New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-03
Poor Sailor on q Rouoh Sea.

81 hardly feel equal 10 discussion to-
( day" he said, with smile. ~ am poor
sailor. and while the weather has not
/ been as bad as usual tho rouGhncss Of
the sea has affected me. | have had To
keep 10 ms room throughout the trip. But
! ! am well now, and / must keep 50. as
: have TO deliver M first lecture tomorrow
! evening"
! IausinS for a moment ne looked NJ
/ from the floor. and. smiling said You
know. 1t is well to be i'll sometimes. as
when YOU are better YOU feel better than
you were before YOU became sick
! NJ Berssons book on Laughter" had
pleased one OF his interviewcrs, and when
/ the subject was mentioned to the author
| he said "Ah. yes. II may have pleased
YOU. but il is not all truth. I wrote my
/ first lecture on laughter sor,c thirty
| years ago. when | was studying 20 DC
! professor. II was a thing written under
/ orders. and vas prepared in a hurry ]
/ was told TO prepare IT, and was bound not
/ 10 refuse. Many years after ! tool. i up
again and found II was not all truth
! Laughter is not a subject that one could
! prepare in hurry.
| FOR fully twenty years aftervard /
| tried all sorts OF theories. and found [
was not always right. collected all
| kinds Of incidents. those that ! saw and
those that read. and discussed them in
! book " some 200 pages. It is not pos
siblc 10 give a definition Of laughter. 1t
I is difficult TO explain. The closest APP
| proach ! can make Ia definition is TO
| say that laughter is provoked when Nv
ing Thing gives Us the impression Of Z
mechanism. Laughter IS one OF the con-
solations oC life. Not only that. ] believe
il has a useful purpose. II has been In
vented for the benefit OF society. II was
made to correct something not quite
right"
Concerning his plans during his visit OF
three weeks in this city. Professor Berg
son said lie feared he would be able 10
do little other than deliver his twelve
lectures
The one thing OF most interest to re
T in this country. perhaps, is the great uni
versities" said NJ Bergson. II have been
| closely in touch with them abroad, ana
now / want 10 see some Of them. shall
| deliver six public lectures in French on
Spirituality and Liberty and six N
English for the university students on
Outlines Of .he Theory Of knowledge \
/ lecture al best is not an easy matter. and
will feel easier in speaking in English
/ 10 the students ] prefer 10 speak In
/ French"
! Asked il he had heard Colonel Roose-
yelt's address in French at the Sorbonne
/ " Bergson answered
Yes. Also heard him al our academy.
He gave a prophesy in French. II was a
1 charming lecture. Roosevelt Is so mas
terly. He is the kind OF man who knows
exactly what he means n say. and is
| completely master Of himself This is one
Of his qualities. lie has many others.
NJ. Bergson said he had known OF
| woodrow Wilson and lis work many
years ago. and had greatly admired him.
.NIr. Wilson has a great reputation in
France. lie had # long before he entered
| political life.
When the subject Of philosophy was
mentioned the great French expounder OF
PHILOSOPHY said: Il feel Inadequate.
| Philosophy is in reality simple. II Is
! complicated but IL aims a simplicity. The
| point OF view OF measuring philosophy i
q science. Philosophy i coming back TO
simplicity. Professor James was one OF
your very great men. He could not be
| more appreciated than he is. knew him
personally. and had Tor him always
nrofound admiration. Philosophy IN
America is particularly fourishing. II Is
one Of the wonders Of the country. There
is always a great admiration Of American
\ nbiio.onbv because il is so near TO