The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-12-05
EMILE BOUTROUX AND
HIS INSPIRING WORK
Author of a Book on William James
just Translated by Barbara and
Archibald Henderson,.

Archibald Henderson.
One day last May, while aimlessly
saUntering along the Rue du Septem-
Ire 4, l saw in a boOk-stall an inVlt-
ing looking volume, bound IN gray,
entitled William James," 1t pore
across the front the
white band with the inscription, pub
lished Today" Needless to say. l
bought a copy and found myself
eagerly reading it as l walked along
the street. No clearer mark of the
appreciation which William James has
Won outside of his own country is
needed than this book, h first book
about William James published since
his death. That this book should have
been written by an eminent French
philosopher and published in Paris
such a short time after James's death
was conclusive proof, if any were
needed, of the great cosmopolitan in
fuence exerted by the most notable
philosopher this country has ever pro-
duced.
Not long afterwards I attended a
reception given by NJ. and Nine. Bou-
troux at the Foundation Theirs, 5
Rond-Point Bugeaud, Paris. It was.
I fancy, q typical gathering Of the
intellectual world Of Paris, diplomats.
vi Ifoii IilC " III AiiS
Ecole Normale n the Ecol
Polytechnique, accompanied by
their wives and sisters, with
a large ~sprinkling of young people.
men and women chiefly advanced
students engaged in research work I'M
der the direction of NJ. Boutroux. I
talked with NJ. Routroux about his
friend, William James, who's grand.
genial face looked Town o us from
the wall of the study. ! then learned
that M. Boutroux was the guest OF
William James in Cambridge, at the
time NJ. BOutrOuX gave a series Of lee
lures, as exchange professor at Har-
ward University some years ago M.
Boutroux was pleased with my COM
mendation of his book, and courteous.
ly welcomed the suggestion thai it
should be translated into English. At
q subsequent meeting, it was arranged
that the book be translated into Eng
lish by my wife and myself. And
William James's publishers in this
country. Messrs. Longmans, Green &
Company, are now about to bring out
this translation simultaneously in
England and the United States.
M. Boutroux is the director Of the
Foundation Theirs. an institution which
provides financially for a number of
young men of limited means, to enabl
them to prosecute advanced research
for a umbe of years. 1t thus serves
as a sort of connecting link between
h university, where the pensioners
are recruited, and the Institute of
France. M. Boutroux's works in
philosophy are we'll known, English
TRANSACTIONS Of some Of them being
published both by Duckworth & Co..
London, and the Macmillan Com
pany, London and New York.
M. Boutroux was appointed Director
Of h Fondation Theirs in 1902. He
is an officer of the Legion Of Honor
and Of Public Instruction, member of
the Institute of France. and nor
Professor in the Faculty of Letters.
University Of Paris. He was educated
at the Lycee Henri ". and the Ecole
Normale Superieure G566-1S6S),
Agrege de Philosophie GS6S), Doctor
Of Letters CS74l. Professor at the
Lycee of Caen G~S71-1873), at Mont
pellier 1S74-1S76), Nancy (1S77-
1850, Professor at the Sorbonne since
1885. He is a member of the Academy
of Moral n Political Sciences; for
eign associate of the Academy del
I1ncei, Rome, and correspondent of
the British Academy.
AS a critical historian Of philoso-
ply. NJ. BoutrouX has worldwide re-
noWn. and he has exerted ~ar-reachin
and profound influence as an original
thinker He is an advocate Of free
Will as opposed to d~eterrninism of
sDiritualism as opposed to materialisn.
His name was prominently urged for
the French Academy, but in the con-
test which ensued, Marcel Provost won
n coveted place as one Of the I'M
m0rtals.
1t is remarkable to recall, as A. T.
Sanborn has pointed out, that NJ.
f5outroux has had as pupils in philo-
sophy two Of the most famous figures
in contemporary France, and conterl-
porary Europe, for that: Jean Jaures.
II taught philosophy at the Lycee Of
Abb and the University Of Toulouse
before he became q politician. and
the brilliant and more world famous
tienrl t'ergSOn. who's works have so
recently created such a furOre in the
United States, and in England. after