The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-28 00:00:00

An Inquiry into the Theories of History. W. H.

Allen and Co.

With the intention of clearing the ground for
atudents of history, and of affording them a firm
basis on which to rest their investigations, the
author of the work before us has examined the
principal theories respecting it, with especial refe-
rence to the positivism of 111% Comte. " There are
three principal theories," says the writer, " to which
men adapt their ideas of the events of history. The
first is, that events happen by chance; in mere suc-
cession as regards time, in mere contiguity as re-
gards place, without order or design, without co-
herence or connection, without mutual dependence
or relation. The second is, that events happen
according to law; law fixed and invariable, neces-
sitating the most stable order; law final and abso-
lute, the ultimate and highest concession of the hu-
man mind. The third is, that events happen
according to law fixed and invariable, necessitating
the most stable order, but that that law, instead of
being the ultimate and highest conception of the
human mind, is the expression of a Supreme
Will. These three theories, with their re-
spective modifications in different ages and
nations, apparently exhaust human speculation
on this question. The first theory, that
of chance, the writer considers to be wholly unten-
able. Nor is the second, that of law, entirely sa-
tisfactory, " Since law implies, while the theory of
mere law negatives, the existence of a lawgiver. The
third theory supplies this deficiency, and affirms a
Supreme will, the source and support of law." The
tone of the writer is temperate, his style is clear,
and those to whom the subject is of interest will
find his work repay perusal.

Harebell Chimes, or Summer _Memories, and _Mus-
ings. By Andrew James Symington. Longman
and Co.
If these poems show no great power or originality,
they evince, at least, considerable taste, feeling, and
fancy, together with a healthy tone of thought.
About fifty of them are reprinted from a former
edition, the rest are either collected from magazines
or published for the first time_ As a short speci-
men we give—

ASPIRATION AND DITTY.

Oh I what is earth to those who long, '
For higher, holier, nobler things ?-
I'd soar aloft, on burning song,
Amid the rush of spirit wings I
But; hush, fond heart I while here below,
At duty's call, fulfil thy fate ;
And humbly, onward—upward go,
So shalt thou enter Heaven's gate I

Brother-Help. Darton and Hodge.
The aim of this work is to illustrate "The heroism
and humanity of every age." It is inscribed to Geo.
Peabody, Esq., and consists of five chapters treating
of education, liberty, the influence of the clergy, sla-
very, and the prison, hospital, &c. Thus the scheme
is sufficiently comprehensive, and as a great num-
ber of anecdotes are given, a readable volume is the
result. It is, in fact, a series of biographical sketches
of those who have distinguished themselves by
doing good, and its influence, especially on young
people, is likely to be beneficial.

The letters from Frankfort state that in that dis-
trict and the whole south of Germany the harvest has been
got in, and that the yield proves to be excellent, both in
quality and quantity. Prices, nevertheless, have been well
maintained in the various corn-markets—a circumstance
which is attributed to the fact that cultivators in recent
years have always found that they obtained better prices by
holding back than by selling at once. Hops look well, and
also the vines, but these will yet depend on the weather,
which thus far remained unsettled. At the Frankfort Ex-
change money is abundant, and the prices of stocks firm,
the Russian loan being a favourite investment, while there
was also a c leniand for the various kinds of Italian pre-
ference share s•