Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1837-11-07

*,
The Trustees the College of Surgeons Of
New York invite MIR BEssrrr the opening Of their new
efce Crosby and the Introductory Lectures OF
The opening Lecture Will delivered Monday the 9th
Prof. sMIT II IN The Sense Of Touch Or
Physiology and Philosophy opposed to Maeriaiism and
The other Introductory Lectures will delivered in the
Prot Alexander H. Stevens on Tuesday 7ih ALAN
Pref ESwsIa nea,a on Tns a,s q n'h p; =" =
f,Sf j.s s Torssy, ws$ss:;sy 81 ST. :'isFM
r rfo john on
Prot Alban g. smith, on Friday 10Th, .. y, NJ :,
r'0 A"'' IAN Dfsra on riP1 SMITH, President
NIcoLL II. DERISG, N. ID. Registrar
We accordingly repaired at the hour to hear Doctor
Smith, gentleman well known for his talents and
deep research, in the curioss science of Physiology
and Metaphysics. reverend gentleman invoked
prayer from the throne of Heaven, which was too
long, and not sufficiently to the purpose.
A good prayer is as difficult to make good poe.
try. Indeed, man must be born prayer maker,
the as the poet. In the whole course of my Gu
rious life, never found more than two who
could make real downright, fervent, thrilling prayer.
Intellectual women of fine voice and good figure can
make better prayer than all the clergymen OF New
York l am perfectly satisfied that woman is sooner
heard by the Divinity too than man.
During the prayer stood-some sat-some
Blessed Virgin
At the close of the prayer Doctor Smith mounted
the rostrum. lie is fine looking man, intellectual,
gentlemanly, simple and graceful in his manner and
delivery. There is degree of singular earnestness
about him, which gives the coup di classical air
His lecture was curious and instructive. He went
over the whole theory of mind, matter, the mode OF
acquiring knowledge, and the usual disputed topics
engendered among metaphyscians.
His great purpose was TO show in the first branch
of his discourse, that because the mind could only
realize its sensations communicated by the nerves,
therefore we could not know positively Of the exist
ence Of matter. This argument he put forward 10 dis
perse anal ss the whole theory of materiaism by
showing, that on their principles, eur aggregate
knowledge was reduced to series Of simple sensa-
tons.
Doctor Smith, in my view, mnde the same error in
regard to the existence of mind that he attributed to
the immateriasts in believing the existence of matter.
He took it for granted, mere Inference, that be-
cause we conscious of sensations such as touch
therefore the existence of mind was proved. New
the soul is much matter of inference as the body
mind as matter We are only conscious of a
series of sensations, but from these sensations we
infer the existence of two substances, two subtrafa
the one denomnated mind, the other matter
Again. in relation to first great cause, the learned
gentleman argued that because TWO or more chemical
elements, of which matter may be composed, pre-
sent on approximation, affinity, disturbance, action,
reaction ending in perfect quiescence therefore mat
ter is not eternal because its qualities are finite How
do the chemists know that chemical action is finite
The boundaries of our Knowledge in all physical
science are limited by the scope Of senses. Can
we deny that matter has not million OF qualities
| which we posse means TO describe? Can we
assert that in this world, and out of this EARTH some
superior being may not yet spring, far superior to
man in senses and intelligence, as man is to the
oysterl
It's the great error of modern philosophy that they
reason in matters Of the Imagination precisely as they
do of matters OF fact. The whole scope and ten
deucy of Doctor Smiths reasoning led TO pure De
ism-Athcism is an absurdi,y. An Atheist never ex-
isted. Materiaism s an equal absurditv as contra
distinguished from menialism. Really and truly we
know nothing Of mind or matter. We only know
our sensations thougAts-oxr feelings-our ideas
which are all more or less SYNONYMOUS words From
these beautiful raw materials of our existence we in
fer-mnd, matter, God, heaven, and eternity. The
whsle circle Of human knowledge and happiness is
merely inference from these mysterious sensations
which, like an invisible but incomprehensiblc frame
WOIh 5pIcbuoftI WtD VI iltcHBeHcc.
The reputation Of common sense from philosophy
was not well done by Doctor Smith, Common sense,
the constant series Of mysterious sensations is
the foundation of all philosophy, all religion, all lite
nature, all poetry, all human happiness. The presen,
systems of mental philosophy, are utter absurdtes.
They want simplicity and comprehensiveaess The
intellectual world is out Of joint" II is filed with
thousands and tens of thousands of theories where
they can all BE- made rcferablc to one system. Di-
vinity, revelation philosophy, all covered with
superstitions invented by man. When Doctor Smith
Of physical science, Of what has been tested
by experiment. he moves within known boundary
The Crosby street Colleges splendid institution,
and may be made the centre Of medical science in
this country. Additional talent has been made it,
and we have no doubt but il will, in few years,
stand at the head OF all similar institutions the
land-tha is to say, if they will be industrious and
patient in mediocre as am in newspapers. As 10
metaphysics, they do not understand them. Leave
that TO me aid the philosophical newspaper press.
They may doctor the body-but shall continue to
prescribe for the soul. .t
Il The INTELLIGENT MEacHASTs now the