Wednesday, August 17, 2011
HERBERT D. CROLY 1869-1930
In the book, FOOTPRINTS OF THE PAST,Images of Cornish,New Hampshire & The Cornish Colony by Virginia Reed Colby & James B.Atkinson, which I bought recently in my quest to research on my Grandfather, Frank Jones, and Cornish, while doing some TV projects for Public Access Television, I came across the name of HERBERT D. CROLY, who,in the words of the book,'head b ecome enarmored of the ideas of a mystic religious cult led by Georges I. Gurdjieff'. There is,of course more to this, that what is said in this book,for CROLY and also his father, were interesting persons who had specific views on race,birth control, race, politics, and social ideas which focused on such and reflected somem of the prevalent and progressive notions of the day..and knew Margaret Sanger and also the Eugenics Movement that led to 'sterilization programs of Blacks and Native Americans' and other 'undesirables' such as the feeble-minded..... The Art Colony of Cornish as well as some of the other 'famous' residents in that area, no doubt, played their part in Croly's life and thought, but he began by studying philosopy under William James and is thought to have gone to Paris to study philosophy around 1899. He is,of course, well-known for his being one of the co-founders of the NEW REPUBLIC and that is another story as is his change of political and social and economic viewpoints that drastically changed,somewhat as he neared the end of his life..... Like Orage, another 'literary figure of note, who was also involved in'economic' thoughts and tendencies of specific notions, Croly was apparently drawn to 'higher' thoughts and aspirations, possibly focused on the 'intellectual' center, as were many of Gurdjieff's followers...attracted by the 'ideas' of the system rather than the needed/necessary work on the emotions and body.... I am not sure if anything is existing that might show his concerns and interests in a better light as concerns 'THE FOURTH WAY'...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I re-read recently, when searching through some of the volumes for information on Mr. Gurdjieff and Mr. Ouspensky,etc., that the name of HERBERT D. CROLY was mentioned in two significant works that I had overlooked when reading for various reasons. The first book is that of JAMES WEBB entitled,THE HARMONIOUS CIRCLE published by SHAMBHALA PUBLICATIONS IN 1987 BUT COPYRIGHTED IN 1980 BY JAMES WEBB. The index gives these pages for CROLY: 271,271-76, 300,302,352-53. I shall discuss what is written here when I have more time to do so. Webb seems to be the more careful writer on Mr. Gurdjieff, even if one does not accept, as many do not, his suggestions and ideas and surmises and the like, than is JAMES MOORE seems to be. It is JAMES MOORE'S GURDJIEFF,A BIOGRAPHY, published by ELEMENT in softback cover published in 1999 that I am using and have read. MOORE does not index HERBERT CROLY'S name and mentions it on page 200, MOORE OR HIS EDITORS WHO SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER, SPELT HERBERT D. CROLY'S NAME AS: CROWLY, thereby perhaps confusing it with ALEISTER CROWLEY'S NAME for those less acquainted with literary figures BY SPELLING IT AS THEY SPOKE IT OR THOUGHT IT WAS SPELLED. But they can be forgiven perhaps because MOORE MENTIONS THE NEW REPUBLIC MAGAZINE. The New Republic, in taking on subjects of 'mysticism' and the like, no doubt, opened up a slight vista on the occult and on MR. GURDJIEFF especially among those who read it over the years. The New Republic no longer enjoys the prestige and influence it once had and may be out of print or no longer published, although I am not sure at this time. Over the years I did read a few issues but never knew of its 'FOURTH WAY' connection until I began to find out a bit more about Herbert D. Croly and his wife, who died childless and are buried in Plainfield, NH.
ReplyDelete