Evening star., 1937-09-18
By M0ry-Cafer Roberts.


Mencken. Translated from tn,
German by Francis E. Litz. With
an introduction and notes by H
L. Mencken. New York: Alfred A
Knopf.
- INCE the name "Mencken'
means but one person to most
Americans, it will perhaps be
- well to explain in the beginning
of review of this book that its au-
thor, Johann Burkhard, is no rival OF
H. L. but was his ancestor and spent
his time upon the earth between the
years 1874 and 1882 and lived all OF
that in Europe. Yet in this statement
of physical kinship really necessary?
Does not the title of the book indi-
cate plainly spiritual likeness be-
tween the minds OF the author and the
annotator?
Certainly the work could hardly be
introduced to Americans under a
more appropriate sponsorship. H. L.
Mencken's name on its title page
would be proper, no matter who the
author. There is an unquestionable
spice of humor however, in the
revelation brought to us here that a
Mencken was fitting at the citadels of
ouackery even 800 years ago. The
current member of the family avoWs
that he was 40 years old before he
read his ancestors assault upon the
pretenders, but that lit astonished
me, and no little delighted me, to
find that man by my name, nearly
200 years in his grave, had devoted
himself so heartily to an enterprise
that had engaged me day in and day
out in far country-the tracking
down of auacks of all sorts, and the
appreciative exhibition of their multi
farious tricks to catch coneys.
Nor was my delight lessened when
noted that the ouacks he had thus
belabored in Eighteenth Century
Europe We're still flourishing nightly
in Twentieth Century America, along
with many reinforcements that he
had never dreamed of ."
The American public ought to be
able to share this amusement and
delight, and particularly should it be
impressed by the condition noted in
Mr.. Mencken's last sentence The re-
viewer, reading Johann Burkhard' S
papers, was herself immensely di-
verted at the likeness made evident
there between the frauds of that au-
thor's time and those practicing here
and now under our very noses.
The work consists of two lectures
which Johann delivered before the
faculty and students of Leipzig Uni
versity, of which faculty he was
himself a. member. They were subse-
ouently published in several languages
and gained considerable popularity
How modernly they read today And
with what fine impartiality did the
professor distribute his castigation !
Physicians, authors, critics, lawyers,
poets. OWNERS, psychologists Cthey
had them then, it seems) theolo9ians
astrologers, mathematicians, degree
collectors, public Office holders-he
made them all the objects of his
urbane but hearty contempt. One
gets a very clear picture of this old
individualist as one reads. He was
self sufficient and hard worker In
the field of learning. Ergo: He hated
publicity seekers and all who would
substitute spurious regulations foI
honest achievement. And he had the
courage to announce the fact.
His work Is very much taken up
with personal references, these being
sometimes Sto his contemporaries, but
more often to men who had passed
on TO their rewards. Being SO. the
lectures have required generous anno-
tation TO render them fully under
standable to modern readers. But
without this editorial assistance there
IL enough in them TO make them de-
iightful TO those whose interest is in
she course OF human conduct rather
than IN the careers of particular men
Take, for example, the following
passage: About practical ethics
shall say nothing" observes Johann
for who would look for euac1ery
among those who are the leaders Ii
directing the soul of man toward wis
dom and virtue? Still, if We wished
into its teaching about the human psy.
che, We should find plenty to exercis,
our critical judgment upon On,
school boasts that its adherents car
discover with their lynx-eyes the in
most passions Of others; another, tina
those who follow it have the strength
OF Hercules in repressing their pas
sions, and, indeed, utterly destroyinl
them. Who does not know tha
even today there are some who CLAIM
to have invented new art Of know
ting men and 10 have thus uncovered
the inmost recesses of the human
heart? They say they have unearthe,
the very seeds of anger ayarice an,
lust ."
How could one better describe tn
claims Of our modern pyscho- analysts
Yet note to this passage throws fur
ther comicality on it by explainin
that the school" referred to was on
that taught character reading throug
handwriting and physiognomy A dou
bic thrust, though innocently given
These likenesses between the prsc
r. ticing charlatans of the TWO times ar
of too constant occurrence througnou
the book TO have full mention her,
Sufhce il to say that they are the fea
ture of the work which makes it sig
nificsnt. One may also draw fror
them the reflection. OF course, that tn
exposure of quackery is bootles
work, and then one may go on froi
that to the further reflection this
nothing exists without the license
the people. wherefrom :he ouestio
logically arises much may ar
shepherd do in making men of shee
or, II you wish, why have shepherc
ever existed except 10 shear the
fiocks? Or. IN other words. the Who
matter OF government, its methods al
its purpose, seen in a somewhat dy
peptic mood. 1t is as will be seen,
pleasing, thought-provoking work.
EDGE OF THE DESERT. BY Mar
Dodge Luhan. New York; Ha
r.. rx