New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-12
BERTHA RUNkLE.

seem the libretto or muslcai SoH
edv. and a demonstration in comic sec
lions a fit contribution to the Con-
ming Tower. But just now we are
considering DR.. Taussig's presentation
Of the subject. in which there IS no
gloom, but an engaging brightness
which Eliminates but not IN the ieas'
impairs or discounts its solld WORTH
He is delightful reading all the way
through. whether you agree with all ne
saws or not. Not everybody viii agree
with him. If they did he might NOT
be worth reading. But very many WILL
while those who do not will disagree
with him-or will modestly charge him
with disagreeing with them-in the
most amiable fashion, while all VIII
feel helpfully stimulated by his ingenl-
Gus suggestions and shrewd reasoning
He makes it clear at the beginning
that he is an unwavering disciple OF
Lucretius cum Darwin cum Haeckel.
II is upon their theory OF the origin
and development of species that ms
discourses are chiefly based. That IS
in itself most fascinating PROPOSE
t;on. 10 trace the attributes OF cap. !
tnins of Industry and Napoleons OF
finance hack to the intrinsic qualities
of primordial protoplasm. why NOT In
vioy of Spencers discernment, in inert
matter. OF the promise and potency OF
every form of life? Why may not the
bulls and bears Of Wall Street have
descended from the identical terG
Dot,,r0- whose names they bear? Dr.
Taussig does not 90 so far as tnat'
however. He is content TO insist thAI
we humans are simply animals, diner
ing from the other animals IN degree
but not in kind. True, men are inventors
and money-makers. and the other anil
mails arc not. But that does not I'M
| favorably affect his argument. IL we
/ find in man and in other animals the
same instincts or propensiues, tnerS
| is proof of our common origin, ana
proof that those particular instincts
and propensities have belonged to man
| from the beginning. But II man IL
! found TO possess-as he does-some
which are not 10 be found in the other
animals. what then? Why, those are
simply to be regarded as not original
traits, but exotic. adventurous. spo-
radio, coming from goodness knows
where.
1 lnQceQ. III 'NAN
recognizes that some important traits
of man have no analogues in the other
snimals. For he presently tells US that
the instinct Of contrivance, which IS
one Of the most important Of all. is IN
man directed 70 a great variety OF ends,
while in the other animals it is directed
to a single end. Thus the beaver dams
the stream and builds the lodge; the
bee constructs its marvellous hive; the
bird builds its nest; and that is all IN
each case. But man makes many in
ventions, in widely differing directions
and for all sorts of purposes, for mere
play as we'll as for practical value.
Thus Watt invented the steam engine.
and also, among innumerabe other de-
vices, a clock which he himself con-
fcssed was "to be ranked in mechanics
rs riddles and refuses are 70 be ranked
in poetry" There will be those who
will contend that this denotes differ
ence of kind as well as of degree be-
tween man and the other animals, but
not so DR.. Taussic, though he does con-
cede that this difference is due to "the
influence Of forces that we but dimly
perceive"
In a most vivacious and fascinating
manner he thus. discusses the instinct
and most significant propensities of the
human mind. Similarly he considers
the psychology of money making, trac-
ing coherent course of development
from the Middle Ages to the twentieth
century. First were the forces which
brought about the feudal system. There
were the struggles among clans and
peoples, the predatory instincts which
! W. al apI tbo
of protection against them Thence
there arose a superior class OF titled
WARRIORS Knights Grant, shall we say,
against robber barons. Finally there
came the acceptance and perpetuation
among all the well-to- do Of the ideals.
thus established, of aristocratic posi-
ton and conduct. Thus Gomez TO pass
the present-day amalgamation of the
aristocracy OF long descent with that
! OF recently acquired wealth.
This naturally leads to the fondness
for titular distinction, which he right
ly conceives TO be about as strong in
America as in Great Britain. Every
Englishman is said to love a lord:
every American is said to love a title"
AS he truly adds, the exaggeration il.
no greater in the one case than the
other The impassioned craving for
academic titles, the multitudinous
membership in "fraternal orders" with
their marvellous lists of titular digni-
taries, the scrupulous insistence upon
always being known as Third Assist
ant Sealer Of Weights and Measures
Jenkins" all suggest the universally
of propensity which may have had
its ancestral analogue in the peacock
or the pouter pigeon-or shall we say
the jackdaw? There is infinite lest.