The Express.
London, England, 1868-10-19 00:00:00

MR. MAURICE AND HIS CBMCS.

NawsrxrEns cannot take upon themselves to
decide philosophical questions ; but it lies within
the compass of our function to call attention to
any phenomena of philosophic or other criticism
which have a public interest. Such a pheno-
menon, one of constant recurrence, is just no w
exhibited in relation to the recently-pub-
lished lectures on " The Conscience," by the
Cambridge Professor of Moral Philosophy.
We ineun the unreserved condemnation
of each other by writers of totally opposite
schools, on grounds of alleged misunderstanding,
or misrepresentation, or both. It is proper to
warn people who only read one newspaper, and
who are not specially familiar with philosophic
controversies, that no exclusive dependence is to
be placed upon decisive partisan reviews. It is
highly desirable, for example, that a person who
has read Mr. J. C. MoutsoN's review (in the Fort-
night/y) of Mr. MAretee'S book, and the review in
the Pull-mail Gazette of Saturday—both conceived
in the same spirit, though the latter is the more re-
spectful—should also read tho letter defending Mr.
ILtuatex, by the Rev. J. LL. DAVIES, in the last
number of the Spectator. It is, besides, necessary
to try and get it understood that although the state
of the ease upon these questions is such that each
side will be sure to retain its own view, there aro
quite se many competent people who will think Mr.
DAVIEB'S letter a complete defence (however brief)
as the contrary. In must be obvious that the same
original differences of mental constitution which
make people take sides in philosophy will operate,
in criticism, to their misunderstanding each other.
All that a journalist can do to promote fair play is
emphatically to warn the uninitiated that what wo
have, without meaning any offence, called partisan
reviews are not to be depended upon. They are,
in the nature of things, nothing more thin► re-
statements, in terms of personal condemnation or
praise, of the original abstract grounds of differ-
ence which divide the schools.

MR. CLAD9TONe9 CAMPAION.--Great as was
Mr. Olailstone's work hut week the tank he has set him-
self this week ia, atleast, an formidable. To-morrow he ad-
dreams the electors of Leigh. On Wednesday, at 2.30,
be will meet the electors of Ormskirk, and, at 6.00, those
of Southport. On Thursday ho will ho present at the
banquet given by the Liverpool American Chamber of
Commerce to the American Minister, at the Law Associa-
tion-rooms, Liverpool; and, on Friday, ho will silken
the clocton at Wigan.

CON TEMPORARIES.
(THIS D4Y.)

rus armittan stroossance.

The Times traces the origin of the Spanish revo-
lution to the policy of Lents Philipps in relation to the
Spanish marriage question, which exalted the political
world some two-and-twenty yearn ago. At that time the
King of the French resolved on securing the Spanish throne
for his own family by the projected marriage of one of his
own sons to Queen baliella,. But when this proposal was
rejoutid by the cabinets of Europe, Louis Philippe
surrendered the higher prim on the condition that his son,
the Due de Minitpeusierr, should marry the younger sister
of the Queen, and that no foreign blood should take its
place on the throne of Philip V. The result was that the
Queen was affianced to her cousin—a match from which it
was well understood that no legitimate issue could be ex-
pected, and now the Bourbon monopoly of privilege has
been converted into a monopoly of proscription. The
least, indeed, that can be raid of the scheming .which ar-
ranged the Spanish marriages is that it was all thrown
away ; but it may be said of it with equal truth that it
ended in the confusion of its anthers and the discomfiture
of all concerned.

The PM maintains that the understanding existing
between: Prins and Serrano could scarcely have been
an iyed at without entertaining an idea essential to the
completion of the revolution for which they are primarily
answerable, and before the statement could be publicly
appreciated our contemporary claims to have been advised
that the vigorous action of the Provisional Oovornment

was susceptible of an interpretation perfectly compatible
with tho ostabliahment of a constitutional monarchy, and
that the name of a Prince, not in any mule a claimant,
would be submitted to tho Con es. That prince
was King rcidinand of Portugal. It is, however, highly
improbable that a prince who has had a long Peninsular
expeiience will accept the Spanish crown, if offered to
him, unless he be satisfied that the Spaniards as a nation
are prepared to proceed in the way upon which they have
entered, and to turn their revolution to a good sailabiding
account.

In the opinion of the Herald, King Fertlintnd is the
only reeource of the Spaniards. But Ifulison's choice is
not always a had one, and in King Ferdinand the
Spaniards will probably find the wan in Europe boat fitted
to tilltheir flu este.