New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-05
ROUSSEAU ONCE MORE
A Norwegian Study of Forma'
tive Influences.

JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU. BY Ger
hard Gran. Professor of Literature III tlI
University of Kristania. Authorlz.u
translation by Marcia Hargis JS ii1,rI''.
With illustrations Svo, PIP. 51' 'hd'iN'
Scribner's Sons.
Much has been written. and VIII coh-
tinue TO he written about Rousseau
part degenerate, part genius WITHOUT
systematic training for the Work tha'
brought him fame. His posth'iho"'
reputation has had its periods OF oo-
scura;ion and Of rehabilitation lhal
eliminated in the curious theory oil an
Ella borate literary conspiracy entereu
upon by Grimm. Diderot and Nine
d 'Epinay for the purpose OF damhihs
him forever in the eyes OF posterity'
This theory, offered to the world sons
six or seven years ago ingenious ana
we'll constructed though it be, has mus
| far failed to exert perccptble IN
fuencc upon current estimates oil the
man whose centenary was celebrated
on June - of the year just past. It's
weakest point lies in the improbability
Of types like Grimm and Nine. d Epi-
nay contenting themselves with a re-
vcngc that would not strike its victim
until long after his death and their
own.
The hypothesis does not come within
the score Of Professor Grams able ana
interesting study. which was well
worth translating. He confines himself
here To the formative period oi Eous-
scaus career, tine long years of his
vagabondage. leaving him on his emer-
gcuce from obscurity with the DIS
cours sur les Arts ct les Sciences. in
100. Throughout he draws freely
upon his subjects later works for light
upon the outward events of the period
thus defined. and upon the inward de-
velopment that accompanied them.
There are some capital pages In this
book, the chapter on the manners and
morals Of the Paris of Louis XIV, for
instance. and the even more important
study of the stamp that RouSseaus
birthplace. Geneva. set upon him, the
Geneva of Calvin. retaining through
two centuries the grim impress ot
the great theoloeian's thcOcratic rule.
Professor Gran. indeed. lays far more
stress upon this hercdity OF environ
mcnt than on that of family:
II we turn our attention to Rousseau,
We shall find many Gcnevan pccuiiaritics,
both lights and shadows. nOtWithHtdip-
ing many conspicuous differences. nc
too. is reserved. stiif and unapplodchtbi'.
always on thu watch suspicious, ieariui
that some one viii come too near nm.
lie has an Unborn tendency To 500 an
enemy iu every human creature, and ms
pride has no limits. lie ended MS ne ~
maniacal terror Of persecution, ana II -
not Uncomfortable that hc had inherited
the germs of this disease from race ot
people who for centuries had spent thclT
lives under the spying eyes of thousands
OF spies. lie is always wanting. 10
better the race When hc la,hes Partisan
society. Geneva rises before his nina
eye rs The background on which the
denominations of that modern Babylon
stand out When lac cries wo" upon
modern culture. me- is really expressing
Geneyan moralists Mortified disgust over
offences that never could have taken
place within the protecting walls oi the
holy city. when he evolved his political
IDEAL in the "tontrst Social. IL was the
Gcncvan constitution and Gcnevan c,ndi-
lions that were in his mind.
As 10 the Conspicuous differences
one need not look beyond the "Confcs-
sions," upon whose narrative Professor
Gran has threaded his study with
scrupulous impariiality. He is not a
partisan in either sense. he only seeks
IN Interpretation. sitting. in so far rs
that remains possible. the naivetts
from the poses The book is indeed
so informing and well-balanccd a criti-
cal condensation o. the autobiography
that one wishes for its continuation by
the same hand 10 the end. Perhaps the
author is "A little less than just 10 Nine.
de Warens I'm that he treats her less
as the far from exceptional daughter
of her period than she really was. ON
the other hand. his explanation Of
Rousscau's disposition IL his children.
provided he had any at all. which may