The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-09-08

y,
even to save the Union. Nay, clergyman
might have some reluctance to surrender even
the poorest of his flock that partook of the
bread and wine with him. What nice distinc-
times Z.
THE SCIENCE OF NEsCIENCE, WHICH Is NOT
ANEW SCIENCE, BUT A N0SCIENCE.
Hop they do talk! The Reviewer of New
Works for the National Inteliigencer, noticing
THE PHILOSOPHY OF SIR WILLIAM HAMn-
TON, lately published in New York and Wash
ington, blows up this latest metaphysical bub-
Bile in this fashion: Before his (Sir Will
liam's brilliant qualities have paled the stars
of Reid, Stewart, Brown, and the other philos-
ophcrs of the Scottish school, as also Cousin,
the apostle of Rationalism in France, together
with the Missionaries of Germany-sages who,
in theology, believe everything but the Bible"
This is the authors achievement generally
stated The same thing has been said of every
one of the above-named stars-and every whit
as deservedly-that has in chronological order,
or disorder, paled before it's successor, and all
together now before Sir William. In other
words, "This is the cow with the crumply
horn, that tossed the dog that worried the cat,
that killed the rat, that ate the malt, that lay
in the house that Plato built" All of which
is true Of the past present, and future too, for
the end is not yet.
The Reviewer, in the next paragraph, goes
two steps Forward of this position, IA VIC nm
derstand him. He thinks that This is the
Priest all shaven and shorn, that married the
maiden all forlorn, that milked the COW with
the GRUMPY horn" He says:
"The work before us is distinguished not
only for its excellence as a metaphysical sys-
tenn, its profound thought and recondte learn.
ing, but also for its accordance and harmony
with tho principles of revealed truth and, in.
deed, true philosophy will be ever found the
, most useful auxiliary of theology"
Let us see how the Priest Philosophy all
shaver and shOrn, marres the maiden (Reli
gion) all forlorn. The Reviewer puts it thus
Sir William appears an amiable man, and
blandly states his invineible Ignorance on many
points In truth, it may be laid down as a
philosophical axiom, that the highest knowledge
as consciousness Of our Ignorance, and that
humility is the cardinal virtue, not only Of
revelation, but of reason"
And Sir William himself is quoted for the
confession or assumption-fori it has the humil-
ty of the one and empty boast of the other in
it-that "The recognition of the rule of pru-
dent nescience would save much false and pre-.
sumptuous reasoning, equally discreditable to
philosophy as to theology. Many things in
theology are to be believed, no, understood .
And he instances "the futile attempts to har-
monize by human reasoning such antilogies as
foreknowledge predestination, the free will o!
man. and the grace of God"
Call you that backing the book? Is that
the way that the maiden draws the "sncerc
milk Of the Word" from the metaphysical COW
with the Grumpy horn? We have heard be-
fore that metaphysics is dry and think it is
about time to let that hcifcr go to-grass
But this, and all this, is not tho worst of it,
Not only can this auxiliary, or handmaiden
Of theology metaphysics, do nothing for her
mistress and very little for herself, besides
owning up to her invincible ignorance, but the
Reviewer serves up the difficulties Of the Bible
itself in the following doggerel:
"This is the book whore each his dogma seeks
And this the book who're each his dogma finds"
Now, our idea is, that as long as Christian
Philosophers (save the mark !! keep up this
senseless gable, proclaiming in their way that
Ignorance is tho mother of devotion" it is
not to be wondered il infdels say the same
thing, with all the sarcasm that there is sub
stantialIy in the saying. The fellow that said
"it is the sum of wisdom to know that we
know nothing" had just discovered that he
was an ass, and left everything else to be dis
covered by other people; or, be was phiIo-
sophical puppy, that hoped to be astonishing
IL paradox could make him 80 at least, this
is true Of those who are always mounting it
after him.
The InieIhgenesr's Reviewer will please to
understand that we mean no special or per-
sonal application Of our remarks TO him. We
did not intend in any such way to distinguish
him. He is only regarded and treated rs the
exponent Of . tribe Of fosics in philosophy that
We are very tired Of and If he is up TO the
trick, will blandly smile in the sublime con-
seriousness Of that pompous nescience which
distinguishes the sentimentalism of his set
from ours aud 30 lot it pass. f.
| A DUEL was fought on the 30th ult., near
BIsdensburg, between Mr.. Ridgway, editor
Of paper at Bedford, Virginia, and . Mr..
Davis, Of Lynchburg, Va. After the 6rss Hrs
the AFFAIR was amicably adjusted, and the
wounded honor of these F. + We satisfod,