Transcriber’s Note:
The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
| ESSAY | PAGE | |
|---|---|---|
| Preface | v | |
| I. | The Scientific Spirit of the Age | 1 |
| II. | The Education of the Emotions | 35 |
| III. | Progressive Judaism | 69 |
| IV. | Thoughts about Thinking | 111 |
| V. | To Know, or not to Know | 147 |
| VI. | The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse | 173 |
We are all possessed of friends who, when anyserious belief or matter of practical conduct is inquestion, take up at the outset a thesis of theirown which they press on our acceptance with thebest arguments at their disposal. It is a rarer privilegeto enjoy the intercourse of one who does notinvariably start with a ready-made opinion of whatmay be true, right, or expedient in the doubtful caseon which we wish to consult him, but who willpatiently turn over the matter with us, suggestand register the various “pros and cons,” refer toadmitted principles and facts, and thus aid us toform a comprehensive judgment for ourselves ratherthan induce us to accept his own. The discourse ofthe first order of friends is an Argument, a Plea, aContention; that of the second, a Discussion.
In the same way, of course, an Essay may beeither a Plea or a Discussion. The author may takethe position of Counsel for one side or other of thecase before the reader, or else he may charge asJudge, and sum up the substance of such argumentsas might have been used by two advocates on theopposite sides. Either style of writing is perfectlylegitimate; and each has its particular fitness andviutility. Misunderstanding and p