New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-17

n Mr.. Congreve. the chief apostle OF the
religious side Of that system. which came
ont lust as / was leaving London for Paris.
The ground taken by Professor Huxley in that essay
is doubtless familiar to such of your readers as VIII
run their eye this letter, The beautiful us
dain" with which he treats his antagonist was amply
justified by the pTovocation which he had receiver.
Instead Of the discussion Of an abstract POihO u
philosophy, his discourse was rather persona
defense against the charges of superhcal hho"iouEo
and grOundless assertion. Such an attack ho ni"",
especially one with the high personal ueni'y "
Professor Vuvlev. eonld submit to in silence. His
vindication is thorough and complete leaV-
ing Mr. Congreve without excuse ana a..
the same time presenting a temperate ana
luc;d exnostion of the relations of Comte to modern
science In nv opinion he does full justice tS 'no
founder of the Positive Philosophy, as a iealteSS
lover of truth q valiant thinker VINO wlSheu ~
pense with all beliefs save such as coulu piaio QUO
light and sincere prophet OF the Regeneration VI
society The confession of Professor Huxley tnaV no
is indebted TO Comte for the long cherished cohNic
ton that "the organization OF society upon nc"
and purely scientific basis is not only pracIcaoie'
but is the only political object much WorVh nshtlng
for1 10 poble tribute to the high aims of the One
and the intellectual sincerity of the other. 1t must
he especalIy gratifying to yourself and the little
band of fellow-laborers who early bore the bur-
den and heat of the day in support OF
the integral reform Of society, to find the
same principle 90 frankly espoused by one OF the
foremost living representatives Of physical science
Nv acquaintance with DR.. Carpenter, whom met
for the first time at the reunion Of the "PhiosOphl
cal Club" ripened into a certain degree Of intimacy
of the most agreeable character. had cherished
traditional reverence for the memory of his father,
the late Rev. Liant Carpenter a celebrated scholar
and divine of the Unitarian faith and was sufficient
" familiar with his admirable writings to enable
me to meet him, as a friend, to whom owed a large
intellectual debt rather than as stranger to whom
r,y name could not be otherwise than Indifferent.
~ust do not abuse his kind Inequalities by saying
~, nv visits at his house are among the brightest
collections Of my London experience. with his
eminent position in the scientific world he has the
modest simplicity of a child. His love of truth and
reality which impresses one as the staple OF his
character is not incompatible with an atteehonate
gentleness of manner which lends peculiar charm to
his instructive conversation Dr. Carpenter Is chiefly
known as a Psychologist, though eminently dstln-
guished in other branches of natural science But
found him equally interested in the great problems
Of philosophical speculation, fate, foreknoWedge'
and free win which have been the delight and tor
ment of high thinkers every age. He has none OF
the fppant scom of certain modern pretenders TO
science, who ignore everything beyond this wish
BILE diurnal sphere and who would limit the study
Of the human soul to the manipulations OF the dis
ng-knife and microscope. Among other topics
which he elucidated in his familiar talk was the I'M
conscious activity of the brain in connection with
the phenomena of the WILL Starting with the recog-
milton of the fact that matter IS merely the
vehicle of force, he sets aside the old dispute
between the SDritualsts and Materalists as
barren of fruit. and seeks TO establish
sound and comprehensive psychology on the basis
of the whole constitution of man, and his relations TO
the external world. From this point OF view he re-
CARDS the great ceners ofnervOus force as the source
Df two classes of automatic actions primary and sec
ondary, of which the latter though originally
prompted by the will and still remaining under its
control are habituay performed without any Volt
Honal agency The power of invention, whether IN
the sphere of poetry art mechanical combination
NAV be referred to tins The same principle
explains the higher operations of the mind, the crea
tons of genius and the intuitOns Of the moral sense
It is the eveT-howing current OF mental ACTIVITY
which may DO regarded as the spontaneous, uncon'
tcious action of the BRAIN that produces the MIRA
ses of intellect which regard as natural insplr
alton Although this power is gift, the pos
session of which is not at our command, partakini
Of the nature of an instinct which no culture CAL
produce any more than it can raise crop of corr
where the seed has not been sowD, it may be deyel
pped and strengthened by appropriate discipline In
proportion to our love of the True the Beautiful and
The Good il gains in efficient and harmonious activ-
ty. The more intimately we commune with the
highest ideals of artistic and moral excellence, the
more thorough viii be appreciation of whatever
Is noble and elevating The more faithfully we de-
cote ourselves to the pursuit of truth free from all
Jelhsh aims and all conscious preudiees, the more
,opsummate will be our mental force and the richer
in fruitful results. foundation is thus laid in the
original constitution of man for the advancement,
not only of the individual but of the race until in
higher phaseoexistence the aboriOus and uncertain
deductions Of the intellect may be superseded by the
clear vision of intuitive insight. Re-
ntlCcIsNrrrp I LEE IN EIr2OpE