The Sun.
London, England, 1826-05-24 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

ELEMENTS of MORAL pIiILOSOPHY, and of CHRIS:-
TIAN ETHICS, by DANIZI. Dawan, LL. Minister of
the Tron Church, Glasgow, and late Professor of Moral Phi.
losophy at Aberdeen. 2 vols. bro..' Duncan, Itnti.
A systematic treatise on Moral Philosophy must,
from 'its nature, evidently be a sort .of book of which
little, satisfactory can be said in the .limits of a news- ,
paper paragraph. It would be impossible to do jus-
tice to the development of the scheme of the argu".
.ment, .and equally so to fix upon any particular pas.
sages- which could, in a detached form, present any
:thuig of 'general interest ; we .must therefore content.
ourselves with generally. recommending to such of our
readers as may be engaged in the .study. of. ethics,
what (as far as we have looked into it). appears to be
a sound, perspicuous, and not inelegant treatise on the
subject. .For our own part,' we must say, that the
masterly work of Paley appears It, sufficient
for the wants of a student ;. and, although in •-sotuc few
points it-hat been censured, we are not sure that the
present work will be considered less open to such cm-
suie. . _ _

Dr. Dewar builds his system of morals upon the
belief in the existence and perfections of the Deity,
and recognizes throughout the sanctions of Chris,-
tianity ;, and Paley has done the same in a less degree.
To us, we confess, it appears; that, if morals are to be
investigated as a science, they should be considered
apart from religion ; if treated in connection with re-
Jigion, they' cannot want the deductions of science,
being then grounded upon an entirely different sort of
evidence.

U.
THEATRICAL DLLIETINS.-A pleasant story n$
told concerning 4, The coulmem, of chazole, ' a piece attrituttot
so Madame de Montason, whom the puke of Orleans marriesl
secretly. Madame de Montaaeou had not the courage to be pre-
gent at the first representation; shi had' retired to Rainey; hut
she bad engaged the Marquee, of to send her notice frmo
time to time how the piece went'off. had hie box furnishe4
with a table, . and .every thing necessary for cotulucting 4 car-
respondeace. Several couritve,extreurdinary were posted at the
door of the theatre, to whein a secrete!). carried the despatches
succeseively as they were finished, end as cirennieteuees dictated
'them. The first scenes of the play weve' rather favourably heard,
and a courier was sent off with these Worde goes well;
the audience are attentive ; some .applause." Scarcely bad the
end
.of the find act been reached when marks of. disc tip-
probation began to be heard.; instantly a fresh 'post..hoy flue to
Rainey with this 'tleapatcht-4 llfukftlure are heard ;i the actors
play badly t but he not discouraged."' The second act was very
iIl received, and the third envoy departed-with these word's
1e This act . bat gone off ill; ,busing;som,busing; .but there, is
hap." The third act excited
Ito inuch tumult that st was rapt
finished,' and immediately a fourth courier fouttened,ttOW .tkeft•
the bearer of thee!r afflicting lines terriblifupruar.;
the piece and the curtftin have fallen. The. üblic was ne'verAthrti
unjust ; the, actors never 'played so Wretjtedly."--:Sauvitkits et
Alewives. -

COHN-EXCIiA;4OI%--ills D 410- .
The supplies, both, of .Orann.:. .44341 Tiour, "te "er344 gf().-ti
Wbe&t is a dull olds At Mopliers prices. liarley„. Bows, "
Pcase, arc the
rne4:ooo7,soilao scitet q,.oo,4ivrt,tht::gotonatavlre. lant t
the potations of
'l4'l cat 11loaday.
Masi B4riey 4 -,
006
'"".`"".""*.• Oats, Beans 21 tvw OM*
vt.4 4,790 Se,t,ka.

1.

7"T '•••

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THE .LONDON,JOURI4ALS.

. .
DAILY EXTRACTS FROM THE MORN/114'G PAPERS,

mAy :24, 1826.

[THE TIMZL.]
We Observed on Monday last, with .regard to. the
Court of. Chancery, that the examination of the wit-
nesats by 'the Commission"were indUstriously—and, it
may be' said, disproportionately—directed to those pre-
limmary:stages of a Chancery • suit, at which: it..-was
still unripe to be brought before the Judge for ahem.,
tog. And this course of inquiry was.- a natural con-
sequence of the persuasion under which= the Commis-
. stoners appear to have acted..—that their duty bound
'them no investigate the system- only, 'but to steer clear
of such questions as might have led to the' criinination
of certain individuals. Iris Manifest, indeed,. that
there are predominant thronrliout the " system" ,an
immense number of vines trA absurdities, tor which,
so long as they-continue to be .tolerated, no sufficient
corrective 'could', be found in the mind .of the
most energetic and indefatigable Judge that
ever -spat in England. On behalf of Lord Eldon,
and for the sake of truth, it behoves us to make this
conceiSion It is also necessary to add, that, among the
evils of the " thing," for- which the " person is no.
further' answerable - than that he has permitted the,
evil to-endure for .so'long a period. that which stands
most 'proininent and offensive is 'the wonderful diver-
sity of ditties undertaken by the Chancellor. He is;
an equity Judge, hearing' bills,. petitions, ',motions,
&c. &c. ; a Judge of appeal from inferior equity juris-
. dictions-; a presiding Judge in the House of Lords,
to hear appeals against Ins own decisions, whether
those decisions have been made in original causes, or
' m 'appeals- from • other Courts ;, a sovereign lord: and
ruler-over the, world of -bankruptcies—in administer=
ing which nearlyhalf his,Lordship's time is expended;
altertiq'te Speaker,.- with' Lbrd Gifford, .of the I hinge
• of Peers ; and, withal, a Cabinet Minister, a:144-
- tician .by virtue of his oilier!. How is. it possible
for :any man 'living to get through the business
" entailed' upon him by the above catalogue of politi-
cal and , judicial places, is quite .beyond our com-
prehension. That. he 'does ,any thing more than trot
about from one 'to another, is really the surprising
parr of, it ; but as • for a full and. effectual execution;
ui all its branches, of a task. so'. various, we
,may
pronounce it to be, for the .most •powerf4man that.
ever breathed, in the actual state- at least of English
litigation,: what it' has proved to 'be for the present
Chancellor---a thing quite -chimerical and hopeless,—
Aceordingly, it -turns out, • though but incidentally,.
..frotir the printed evidence; that after all other people
employed by the suitors as well as b.y.the Court; after
the attornies and' counsel, and such public function:.
• arieS as they resort to for assistance,. have ..respectively
fulfilled their duties, and brought the subjectrmatter
in dispute to that point from which it can.advaneeno
further without being heard.by the :Chancellor ; 'there
it, sticks, fast in seouta recuiorum, without the Noble
Lord being so far enabled to -Withdraw knself frem
his multiplied distractiOns, to" overcosne • , the
accumulated messt of flearings which •- ate previous.,
ly' waiting' attention; as •to bettow - upon ii the
'slightest notice.' Mr. • Vizard-: reckons .(page
,of
tlie-Evidence)..that an appeal- from 7 the. Vice -C.1414.
• cellen'to Lord Eidnil, locks, UP a eause,...for, fiye yeara.
before- the' Noble: Lora • call slicar
_eon, after hearing, how long is it before the decree
call be .obtained—that is to say, , how long before; the
Chancellor can be prevailed upon to declare his jtidg-
ment; after tliC niaterials ',for forming that judgment
• have been fully laid before him ? Why, weekS;
months---rutty; years in some, instances. Then the facts
ate forgotten then the cause Inuit be re-heard ; then,
after•heni&re.lneird, :is it at once decided ? Un-
. til there baa been a-second lapse: cif' months.
,Snppose;
• . novi,:that,litigents in courts of .law were treated m a
way so ruinous to 'their fortunes and families-,sup";
• pdse'd common law Judge was to ask for month, that
he Might 'be qualified to lay an intricate case of mixed
fact and law before jury suppose,, again, that:the:
• jUry:so instructed, were to demand another month to.
' make up 'theiv minds upon .11. question-T.-even one,
Month, and in a-ease -of the. most complex- and
• difficult nature-e-what sort of feelings
,woidd be ex-
cited every where, hi relation to our, ,trial by; jury.?
Let the subject. subraittetito,.a juryman .be ever, S 9
knotty, thorny, end ;embarrassing, •he is ,bound
decide-upon it„: within a. few hours after, he hay. heard
it. stated; So, let the 'common law.judges.heve ever
s many uzshrsg considerations, to ~decide. upon,
they contrive to form an ,'opiniow upon the
,rnost
perplexing subjeetei :very '..sotua After counsel; have
argued them. Why then, and how is it, that such
I).oMist, procrastinations dinnguisti e
of a CharieeiT Mirtd•?. Mr. Biekerstet.a states with+
'nut reserve'r thwatier- a . cause, la ripe for hearing,
iond after fact been, heard, whatever delays
arise—first; before ,the: Judge is ready to heanit ;
before (having heard the cause): he is ready
• Le pronounce his decree with regard to it--the.court,
- , *ad' ..the exourt blame. When we cab
-served two,days ago.,upgni the Chencery 'Report, and'
gave it as our opinion that the successive: appeals
trona the Viee'-Cglilioillor-to the 'Chancellor, andi,
' from; the latter tothe',House,of Lordse might with a&
t
Vantage to the suitor ,o rid of,ve had notrntile
s eat of Mr. B!zaciwttll,-vOlo, we haVe since found;
• . • • • ,• • j
. 414staon.itU bv the tkrq of : lus.expertenced udg.!
',olerita:.the hint we had yenttired_ to thrOW
tioelared'hy this reapeCtable. coUrieel, that it would. be
't'a the parties, if arthoice were allowed, ,of
skiwiikg &OM. " the Vice-Chancellor, either to the
'-kiouse.of Lords .st ,once, pr. "to
,the Chancellor, but
if'the latter. were • to .be praerr.44 that the
,appeal to
hiln '4104'6 final. With zespeet to the separation of
th'ibo,ll;kitey ri sdietion- from the Court of Chancery,
therfi scarcely any intetlieot, witness - whO dove not
• admit its, expealieney .and,ion,;ortance.

f Itxpitug r
Thg Aues,tton a 4, ayolitixin of slavery; as; a
cortzlition-Of, -exiSte)tceOvithin 4.0Yi1i'4(4 and Cliristiin
state, ift•not One, which eulbasiaases Englar4l alone at
neeupilfs -thes thoughts of her
d';ac+er:cli its in. the' Uhited .4itates of --America still
snare seriously. thsrvit Aloes hers-,-for there. the slavery
is at, }wine, in, the midst of the constitution, in all its
4.-trpngtiiijOifillscd,ever the-attate.ltstlf,,not confined to,
1714:i (11121.8.44104.,,, Th e ifiennaly of a slave p ~
opula
existing laud,* a nation svliose 'very detiaration
saft.!9iiit ,with " Tiltit all
ineri'are Created equalkqliet they are enclowedhy the,
.and that
nro lity,TllolY, and ihe VrF4llt of
'hags ir this anomaly is sufficiently-strikuig,
no right to reproach tile Arneticans, hovvever : Ala,
very took root there under the guardihnship of the
mother country, and the feeling of the people at large
'there ie,now as much decided against the existence

-

of slivery as it is here, :or ever' can beady where
But how do these Republicans, to whose liberal poi
lity we are on so many" occasions referred=how. do
these liberty‘arid-equality philosophers act in relation
to this matter? The answer s nOt far. to. seek. They.
have'' been,' and doing 'infinitely .less for their
slaVes than. the' West Indian Colonists have been
doing for theirS: And why ? because the • Congress
has not been'able to satisfy.the:minds "of the proprie-
tors in the Southern States that measures of hold-1
and effective kind can be resorted to without &Tiger
to theirproperty—or to' prevail 'on the people of the
Northern States, where- there are, comparatively
speaking; 'no slaves,' to come 'forward anti ;offer to
contribute.' in a decent proportion to the expense
of an experiment. The Northern States are mostly
Puritan States : they continue from year to year
expressing their horror of slavery, .petitioning and
remorarating, preaching, lecturing; and publish-
ing—just like the African Institutions tlo with
us ; but the moment the least hint is given as to
compensatiow or contribution, the ca6tious :Jonathan
draws himself up—not.one shilling of tax will he hear
of for, any such purpose. • Nay more, while these
Northern States cry out so .Vehemently against negro
slavery, they, in their own territory, -under their own
very noses, see and maintain all the
,prejudices of co-
lour in their utmost vigour. They will not even in
their free schools allow the white children and the
brown to. sit on the sante sitle of the robin' n' th ey will
not even in their churches sillier the people of:ilie two
complexions to
.kneel at the same side of the eollllllpicin table. We have no black or broWn population
here, so that' the sincerity our Buy...tons, &c. cannot
be put to the test upon' these last matters ; but there
is no such obstacle in the v:ray,aS to the article of corn-.
pensation. There is: mi. reason why. the African
institutions, &e. 'should' not at :this; maraca be
buying the freedom of meritorious negroes in
Jarnatea. There is no reason'''.why they should
not be getting up petitions, calling on Parlia-
ment to, offer, et least, a guarantee to the ,white peo;
olJamaica that their property shall not be damaged.
.1 power, the regular and organized power, to Which
a certan Half-reli€Woos,' half-nolitical, party in this
country have attaiznAl; is no.longer to be:contem.plitted
with indifference ; least of all, now that we seelio!:7
easily they can reconcile it. to their super-retined con-.
sciences to make 'cointnon cause upon occasion With
men and parties Aoin; aeChrding. to their avowed
feelings on. the. most important ot, all' subjects, they
rintsvregard with suspicion; -hay, . needleas to
mince matters now, With
,utter aversion. The' bribe
wirich they
,haVe received,, is the silent but solemn
pledge of hostility to. the Church. .Associations, ex
fade, quite as unnatural, were rife 'in this country
when la A a dead set was made at the Church of,
land. It was then no rare thin,/ to seethe Antino-*,
•
mum and the Atheist laying their heads together. We.
may well ~pause, and ask what the signs of the times'
point to, when we -see, the .author of Wi/berfOi•ne's
Chrislianitll, (a work accordifig.to which
Dr. Sarnuel _ Johnson Was not a ChTistian,) taking
sweet..counscl with the 'Petitions') , Aiib* vieWs of
'Christianity have hitherto adorned the'pageS of the.
Edinburgh Review. When the 'recent liberality' of
:J`atriaica, in pro-Wit for the Ministers of the Church
there, :was Mentioned in the late debate, .Mr.
Brougham's answer, was--"" This is done,. not for the
,slaves, but for the hierarchy." Is time animus obseure?