New-York tribune., 1912-03-09

Membre de PInstitut Translated from
the second edition by Archibald an1 ,ns
Barbara Henderson. limo, pp w. 10
Longmans, Green & Co.
WILLIAM LANES AND OTHER ESSAYS
on THE PHILOSOPHY OF LEE, by
Josiah Royce, LII D., Lit. p. tr4Ies- =, qIes-
sor of the History of Philosophy at l1ai la.
ward University. l2mo, PIP. N' "Vl' i"'
Macmillan Company.
MEMORIES AND STUDIES. By-Wtlliam1
James. 12mo, pp. ALL Longmahs Sree'
& co.
The tone which has so far marked
much of the French appreciation OF the
late Professor William James is con-
served in the tribute with when M.
Routroux, who is himself an inhuenuai
witness in behalf of the PraSmatist
preference for the 'fulness OF concrete
experience." prefaces an economical ana
reellv luminous review Of the Harvard
scholars deliverances as psychologist
and as metaphysician. Unlike some
portentous savant whose system gets
soon discovered from his soul the per-
sonality and the philosophy OF thls
teacher were of piece. He was one LOT
whom. as Professor Boutroux points out
truth had its roots in life; not in the COL
Iective impersonal life Of that aostrac'
tion of the schools called humanity hut
IN the life Of the individual, the only nte
that really exists. As guide 10 Ihe
technical achievement, Nj. BoutrouN
draws attention TO the fact that TOR
James's researches the point OF depart
ure is to he found in anatomy and physi-
ologv. If he came to he metaphy3i-
clan. he began as a physicist. BY pro-
fession and by doctrine he followed
strict experimental method, and 10 TINS
fidelity was due his early and abiding
,nvillingness to account for the facts
of the psychic life in terms of purely
physical reaction. In the stream OF con-
sciousness he found more than mech
anistic physiology could explain ana
similarly in the religious experience ne
saw something irreducible 20 exclusively
psychological description. Just as phYsi-
ology when it carries it's researches thr
enough. sees rising before 1t enigmas De-
yond it's own powers OF solution so
psychology. having a wide field OF op-
GRAFTON as a valid natural science, comes
in the course of its progress to an hour
when. if il wishes to explain facts in re-
spect to their most distinctive quality, 1t
finds itself compelled to enlarge its
boundaries and 10 touch upon higher
uuestions-the questions called meta
physical. With William James the proc
ess toward those higher questions was
logical development, and while his view
of the universe lacked the august Hege-
liam sanctions, it was a view which, for
all its speculative character, was amen
able TO scientific principle in the sense
that II sought TO identify reality with
the broadcast completest, most profound
and direct experience-namely, with the
most intimate life Of consciousness
In the essay which gives the title TO
his new volume Professor Josiah Royce
comes TO lay stone on the cairn Of an
ilustrious colleague and beloved friend.
That his pious Acknowledgements should
take form, not in eulogistic reminls-
cence, but in an estimation of William
Jamess contribution to the philosophy
of life, has a deeper significance when 1t
is recalled that Dr. Royce's own eminent
place in the world of thought is due to
his prowess as a defender IS that monis-
tic idealism against which, with Us sup
posed implications of block universe
and all manner of fatalistic conse-
ouences, William James lodged his enter
tanning and determined objection. But
# DR Royce vOuchsafes no memorabilia
concerning one who was his next door
neighbor, neither does he occupy us with
controversial issues James's share in
the work of celebrating and interpreting
evolutionary hypothesis and the COM
manding part he took in the psychologi-
cal movement are sufficient TO relate him
20 the worlds contemporary thought
yet these are not the features which
make him. with all his universally of
interest, a representative American
thinker. The philosopher who can fifty
represent the contribution Of his nation
10 the worlds treasury Of ideas, says Dr.
Royce. must be one who thinks for him
self, fruitfully, with true independence
and with successful inventiveness, about
problems of philosophy. And, secondly
he must be a man who gives utterance tc
philosophical ideas characteristic OF
some stage and of some aspect Of the
spiritual life of his own people. From
the point of view Of the competent for
eign students of our philosophy fifty
years ago. two nationally representative
names would have been mentiOned-Jo1'
athan Edwards and Ralph Waldo Emer-
son. To-day the foreign critic Of ouI
philosophy would add the name of Will
lam James. Already within the interva
since his death he has begun 10 acquire
something of a classic rank and dignity
and in future this rank and dignity vii
long increase. Viewed as an American
he belongs 10 the movement which mas
been the consequence of our Civil Wal
and of the recent expansion, enrichment
and entanglement Of our social life--hr
age i'm which our nation has been at
tempting to find itself anew, to redefnC
its ideals, to retain its moral integrity
and yet 10 become a world power. II
was James's office 10 interpret these
problems, without. perhaps, knowina
what vast. inartioulate social forces were
finding in him their voice.
Enlarging on the service OF interpret
ing for us our native problems in theil
ethical significance, DR.. Royce reminds
us of the result Of Jamess portrayal oi
che varieties of religious experience
how the psychologists were thereby
aided toward a new tolerance in theiI
study of religion, since the evolution Of