New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-13

0raon cen ~ ei Veraoni at Burlington. VI Aagast
g. 1850 By REV. (. A WSshAURN- $40, o. DDS
ton Philips. sampson y w.
xve,y system Of philosophy may be reduced
=, obvious ANALYSIS, to two ultimate classes,
which are distinguished respectively by the ac-
eeunt they give of the origin of human know.
edge. and the springs OF human action Man IS
either mere creature OF the senses, indebted to
thero for the whole circle of his IDEAS inspired By
no passions but those to which they give birth,
and capable of no higher good than their com
plete and legitimate satisfaction or, he is IN ntl-
mate relations with an unseen principle call II
soul, spirit, mind or what you please whlchra!aes
him above the sphere OF sense, furnishes him with
oonceptions of truths beyond aught that eye or
ear takes cognisance Of impe!s nm to acton IRE
spectiye Of material impulses, and opens to hlm
region OF thought and emotion which having no
xvpe or similitude in the external World, has re-
eeived the name of tue IDEAL the Spiritual or the
Infinite The whole history OF philosophy has
been little more than vibration between these
tvo tendencies. Action and reaction in this
respec. have marked its course in every age;
often. in the development Of individual expert
enee A gross and sensual age no mater under
wha. Influences it may have been formed, vii
always abound with advocates OF q material pill
losopby the average character Of the times viii
be expressed in the prevailing dogmas and with
the execution Of a few, whose fidelity to en- in
.ornal instinct compels them to protest against
the faith OF their cotemPoraries, the mass OF tie
intellectual men of the day, so far as they have
any theories at ALL viii attempt to solve the prob
lens OF the universe by the same faculties with
which they Judge Of the objects Of external ma
1ure. This was the condition of thought in the
most cultivated European nations during the
whole Of the last century. a blank materalism
more or less disguised. was the order Of the day
In France it was connected with exhibitions Of
disgusting fryolity, and tie rible terocity in Eng
land with brutal apathy in regard to the highest
gub;ects of thought in Germany, with a stupid
devotion to forms and gross sensual iaiulgences
Areaction quietly commenced soon alter the
commencement. OF the present century. This
movement, fc. g long time. vas Ike stfesa
flowing under groand ba; it 81 last cs1e % re
surface and is now manifest: Z mz2y go, BIB
bling spring by the side 6; :a.ss: g211s. az =
here and there stately aa5 5..7Ese1s s.l-z1Ela-
whose silvery spray las attracted ~ sz,s- 9.-
grim 10 find refreshmen, ana icv.s1,4ss5a u -
cleaning waters The American -z.1i 12s a.
ticipated largely in this ret1g2 . : s2l,s.1as =.
losophy Indeed, it never fully bowed .ae ADse
to the unclean Bsal OF European senspal,sm
From the time of Edwards, the contemplstiye
defender of the reality Of Spiritual Light, 70
that of Claiming, the genial advocate Of the dig
nifty of human nature in spite OF the delcterious
Influence ofLocke and Paey, rs text books in our
tl,, Inv, no do
Of sensualistic philosophy by an imperfect con-
oeption of the sources OF knowledge. md the
other carving it forward to its inevitable results
IN the base ethics OF a selfish utiltaranism,-
American intellect has never become drenched
with this cup of abomination it has preserved its
bealthfu instincts for the Beautiful and Good sur
passing the apprehension Of the senses and on
she first development Of a higher tendency OF
Shought in the English mind was the first to re
ceive the impulse; which it has since embodied
m its chief masterpieces of history, philosophy
and poetry, We may quote in passing the beau
tiful tribute to the late President MARSH, as one
of the leaders OF higher philosophy, with which
Mr. Washbun appropriately commences his Ora
iion,
You will pardon me, if Mt the threshold thus
Gneer with a personal feeling on the name, hal
lowed in my memory more than that OF Il Plato
TO his disciples He lives with all of us not only
In our intellectual reverence, but in the heart OF
affection mind gifted preGminenty with that
large discourse of reason, which marks the
philosophic genius kindled with ideal thought,
vet blended in harmony with the simplest reli-
Sious faith mastery scholar armed at all points
with learning yet OF SO chldllke modesty, that he
was content to appear a lebanon, shooting the
arrows of truth from behind the massive shield
10 bo hoI of a.,
pure logical faculty, as well as of symmetrical de-
veopment his were all the elements that make
the character of the Christian sage. Habit pleased
God to have granted him longer years, he would
have left behind the finished monument of his
studies, work, of which now alas only few
fragments remain to tell the larSenesS OF his out.
line, and the hight of his aim. But even such
words do him wrong. He has left his rarest
volumes in the many minds, into whom he has
breathed the same phllosophiC spirit, joined with
the same reverent faith This is his srgpe !, dst
this the task he has done for his country and age
1t was the labor OF his life to uphold a Christian
science Filled with genial trust in the priuci.
pies of that spiritual philosophy, which had won
his ripened reason he felt the meaning of the
problems now stirring to its depth the mind Of the
time, and amid the chaos of opinions the preva
lence of errors under the guise of truth he looked
forward calmly to the unity of human with divine
knowledge,
We have been led to the remarks iii the open
ing of this article by the general tone and spirit OF
Mr. Washburns Grafton His mind is deeply
imbued with the philosophical ideas which we
have spoken Of as acting strongly on the present
age He has surveyed the field of modern intel.
ectual conflicts with an acute if not an impartial
eye, and fully described their purpose and tend
ency 1t is seldom that we find SO many irnpor.
sant and pregnant suggestions in popular Dis
course and agreeing with most of his positions,
though often dissenting from his conclusions, we
will present our readers with the substance of
his statements.