NOTICES AND INTELLIGENCE,

Edited by

Specimens of Foreign Standard Literature. GEORGE RIPLEY. Volumes I. and II. Containing Philosophi cal Miscellanies from the French of Cousin, Jouffroy, and Benjamin Constant. 12mo. Boston: Hilliard, Gray, & Co. 1838.

We are glad to learn that this series of translations from "Foreign Standard Literature," here in every respect so creditably begun, meets with encouragement to a degree beyond the expectations of its projectors. Had it been otherwise, we should have been disappointed and mortified; disappointed, because it would have been to reject and throw away the only good opportunity we are likely soon to have of general and familiar access to the best continental writers; and mortified, because it would imply that the reproach is not unfounded which represents us, notwithstanding our political separation, as being still in the higher matters of thought and taste but little better than a dependency on the mother country. Such dependence is less and less worthy of us, in proportion as our means and facilities of intellectual intercourse with other nations are multiplied, and in proportion as our peculiar circumstances, both natural and artificial, are giving to us a distinctive character as a people, and moulding our literature, so far as we really have any of our own, into a character as distinctive. Though we boast, with good reason, of our descent from England, and of a common property in her noble language, it is not to be denied that our national character has been diverging from hers ever since the first settlement of this country, under the operation of different social and political influences, until at length we cannot be said to have much more affinity to the English than to the French mind as it is. At any rate we have, or ought to have, a mind of our own, and avail ourselves of the literature not of one nation only, but of all nations, so far, and only so far, as it will help us to build up a literature for ourselves in harmony with our institutions, and suitable to our destiny. It is in this sense that we heartily respond to the sentiment so well expressed by Milton, and which Mr. Ripley has made the motto of his undertaking: "As wine and oil are imported to us from abroad, so must ripe undertanding, and many civil virtues, be imported into our minds from foreign writings; we shall else miscarry still, and come short in the attempts of any great enterprise."

Our readers are familiar with the names of the three distinguished philosophers from whose works these miscellanies have been selected; and as their respective merits, and the nature and

value of their several contributions to the intellect of the age, have already been considered at much length in this journal, nothing on this subject is left for us to do but to refer to those articles.* One thing, however, has struck us as particularly deserving of notice and commendation in a work like ours, we mean the decidedly religious tone and tendency of their speculations, respecting which Mr. Ripley expresses himself thus:

"I have already alluded to the religious character of the philosophy in question. I will add that it seems to me to contain more fully, than any other system which is likely to gain adherents in this country, the principles which lie at the foundation of an elevated and spiritual philosophy of religion. Its accordance with Christianity, in the view of its author, is probably too well known to the reader, for me to enlarge upon it in this place. It may be remarked, however, that it tends to justify no sectarian views of Christianity, whether manifested in the form of attachment to traditionary ideas, or of love to extravagant innovations; but it serves to confirm those broad and indestructible elements of spiritual life, which in the estimation of all believers form the essence of Christianity, and the reception of which is deemed necessary to the salvation of the soul.

"It is with reference to another department of theology, that I have referred to the religious influence of the philosophy of Cousin. In the opinion of many individuals, — and I own myself to be one of the number, the prevailing philosophical theories in this country are not completely adequate, to say the least, to the scientific grounding of a spiritual religion. The wedded union of philosophy and religion, so essential to the peace of the meditative mind, has not yet been consummated in the sanctuary of our holiest thoughts. This is the true cause of the ominous fact, that an open dread of philosophy and a secret doubt of religion are not unfrequent in the midst of us. This is the most candid, and probably the most just, explanation that can be given of the strange aversion to inquiry, the morbid sensitiveness to new manifestations of truth, which is sometimes exhibited by well-meaning and excellent individuals. If we felt the ground firm beneath us, we should not fear the consequences of the most searching scrutiny into the foundation on which we stand. There is a repose, a quietness, a cheerful trust, a blessed assurance in the mind which has passed from unreflecting dogmatism to enlightened faith, in the enjoyment of which it looks calmly on every free and earnest working of the intellect in pursuit of truth, confident that truth is always consistent with itself, and that no genuine expression of the Deity or of the human soul can be set aside by any new discovery. But this state of mind can be produced only by establishing an unbroken harmony between feeling and speculation, between the spontaneous impulses of the heart and the profound results of reflection. I should be glad to believe that we have a philosophy among us which is capable of doing this. The experience of several years, with some opportunities for observation, has convinced

*For a notice of Constant, see Volume XVII. p. 63; of Cousin, see Volume xxi. p. 33; and of Jouffroy, see Volume xxii. p. 196.

me, however, that this is not the case. There is an interruption in the continuity of our thought. We are believers in a spiritual religion; but we are not masters of a spiritual philosophy. There is little danger in this condition of things to those, with whom piety is such a strong natural sentiment, that no force can pluck it out of their hearts. They will never feel the burden of doubt, or need the aid of philosophy to explain the mysteries of their being. On those virgin souls no blight can fall; their robes are always white; and they will pass upward unstained by the breath of unbelief. But our world, in this country, at the present age, is not composed of such beautiful spirits as these.

There are few who have not been called to test the validity of their dearest convictions, either by the assaults of skepticism from without, or the course of their own reflections. It must be a mind of extraordinary construction which has not felt the need of comprehending its own instincts more clearly; of looking into the foundation of the primitive truths on which the well-being of man reposes; and of settling the lofty spiritual faith in which it has grown up on the firm ground of a broad and clear philosophy. A sense of this want is widely spread in almost every circle of society into which we enter. A deep conviction of the reality of spiritual truth, and, at the same time, a strong desire for a philosophical system which shall explain and legitimate it, are everywhere found among contemplative individuals. Too often, however, the clearness and strength of the former are impaired, by failing to meet with the latter. More than one young man has told me, in sadness of spirit, of the struggle which was going on in the very depths of his being, between reflection and faith, between the convictions to which he clung, and the theories by which they were sustained."— Vol. 1. pp. 36-39.

It is from the new Eclectic School, of which Cousin is the acknowledged head, that materialism and atheism in France, so far as they depend on philosophy, have received their death blow. Degerando, Maine de Biran, Cousin, and many other leading minds of that country were trained in infidelity, but have given or are now giving the maturity of their powers to the establishment and propagation of juster and more elevating views of the nature and destiny of man. It is a singular fact that Constant began his great work on Religion with the design, and in the expectation of being able, by an appeal to history, to resolve the religious sentiment in man into the product of a delusive superstition; but his own mind underwent a change as he proceeded which he alludes to as follows, in a letter to an intimate friend.

"I have continued to labor as well as I could in the midst of so many sad ideas. For the first time, I shall see, as I hope, in a few days my History of Religion completely brought into order. I have changed the whole plan of it, and rewritten more than three quarters of the chapters. This was necessary, to succeed in the order which I had in my mind and which I trust I have attained; it was necessary, moreover,

because, as you are aware, I am no longer that intrepid philosopher, who is certain that there is nothing after the present life, and so well satisfied with this world, as to rejoice that there is no other. My work is a singular proof of the remark of Bacon, that a little philosophy leads a man to atheism, but a great deal to religion. It is positively in the profound investigation of facts, in my researches in every quarter, and in struggling with the difficulties without number which they bring against incredulity, that I have found myself forced to return to religious ideas."-Vol. 11. pp. 272, 273.

Jouffroy is the favorite pupil of Cousin, inclining however more to the Scotch and less to the German philosophy than his master. With his strong common sense, the moderation and sobriety of all his views, the singular clearness of his apprehensions and illustrations, and his extraordinary powers of cautious and exact analysis, he promises, in our judgment, to do more for the advancement of mental science than any other living author. We do not think that any of the selections here given from this writer do full justice to his merits; but his great work on Moral Philosophy is announced as part of the intended series, and with that we must be content, hoping that it will find an early insertion. In looking indeed at the variety and sterling worth of the treatises, histories, and works of art which are promised in this collection, it would seem that the taste and wants of every class of readers have been consulted, and we cannot doubt, therefore, but that scholars and men of intelligence throughout the land, without regard to religious or political distinctions, will be eager to welcome and encourage an enterprise which bids fair effectually to supply at last a deficiency long felt and deplored in the literature of this country.

"Among the writers from whom it is proposed to give translations, are Cousin, Jouffroy, Guizot, and Benjamin Constant, in French; and Herder, Schiller, Goethe, Wieland, Lessing, Jacobi, Fichte, Schelling, Richter, Novalis, Uhland, Körner, Hölty, Menzel, Neander, Schleiermacher, De Wette, Olshausen, Ammon, Hase, and Twesten, in German.

"The following works, which are either already in preparation, or whose translation is engaged, it is expected will compose a part of the

series.

Select Minor Poems of Goethe and Schiller.

Menzel's History of German Literature.

Benjamin Constant on Religion.

Benjamin Constant's Roman Polytheism.

Cousin's Lectures on the History of Philosophy. First Volume.

De Wette's Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion.

Goethe's Correspondence with Schiller, Zelter, &c.

Life of Goethe, (in preparation for this Work, from original docu

ments.)

Goethe's Conversations with Eckermann.

VOL. XXIV.

3D S. VOL. VI. NO. II.

35

Lyric Poems from Körner, Novalis, Uhland, &c.

Jouffroy's Moral Philosophy.

Fichte's Destiny of Man; and Character of the True Scholar.
Life of Jean Paul Richter; with Selections from his Works.
Herder's Select Religious Writings.

Schelling on the Philosophy of Art; and Miscellanies.
Selections from Lessing.

De Wette's Theodore, or the Consecration of a Doubter.
Ammon's Progressive Development of Christianity.
Guizot's History of Civilization."

An Elementary Treatise on Algebra: to which are added Experimental Equations and Logarithms. By BENJAMIN PEIRCE, A. M., University Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in Harvard University. 12mo. pp. 276. Boston: James Munroe & Co. 1837.- We have had occasion to notice in former numbers of the Examiner the treatises of Professor Peirce on Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, and now we have been presented with a new Algebra from the same industrious hand. In all his books Mr. Peirce has shown his decided preference for the French Analysis; and although men of an earlier school, who have become wedded to a different method, express their dislike of the new instrument, we are glad to see the French mathematicians wrestling with the high parts of their science, and by their profound analysis exhausting the subject. Professor Peirce follows them with all his soul, and the great merit of his books consists in the introduction of their processes into elementary treatises. We can say nothing better for the book than that he prepared it, and that it fully sustains the reputation for science which he has already won. Those who are interested in the subject will find many new things in this treatise deserving their attention; particularly the polynomial theorem of Arbogast. We leave the book, trusting that those who are engaged in the study will buy it and read it.

1. The Law of Honor. A Discourse occasioned by the recent Duel in Washington; delivered March 4, 1838, in the Chapel of Harvard University, and in the West Church, Boston. By HENRY WARE, Jr., Professor in the University. Published by request. Cambridge: 1838.-2. "Thou shalt not kill." A Sermon preached in the Twelfth Congregational Church, Boston, Sunday, March 4, 1838, in consequence of the late Duel in Washington. By SAMUEL BARRETT, Minister of that Church. Printed [not published] by request. 1838.- We presume that