New-York tribune., 1874-12-22

The history of speculative philosophy III re-
sard 10 the sreat problems OF natural rvhsion ~ r
.ented IN these elaborate and scholarly volumes 10
,ho descn Of the author the progress OF human
,nrrht fr,m the dawn of speculation In Greece, In
LanS tts aptccccnts In Oriental philosophy w 'no
development Of the ethical system III England ""ouV
the middle Of the last century, OF which hSh"r b"'i
NAV he regarded the representative, u n"t '.e
founder Tho performance Of this task 'S one Vi INV
srayest literary enterprises whch have been att'h"'c"
nv anv American scholar. portion Of the ground mas
Neen oceupied hy previous writer's in separate essays
and volumes hut the exhibition OF the Snol'' III. oil
It's bearings and details has been reserved H. the au'
,hor OF the pres1ut work. Professor I' mas brohSht
20 their composition the fruit Of rare "d various learn
ing Of profound and intelligent s.dllts OF acute phc
sopbca perceptions aud Of eingulary fsr. unrrtju-
a,eed and Well bal"nced intellect. He views The dr
ent systens v.ion PASS under bis survey win tfay
krge and catholic spirit. His impara''y is "o 'ss
remarkable than his crndon. His mode OF treatment
n direct inclsive, and cneetnal lie proceeds AT once
10 the heart OF The subject without episode or crcNm"-
ruton lie takes possess Of the ideas Which II is his
dnty TO eXpound, With the frmncss and
precSon with which the student Of ply steal science
sndeavors grasp the facts Of Nature No one without
peculiar power Of intuition into The suhileiics OF
thought could penetrate the sense of 80 diverse anu
manifold systems. and present Just report Of their
character and tendencies. Bat the author retains MIS-
presence of mind in the midst of so many conhictnG
theories without confusion embarrassment. He Is
not bewildered by the intellectual af1uence whch lie
undertakes to estimate. His expostons are as lucid'
ne they are Rarely, ever does lie fal 10
eeise conception which indicates the presence OF re-
heious Thought doing equal Justice, IN this respect TO
the fine Italian intellect OF the mystical Bruno, and the
mater-offact Eas,sh philosopher, john Locke. HI
treating his subject, DR. Gi,lctt strives TO de-
tect the universal principles Of spiritual f''th.
although cloudcd with palpabe errors ana inl'
perfections He rudcly reprls the
huWS
they may fail Of reaching their Ain. Even when he can
approve of results he cordially rccoSn;z purposes
tendencies He has fortruth that of
modern hunters OF hcTcsy FOR error In the soarcngs
Of philosophy aud the struggles Of doubt he finds ties
simOny to the religious nature OF man, with tn" assur-
that tue convictions which they Imply are inde
structbe in their character ana Will always continue TO
hold place in the history Of humanity. good
specimen Of Dr. Guietts mrihod is prc>Cutrd IN the
chapter devoted to Plato. hcn he has studied in the
acute of his moiern exro,itnrs, Ack"rmann ami
especially : Syhicerlntchcr, wei rs in the original
works. Tue ot Plato. creed i stated ~ be the
innate power OF motion which RESIDES In the human
soul Hence nti her comes into existence nor ceases
" exist All spiritual essence, inC!udHg even the
Deity, the sane, and the soul has g,,s1y LuoSn that
which really Is. Ar0ugl, it has ~ the knowlcd@'. it
RECEIVERS IT by recollection. Bn L ro coc r:,
with mcc ely speculative ailLS H. Nl4d@. cY-Iy "he:c
manifest practical scope. H. w"ui e"vt" the p'r-
poses and rbukc the of III IL places u. i"i"
wisdom aud practice virtue. ii hr l. U always consist
spt with himsc, ht never f.s to C'ou 49, ar pursat
Of truth and expose whatever tends IL dr dc tac hu
man soul The conclusion al which the author arrives.
after elaborate analysis OF the do,riucs Of Pl'iV,
u that ne may be considered tXpr>itVr OF the
keral Orier Of the world, unriva!cd hy
tRinser OF heahcn antiquity stii more d"i"rlt task
vas account of the ~ stem Of S?lnOEi VLth Dr. G
lett has accomplished with equal dehc"cy OF perception
snd acu'eness Of Discrimination. After profound an
aysls OF the intricate speculaops IL that
master Of logic. DR.. Gllet remarks thar 20 whose
Me simply that OF quiet thinker has been the
subject Of more bitter denuneaton But whatever
che tendencies OF his philosophy, IT is simply sllb3nr
cue TO call him an Atheist III tine ordinary OF ,he
word He prOfessed to make the Knowledge of God,
he is in hmsc. identical with blesseducs Taught by
experience the vanity OF the common possessions Of
nf he devoted himself to tt search of the SucIne good
good satisfy the soul after all been
rejected. We cannot but such pm, pose SAYS
DR.. GIctt. The frieudess Jewish oucast, "whC in
ssoh seeks his JOY aud recognizes tAe source Of misery
SOUL in its u>s DESIRES
Love needs proper er aud The only proper object
for II is the highest good the perfect and thus
che fundamental problem OF buman life is. bv what
may the soul attain 10 tc Inhnite and Eternal
Beng. the know edge o; whom satisfy all desircs
The Is the starting point OF whose moral character
without stain, and who Sly set hiDSr,f work
to hnd out God. Ihc mdu does not count himself an
Atheist lie believes that there il Etcrpal Substance
with infinite Attributes. among wilcn thou
extension each with it, Infinite modes comm. before H.,
tn visible forms. Identifying this subs with God
epiuo2a believed that there could bc greater aJ-
surty tha1 Atheism "The truth is" says Sissct as
quoted by the IOr, man ever believed III God
with more profound faith. with sacerity Of
soul. Take God from him, and you take away
his system. that 10 say his thought his hfe"-The
later systemS q" philosophy deyeoptdn The story of
English thought treated with the sane thouuc
OF examination aud claIIcSs OF expos ION which have
been brought 10 the study of thr classical ana cdDval
speculative systems. Ii the hands OF DR.. C,ett in.
deed, the facts of hu,ran Consciousness are
made TO c>L:"t eNa.tness and stability
which are usually regarded the exclusive
bOaet Of pi,vs.tal science TIE Jhcnolnena OF our
moral nature traced ont with the kccnness Of
observation with which the natural PHILOSOPHER detects
the presence Of oAi zen III the atmosphere AZ the
Of the he reaches the Inclusion, that III every
age of cultivated tnouGhi, The Of moral order In
the universe his been pat OF tie experience of man.
revealing the divine energy in lie WORKING OF the |
human soul as wcl as III tie Larmoa.c. Of external
Mature
PIP EvASGEL IN VEPSE. Bv ARrtp,S C,Ly. NJ d ~ n |
syO. pt+ 3~j b. Arp."tol \ -.
The purpose Of this volume would be usu- |
ally REGARDED beyond the peculiar scope Of 1oetca
composition. II Fns to reproduce tie scenes OF the
Gospel hetOry in verse with strict adherence 10 the
sacred narrative aud greater degree of imaginative
colOrng than would present the facts in the
most brilliant and impressive light But the subject is
enc with which the author chcrshes profound a sym.
pathy as III sune sense to Justify the b0ldness the at
tempt The Oriental cast OF his mind allures him to tho
haunts OF sacred song aud produces a vital COM
munon with the spirit Of Hebrew poetry Had ne
lived in the days OF Isaiah Jeremiah he might have
been one OF the bards who sought Inspiration cat
Siloas brook that flowed fast by the oracle OF God
The present work not the first fruits Of his religious
Muse but nc Is already known TO the lovers Ct nedinval
literature BY his admirable TRANSACTIONS OF the "Dc
Ira," which have been pronounced by Mr. Bryant Mr.