New-York daily tribune., 1843-01-07

r.ior. so,nd There IS something here OF The Ian
graye nc tbe Bible. and sonething of The cant OF
an irrelsious philosophy-a little OF the peecn
of the Jews. aud razher more OF he oiaiecl 0,
Ashdod {Nehem. 13, 24)- we night De imposed
MON by ts. did not the lecturer adopt more
ea7,e down from above is (aot God) but tie god
y,,b;n & Is the poets enthusiasm, as possessed
alike by all, good or bad. II now becomes the
Genius OF Byron, ead Is baptized with new
name Suddenly the gender Is changed. Size
called to him {Byron) in q world without GOD and
taught him 10 sing the greatness OF huranlfy.-
She commissioned him 70 arouse the age IN wfiish
he lived from It's inGde slunber, and 70 teach II 10
commune with Gcd in the world he had created.
Il was with much difficulty we could attach any
meaning TO this at all. We had some recollection
of the history and writings of The author of Don
Juan, and were much peEpiexed TO discover the
evidences OF his mission to this high Office Oh axak-
ening men to a communion with God, until we
called to mind late doctrine Of the Boston
achool, lha. the prolessed Christian world, esPe-
cialIy tie orthodox, were the real intldeis. ana
that the unfortunate gentlemen who had not eniy
borne but professed that name, were entirely
mistaken in their estimate of themselves, and had
been unbelievcrs only because they possessed too
much of the believing spirit, TO have any regard
AT the next step in the descent of this spirit
from above, we find it in osr neishbor BRyAs7.
This mctempsycbosis really is coming quite TOO
close home Remoteness and antiquity, con-
nected with some other considerations of higher
nature. had maintained toierable degree OF be-
lief in the Inspiration Of Prophets and Apostles, cx-
ccpt in the school which the belongs but
really this is making altogether zoo large demand
on our almost exhausted faith. We know thai he
is the author Of Some very pretty descriptive poetry
that els the pet bard ola party among US. and that
the English reviewers sometimes bespatter him
with little praise when they feel in tie humor OF
| soothing American petulance Yet still we DO
sometimes read the Evening Post. We recollect
the history of the murderous aud cowardly attack
upon Providence last summer, the loading the
cannon to the muzze with siugs and old iron, and
| the attempt upon the arsenal at the hour OF mid
| night. We we'll remember that ailtms was warmly
approved, by this inspired gentleman, in its incep-
tion, and zealous!y defended after the disgraceul
failure of its cowardly autAers. If we forget rot,
| the lecturer likewise ardent advocate OF
the same 81 high and holy Cause Now say
it is l,tle too much TO ask US to believe in the
God uitAia such earthly tabernacles these, or
| to give up ourselves TO the guidance Of such
questionable species of inspirata;ion as this
| There is besides something admirable in the man
| ncr in which the inspired historian aud the in
| spired poet address each other. " Our own BRY-
ANT" says one, and soon may expect to hear
responded from the other " our own BANCROFT
but certainly this nausoous fa,tcry, wretch
edly designed ard so i'll concealed, although it may
we'll be in accordance with the spirit of the ages,
ought to disgust ell who have any refinement OF
taste or delicacy Of feeling. Too long has GER
| tain narrow clique been suffered TO assume TO
themselves by way Of eminence, the name and
style of the literati Of America An impression
to this effect has been productivity these same mu-
| tua hatterers, which has been so repeated on ali
public occasions, as to leave little doubt of pre-
concerted plan on the part of the authors. While
the genuine scholars, the truly scientific, the deep
thinkers, and profound theolosians among are
modestly and in silence pursuing their unambi-
| ous labors for the real and permanent good OF
| mankind, this noisy Clique of superficial sophists
| has been filing the air with their mutual praises
and arrogantly assuming that they alone consti-
tute the literature of the country some on tue
credit of few pieces of fugitive poetry others
certain stale limitations Of Dickens and Sir Walter
| Scott which nobody reads second time and few
the first, and third class on or two woru-out
lectures on such definite subjects as the Spirit of
the Age, the ever future prospects of the Amer
can Scholar II is high time this evidently con-
sod, and our country rescued from the reproach
that such puerile productions occasionally ema.
nate from this school, DO really constitute her
standard literature.
But to return-we find it exceedingly difficult
10 keep track OF this Spirit of the age, under the
| various forms it is made to assume and the vari-
Gus epithets by which is addressed. Suffice it
say, that it has hand in every thing going on
among us and around US. The lecturer felt il:
the audience felt it. II affects individuals: it af-
ects masses. Under its influence are brought all
times and all men in the most strange and incon-
| gruous .juXtapositions. 1t inspired Leibn,z and
Newton, and General Putnam, and Franklin, and
the Bourbons, and BonaParte, and Martin Van
Buren,, and General Jackson (why not Ceptaia
| Tyler) and Luther, and Calvin and Rousseau. In
similar mysterious conjunction of names and
pursuits, Lord Mansfield, and Spinoza and Hegel
| and the Duke OF Alva, and Doctor Johnson, are
| made the subjects of 90 its especial frown scour
ged in its wrath, and thrust down into the pitfa
| dug in the norasses from which humanity es.
capes."
AT one time, from certain expressions, we are
ready to conclude that by all this the lecturer in
tends merely poetica porsonihcation; but again
we find him asking with an air of the mes, pro-
found transcendental mysticism" But these Spir-
It's OF the Agcs-arc they immortal! Do they
| i've forever, or are tney chi!uren OF Time, ana
doomed to die centuries roll on?" These wise
questions however, thus lucidly answered.
The Spirit of the age is, for the time the living
essence of Humanity. 1t is unity and does not
exis, in fragments" Why then, we ask, does the
lecturer use the plural'number! Why this incopgru-
Gus mxtsre of Calvin and Rousseau and General
| Jackson and the defender OF the immortal heroes
| Of Chcpachet? Are there different spirits 10 The
| different ages And if so, in what year (anne
Domini) docs one die or depart, and his, its, or
| her successor Jake its place. Does the reign of