Brougham, and may be described generally as inculcating and pointing out the methods by which the intellectual powers will be invigorated, and knowledge enlarged on the part of each student, leaving the culture of the moral sentiments and sympathies to follow or to accompany mental improvement. In his Inaugural Address as Lord Rector at the University of Glasgow, he is represented as having described " useful information" and "intellectual refinement" as the "sure forerunner of moral improvement," meaning, by the terms useful information and improvement, a knowledge and taste for such branches as are secular and embrace modern science, to the exclusion of religious creeds and inquiries. Another party reverses this arrangement, and maintains that by furthering moral improvement, an inevitable precursor not only of useful knowledge and intellectual vigour, but of all the refined and ennobling impulses of which human nature is susceptible, would be detected.

In this latter class, we must place the author of these "Colloquies;" and yet he carries his meaning of the phrase moral improvement to a height which some will denominate transcendental or mystic, making it consist in a union and daily communion with God, or in other words, if we understand him aright, in vital practical Christianity-the inculcation and communication of this allpowerful and gracious principle to form the ground-work of education.

But it will be asked, by what sort of mental machinery and culture is this potent principle to be infused? To such an inquiry our anonymous author chiefly addresses himself; and although we think that society is not yet in that position which will admit the full working of his system or the development of its power; and although we also fear that the appreciation and enjoyment in relation to the divine attributes which the union insisted on implies, will yield scope to much extravagance and hypocrisy, if allowed to form a recommendatory ground of human character, we must concede that the experiment of making men good in proportion to the increase of their knowledge has hitherto failed, and that nothing short of an enlargement and elevation of the affections or moral feelings-the true basis of which is pure and earnest personal religion, can ever be reckoned upon as a general and permanent renovator of a community or of the world.

Before proceeding to afford to our readers some account of these "Colloquies," we must be allowed to say a word concerning their conduct and style; for while we think that the author's reasoning is not always pertinent-that it is diffuse, and is not remarkable for forwarding his main doctrine simultaneously with the increase of his pages, so as to create an accumulative interest and weight to the whole, he certainly must be allowed the merit of having made

himself understood on an intricate, perplexed, and all-engrossing subject, which he has viewed in an unusual light-a light, too, that necessarily imposed extraordinary difficulties in point of illustration-and all this in a style that is singularly chaste and elegant. We should say of him that he is a man not more earnest in a great and good cause, with which, perhaps, none other can be compared in as far as man's destinies are concerned, than that his mind is refined and expanded.

In an advertisement as well as from other contents of the present volume, we learn that this is not the first proof of the author's study of the important subjects it embraces. As an ardent and honest philanthropist, it would appear that certain discrepancies between the professional faith and the religious practice of too many had for a time staggered him, but that after deeper inquiry he has been enabled to reconcile these phenomena. The progress of his discovery and the use he makes of it occupy the "Colloquies," a form into which the work is thrown, for the sake, we presume, of giving point to the sentiments expressed, as well as to allow of a greater latitude of elucidation.

Fitzosborne, the assumed name of the author, finds himself one fine evening on the ramparts of Cadiz, when he falls in with a German, whom he has met before at a table d'hôte, where he received the title of Mystic. This supposed visionary maintains that "so long as individuals remain unimproved, so long will defective institutions continue," and whose philosophy consists" in living in union with God." Upon this Fitzosborne remarks, "does not all Europe profess Christianity? and yet what discord everywhere prevails!" to which the German replies, "professing Christianity is not serving God." But says Fitzosborne, "is it possible for an individual to serve God in any other way than by aiding his fellow-creatures?" This drew forth from the Mystic the doctrine that man "cannot effectually aid either himself or his fellow-creatures, unless he first seeks and forms an union with God," and "that a despair of social improvement can exist only in the absence of this union."

These and kindred observations, which are not in themselves novel, excepting as being applied as a sine qua non to national or universal education, are represented as having set the author to reflect deeply on their import, and to find that persons contemptuously designated Mystics have most frequently been those whose "lives were peculiar, only because they resembled that which it was the duty of all to imitate ;" and that "so long as the Mystic seeks seclusion, though known, he is unmolested; satire will never follow him to his retreat; but let him by his opinions or conduct proclaim his aspirations after a more spiritual religion, and yet remain in society a standing reproof upon mankind in general, and he speedily becomes the object of ridicule and buffoonery."

Fitzosborne returns to England, to the neighbourhood of Kingston, with a new light around and within him, where Charles Bertrand, a friend of congenial sentiments as to many points, but not yet so fully instructed and convinced, joins him. In an early dialogue the former, after referring to his conversation with the German at Cadiz, and remarking, besides, that "one or two signal failures in personal conduct on the part of those who had distinguished themselves by great mental and moral powers in their writings," had driven him back to renewed investigation, is followed by the latter acquiescing in the statement. The Colloquy then proceeds thus

"Fitzosborne.-You shall hear a man discourse profoundly on morals, with an ardour that assures you his whole soul is embarked in the cause; his audience adore him for his great qualities, for not only shall be elevate them by an eloquence almost superhuman, but his conduct in private life endears him to his friends, and commands the applause of the world; he sits among mortals like a descended god:' notwithstanding which, there shall be some tenacious but most insignificant propensity that mars the whole; and though he may have raised to himself a monument of extended fame,-is conscious of superior virtue,-animated with the hope of rendering future and eminent service to mankind, though his mighty and far-seeing intellect clearly discerns the dreadful consequences, the infamy and disgrace to which he will be consigned, yet all will not avail to save the splendid victim from yielding to a trifling temptation, which the merest child could with ease resist.

you

“Bertrand.—And this Goliah, laid prostrate by a pebble, convinces that something more than moral science is required to sustain the individual! I am glad that you have at length come to such a conclusion. The phrenologists would say that some counteracting quality or organ should be cultivated.

66

Fitzosborne. They may be so far right; but not to them can be assigned more than a subordinate part in the work of education, although they, like many others, would wish to reign supreme.

"Bertrand. Others will maintain, that when society is properly organized, a confluence of favourable circumstances from childhood will carry forward the individual in the right path, in spite of any defect of natural disposition.

"Fitzosborne. To them I will concede much, but they also shall have a subordinate part.

'Bertrand.-This is indeed a revolution in the mind of one who has so long contended for the exclusive sufficiency of well-selected circumstances in moulding the character.

64

Fitxosborne. That for which I have hitherto contended may still be essential circumstances may deform, but cannot form the character; circumstances are to the individual, what the soil and the atmosphere are to a plant; they may facilitate or obstruct the expansion of his powers and the unfolding of his character, but the energy that triumphs over all circumstances, and gives maturity to the noblest sentiments, comes from a deeper source."

The supposed Goliah is a man of superior natural genius, and has had the advantage of many uncommon external circumstances; how then is it that he falls?

"Bertrand.-A distinguished writer of the present day accounts for this inconsistency by assigning to men of genius a twofold character:'An author has two characters, the one belonging to his imagination, the other to his experience. From the one come all his higher embodyings: by the help of the one, he elevates-he refines; from the other come his beings of the earth, earthy,' and his aphorisms of worldly caution.' And again: 'In Shakspeare the same doubleness of character is remarkably visible. The loftiest ideal is perpetually linked with the most exact copy of the commoners of life. Shakspeare had never seen Mirandabut he had drunk his glass with honest Stephano.'*

"Fitzosborne.-Were the golden link by which the loftiest ideal is united with the Deity never disse vered, the sublimity of genius would be immeasurably heightened, and shine forth in the conduct of the man, as well as more intensely in the effusions of the author.

"Bertrand.-Would you hope to out-Shakspeare Shakspeare? That which appears to have been an obstruction in his course might have been the cause of his

power.

"Fitzosborne.-As soon will I believe that the rocks which ruffle the surface of the majestic tide of a mighty river augment its waters, as that power can be derived from an impediment.

"Bertrand.-See how your analogy fails, since waters by being dammed up acquire additional force.

"Fitzosborne.-That is nothing but a concentration of the same degree of power spread over a wider surface; but while genius is obtaining continual supplies from the fountain-head, no obstruction is required as a warning of the necessity for more vigorous exertion."

Bertrand afterwards says, "it is because we know not ourselves, that all our enjoyments are so imperfect;" and that "the admonition that the kingdom of God is within, is rarely thought of," otherwise "our eyes would be opened, and we should duly appreciate all externals;" to which sort of vague cant Fitzosborne replies with pith and discrimination, that "the externals nearest to this interior sense of the divine presence must first be subjugated; the appetites and passions must be placed under beneficial but rigorous controul and direction, ere the intellectual faculties can be fitted for higher purposes: unless we extirpate all, all our injurious habits, even the darling propensity, we shall be in continual danger."

But how is this high moral and religiously based training to be attained or gone about? It is not enough that Fitzosborne tells us, that the steady and zealous performance of our duties to God. and man are easy, or that their performance would render one exceedingly attractive to his neighbours, or that the closer they are

followed out, he who observes them will rise the higher, physically, mentally, and morally; for the fact is, that few or none ever show that such is their belief. Neither is it enough that Bertrand instances what is to be expected of the many charitable institutions of this and other Christian countries; for the truth is, as the other Colloquist has it, that when the great increase and general diffusion of wealth are considered, these endowments will be found to be little more than the crumbs which fall from exuberant tables, affecting in appearance only, and that remotely, individual interests; and he concludes that no great change in our institutions for the better can be effected until religion has prepared the minds of men.

We are still but on the threshold of our author's system; and truly, had he nothing farther to advance than what we have glanced at, we might not only regard the longed-for amelioration as distant, but be at a loss to conceive what are the practical educational measures recommended for hastening its advent. Passing over, therefore, much that is said about the true principles of vital religion, for the enlargement and purifying of which meditation on the divine attributes is earnestly recommended-that on Goodness and Love, for example, being necessarily calculated to subdue a sectarian spirit, and to induce every one to make common cause with each individual, of whatever profession, who is striving for the good of others, whether in the way of the advancement of scientific or religious attainments, we come to the following statement, that there are three systems of education prevailing in England at present, which are thus distinguished. First, the High Church party, who disregard natural philosophy, especially in the education of the poor. Secondly, the Evangelical party, who not only neglect, but decry the pursuit of natural philosophy as unworthy of beings born for eternity, and to whom all the mysteries of nature will soon be revealed. Thirdly, the Useful Knowledge Party, who neglect the particular study of religion and morality, conceiving both to be the certain consequence of general intelligence. It is admitted, however, that there are many distinguished exceptions in each of these lists, although it is maintained that, if the theory and practice of any one had been true, the result would have been so striking, "as to have commanded assent of all."

It thus appears that the author's system embraces an enlarged field of instruction, both in secular and religious matters; but it is as regards the latter, that we must allow him to be heard at some length, in order that the reader's anxiety respecting the means recommended and relied on for making the community truly religious may be judged of.

Fitzosborne, with all his reverence for the Bible and admiration of its doctrines, is most inimical to the system of making it indiscriminately a school-book. After stating that there is no natural