Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-12-30
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
NOTES ON NEW BOOKS.

NOTES ON NEW BOOKS
An Historical and Critical Vie,o of The Specula-
ips Philosophy Of Europe IN the Neeenh Centsry" By
J. d. MoRELL A. NJ. Complete in one volume From
the last London edition. New York: Robert Carter
and Brothers: 1854.
We are glad to find that new edition of this
valuable work has been called for in our country.
Without attaching SO much importance to metaphy-
steal studies is done by certain of contempora
res are as yet not prepared wholly to repudiate
their value, is also done by among US. Those
who make mock of all metaphysics are ever ready
to point decsively to the fact that intellectual and
theological philosophy has been almost stationary
during the last two thousand years, or if not sta
tionary has reyolyed as in vicious circle or end
less wheel that without making progress whereas
the physical sciences since the day of Bacon gone
from conquest conquest until they threaten make
the material world the humble slave of man, thus
largng at the domain Of his activity and increasing
the Of that knowledge which is power. What
new faculty it is rumphanty asked have the metaphy
scians discovered Have they enlarged the boundaries
OF human thought explored continents in the world
Of and moras Have they settled the great ques
ons raised in early times by the old Greek philosophers
by Plato, by Zeno, or by Aristotle! Amid all the con-
ficng systems of this boastfu nineteenth century, with
its Earring schools in England France, and Germany
where shall the earnest seeker Of truth turn his eyes when
his stunned by the "hdeous gable" Of Kant
charmed by the meauOus dicton of Cousin and startled
by the magical tones of Colerdge? Where there is so
much diversity can there be any truth!
Philosophy, remark may be valuable study, if
not science. 1t is admirable propedeutic to
sharpen ones acumen, though may fail Robert
Hall thought to increase ones knowledge. If it be,
Frenchman has said Fart de stgarer sthod it
is ALSO another Frenchman has said gymnasque de
Fspra We do not prize very highly in point Of scien
tc reality, the old Arstotean philosophy with its teas
ing subeties its cold distractions, and its endless logo
maches; yet venture to assert that no study might
be profaby introduced into the curriculum Of
higher academies and colleges than the Organon and
Logic Of the immortal Starite is very fashionable
nowadays, are aware, to disparage and decry the
learned pedanty and logical lore Of the medieval school
and they the swiftest witnesses against them
who have read line Of their grabbed Latin or Of
their great masters solid and close packed Greek. We
have met with wellinformed and so-caed literally edu
Gated who could not tell the difference between the
material formal final, and Efficient cause they are sepa-
ratey defined by the great Greek philosopher though the
distinction itself is vital in Of the higher branches
Of augmentation.
Every attentive reader have noticed with surprise
and chagrin how easy it is to impose falacy upon the
common mind nay, more, how often he is imposed upon
himself The rapid and multarious reading Of our time
greatly conduces to this intellectual nsouance this un-
discriminating and passive reception Of nonsense in print
Campbell in his Philosophy of Rhetoric, has most
Instructive chapter of the why such nom
sense often passes current with the general reader he
has discussed only side of question which may be
regarded in many different aspects On this same sub
ject we find some remarks opposite in small work by
An American thinker thatwe cannot refrain from quoting
them for our readers:
"Specuative writers particularly fruitful of gene
raj propositions and usually without suboning any OBJ
jectye example by way of key the speculative riddles
which they thus Books however every kind
abound with unexplained general propositionsto frame
general propositions being much less aborous than to
furnish them with substantial objective bodies Poiti
clans find such propositions convenient mode of express
ing opinions that will suit every body for instance
Judicious tariff is precisely what every desires
though one man may mean thereby import duty of
hundred per cent I'D valorem, and another may mean
total exemption from any duty ITO demand from foreign
nations nothing but what ought to be demanded and to
submit nothing but what ought to be submitted to- is
= proposition which win meet with universal assent
though conduct entirely opposite in character may be
vered thereby To give every private individual the
utmost personal liberty that is useful to the individual
himself Us well as to the nation will the appreciation
OF the most liberal democrat and the most yrannical
autocrat All such propositions are like the bathing
dresses supplied to visiters at Newport they fit every
when uncovered sort Of variety that bodies are
psble Of assuming =
There is also species of propositions which possess
little or no objective Specification and whose signifca
ton is mostly or wholly subjective Such propositions
are easily constructed and books Of every description
abound with them The intellect discovers in the words
syntactical congruty to each other hence the propo
sitions possess hazy intellectual intelligence ntelgi
by) which satisfies the author and often peases the
feelings Of the reader Fellow citizens might Fourth
Of July orator say in accordance with the above species
of propositions, the destiny of our beloved country is
in our keeping let be faithful sacred trust and
support no man for any public station who will not ad-
vocste principles that bear the scrutiny Of virue &c.
Meaning Of Words &c. By a. 3. johnson.
Our readers recall many examples Of such loose
propositions; they with them in their daily read
ing and them in their daily conversation Their
fault consists not much in their sophisry as in their
essential unmeaningness They have no sharpness of
outline and convey clearly impression. They
differ from close logic midday differs from twilight
as the clear ring Of Damascus blade differs from the
drone Of tinkling cymbal They please the mind and
charm the ear Of men much the melodies of Mother
Goose delight the of children thus proving by
new instance that men only children Of larger
growth We listen to such indefinite propositions with
easy acquiescence which begues us Of their intrinsic
ssnselessness, or rather of their nconsquence and
mon. place.
Now If men Infatuated to the close scrutiny
and criticism Of what they read and receive in their
minds the world would be plagued by fewer sophisms