“The style is unfamiliar and singularly disconcerting to anybody who is anxious to get at the gist of Prof. Santayana’s message. Trope and epigram, flaming phrase and pervasive metaphor, so blur the outline of his meaning that impatience gives way at times to absolute exasperation.”
| + — | Ath. 1905. 2: 269. Ag. 26. 740w. (Review of v. 1 and 2.) |
“For one, therefore, who is willing also to think, the work is essentially readable throughout. It is full of keen insight wedded to apt expression.” A. K. Rogers.
| + + — | Dial. 38: 349. My. 16, ‘05. 2760w. (Review of v. 1 and 2.) |
“It is, in fact, an eclectic philosophy, and. like other works of that sort, is likely to have more literary than scientific value. Professor Santayana’s style is highly polished, in parts too much so.”
| + + — | Nation. 80: 461. Je. 8. ‘05. 330w. (Review of v. 1 and 2.) | |
| N. Y. Times. 10: 89. F. 11, ‘05. 190w. (Statement of contents of v. 1 and 2.) | ||
| N. Y. Times. 10: 189. Mr. 25, ‘05. 560w. (Review of v. 1 and 2.) |
“Ingenious, keen, and brilliant in a purely intellectual way, as all must confess Professor Santayana’s pragmatic treatment of the life of reason to be. those who are intent on a profounder moral pragmatism will, we fear, lay the volume containing it down with disappointment and regret.”
| + — | Outlook. 80: 193. My. 20, ‘05. 550w. (Review of v. 1 and 2.) |
“Seldom has a materialistic philosophy been presented in finer literary garb than in this series of volumes, or with stranger contradiction of experimental facts.”
| + — | Outlook. 81: 577. N. 4, ‘05. 420w. (Review of v. 3 and 4.) |