PUBLISHED MONTHLY AT FIVE DOLLARS PER ANNUM-JNO. R. THOMPSON, EDITOR AND PROPrietor. VOL. XVI. RICHMOND, JULY, 1850. NO. 7. the intellectual annals of the world, something Morell's Philosophy of the Nineteenth Cen-nobler and more worthy of lasting veneration tury.* than the off-shoots of the last such as they now appear. If we can read aright the signs of the times, and discern accurately of the night, the wretched, though highly elaborate systems which Mr. Morell's work has been too long before the public to require at our hands any very close tined to be swept away even in our own age by now unprofitably prey upon each other, are desor extended examination. It has been too highly a wider, more generous, more elevating, and lauded by the foreign press to need the aid of our more rational Philosophy, than the olla podricommendation, or to be affected by our censure; da, (which is not Philosophy,) of the Eclectic and, though we cannot acquiesce in the unmea- School-or the systems which dazzle and delude sured eulogy which has been lavished on it, yet, the minds of men, under the catchwords of reaas the Essay is entitled to much praise, and sup-son, or a higher sense-of sense, or of common plies respectably a grave desideratum in our lit- sense. The serpents produced by the art of the erature of Philosophy, we shall only venture, at Egyptian Magicians, wondrous as their art may this late day, upon a brief expression of our es- be, will be devoured by the brazen serpent which timate of its merits. So much we think due to springs from a loftier inspiration. The rod of Aaron has not yet been revealed: let us not in our hurry and impatience acknowledge fealty and allegiance to its meaner precursors: but, until it is made manifest, or the close of the Cen the celebrity of the author, to the wide-spreading influences of the work, and to the dangers to be apprehended from the pernicious heresies to which it tends. There is a lamentable, but almost universal inclination, to speak of the Philosophy of the Nineteenth Century as something novel and peculiarly excellent; and Mr. Morell is by no means guiltless of this vulgar adulation and self-idolatry. We may be permitted to remark, en passant, that this designation is a misnomer as re-tified with this appellation. gards the subject of Mr. Morell's book; and a still more grievous misnomer as regards the Philosophy to which it is applied. The greater part of the present volume is occupied with the Philosophy and Philosophers of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth centuries, and the fragment devoted to the Nineteenth treats merely of systems which bear the characteristic impress of those of the preceding age. This, however, is of comparatively slight importance, but it is not so with the We cannot conceive of any Philosophy, or system of Philosophies, as peculiarly giving character to any particular century, until the century itself be closed, and all its fruits are before us. It is equally ignorant and arrogant to anticipate the possible productions of time, and to decide the point while half the hundred years have barely expired: and we do trust that the present Centenniad may not pass away with out leaving behind it, to record its influence in tury without its appearance demonstrates the futility of our hopes, we will not admit any peculiar systems as specially constituting the Philosophy of the Nineteenth Century; least of all will we render homage to those monkey-deities which idolatrous hands have set up in Dan, and sanc second error. An Historical and Critical View of the Speculative Philosophy of Europe in the Nineteenth Century. By J. D. Morell, A. M. New York. Robert Carter. 1848. VOL. XVI-19 and in some measure, upon the title of the presThese passing observations upon the spirit, ent work are not irrelevant; for a sign may betray, where it does not reveal, the nature of the thing siguified; and, in the present instance, after reading the title-page, we need not be surprised at discovering that Mr. Morell's views are confined within the limits of the sensible horizon; as if the sun, in his unwearying course, illumined only the little circle within the range of our own feeble vision and direct experience. It is true that he has spoken and written about the Tendencies of the Age; but whenever his thoughts are projected into the future, he mistakes the clouds which hang over the distant verge of the horizon, but fall within its circumference, for the shadows which coming events cast before them. But, if the veil of the future is impenetrable to his eyes, and does not even awaken any dreams of what may be, which are not magnified phantasms of what now is, like the Giants of the Brocken, this inability to judge truly of the future results, in a great measure, from the fact, that the by no means impervious vista of the past seems almost equally obscure to him. He lastic age produced nothing more than a renewal, is one of those visionary but commonplace spec- with some peculiar modifications, of ancient Phiulators, who abound in such times as ours, of losophy." Mr. Mill, too, in his System of Logic,whom it has been well said that "they pretend decidedly the ablest contribution of modern times to read the future, forgetting the while that the to intellectual science-expresses a veneration future is an enigma whose solution is to be found for Mediæval Scholasticism, which is equally at only in the past.' Beyond Bacon and Hobbes, variance with the language of Mr. Morell. Mr. Morell can see nothing except the remote It is surprising how little attention is paid to systems of antiquity, and even they are to him the Middle Ages, and what flippant assertions little better than unresolved Nebulæ. Yet His- will suffice as a veil or an excuse for total ignotory is contemptuously set at defiance by thus ig-rance of the history and condition of the Medianoring the colossal masses of the Medieval Phi-val world. There is, indeed, some apology for losophy. Bacon deemed it not unworthy of his this ignorance in the United States, where, as great name to pay especial attention to the wri- we know from our own bitter experience, it is tings of Telesio and Patrizzi; and was indebted, almost impossible for an humble Scholar to proin a greater degree than we can readily discover, cure a single Scholastic author, and where the to his precursor and namesake-the Doctor Ad- great collections of Mediæval Antiquities are not mirabilis. Leibnitz thought it worth his while to be found in any of our Libraries, public, colto comment upon Marius Nizolius; and if Mr.legiate, or private, except perhaps in the reposiMorell had studied Leibnitz in the large edition tories of some Catholic institutions. But in the of Duteus, instead of confining himself to reviews, abridgments, and Parisian selections, he would have discovered that that great man commends the earlier Scholastics, and especially Roscellinus and the Nominalists, in terms hardly compatible with the declaration that "the scho * Ils prétendent lire dans l'avenir, oubliant que l'avenir est une énigme dont le mot se trouve dans le passé. Journal des M. Cherbuliez. Lettre à M. Proudhon. Libraries of every University and Capital in Europe, Mr. Morell might have discovered, without any curious diligence, tome upon tome, and ponderous piles of Authors to refute his asseveration, if he had only been willing to undergo the labour of original research, instead of seeking a cheap reputation by relying upon the petty droppings of second-hand information. Even the great, though crude compilation of Brucker, with which every Historian of Philosophy should be familiar, but whose heavy volumes seem to have deterred Mr. Morell from its study, and driven him to Enfield's Abridgment, would have suffi † Leibnitz. Præf. ad Marium Nizolium. §§xxvii. xxviii. Nam nec illud prætereundum est, iniquos esse,qui illorum temporum lapsus tam acerbe peretringunt; tu, si illic sis, aliter sentias. Quum historia et civilis et philosophica ciently informed his mind to have saved him the delitesceret, quum scriptores optimi non nisi pessime disgrace of this sciolous calumny upon the Schotranslati haberentur, quum typographiæ beneficio desti- lastic Philosophy. We may add, too, that the tutis aut summosissime omnia aut molestissime transcri- day is rapidly passing by when this ignorance benda essent, et unius inventa ad cæterorum notitiam raro, nec nisi tarde pervenirent, (unde fit, ut nunc sæpe ex col can be safely indulged by any one anxious to latione scriptorum deprehendantur, quæ etiam coœvi ig-secure a permanent reputation. The best histonorarunt,) mirum fuit graviter et sæpe labi, miraculi po- rians, the most profound philosophers, even the tius instar fuit vel mediocriter aliquid in literis et vera fellow-Eclectics of Mr. Morell, and the most saphilosophia præstare. Quare etiam, sicubi mihi aliquid gacious statesmen of the day, are beginning to durius hic currente calamo excidit, id de temporum magis confess the necessity of seeking the instruction miserabili fato, quam hominum ignavia intellectum volo. Illi potius culpandi sunt, qui nunc quoque inventa fruge which may guide them through the universal anglandibus vesci malunt, et pertinacia magis quam igno- archy of the times, from the records and teachrantia peccant. Nec vereor dicere Scholasticos vetustio-ings of a long neglected and derided, but great res nonnullis hodiernis et acumine, et soliditate, et modes- and glorious age. The command is not of hutia, et ab inutilibus quæstionibus circumspectiore absti nentia longe præstare: hodierni enim nonnulli quum vix man utterance, "Stand ye in the ways, and see, quicquam dignum typis addere veteribus possint, hoc and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, unum faciunt, ut allegata opinionum cumulent, et innu- and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your meras frivolas quæstiones excogitent, et unum argumen-souls." tum in multa partiantur, et mutent methodum, et terminos The substitution of eleemosynary learning fingant refingantque. Ita illis tot tamque grandes libri nascuntur. Quam vero longe sint acumine inferiores superioribus superioris et hujus seculi Scholasticis, documentum esse potest secta nominalium, omnium inter Scholasticos, profundissima, et hodiernæ reformate philosophandi rationi. congruentissima: quæ quum olim maxime floreret, nunc apud Scholasticos quidem extincta est. Unde conjicias decrementa potius quam augmenta acuminis. and borrowed opinions for original investigation, may be constantly detected in the present work; and this we would note as one of the principal deductions to be made from the thoughtless praises bestowed upon the Author. His own reflections may be traced at almost every turn to the writings of Victor Cousin, Saisset, Simon, and the other members of the Eclectic choir. If similar evidence of hasty and superficial procewe had the whole of the Literature of the mod-dure. It is manifestly drawn from Sir David ern French School by us, we do not doubt that Brewster's article in the Edinburgh Review on we could reproduce nearly the entire Essay in a the first two volumes of his great work, and from series of quotations; even with the few works M. Saisset's in the Revue des Deux Mondes, and at hand we can do this to a very considerable not from the careful perusal of the Cours de extent. Mr. Morell, in the Preface to the first Philosophie Positive itself. The singularly acute edition of his book, speaks so modestly about and ingenious work, too, which represents the himself, and his great obligation to others, that opposite or Hegelian wing of modern infidelwe would not have dwelt at all upon these defi- ity, and like the Positive Philosophy, demands ciencies, but for the indiscreet eulogy of his ad- an instant refutation, though even Tholuch has mirers. With the exception of the English, the been unable to redeem satisfactorily his pledge Scotch, the modern French, and some few of to answer it-Strauss's Life of Jesus, is only the recent German schools, he appears from the slightly alluded to. Throughout, we must say, evidence furnished by his own Essay, to have there is much more learning in Mr. Morell's Critstudied none of the Philosophers whom he criti-ical History pretended than evinced. We need cises in their own complete works. We are sur- not wonder that British Critics have been deprised, too, to notice in a Critical History of Phi- ceived by this parade, for their whole cycle of losophy the utter absence of all reference to metaphysical erudition is usually bounded by the Plato, Aristotle, and the ancients, when both his writings of Hobbes, Berkeley, Locke, Hume, master, Victor Cousin, and his fellow-disciples Hartley, and the Scotch and French Schools, have so strikingly set him the example, and when although there are honourable exceptions, such modern doctrines must so frequently suggest an as Dugald Stuart, Sir W. Hamilton, and Blaallusion to the equivalent or analogous tenets of key. Thus a work, like the present, which reantiquity, to the mind of any one the least familiar with Ancient Philosophy. There are passages in Mr. Morell which render it hardly conceivable that he should have ever perused any even of Bacon's works than the best known and most popular. With Leibnitz he is evidently unacquainted, except through the two duodecimo volumes of the Paris edition, in which the Théodicée is the only Treatise to be found in the nine quarto volumes edited by Duteus.* The able summary of Leibnitz's Philosophy, contained in the fifth volume of Brucker's Historia Critica, seems also unknown to him. The posthumous Essays published in the French edition could not have been dispensed with, but still less can the writings given to the world in the life-time of the standard authorities for Metaphysical Histheir Author, which reveal the growth of his peculiar theories, and which secured his fame, be disregarded. Even the mathematical and scientific papers of Leibnitz cannot be treated as unimportant, by the Critical Historian of Philosophy, who reflects upon the indissoluble intertexture of his Physical and Ethical speculations, and remembers that his doctrine of the “vis viva,” (borrowed indisputably from the "vis creatrix" of Descartes,) brought inorganic matter legitimately within the range of metaphysical inquiry. Mr. Morell's Critique upon Comte furnishes His works were published by Duteus at Geneva, in 1768, in nine Parts, frequently bound up as 6 vols. 4 to. corresponding to the VI. Tomi. The Critique of Locke's Essay, and some other treatises, not contained in the edition of Duteus are given in that of Paris, by Amédée Jac ques. vealed the existence and the characteristics of vast continents of speculation, of which they had barely heard, might easily obtain the credit of profound learning among those whose studies could not have rendered them competent to question or fathom its depth. Yet the disciples of Sir W. Hamilton might have put in a caveat to this undiscerning adulation. Another large deduction which is to be made from the commendations bestowed upon this Essay has reference to its alleged originality of reflection, a claim which is by no means set up for it by Mr. Morell himself. The form and character of the work are indeed novel in the British Isles, where Cudworth and Stanley still remain tory; but those familiar with the writings of Victor Cousin will find the plan of Mr. Morell's work in the French Philosopher's Cours de * We have not seen the Review of Strauss by Julius Müller, which has been highly commended; but we doubt the possibility of a valid refutation from the platform of losophy of Religion, in the North British Review, points German Theology. The reviewer of Mr. Morell's Phiout the peril to Christianity to be apprehended from his Transcendental views of Religion, which fall almost under the same category as those of Strauss. It is singular to compare the expression of this fear with the words of Du teus, (repeating after Christian Wolf,) in regard to the first manifestations of this Philosophy. Terror panicus est, si quis metuat, "ista et similia eo tendere, ut illa, quæ nunc communi consensu pro mysteriis habentur, vera mysteria esse desinant, et ut deinceps, ubi ea dignitate spoliata fuerint, ipsa etiam humana, Ratio jus ac licentiam sibi vindicet, suo ipsius tribunali subjiciendi, et sua decempeda metiendi." Note (hhhh.) ad Leibnitz. Præf. ad Theod. §63. Op. i, p. 103. Philosophie, and all his leading ideas scattered | pair of discovering truth by further examinathrough M. Cousin's various works. Mr. Mo- tion-to the indifference to laborious speculation rell is a strict, we will not say, a servile disciple which such despair occasions-and to a deepof the great Eclectic teacher-his principles are rooted distrust of all existing systems. It is purely and narrowly Eclectic, though he some- strange that M. Saisset, who recognizes this so times loses himself in the maze of shadowy fully in regard to the Alexandrine School,* does ideas,—and he is merely a stray specimen in the not perceive its equal applicability to the French. British Seas from the vast shoal of small fish But the love of one's own theory produces a singu that sport about the Leviathan of French Phi- lar blindness or distortion of vision, and that able losophy. writer transfers to the Religionists of France, There is little room for originality in Eclecti- those characteristics which, he perceives, appercism, whether it be the medley of the Later tain to the passing age, but which he does not Academy, of the Alexandrians, or of modern perceive to be in reality appropriate to his own Parisian Metaphysics-whether expounded by Philosophy. Eclecticism is at best a pure stagCicero, Plotinus, or Cousin. But there is still nation of the creative intellect:-a diligent broodJess chance of originality for those who, like Mr. ing upon addled eggs in the hope of a living proMorell, are merely the imitators and followers of geny. It is a vague invocation of the past to Eclectic masters. M. Cousin has written vigo-reveal what can only be expected of the future: rously and gracefully in favour of his views, it is seeking by necromancy to raise and vivify he has the merit of being the first to establish, the shadows of the dead, instead of developing though by no means to assert, that no system is by persevering energy the powers of the living. utterly destitute of truth:* but the eclecticism, Yet the course of humanity is never retrograde, which he has founded, is nothing more than a even when most so in appearance. The expesystem of sifting systems that have passed away, rience of the past may be our wisest monitor; in the vain hope of evoking a living form from a but systems once profitably tried in the legiticongeries of lifeless bones. We cannot conceive mate development of humanity cannot be adthe fruitless labor as very different from the en- vantageously revived either by an Eclectic or a deavor to fill the cask of the Danaïdes. Eclec- Syncretistic process, without undergoing such ticism is an attempt to combine things separately large modifications as completely change their recognized to be false, with the credulous fancy character while adapting them to the requirethat the aggregation of falsehoods may establishments of a new generation. But in this change the truth. So far as the desired combination the Eclectic or Syncretistic character almost encan be effected, it must result in the neutraliza-tirely disappears. For these reasons, we must tion or annihilation of the vital and distinctive always regard Eclecticism as a monstrous fallaprinciples of each organism thrown into the cy-a sign of an age intellectually weak,-and alembic. All the alchemy, which may be em- a virtual admission of incompetency to meet the ployed, will only suffice to keep the heterogene- wants of the times; and we must especially deny ous elements in a state of fusion; let there be a originality to Mr. Morell, as a mere acolyte, not moment of rest, and there will be finally left only even a high-priest, in the temple of modern Ecan anomalous, colourless, insipid caput mortuum.lecticism. It is impossible to introduce any solidarité, to It should be added, before leaving this subject, borrow a fashionable phrase from France, into that Eclecticism, without recognizing the departhe discordant materials, and there can conse-ture from its strict character, allows a wide latiquently be neither the regularity of form nor the tude on either side for differences and divergenpermanence of substance which we find in natu- ces. One element or another may be more ral crystallizations. A distinction has been fre- prominently developed, and become dominant quently attempted to be established by the School over the rest: and we can readily discover in the between Syncretism and Eclecticism, and is al-writings of M. Cousin and his followers, incluleged by Mr. Morell, but it is not valid. Syn-ding Mr. Morell, a very decided inclination tocretism, it is true, may not always be Eclectic; wards Transcendental Idealism, and the consebut Eclecticism must be Syncretistic, and must quent Pantheism. This tendency, which is daily ultimately share the fate of all Syncretistic formations, which is entire disintegration from the absence of any principle of coherence. In any age, in which Eclecticism may prevail, we must attribute its acceptance to the unrecognized des becoming more pronounced, presents a striking analogy to the course of the Neo-Platonic Philosophers, and accounts for the passionate ardour and ingenious sophistry with which both Mr. Mo *Saisset. Essais sur la Philosophie et la Religion,De L'Ecole d'Alexandrie, originally published in the Re* Aristot. Metaph. I. Min. p. 993. b. 11. et. vide Scho- vue des Deux-Mondes as a review of M. Jules Simon's liastas ad loc. History of that School. rell and M. Saisset deny the Pantheistic ten- | works of Abelard;—and we may expect at their dency of Eclecticism. We do not doubt their hands a valid abnegation of the Positiveism, own sincerity, but it is the sincerity of self-de- Transcendentalism, and Hegelianism, which they Insion. The very vehemence of their deuial is must continue unable wholly to refute. They in itself suspicious, it is like the declamations of may render valuable service to humanity by rethe Puseyites in regard to the Catholic tendency jecting and withstanding the infidelity of Comte of their doctrines. It is the latent feeling of si-and the opposite infidelity of Strauss, until the militude, accompanied with the desire but also Coryphæus of a higher Philosophy may arise to with the inability to disprove its reality, which expose the fallacies of those arch-infidels, and occasions so much heat, and drives them, for wrest the victory from their grasp. want of valid arguments, to captious quibbles, The merit of reviving the study of neglected petty word-spellings, and the sophistical confu-philosophers is duly exhibited by the various folsion of mere declamation. But where the es-lowers of M. Cousin, and is legitimately claimed sence and the consequences of two systems are for them by Mr. Morell, who commends them the same, it is of little avail to establish artfully, also not unjustly for the critical attention which or even successfully, mere verbal distinctions. they have bestowed upon all the systems of The intrinsic identity will ultimately reveal itself Germany which agitate the day. The merit through the clouds and mists of purely formal is by no means trivial, nor is the service slight. differences which have been artificially thrown around it. When any great intellectual revolution is at hand, and received opinions have both displayed their Far be it from us to deny or to underrate by whole efficacy and revealed their deficiencies, the these observations the real services rendered to necessary preparation for further advancement the progress of Philosophy by Victor Cousin and consists in the diligent scrutiny of all accredited his disciples. If their Eclecticism be insufficient systems, and the careful examination of all foras a system to explain the phenomena of the in- mer belief. When the lights and stars of heaven telligible and sensible universe, or to supply the fail us, we must determine our onward course by wants and satisfy the yearnings of the human the dead reckoning. If from the vast collection mind in its present stage of inquiry, it has in- of reveries, sophisms, and fragmentary truths of contestably the important merit of necessitating former time, it be impossible, (as experience has a renewed study of the wisdom of the past, and proved, and must prove it to be,) to educe any of facilitating this study by collecting, collating, organic and harmonious system, nevertheless, and illustrating the works of the most profound the errors which we notice, and the discoverable thinkers of every age and clime. Eclecticism causes of those errors may guard us against the claims to be "the history of Philosophy ap- repetition of similar delusions; and the partial plied to the study of Philosophy properly so truths which we may detect, as well as the bluncalled;"* and from this character compels its vo- ders of the past, may be pregnant with valuable taries to undertake with renewed diligence the suggestions. But we must not mistake the scafstudy of philosophical history. This special duty folding for the temple, or the brute earth which has not been neglected. To this School we al-may be evoked from the chaos. The History of ready owe many valuable translations and editions of the illustrious sages of former times, and elaborate commentaries on ancient and modern systems. To them we are indebted for the removal of the unjust opprobrium which so long shrouded the name of the great and the good Spinoza: to them we are indebted for the works of Plotinus and Abelard; from them we may hope, notwithstanding Mr. Morell's shallow sneer, so utterly at variance with the principles and practice of his School, for intelligible editions of the whole series of Schoolmen from John Erigena to Gerson, though as yet their sole contribution to the elucidation of Medieval Philosophy is Victor reformation of Philosophy. It is possible, inCousin's edition of the previously unpublished * "l'histoire de la philosophie appliquée à l'étude de la philosophie proprement dite." M. H. Baudrillart-Notice of Quetelet's Social System. ap. Journal des Economistes. No. 97, p. 70. cf. V. Cousin. Introd. à l'Hist. de la Philosophie. Leçon. ii. Philosophy is not Philosophy itself. In all time, however, the preparation for great intellectual mutations has been evinced and expedited by a careful examination of former systems and methods of procedure. It was the zealous pursuit of historical inquiries which smoothed the way for the mighty innovations of Luther and Bacon: and it is from a greater, a wider, a deeper, and more discriminating zeal in similar pursuits that we would venture to anticipate not merely a coming advancement in Philosophy, but that general Instauration of all learning which must be the necessary consequence of any thorough deed, and the political and intellectual anarchy of the times renders it highly probable, that we may be doomed to the forty years' wandering in the wilderness before we enter into that promised land on the verge of which we appear to be now hovering. |