New-York daily tribune., 1861-07-07
NEW PUBLICATIONS..
prcKLF ON CIVILIZATION.

The vast plan originally proposed by the author
Of this work is essentially modified and curtalled
IN the present volume. Written on the scale oil
which the first portion was specimen the MS
tory would have expanded beyond the limits oi
practicable execution, while the studies necessar!
even to an approximate completion oi '"' oo'
line would have proved too extensive 'asA ioi
the tenure of human life, or the scope ol 'ne HI"
man faculties. Upon FIRST engaging IN MS g'e"'
;ntaIectual enterprise he was so entranced WIN
tha order and beauty of the whole field oil nlo"'- |
sdra that his Judgment was beguiled, and ne
deemed himself able not only to cover tne sufia'0'
but also TO master the details. But lhe noilAo"
ENLARGED as it receded, and he found tna1 nc
could accomplish but small part Of all tna' ne
had boned TO do. His confessions on TINS POM
sre eruressed with an almost childish naI'e'''
cpr;o,sly contrasting with the keen criticai M
Oacity. which is the leading characterE'i' Vi "''
mind. ,oh ,bot ,vo0
In those early aspirations, there was nuOn '.o .oI;b
fsncifuI: perha there was mueh IhaS Mas J ioJ"s %
Perhaps too they eontGeS bclon"S 70 strength that
snsss 70 recoSDize its own weakness. SUI, even
now that they are defeated and brought 10 haug"i
cannot rerent having indnlged In them, ont, on tne
frQrV
For such hopes belong to that joyous and sang9iue
neriod of life when alone we are really happy; Wheh
The emot ons are active than the judgment wheh
enetience has not vet hardened nature; when he
affections are not yet blghted and npped TO the core
and when the bitterness Of disappointment not havlg
vet been felt difficulties unbeeded obstacles ar
unseen, ambition is pleasure instead OF pahg, anu
the blood coursng swiftly through the veins, tue pnle
beats high while the heat throbs a. the prospeet ol
the future Those are glorious Gays 0ut shey gT iio
us, and nothing can compensate thtlr aosence; IL
E6yat tha vi tODq OI a
fancy than the soter realities Of things that Were and
are not 1t is painful to make this contession put
owe il the reader, because would not nave hin 70
suppose that either in th 10 the future volumes oi
nv History, shall be able to redeem my pledge ana
TO perform all that promsed Something, nope 10
achieve which will interest the thinkers OF this age;
and something, perhaps on which posteny may oIilu'
1t WILL however, only be fragment Of my original de-
sign.
In The volume already published, the author
presents distinct statement of the object which
he has in view, but it is here brought forward
under new aspects, illustrated by singular pro-
fusion of facts and examples, and enforced by
grave and serious elOquence, which challenges the
deepest interest of the reader although it may
fail of gaining bis assent to the doctrines of the
work. According to Mr.. Buckle, the progress of
mankind depends the knowledge OF the laws OF
phenomena; the investigation Of which must be
conducted in the spirit of philosophical skeptcism
which takes nothing for granted, but always
questions and snalyzes principles and facts with
out regard to tradition authority or universal
reception; the result of the process will be to in
crease the Influence of intellectual truths. in COM
parison with that of moral truths, although the
latter cannot be denied; while the great enemy
of this movement, and consequently Of ciyiliza-
d. =. h. of kha efa atp and
the church, the one teaching men what they are
to do, the other teaching them what they are to
believe, each claiming that society cannot prosper
unless the affairs of life are subjected to their
surveillance and direction. Dut the progress and
well-beng of the race depend on system of ab-
solute laws, over which the will of man has no
control. In the moral world, as in the physical
world nothing is anomalous, nothing is unnatural,
n nothing is strange. All is order, symmetry, and
law. There are Opposites. but there are no con-
tradictiOns 1t is the business of the historian TO
show that the movements Of nations are perfectly
regular and that, like all other movements, they
are determined solely by their antecedents. Un.
less he is imbued with the spirit of science which
teaches the doctrine of uniform sequence the cer-
tainty of the law of cause and effect be may be
al dDudllst, q plcdSlDB slOfl-teuers
but historian never.
The topics to the elucdatiOn of which these
principles are applied in the present volume are
the history Of the Spanish intellect from the fifth
to the middle of the nineteenth century, and the
condition of the Scotch intellect especially in the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The exam
pie Of Spain, after being Illustrated by copious
and striking array of historical data, is brought
forward to prove the fayorite idea of the author
that the development or civilization depends on
the possession and general diffusion of knowledge
Without this, every other element of progress is
impotent.
irAt great political improvement however plaus-
ible attractive IT may appear, be productive of
lasting benefit unless IL is preceded by change in
pubheoI ihiOu aud that every change of public opn-
ion ia preceded by changes in knowledge are PROPOSE
tons which all history veri6es but which are rarticu.
larry obvious in the IistoIy Of SPAIN The STANDARDS
have had everything except knowledge TGey have
had innense wealth, aud fertile aud welpeopled ter.
rories in all parts OF the globe. Their o country
washed by the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. and
possessed OF excellent hsrbors is admirably situated
for the purpo ga of trade between Europe and Ame-
riea, being placed as 10 command the commerce of
both hemisphere. Tey had, at very early period
ami c icii al privileges they had independent par
lanents they had the night of choosing their own
magistrates, and manasing their own cities They
have had rich and toni ing t0wDs, abundant manu-
faeturs and skill'ul artisans whose choice produc,
tons could ready ssle in every market in the
world They have cultivated the fine arts with emf
neDt success their noble and exquisite paintings and
their magnificent churches, being justly ranked among
the most wonderful efforts Of the human hand. They
speak beautiful sOnOrous and flexible language and
l. ,oft