The Press. — London, England, 1857-10-17 00:00:00

THE PRESS, OCTOBER 17, 1857. THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION. THE inauguration of the National Association for the Promotion of Social Science took place on Tuesday last, with great eclat, at Birmingham. The Town-hall was selected as the place of meeting, and the proceedings appear to have excited an unusual amount of interest. Lord Brougham, Lord John Russell, Lord Stanley, M.P., Lord Hatherton, Sir J. Pakington, M.P., Sir Fitzroy Kelly, M.P., Sir B. Brodie, and a number of noblemen and gentlemen eminent for their interest in social science, were present on the platform. In the body of the hall a vast crowd were collected in eager expectation. The Mayor of Birmingham having in a few words intro duced Lord Brougham, that noble and learned lord rose to deliver the inaugural address. Lord Brougham, pointing out the division which may be made of human knowledge into two great branches, "the science which deals with abstract truths, and the science which treats of real existences," explained that of these divisions the latter was eminently deserving of attentive study : It is free from the doubts and contentions arising from metaphysical philosophy,because it deals not with sub• jects whereof not a few are placed beyond the reach of the human faculties, but with more practical objects— the laws which govern men's habits and the principles of human nature, upon which the structure of society and its movements depend; and respecting which safe conclusions can with certain limits be drawn. There were peculiar facilities too for cultivating this branch. History, statistics, the contemporary narrative of public events, and the details of national affairs, were the sources from which materials could be drawn and on which the political reasoner could build his system. Arriving then at the objects of this association, Lord Brougham explained them as follows : When the paramount importance of moral and political science is regarded, and the facilities for its cultivation, from the nature of the evidence it rests on, are duly considered, it has struck observers whose efforts are directed towards human improvement as somewhat extra ordinary that the course should not have been taken here, which has proved so advantageous for assisting the progress of inquiry in the other great department of knowledge— natural philosophy ; and they have strongly recommended the plan of assembling together occasionally, perhaps perio dically, the various individuals and bodies whose attention is devoted to the ascertainment, illustration, and general exposition of moral and political doctrines. It is very possible that in the end this object may be obtained, and that the association which we are met here to open may bear as wide a relation to moral and political science as the British Association, which has now been in successful action for considerably more than a quarter of a century, does to mathematical and physical science. At present, however, a more limited view is taken. It is proposed that five of the most important branches of morel and political inquiry should be singled out—those which especially form the practical portions of social science— comprehending the plans, both in theirdetails and in the principles that should govern them, for furthering the improvement and securing the stability of the social system ; correcting the faults and supplying the defects of our institutions upon sound, rational, and temperate views, and rendering desperate all attempts either to check the progress of improvement or to gratify the wild desires of those who would destroy rather than amend ; in a word, steering the middle course between those who regard all change as pernicious and those whom no change will satisfy. But if their subjects were to some extent limited, the scope of their deliberations was not narrow. It would embrace the great temporal interests of man kind, in the first rank of which were placei juris prudence and the amendment of the law. Remarking upon the difficulty of arriving at an exact and logical division of the different departments of inquiry which the association proposed to discuss, Lord Brougham pointed out the beneficial effects of united action, and the immense advantage which must accrue to social science from the mutual halp afforded to one another by fellow labourers in the same cause : The increased efficacy thus given to the efforts of each ; the lights struck out by full discussion, with the valuable suggestions thus produced, the experience, the reflecti.ns of each individual being made as it were common to all ; the security against error by timely examination of each plan before its author's prepossessions have become too deeply rooted, and before he has been committed to its details ; the authority given to proposals ultimately, and after mature deliberation persevered in, even if not sanc tioned by the assent of others; the influence which may be acquired in various ways when that sanction has been declared. These advantages attend all such unions, and may be cited in favour of any combined operations, whatever be the nature of the subject. But there is a peculiv expediency—it may rather be said necessity— for such a common or united action where a great variety of opinion is likely to exist upon many matters, possibly no universal concurrence upon all the particulars of any one. - - The noble and learned lord then illustrated his argument by deductions drawn from the labours and successes of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge and of the Society for the Amendment -- - he does not feel himself impelled to somo particular class of poetry. He has also attempted the drama in " Cauline," but without success. Yet we Cann. , t but feel, in perusing Mr. Reade's poems, that we are in presence of an elevated nature, with high moral aspirations, considerable accomplishments, and much eloquence in expressiou. The success of his " Italy " has been of no common kind, and must be gratifying to its author. Kiana. A Tradition of Hawaii. By James J Jarves. London: Sampson Low and Co. THE subject of this work is too remote to command interest from an English reader. We have con scientiously endeavoured to get through it, hut we could nct do so. Yet the author writes a fluent, and occasionally an effective, style : it is in choice of subject that he has failed. If there was a large reading class in Hawaii, his book might be perused ; but too many subjects, adapted to our national and popular tastes, interfere with us when a volume upon Hawaii is placed before us. In the preface he defends his choice of a subject in the following style :-- Strictly speaking, there is no such thing as fiction. Every emotion, thought, or action embodied into liters. ture, has been human experience at some time. We can imagine nothing within the laws of nature but what has had, or may have, an actual existence. A novel, therefore, but personifies the truth. The assertion is only partly just, for the author forgets that a writer must cultivate a selection of what is true. He must not describe uninteresting people, nor employ his talents on a true but impro bable plot. An artist may show his ability as a .colourist in painting for us the flats of Essex ; but we would think little of him as a landscape painter if he took us for his choice to the low banks of the Thames, while Cumberland or Devonshire were open to his sketch-book. Edinburgh Dissected : including Strictures on its Institutions, (tc. In a Series of Letters addressed to Roger Cutlar, Esq., by his Nephew. London : Groombridge. `Nis is an offensive book, and deserves no notice farther than by remarking that its author ought to have placed on its titlepage a line from the DUD.. clad— Sleepless himself to give his reader sleep. The " dissector" is too drowsy to inflict pain with his scalpel, and the attempt at imitating Lockhart's 4 ' Peter's Letters "is ridiculous. When the lion's hide is put on, some means should be taken to get up a decent counterfeit of a roar. The author cuts up no one but himself, and his exposure of his own disjecta membra is complete. Everybody to his taste ; and if people will scarify themselves, what can be done ? PUBLICATIONS RECEIVED-ocTonEn 15. A Woman's Preachings for Woman's Practice. Groombridge and Sons. Yarra Tarra ; or, the Wandering Aborigine. Hamilton Adams, and Co. Roman History. W. Phipp. Fetnity Portraiture. Hall and Virtue. .Hassan; or, the Child of the Pyramid. An Egyptian Tale. Two Vole. J. W. Parker and Son. 'The British Kymry ; or, Britons of Cambria. By the Rev. R. W. Morgan. Hardwicke. JULLIEN'S CONCERTS.—A statement which has gone the round of the morning papers that these concerts will be held this winter season at Drury Lane, is, we have reason to believe, incorrect. M. Jullien's concerts in November next will be held at Her Majesty's Theatre. THE MONDAY EVENING CONCERTS for the people will commence on Monday evening next. The suc cess which last season attended these admirable con certs is the best proof of the efficiency and good management which charaeerises the attempt. CHRISTY'S MINSTRELS are now performing every 'evening at the Polygrapilic-hall. A morning enter tainment, at three, is given every Satin.,lay. It their success was established at the St. James's Theatre, it is nightly confirmed by the crowded audiences at the hall in King William-street, Strand. These minstrels certainly rank among the cleverest and most entertaining of their profession. OLYMPIC THEATRE.—A new comedy is to be pro duced at this theatre on Monday next. It is from the pen of Mr. Troughton, who produced a very suc cessful piece at Drury Lane, under the management of Mr. Macready. The change of performance has been rendered necessary by the provincial engage ments of Mr. Robson, which were entered into before he succeeded to the management. Hitherto the success of the house has been very great. The Lighthouse, Masaniello, and The Subterfuge have been great favourites, and have continued to draw srowded houses. 1019 of the Law, and concluded by enforcing the advan tages which the labours of such an association may render to the Legislature : Nothing of party, nothing of what is termed political, except in the good sense of the phrase, can enter into the structure of the functions of our body. While men of all opinions and shades of opinion ere united in the good work, there never can arise any feeling unfriendly to the established order of things in this free and happy , country—while no disrespect will ever be shown towards the very different institutions of other nations—while the sound view is taken that these institutions may probably be suited to their diversity of circumstances — while the want of all constitutional government in some countries, and the excess of popular interference in others, may neither proVoke our pity nor our envy, persuaded as we well may be that our own system protects us at once from arbitrary power and from the rule of the irresponsible multitude, which only terminates the countless evils of its own peculiar despotism when it brings on the more ordinary domination of a single tyrant. The inestimable blessing of this security we owe to our well-balanced Constitution ; and the change, as it is called by some, the renovation by others, effected of late years bas certainly been attended with one conse quence not to be overlooked in our present deliberation. It cannot be denied that the representation of so many places by members whom local influence returns has, with many most important advantages, one material drawback. Local interests are well represented, as they ought to he; for any system would be most imperfect which made the wants and the wishes of each place merge in those of the whole community. But it is undeniable that, with some distinguished exceptions, the general result is the confining men's cares to their immediate constituencies in discharging their parliamentary duties. In the theory of the Constitution, beyond all doubt, it is in contemplation of law that they represen t the whole country and are to consult its interests; but practically, and in fact, they are too apt to regard themselves as representing the place that returns them, and this unavoidably leachi to confining their views within narrow bounds. They do not devote much of their attention to subjects of a more general character—they do not of themselves study measures of that catholic description, or volunteer their exertions to carry such a policy into effect. But the same persons—and they form a very considerable portion of our whole representatives, as things are now ordered—would be far from showing any indisposition towards men whose labours might cast light upon such important subjects, and point out both the wants of society in these respects and the means of supplying them. This help would assivedly be well re ceived by all well-intentioned representatives of the people, as it would be honestly and frankly, but respectfully, offered ; and the exertions of the association which we aro now engaged in forming will be invaluable in this view. Lord Brougham concluded with an eloquent perora tion in favour of the diffusion of knowledge and the extension of progress Knowledge thus diffused, but especially knowledge of social interests and rights and duties, even more than the firm and temperate distribution of justice itself, possesses the great, the cardinal virtue of insuring the stability of the social system. It is, to use the language of the day, in the very greatest degree Conservative, and in the highest sense of the phrase. But this diffusion has another and most happy tendency—it leads to the improvement of the system, because it inspires all classes with the desire of promoting measures shown to be safe as well as effectual, in a word, wholesome reforms. Nor can anything be more groundless than the fears of progress entertained by some— affected by more. It is, in truth, ignorance continued, not knowledge advanced, which they have to fear—nay, which, when we come to an explanation with them, they really do fear. Knowledge is power ; but its natural ally is the friendly power of virtue, with which its dominion is willingly shared. This is above all true of the knowledge which we shall seek to improve and to impart. The supreme Disposer and Preserver, who " decketh himself with light as it were a garment, but defentleth all the earth as it were with a shield," has provided that the false steps into which we are led by the twilight will be prevented or retraced when the day dawns. If any one is still alarmed at the force which the people seem to gain when their faculties are expanded by cultivation, let him recollect that this happy process canna be continued and further know ledge acquired, without a new security being given by that very increase of knowledge against the delusions and the excesses from which the peace of the community has most to fear. We are reminded by the subject, as well as by the place where we are assembled, of the exquisite invention, the happiest perhaps in the history of science, which makes the power of steam provide by its expansion for its own control, the one very nicely proportioned to the other. Knowledge is thus both power and safety—it exercises this self-control; it gives to the mighty social engine both the movement and the governor— Unmeasured strength with perfect art combined, Awes, serves, amazes, and protects mankind. But it is not safety alone that we expect we fondly hope for more; we confidently look higher. Undaunted by the resistance of adversaries, undismayed by the obstructions which the bias of prejudice, or the conflicts of faction, or the strife of controversy raise to impede social progress or to retard, its friends lift up their view to the loftier heights where religious and moral truth sheds an eternal light. Piercing the darkness of ignorance that shrouds one region, the mists of doubt that obscure, the storms of passion that vex, the instinct of selfishness that chills another, the eye loves to repose on that bright summit where the same beams dispel all doubt from our opinions towards God, and warm our benevolent feelings towards men