New-York tribune., 1871-08-01
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

a.
,rcelv sus,ins the eminent reputation forproiound
,,.o,cb, and snhtle analysis which was gained by
- ,,i,orons works on "The Divine Government
,,d +" The Infuitions of the Mind" The thorough
moss and originality of those productions gave INN
DISTINGUISHED place among the Scottish metaphysi-
cians Ho was greeted rs n worthy successor "l III
R,i1 pugald Stewart and Sir William hamlltoh'
1,b,b le WAS not an advocate of the special theo-
NOS of ,ther of those illustrious philosophers HIS
,,u Il distinction rests chiefly on the sagaclty ana
tor,e with which he exposed the talacles that are
concealed in the system of Locke, aud lald MIN
Iis for tbe doctrine of intuition the foundation
ofkuowledge without the extTavagances WIN WHICH
= hos bo.D et forth i'm the extreme schools OF ideal
i,u. He has treated the subject with mastery sense
aud apprehension. His method exhibits the ngor
# rbilosopbical discourse, combined with the at
,,activcuess of popular discussion. With no preten-
,on to the lucid simplicity of Reid the flowing ele-
,ance of pncald Stewart. or the prodigal erudlton
- S;r William Hamilton. his style is marked by pro-
no,tiou and harmony free from any tincture OF the
scholastic ss nit eulvened by familiar illustrations
and with a certain cordial. almost maghetlc Tone
that wins sympathy if it does not command assent
In the present work, these qualities are less con-
spicuouS than in his former productions. IL gives
,ydcnce Of haste in preparation and careessheSS in
execution. There are frequent negllgences ol cA-
preston that take it out OF the rank OF caS'i'l per
fofmauces. The iuadvertences OF statement 10 use
the lnldeSt teun are so numerous rs almost W give
aDar of slovcnlness TO many portions of the volume
Examples of loose reasoning and inconsequent IN
ference are TOO abundant for a writer who stands
upou his reputation for logical andaccurate thought
L. some passages there is timidity of expression,
which betrays want of confidence in the sOundness
a his repr, sentations in Others there is temerity
of statement arising from chdlike ignorance OF the
facts which he undertakes TO elUcidate. The attempt
10 adapt himself TO the wants Of popular audience
everywhere apparent; an intention which Is more
appropriate in the lecture room than III the printed
page hut nowhere quite consistent with the sell
rcsuect of o tIi,.Lor VINO is conscious OF mastery
of the subject and of himself. Even in the common
details of style, of which DR.. McCosh has certainly
an eminent command, there is want of finish and
refinement which produces as unpleasant an effect
s. If the visitor in a drawngroOm to appear in
lis slippers and dressing gown. Repeated instances of
Ills hemsh are TO be found in The of the auxil
aries shall and viii. - which Dr McCosh employs
iutercharccably, in defiance of the English idiom,
and with true Scotch, or Irish presumption.
Butu0 To dwell Oh comparisons between the author
and himself let proceed TO the substantial character
AZ the work. one Of the most striking features of
which is the freedom with which the positions of
modern science are discussed, without cayiling at
Their supposed ireligiOuS tendencies. Many pious
writers of the present day think to show their devO
Iinu To sound doctrine by raising the cry of alarm at
the progress of scientific discovery. They take II
to granted that if the theories true the old
traditions are false. They shrink before the dis
,u,sion Of facts as if the ark of the covenant
Danger from The lights of research. Not so DR..
N, n. lie meets the enemy with fearless tread.
Ucl,' No means frightened ont Of his prCpiety by
Tie s,p ,stiun of novel ideas. Whatever truth is
brought f. sard hv the men of science he chcerfully
accepts assured that the principles of religion can
never be damaged by sincere investigation. Even
the deductions of Herbert spencer Darwin, Huxley,
and other bold mnovateTs Of a kindred school
have no tcuOrs for DIR. McCOSh He swallows
their theories without WY face, and shows con
tempt and scOm only for the towards who fear " to
face the music" His remarks on this point are
admirable both for their insight and their bOdncss
and MAY well shame the religious potroons who show
the white feather at the first announcement of a
fresh discovery in science He bids them remember
that ne, facts of physical research have very COM
uoulv been denounced "a atheistc. Even LeibDitz
charged the sy.tcm of Newton with hostility to
I,l.ion The existence of God was thought to be
called n question 10y the law OF gravitaton. In the
las, age the discoveries in geology were met at the
VI point Ol the bayonet 10y ScIptura peGauts. Ii was
not until the ground was cleared up by such men as
B.ckiand and Chalmers, Hitchcock and Hugh Mil
lrl that the bieot, were certain extent silenced
m their dcnuciations of science. Aud in our own
Times, a> Dr. McCo>h afiiuns there persons
who cannot take in these new doctrines Of nat
urd history and comparative ruguage, not
because they counter 10 any doot,ne or prccept
uf religion. bat because they conflict with certain
historical or scientific pTeconceptOnS which have
become bound mp with their devoutlbelieis.' In the
opinion Of the author this shows that religious men,
in that capacity are not TO De allowed to decide for
u, the truths OF science. II would be udicrous for
az ,ncmcuical council at Rome an assembly of
diviues AZ Westminster 10 sit in Judgment on Sir
Isaac NewIons theory of gravitatioD. Not less ab-
suId wOuld II he for Congregational council, OF
Methodist conference to decide the correlation of
forces as friendly hostile to religion Dr. McCosh
refers to the disgust with which he has heard
fryent preachers denounce The nebular hypothesis,
and the new theory of the origin of specics, in
manner which could only damage the religion which
::hlcy meant TO recommend
With regard 10 the doctrine OF the correlation of
forces which Dr. McCo>h monounces worthy of
being placed alongside of universal gravitation, he
remarks that there is nothinC 10 be dreaded in US
hearing on religion. On the contrary, it furnishes
more sriiug proof OF the pcrfections OF the Deity
than any previous conception Of the subject. Accord
ing 10 this theory, we can now see the one Power
blowing in the breeze smiling in the sunshine spark
ling in the stars, quickeuinF we bound
along in the felt enjoyment of health, etiorescng
In every form and hue of beauty, and shower
ine down daily gifts upon us 1t shows US more
ptG 10. =
over the diversity nj usty which is q Characters
ic OF the works of Cod as well as Of God himself
Force mauifeSts itself now in gravity now in mole
cular attraction and motion, in chemical atlini-
ties now in magnetic and damagnetic properties,
IL
correlated forces of the physe universe there arise
beauteOus forms and harmonious colOIs the geone-
try Of crystals and every type OF animal and yegcta
lilo Efe