facts as manifestations
of physical laws similar TO the well known ones
of magnetism, induction radiation and the like
Some spiritualists, such as Professor James adj
nit the logical soundness Of such explanations
but think them less plausible than the spiritual
istic ones. If the issue reduces to a choice be-
tween two equally logical hypothesis though
the man who has followed the tremendous ad-
vances OF physical sciences and the ever increas-
ing exactness with which mental life Is inter-
preted a function Of that mysterious alive
substance insultingly called matter" will smile
at Mr.. FunlSs conclusions.