Taine's influence was great, and twofold. On his own generation it was considerable; during the epoch in which he lived, while a wave of pessimism was sweeping over French literature, he was the high priest of the cult of misanthropy, in which even science was held to be but an idol, worthy of respect and devotional service, but not of faith. In its turn came the reaction against positivism and pessimism, and an attempt at spiritual renascence. Around a man so remarkable as Taine a school is certain to form itself ; Taine's school, which was one of positivist doctrines, rigid systems and resigned hopelessness, was equally certain to produce at some time or another a school of determined opponents to its doctrines and system. If, therefore, the tone which pervades the works of Zola, Bourget and Maupassant can be immediately at tributed to the influence we call Taine's, it is also the influence of Taine which is one of the ultimate causes of the protest embodied in the subsequent reaction. (M. BG. X.) official life, H. Taine, sa vie et sa correspon dance, was published in 3 vols. in 1902-05 (Eng. trans. by Mrs. R. L. Devonshire, 1902-08). His friend, M. E. Boutmy, published an appre
ciative study of Taine's philosophy in his Taine, Scherer, Laboulaye (Paris, 1901). See also A. Sorel, Nouveaux essais d'histoire et de critique (1898) ; Gabriel Monod, Les Maitres de l'histoire (Paris, 1894) ; Emile Faguet, Politiques moralistes au siecle (Paris, 1900) ; P. Lacombe, La psychologie des individus et des societes chez Taine (1906) ; P. Neve, La philosophie de Taine (1908) ; Victor Giraud, Essai sur Taine, son oeuvre et son influence, d'apres des documents inedits (2nd ed., 1902) ; Bibliographie de Taine (Paris, 1902). A comprehensive list of books and articles on Taine is given in H. P. Thieme, Guide bibliographique de la litterature francaise de 1800 a 1906 (Paris, 1907). For criticisms of Taine's historical work, see A. Aulard, Taine, historien de la Revolution francaise (1907) ; P. Lacombe, Taine, historien et sociologue (1909). See also A. Laborde Mataa, H. Taine (1909) ; 0. Engel, Der Einfluss Hegels auf die Bildung der Gedankenwelt H. Taines (Stuttgart, 1920) ; M. Barres, I • et Renan (1922) ; F. C. Roe, Taine et l'Angleterre (1923).