In America Nietzsche's philosophy is represented by a book of Ragnar Redbeard, entitled Might is Right, the Survival of the Fittest.[5] The author characterizes his work as follows:
BUST OF NIETZSCHE, BY KLINGER.
"This book is a reasoned negation of the Ten Commandments—the Golden Rule—the Sermon on the Mount—Republican Principles—Christian Principles—and Principles' in general.
"It proclaims upon scientific evolutionary grounds, the unlimited absolutism of Might, and asserts that cut-and-dried moral codes are crude and immoral inventions, promotive of vice and vassalage."
The author is a most ardent admirer of Nietzsche, as may be learned from his verses made after the pattern of Nietzsche's poetry. He sings:
"There is no 'law' in heaven or earth that man must needs obey! Take what you can, and all you can; and take it while you—may.
"Let not the Jew-born Christ ideal unnerve you in the fight. You have no 'rights,' except the rights you win by—might.
"There is no justice, right, nor wrong; no truth, no good, no evil. There is no 'man's immortal soul,' no fiery, fearsome Devil.
"There is no 'heaven of glory:' No!—no 'hell where sinners roast' There is no 'God the Father,' No!—no Son, no 'Holy Ghost.'
"This world is no Nirvâna where joy forever flows. It is a grewsome butcher shop where dead 'lambs' hang in—rows.
"Man is the most ferocious of all the beasts of prey. He rangeth round the mountains, to love, and feast, and—slay.
"He sails the stormy oceans, he gallops o'er the plains, and sucks the very marrow-bones of captives held in—chains.
"Death endeth all for every man,—for every 'son of thunder'; then be a lion (not a 'lamb') and—don't be trampled under."
A valuable recent addition to the discussion of egoism is The Philosophy of Egoism by James L. Walker, (Denver, 1905).