The Press. — London, England, 1855-05-26 00:00:00

MAY 26, 1855. fire, phosphorus, and brimstone. Only disturb this artic of the people's faith, and behold the result!—the whole of the rural districts in rebellion; ploughmen ravishing, plundering, and burning ; weavers striking for wages, servants robbing their masters ; and ruffianism in general the order of the day. And all this is now happily prevented by a strict belief in hellfire, much to the satisfaction of every respectable father of a family in the kingdom. By no means disturb this present state of things ; nay, rather maintain the devil's authority, and live in peace. Here we have a most graphic portrait of a popular partisan historian : " I admit all this," said he ; " but if all men were of your opinion where should we find those pleasant fables so delightful to peruse ? He is the clever man who, from facts whether doubtful or accredited, can manufacture an agreeable and readable book. Write for a popular party, and construct. a web of apparent argument, which shall suit the taste of the day, for which reason history, as is mostly the case, should be written from political motives, or simple desire of gain and patronage, rather than from any desire of seeking after truth. And 1 should recommend to you to join one side or the other boldly and gallantly at once, and support it through thick and thin ; otherwise you will be a gobetween, to receive blows from both parties. If you have a desire to be intensely hated by all factions, you have only to take your seat between these two stools-- state facts carefully and impartially, wipe out all prejudice and party spirit, and you will infallibly come to the ground, having had the honour of compiling a work which shall be truthful, unsaleable, unreadable, with every point of into. rest or excitement wrung out." " But pray who has written history upon your principle ?" said I. He instanced a great name. I was silent. I could not but mark the immense distance between this wealthy, popular, and tiptop historian and myself, the poor back author, who bud been so impudent as to question motives which he, who had compiled such a history and gained such everlasting fame, had not cared to question. Into what mean insignificance did these moral considerations fall before the face of this great man, who, totally indiffe- rent to truth or untruth, to right or wrong, had written so fascinating a history ! We now come to a capital bit of wholesome writing : As I walked on, I fell sprawling over some knotted roots, partially concealed by the long grass, and sprained my wrist very badly ; however, I had the Christian fortitude to be thankful for it, and was filled with great delight, to think that I had not broken my arm. 1 began to feel hungry, and here were none of those hospitable houses to which I was ever welcomed ; but, of course, I endured the pangs of hunger with pious philosophy and resignation, and regaled myself with the reflection that, although I was hungry. I was not blind ; besides, I recollected Wordsworth, and hie leech gatherer " upon the lonely moor." There is an immense fund of consolation to be derived by a pious mind, out of the calamities of our fellow creatures. . . . It is indeed a summary method of dispelling your affliction by comparing it with that of some one else more afflicted. If you have the measles, you are told that you should be truly thankful that you have not been visited with the smallpox. If you are in distress of mind, you are gravely brought into a beggar's hovel, and bid exult and be joyful, since, after all, you are better off than he. Moral doctrine goes to prove that great self satisfaction may be procured by witnessing some fellow creature suffering more than your self. . . . In what gospel or epistle do we find such a sentiment? The pain you suffer, the annoyance you en dure, is to be relieved by the abatement of that pain, or by self-victory, not by comparing it with the pain of others : this is the meanest gratification of the most cowardly soul. There is consummate wit and no little wisdom in the rebuke here administered to those selfish and small-minded philosophers who think they are evincing exemplary piety in consoling themselves under misfortune by recollecting that their fellow-creatures are suffering torments to which their own griefs are but flea-bites. Never did any false system of ethics better deserve castigation than this, which has been expounded in tracts and enforced in tabernacles, and which is so fondly clung to by the weak-minded and cold hearted of all sexes, countries, and conditions. It is with regret that we close the pages of this clever book. We recommend our readers strongly to peruse it for themselves. They will find brave thoughts and noble words in it. There is no mawkish sweetness in its leaves, but there is plenty of what Long fellow's old woman in Kavanagh ca►ls " plea sant sour." There is no book-making about it, no " hits," no straining after effect. A truth ful man tells tit his thoughts of life, and man, and destiny. And a man who talks to us of such things honestly and without conven tionalism deserves to be listened to, even if his hearers are obliged to dissent from many of his dicta. 503 the face of this mild verdict, Luther, if we take the two masses of his writings, those in Latin, and those in his own tongue—which display different characters of style, according to the persons and objects they are designed for —in the highest qualities of eloquence, in the faculty of presenting grand truths, moral and spiritual ideas, clearly, vividly, in words which elevate and enlighten men's minds, and stir their hearts, and control their wills, seems incom parably superior to llossuet, almost as superior as Shakspeare to Racine, or as Ulswater to the Serpentine. In fact, when turning from one to the other, 1 have felt at times as if I were passing out of a gorgeous, crowded drawing-room, with its artificial lights and dizzying sounds, to run up a hill at sunrise. The wide and lasting effect which Luther's writings produced on his own nation, and on the world, is the hest witness of their power. As to the Antinomianisin of Luther, there is nothing more easy than to mistake the fer vency with which he attempted to arouse the mind of those he addressed to the primary doctrine of justification by faith, for the heresy which rejected the fruits of believing. That Luther was not Antinomian has luund a proof in this work, at once overpowering by its logical accuracy, and convincing by its elo quence. Archdeacon Hare has rendered in his volume, not only a great service to the memory of a great man, but a greater servic e to that Christian truth which has been so often assailed through Luther, when assaults could get the colour of support from the thousand falsehoods of his enemies, and the marked, peculiar, and utterly fearless conduct of the man. We confess that the attacks upon Luther by certain recent seceders to Rome seem scarcely to merit serious answer, except in so far as they form a ground to reply to those from whom they have taken them at second-hand. As these attacks, however, afford Archdeacon Hare the opportunity of going through the general slanders of the Jesuits, they have been productive so far of benefit to the cause of general truth and to the better understand ing of the character of Luther. In the article on Mr. Newman's strictures in his lectures on justification, for instance, there is this pas sage on Rome's want of faith, which has all the fire of the Reformers and no little poetical expression : In fact this is the pervading Idistinction--so far as there is auy manifesting itself iu the various dractical functions of the Church—which characterises that of Lome. Inheriting the ambition of the Republic and the Empire to rule over the bodies and outward actions of all mankind, she has ever directed her attention mainly to that which is outward, to forms, shadows, rites, ceremo• nies, observances; while everywhere she betrays a want of that Faith, which gives substance to the unseen, and pierces through the veil to the invisible glory behind. Hence, through the want of Faith in divine realities, has she set up her monstrous fiction of a visible Vicar in the place of the invisible Lord. Hence what she has chiefly cared and shed blood for, has been to enforce outward submission, outward conformity, outward acts of devo tion, the repeating of certain prayers, no matter whether in a known or unknown tongue. Hence her missionaries have generally been contcnt to make converts by wholesale, as though Truth could be spread like a disease epidemically. Hence, again, from the seine inability to substantiate the realities of Faith, has she enshrined her images, and interposed the Virgin and the Saints be• tween man and the only Mediator and Saviour. Hence, too, the whole system of pious frauds, of innocent decep tams, of holy impostures and impostors. Hence that huge and flagrant imposture of compulsory celibacy. On the other hand, Luther's intense love of truth, which could not be lulled by any make•believe, his yearning after realities, which no phantom or shadow could still, are the legacy which he bequeathed to the Protestant Churches: and so far us they have retained any portion of his spirit, these have been the marks of it, though often exhibiting themselves in uncouth and uncongenial forms. Altogether we have not for some tim e met with a work at once more needed, aNd more suitable to meet the necessity. It is a sound, careful, and conclusive book, on a sub ject of the greatest importance to the history of the real Catholic and Apostolic Church. The Roman Empire of the West. Four Lectures Delivered at the Philosophical Institution, Edinburgh, February, 185. By Richard Congreve, MA. London : J. W. Parker and Son. WE wish we could say that there is much either novel in view or correct in deduction in these four lectures. The subject was one capable of useful illustration at infinitely greater length than any lectures could afford ; but we fear the lecturer has nut escaped the too frequent fate of those who wish to apply to the present time and to passing events lessons which they suppose themselves to THE PRESS In conclusion, we will quote one short sentence in which there is nothing cynical or satirical. There is sympathising humanity and flesh and blood feeling in this passage, which certainly was penned by no moody misanthrope : What a hero a man is when in love ! I do not believe there ever was a hero who was not in that happy state ; he must have one among the multitudinous world in whom he trusts wholly and solely—one whom he reveres—one to whom he looks for praise —one above him, and yet he shall not know why she is above him. Perhaps Mrs. Ellis can explain this Vindication of Luther against his Recent ling. lish Assailants. Second Edition. By Julius Charles Hare, M.A., Archdeacon of Lewes. Loudon : J. W. Parker and Son. IF it is necessary in the case of any of the heroes of their day to estimate their characters by the condition and spirit of their age, and their conduct and opinions by the peculiarities of their position and their task, surely the case of Luther has beyond all others that necessity. To dwell upon the strongly-marked, rough attributes of the man, his courage, his temper, and his style, without considering the work he had to do, and to judge him by the standards of the polemics of the present time, while he was waging singlehanded a mighty war against the inert mass of ignorance that weighed upon Christendom, is to betray a total inability to form a conception of the great Reformer. Every principle of vitality in religion had dis appeared when Rome had succeeded in sweep ing away the keystone of the gospel justifica tion by faith—a doctrine the aversion to which, or the neglect of which, Archdeacon Hare justly remarks to be the unfailing characteris tic of a tendency towards Rome. Luther found faith denied, and, instead even of their boasted works, he found a seething sea of iniquity—the whole Roman system in the height of its wealth, and profligacy, and pride. He had no materials on which to work. The spark was to be aroused in the minds of the population of Christian Europe, and before he could implant the truth luxuriant growths of error had to be swept away. It was his task to cause a sunrise at midnight in such an age and time. Columbus of the mental deep ! Nor less a hero thou than be I Who waked'st the earth from bigot sleep As he unchained the sea! For this mighty task Luther was armed with an energy superhuman, an indomitable cou rage, and a human sympathy that embraced every hope, and wish, and even failing, of his kind. Among many other painful marks of the present age, one is, in certain quarters, the de preciation of Luther. Philosophical historians of the see-saw order, who balance so exactly their praise and blame that the reader runs danger of dizziness, think him " more quoted "than read," and his purity of life balanced by his violence of controversy. Of such writers and their " impartiality " Archdeacon Hare happily says that " both heat and cold " are better than Laodicean lukewarmness," and with still better effect that " mere nega " tiveness is a sorry qualification for forming "an estimate of intellectual or moral grandeur." But these writers are not content with this equally•balanced impartiality. t Mr. Hallam, the most popular, and therefore the most dan gerous, makes the charge of Antinomianism on more than one occasion, and supports his cen sure by a reference to the " writings of Luther " up to the year 1520, inclusive." To this the archdeacon conclusively replies that those whinge contain only three collections of scholastic theses, and that for a quarter of a century afterwards Luther poured forth writings and sermons in an aUundance seldom paralleled. There is, indeed, in Mr. Hallam's admiration of Bossuet some marks to raise suspicion that he was carried away by the ac count of the great Reformer given so eloquently by the " eagle of Meaux," whose references he at the same time admits he could not verify. On a question of mere style it is diffi cult, and perhaps not important, to form an opinion, but we think the following passage from the work as happy in its description as it is true in judgment : Mr. Hallam, who here and elsewhere expresses such fervent admiration for liossuet's eloquence, says of Luther's Latin works, " their intemperance, their coarse ness, their inelegance, their scurrility, their wild paradoxes, that menace the foundations of religious morality, are not compensated, so far at least as my slight acquaintance with them extends, by much strength or acuteness, and still leas by any impressive eloquence." To me, 1 own, in .... 4I as 3. ‘" n ' VV.S—.... ..... h `'''''"-'"'" uy we ettgiv 111 1.1.C61A.A., TV aavac a vac& cm,co 1/ell Vel eta U.i. LUG I. aataiflaupasataaa a.a..0..•.......••••1 it, no " hits," no straining after effect. A truth - he at the same time admits he could not Edinburgh, February, 1855. By Richard ful man tells us his thoughts of life, and man, verify. On a question of mere style it is diffi- and destiny. And a man who talks to us of cult, and perhaps not important, to form an Congreve, MA. London :J. W. Parker such things honestly and without conven- o pi n i o n, but we think the following passage and Son. t ionalism deserves to be listened to, even if from the work as happy in its description as it WE wish we could say t h a t there is much his hearers are obliged to dissent from many i s t rue i n j u d gmen t :-. either novel in view or correct in deduction of his dicta. Mr. Hallam, who here and elsewhere expresses such in these four lectures. The subject was one In conclusion, we will quote one short fervent admiration for liossuet's eloquence, says of capable of useful illustration at infinitely sentence in which there is nothing cynical or Lather's Latin works, " their intemperance, their coarse- greater length than any lectures could afford ; satirical. There is sympathising humanity n m ess, their inelegance, their sculityltheir wild paradoxes, and flesh and blood feeling in this passage, that menace the foundations of religious morality, are nut but we fear the lecturer has not escaped t he too frequent fate of those who wish to apply compensated, so fart' t least as my slight acquaintance which certainly was penned by no moody with them extends, bmuch strength or acuteness, and to the present time and to passing events misanthrope : still less by any impressive eloquence." To me, 1 own, in lessons which they suppose themselves to animmiimmi..... .................imimmi11i