_By Thaddeus B. Wakeman_
"The Positivist Episode was a positive factor in my
life."--MRS. CROLY.
Those were bright, sunny, happy, idyllic, and fruitful days of the
Positivist Episode, when the first of the two following letters which
my wife and I now contribute to the "Memories of Mrs. Croly," were
written. That episode, of which these letters represent the beginning,
and the end throws an explaining light not only over the life of her
whom this memorial is to honor, but over that of her husband, who
passed to the higher life in 1889; and largely also over the lives of
others more or less associated with, or affected by, the introduction
of the study and culture of Positivism into America, of which they may
be regarded as the chief promoters.
Yes, as friends of Mrs. Croly and of those dear to her, we may well
recall, as she often did, this Positivist Episode as among the
pleasantest of her--and may we not also add of ours?--earthly days.
The first letter shows the movement well under way, when meetings had
begun to be held, and visits to be made to the homes of those deeply
interested. Never shall we forget the first of those visits made by
Mrs. Croly to our then "almost out of town" home in 116th street,
where our house, pleasantly overlooking the East River, was clothed
with trees and vines. The Catawbas on a large trellis, trained in
stories with upright canes, excited her admiration, and she assured us
that she had "never seen nor eaten anybody's grapes with such
delight." Naturally, a basket or two of grapes soon followed to her
home away down and over to the other side of town at number 19 Bank
street. Thus the "vines" and "fruit" referred to in her letter are
explained; and with them was thus associated in holy sympathy her love
with ours of "the kindly fruits of the earth." Mr. Croly also referred
to gifts of this kind in the New York _World_--thirty varieties of
grapes raised under and in proof of the "law of correlation, expounded
by the raiser as the law which held us of the world together."
But when our turn came as Positivist students to visit at their home,
we found the cosey parlors well filled with the higher samples and
fruits of human culture and intellect. Mrs. Croly's social position,
sustained by the ability of Mr. Croly and his prominence as managing
editor of the New York _World_, and afterwards of the _Graphic_,
enabled her to call together the leaders, and many interested in the
then (and now?) two leading schools of scientific and constructive
thought; the Positivist school of Augusta Comte, represented by Henry
Edgar and partly also by Mr. Croly and others; and also in contrast
therewith, the Synthetic Philosophy of Herbert Spencer, represented by
Edward L. Youmans, John Fiske and others. Nor were there wanting those
who, like the present writer, would combine those two schools, and
more, into the scientific and republican growth of our newer world and
life in America.
The initiative of these meetings was a course of lectures procured by
Mr. Croly, to be delivered by Mr. Edgar at De Garmo Hall early in
1868. Out of the interest thus excited, Mr. and Mrs. Croly called
around them the elements above referred to, including, among
miscellaneous attendants, perhaps a hundred earnest students of
Positivism and of the higher religious and scientific philosophies.
The meetings were not always held at the homes mentioned, but at the
home of Mr. Courtlandt Palmer and of other participants. All the
parties named, and many others, took part in the discussions of this
unorganized circle, until its name and influence reached and
interested generally the thinkers of the city. This interest, as the
years rolled on, resulted in or influenced the forming of many
societies, among which were a Positivist Society, the Society of
Humanity, the New York and Manhattan Liberal Clubs, the Philosophic
Society of Brooklyn, the Nineteenth Century Club, the Goethe Society,
and indirectly a Dante Society and several others. All of the clubs
and societies of women with which Mrs. Croly and her work have been
associated may be thus included. Certain it is that this "positive
factor" in her life was the source from which the new, altruistic
inspiration originally came which made her finally recognized as the
"Mother of Women's Clubs" and of their beneficent influences--the new
life, light, and hope of women, of which they are the beginning.
Nor less should be said for the literature that has sprung from the
same source. It began with the "Positivist's Calendar," by Mr. Edgar,
and Professor Youmans's admirable collection of articles, and the
introduction, on "Correlation" of the physical and other forces,
published by Appleton, and never to be outgrown. Then Professor Fiske
published in the New York _World_ his able series of lectures on the
"Positive Philosophy," which some think he weakened by turning into the
"Cosmic Philosophy." Then (for further details are not in place here)
Mr. and Mrs. Croly and Mr. Bell and most of us went into literature in
some way, to an extent that made quite a library, now mostly lost or
forgotten. Would that I could "lend continuance to the time" of those
disputants, and show why and how they drifted apart instead of
together! For the shadow of oblivion seems to be creeping over all;
and against that I, as the last survivor, seem to be their only and
yet their helpless protector. Yet we can now see, as they mostly did
not, that their divergence was really a "differentiation process,"
leading each to a higher integration of truth.
Thus, what I cannot do for each, the volunteer seeding of time is
doing silently for all, though they noticed not the good seed they
scattered. For instance, Mr. Croly wished these words to be placed
over his grave: "I meant well, tried a little, failed much." He saw
not that the sound seed of which he was a real and great sower, were
his well-meant and effective efforts to bring Positivism, as the sum
and synthesis of science and humanity, before all thoughtful American
people, as the real religion and basis of their modern life. That view
of life was then new, but now it is replacing or changing all dogmatic
or supernatural religions. In a word, modern scientific thought is
becoming practical, constructive, and positive in religion; directed
more and more toward advantages in the human future on this earth. The
real basis of sentiment is the new science of Sociology and the new
sense of altruism--first named by Auguste Comte and first brought to
the American people in and by this "Positivist Episode."
It is by the up-coming of such seed as was then sown, that the old
issues and their old world have been replaced by the new; which we
should gratefully inherit from those sowers. It is said that they
seemed to look upon much of their life as failure because they did not
see the harvest in their day as the direct result of their hands. How
strange that the faith of evolution did not give them the "after
sight" which is the crown and reward of those who "mean well," and who
"work and hope!"
To Mrs. Croly did come not only the well-wishing and the patient
labor, but also a foretaste of her reward. Her days were extended
until her purposes fulfilled met the gratitude of her successors. Even
"the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune," referred to in her last
letter to us, were warded off by the human providence which, in her
own words, "realizes the eternal goodness of the perfection of the
order which governs the universe."
Thus her friendships with the many she loved and served have closed
with unalloyed satisfaction--to me and mine a sincere friend for more
than thirty years! And no words come that I might wish unsaid unless
these: "Be careful now, for I have told more than one that you are my
god-father!"