measure on the purpose to be served by relating the terms in disaccord. The discussion leads to the conclusion that the mediating concepts of mathematics are ultimately the same as those of other disciplines. The most important ones to be noted are the Principles of Comparison, of Continuance, of Economy of Thought, and of Special Situation, the last more especially mathematical in character. All reduce ultimately to the principle of comparison.
F. H. Knight.
Fichte's "Closed Commercial State" is first of all a protest against mercantilism. It regards the balance-of-trade ideal as based on the love of gold for its own sake, which is the arch corruptor of states as well as individuals. Fichte's great ideal was liberty; but he saw that perfect economic freedom would lead to the worst oppression, to civil war and probably to the establishment of tyranny. Hence his aim was to incorporate individuals in an organic society where their liberties would not conflict but would be ordered in harmony, and where moreover, the moral personality might find fullest expression. To assure to all the means of subsistence and enable them to participate in the higher life of the spirit, was the lofty ideal of his socialism; and the dignity of personality and respect for moral values shine forth from nearly every page of his book. A careful investigation shows good reason for believing that Fichte was directly influenced by the socialistic propaganda of Babeuf and the course of events accompanying the French Revolution. There is a remarkable parallelism between the theories of Fichte and those announced before him by Babeuf in regard to money, the regulation of commerce and the general administration of the ideal state; while the publication in Germany of numerous letters from Germans living in Paris at the time, gave him abundant means of becoming conversant with the latter's doctrines. Babeuf, however, was communistic in his equalitarianism, Fichte strongly individualistic; Babeuf was interested in the happiness of the people, Fichte in their spiritual life. The most striking evidence of French influence is found in Fichte's adoption of the "natural boundaries" idea which was the slogan of the revolutionary leaders. The economic changes incident to the Revolution and the legislative measures which the Convention was constrained to take to meet the new conditions also shed much light on the growth and the influence of the theories of Babeuf and Fichte. It would be going too far to call Fichte the precursor of modern German socialism. At any rate, he foreshadowed rather the bureaucratic, paternalistic "state-socialism" of Bismarck than the internationalism of the Marxians.
F. H. Knight.
This article is the second of a series that appears under the above title. It is a criticism of the later philosophical point of view of James and of Mach,
