No man can be a naturalist with impunity: he
will be coarse even with the most refined culture. A free mind is a
great thing no doubt, but loftiness of heart, belief in goodness,
capacity for enthusiasm and devotion, the thirst after perfection and
holiness, are greater things still.
June 7, 1880.--I am reading Madame Necker de Saussure [Footnote: Madame
Necker de Saussure was the daughter of the famous geologist, De
Saussure; she married a nephew of Jacques Necker, and was therefore
cousin by marriage of Madame de Stael. She is often supposed to be the
original of Madame de Cerlebe in "Delphine," and the _Notice sur le
Caractere et les Ecrits de Mdme. de Stael_, prefixed to the
authoritative edition of Madame de Stael's collected works, is by her.
Philanthropy and education were her two main interests, but she had also
a very large amount of general literary cultivation, as was proved by
her translation of Schlegel's "Lectures on Dramatic Literature."] again.
"L'Education progressive" is an admirable book. What moderation and
fairness of view, what reasonableness and dignity of manner! Everything
in it is of high quality--observation, thought, and style. The
reconciliation of science with the ideal, of philosophy with religion,
of psychology with morals, which the book attempts, is sound and
beneficent.
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