, 1877-12-14
LITER Y.

md American scholarship on the
more important and difficult topics
concerning religion and science
They are taking tho foremost rank
among the scientists OF the world for
their value in presenting to the pub
lie mind in a comprehensive form
the questions which now interest the
scientific world. From the lectures
on Biology by Rev, Joseph. COOK
by James R. Osgood & Co.
Boston, Oct, 1877, We make the fol-
lowing extract: Az W . ~ ".-
NEWSPAPERS. ,.....
awe are an atrociously independ
ent and as yet only half educated
people. De Torqneville said that
individualism is the natural, and
must often be q most mischeyous
basis of democratic philosophy. To
her great credit and to her great
temporary mental distress, Massa
chusetts, in which popular enlight-
ment is more widely diffused than
else where, has probably just now
more small philosophers than any
other population Of equal size on the
globe. Emerson wrote Of Massachu.
setts as she was thirty years ago. "lt
is whole population Of ladies' and
gentlemen out in search Of re.
ligion." No doubt it is to our credit
that we study the newspapers; but
it is not to our credit that we do not
better maintain the best ones, and
that we do not sift newspaper infor'
nation little more warily, and that
some of us think man can be com
petently educated on the most trust
worthy part of the daily journal. /
fathomlessly respect able and con
scientious newspapers. revere their
majestic mission in history. ] used
to be told in Europe that Americans
are governed by newspapers; and |
was accustomed to answer "No
gentlemen, not by newspapers but
by NEWS very different thing"
But whether the shrewdest readers
get at the news that is most strategic
in sience, in art, in theology, by a
hasty scramble through the scribble
OF our cheaper papers, is rather
doubtful, or rather, not doubtful at
all. The most appropriate prayer,
when one takes up one ofthe cheap
country papers, or the city penny
newspaper, is an invocation of the
spirit Of unbelief, and particularly
when reading those journals which
by low personalities, degrade them
selves, lower the high standard of
the conscientious editor and insult
their readers. But the best used
book Of your small philosopher is the
newspaper. He is unchurched in art,
in science and theology. He hears
great names. He obtains glimpses
u great truths, he puts half,truths in
he place Of systems that will bear
The microscope. 1t is the small phil.
osoper who believes everything he
'sads, because it is printed, and it is
10 who is the loudest on street corn.
,rs to discuss abstract truths which
10 has seen barely alluded to in his
newspapers, and of which he posi-
ivsly knows nothing"
sPIEITUALIsM, OR AMI
NAL MAGNETISM.
How the unextended substance
mind, can act upon tho extended
substance. matter, is a mystery; but
o affirm that it does so, involves no
decentralization. What is q mys
cry? Something OF which we know
THAT ii is, though we do not know
low it is. What is a self-contradic.
ion? An inconsistency of a propo
'ition with its own implications.
That mind moves matter, we know.
How it does it, We know not.
Sir William Hamilton, in his
efforts to solve this mystery, was
anxious that even what is called mes
neric force should be investigated;
md he and many other acute minds
nave asked whether it may not be
within the power o. the human will
20 influence another human will across
he street, across the city, or across
The continent. In the name of exact
science, many seek to-day to know
whether by possibility human will
may not, in some cases, make matter
move BY willing to do it. hold no
strange theory on this theme; am
Thy to my fingers tips of even the
conclusions of Carpenter concerning
t. But will you not allow me, in |