Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20

clared to be. and proved to be. dynamic in
all the ideal aspects of modern life. Hall
hundred years devoted to the study or
the Greek people secure TO the author a
background fawless in web, rich in tex
ture and detail. perfect in finish. The
material and spiritual life OF this peo-
ple-manifest in their literature. art.
science. Iolitics, sociology. law. philos-
ophy-is set out with the ample freedom
and wise restraint of lifetime of init
mate intercourse. Each OF these aspects
of national development Is gathered up
through analysis of its nature with Illus
trations of its forms and uses. and then
moved on up into the present with proofs
abundant that the enduring qualities or
many Of our greatest idealists in litera-
ture and art rooted I'm the genius OF
the Greek people Some OF the later,
larger aspects, also. Of politics, sociology,
law. are traced. apparent reversions,
to the same prolific source, The book
has intrinsic literary. historical and eth
ical value. It's chief interest. however,
lies in the classic harmony of thought.
feeling and purpose that exists between
the author and his subject
THE WINE OF THE PURITANs, 4
study of Present-day America BY
Van Wyck Brooks. New York:
Mitchell Kenner1ey.
America has had no childhood and, as
yet. has had no old age. Unlike any
other great race, the American type has
evolved in the full daylight OF modern
history"
This Is the basis of a discussion be
tween two American men in Italy on a
midsummer afternoon. 1t is a discussion
that explains the progress of Puritanism
to the point when America suddenly
ceased to be New England" and the
widest dreams OF Boston became the
facts of San Francisco.
American rationalism is n disease. 1t
is this insistently rational attitude which
gives to Americans that curious appear
ance of being always on the surface. and
which suggests a certain transparency in
all our thoughts and acts. as II, indeed,
had behind us no complex undercur-
rent of social relations" For most OF us
living means getting living. I'VE never
think what life is. We are continually
intent on what life brings. An Ameri-
can man who is forbidden by his doctor
to work ceases to have q place in the uni
verse. So long a man Is busy we seldom
ask whether he Is busy to any distinct and
good purpose-we instinctively feel that
he is right. We leap from one interest
to another, entirely forgetting the first
interest in our enthusiasm for the second
II is owing to this phase OF our national
characteristics that 1.-THE editors and the
managers have learned that the one per-
manent thing Is impermanence. and VINO
reap their harvests by watching for
everything that has topical value.
These are but a few traits. many good
some bad and all interesting, that make
up the American type. according to two
clever American critics who focus the
country from the long-distance viewpoint
OF Italy on a summer afternoon.
THE PROBLEM OF HUMAN LIFE: az:
Viewed by the Great Thinkers from
Plato to the Present Time. BY Ru-
dolf Eucken. Translated from the
German by Williston S. Hough and
, w. r. Boyce Gibson. New York:
Charles Scribner's Sons Washing
ton: Brentanos.
So important q work needs critical
study to gain a just appreciation OF Its
worth. 1t is designed, as the author
states, to afford historical confirmation
mined by life, not life by conceptions. A
signal evidence Of Prof. Eucken's ability
to accomplish his task is the Nobel
prize for literature which was awarded to
him in 1905. Students who are debarred
from reading the book in the original are
indebted to the transators. each OF whom
assumes the entire responsibility Of his
share of the work and both Of whom have
"set accuracy before all else" Parts one
and two. on ''Hellenism'' and on Christ
tianity,'' respectively, and the author s
preface to the English edition have been
translated by Prof. Hough OF George
Washington University. Part three. on
1.-The Modern World. and the introduce
ton have been translated by Prof. Gibson
OF the University of London. assisted by
Mrs Gibson. No review could give a COM
prehensive insight into The Problem of
Human Life but the most casual
glimpse through Its pages must convince