The Denver Jewish news., 1922-12-13
Cup Stream
BY Rtabbi Samuel Hirschberg, Deliv-
cred n Temple Emanuel. Milwaukee
A Discourse on Ludwig Lewi.ohn.. Book

4 Discourse Ludwig Lewiaohn's Book
This book. up Stream is very en-
! gagingly written. and there can be no
two opinions as to the literary ability
of the author. He is master of the
English language. and possesses the
faculty to n rare degree of clothing
his thought in apt and vivid and
graphic verbiage. He is an artist Of
) the first order in painting word pic
tures which are an aesthetic delight.
He reveals the fact that, he has heen
} n wide and discriminating reader. In
fact he fairly staggers one. as one
pauses to reflect upon the prOdigies
} he has performed in reading all that
he indicates he has read not only in
English but other modern literature
} as well.
But unsiilted as is the admiration
which the author thus commands and
unquestionably merits for his intel
) lectual and literary gifts and accom-
plishments. it Is matter of regret
that we cannot accord him the similar
) ladmiratiOn-if indeed we can any at
lall-for the personality he reveals and
II number of the ideas he expresses in
this book
Indeed. with regard to the latter.
one finds oneself asking the question
why the book was written at all? 1t
impresses one ms quite purposeless. as
fur as any useful end it may serve or
good II may effect is concerned. unless
it be the personally utilitarian one OF
profiting the author by the attention
ii attracts to new and brilliant-and
by no means least of all in it's ad
vantages to him: bizarre light IN the
world of letters.
As for the former. the book rs IN
autObiography-thOu in this re-
>pect, | am sure. quite uncOnsciously
and undelilerately. for the author
shows himself to be possessed OF more
than an ordinary amount of self-lOve
and Observation-Disclosures us to n
rather unestimable parsonage. Relative
to the quality to which I have nd
vcrted. there is something exasperat
ing a:ld amusing as well in the
egregious amount of egotism and con-
ceit ON the part of the author which
looms up with such large and repeated
conspicuOusness everywhere and there
In the pages. of the hook 1t does pro-
woke ones visihles TO read such ex-
pressions Of n bland and Snug self
appreciation and appreciation as these
but two out of quite number Of
like strain: Even before the war the
trouble with the American professor
nncy of mind. Two men there were
on that campus In Central City who In
public writing and private speech
stood four-square against the pulpi-
ness and muddled utilitnrinnism of
our educational machine. Just two
my friend. the professor of philosophy
and t. "A friend told me the other
day that my name is n household word
among the very cultured of Central
City. They regard me and my work,
ns. in an intimate and delightful
sense. their own.-I don't contradict
the tepid little lady. Those people are
capable OF saying and feeling just
that. The war is over. Ny reputa-
tio1 is growing. Why shouldn't they
get n little pleasure and self-impor-
tance out Of it?' We have encoun-
tered instances of nm extravagant
vanity. but none. I venture to say.
more pronounced or entertaining than
these and the others Of similar tone
which might be quoted.
| The author further leaves the inn
preston of being any but the strong
and spirited character he would like
the reader to gather that he has been
and is. A strong and spirited char-
acter would not register the COM
plants he so constantly does against
the hard and disturbing conditions
with which he has had to contend.
The book from beginning to end is
one "whimper'-that is the only ade-
quate word I can find to describe it
against the worlds harshness and un-
fairness to him. A man of real
strength and manliness would meet
such adverse and unfriendly expert
ences with steadfast courage and
confidence. AID certainly not with such
an obvious solicitation Of his readers
sympathies as he does. LEAST Of all
would man of real strength and
manliness be quite SO ready when mat
ters were going hard with him to I'M
pose the additional burden of his main
tenance upon his parents who had no
easy problem of their own to sustain
themselves.