The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-07-23
n positive revelation. '-Locke's WORKS
Vol. l.. y. A.
ORIGIN OF OUR IDEAS.

ccssary to enter into particular discus
sion-as it comedies IN the main with
the doctrine Of Locke, TO which / have
elsewhere stated some objections, which
appear TO me Insurmountable. -ElementS
O, the Philosophy Of the Human Mind
Vol. L., page %.
Mr.. Locke's aversion 10 SMILES Is
well known and was undoubtedly carried
10 an extreme. Yet there * much truth
and good sense in the following refec-
tons" Stewart Elem, Vol. III. p. 1872
"Thcy who i'm their discourse strike the
fancy, and take the hearers exceptions
along with them. as fast as Their words
flow, are applauded takers, and 20 for
the only men of clear thoughts. Nothing
contributes so much 20 these as SMILES,
whereby men think they themselves un-
dcrstand better, because they are the
BETTER understood. But Z - one thing
90 think right. and IT is another thing 10
know the right way TO lay our thoughts
/ before others with advantage and clear
ness. be they right or wrong. We'll CHOSEN
| SMILES, metaphors, and allcgories. wth
/ method and order, do this the best OF
anything. because. being taken from OBJ
| iccts already known and familiar to the
understanding. they are conceived as fast
as spoken; aud the correspondence being
concluded. The thing they are brought
to explain and elucidate is thought 10 be
understood too. This fancy passes for
knowledge. and what is prettily said ~
mistaken for solid" Oockc's Conduct
! Of the Understanding. section 32) Now. !
am very free to admit. that 10 my mind,
Mr.. Locke occupies very tenable g''hu'
ana | think is quite correct in the prem
ices lust reviewed concerning Smiles;
and the way he puts the case they are
certainly tho gay champiods OF fancy
/ rather Than the sober attendants OF rea-
| son. And we cannot well deny that there
ie some foundation FOR the remark so
happily expressed IN Popes nped disuch-
where beams of warm Imagination play
| The rnemory's soft figures melt away.
AGAIN find Mr. Dugald Stewart. IN his
elements Of the Philosophy OF the
/ Human Mind" Vol. Ill, page lNN mus
critically reviewing Mr.. Locke. on IN
! tormediate Principles cannot help
thinking that Locke's recommendation
Of the use OF intermediate principles
n,,f Sc received with much greater
! limitations in the case Of all tho moral
| sciences than he seems 10 have been
! aware icf: otherw Sc he could not have
! failed 10 warn his readers. more explicitly
a.d earnestly than lie has done, OF the
! extreme difficulty. n not OF the imPossi-
| Iii.v Of establishing. ~ any or THESE
| branchcs Of knowledge. intermediate prin-
| ciples at all analogous re the thcoreins IN
! mathematics. In mechanical Philosophy
! and chemistry undoubtedly. there are
many intermediate principles which IN
! the present improved state OF theSe
/ sciences. may be safely ASSUMED as data
/ but how few. comparatively. are the pri"-
/ rinles to which We are Yet entitled 10 "p-
peal IN any Of the branches Of meral
] Ia ffIFIf a O. O
and sometimes too oracular. science or
nolitical economy. on all such subjects,
| MIR Tocke's advice Will be found much
| loss favorable to the discovery OF truth
/ than TO Il display OF the iii sputant
readiness and nuercy n the CONFLICT OF
| an oral debate. or In the management OF
a controversial skirmish in periodical
journal ] think I have observed a pecu-
| liar proneness In mathematicians, on oc-
casions OF this sort. 10 avail themselves
| of principles sanctioned by some imPs-
ing names and 10 avoid all discussions
which might lead 10 an examination OF
ultimate truths. or involve a rigorous
ANALYSIS Of their ideas. The passage
quoted from Locke without any com
ment. sufficiently accounts for this bias.
/ ! might continue to enumerate extracts
| from Mr.. Stewards works 10 show that
| ne was not by any means in accord with
many OF the philosophical ideas Of his
great predecessor. John Locke
We asserted that Hobbies suffered III
/ his philosophical encounters win III,
! cudworth. which he did. tor tru'h az
! nature were ably arrayed against i 80
INT We do not wish TO he dhdeiS'oou 80
5ctractinr i'm any wise from tire uHl''S-
toned abinty and genius OF 80 ei in.l.,'
a man I'm his special department Vi
tiire. IL was his paradoN;cil op'i,""' 80
! were so warmly controNeIleu Ds ~.
| worth. Clarendon. and otheIS' ~ W.
,,raat work the "Leyiathan,' Ga completv
s,.s,or, ~ his philosophy. including MS
! ,olitical moral. and theoloslcal N'e"S''
,1,.h made a great sensation. and gave
occ,co 10 theolo-ians. and-thoush il was
| hostile 70 liberal principle-eNeh 10 inc
! ..or,tfsts Macintosh says. a peIiha-
! ~, foundation Of his fame consists
Ia his admirable style which seems 10 ne
tha very perfection Of didactic language.
| short clear. precise pithy, his language
| ,.,,..r has more than one meaning, which
| nl,or roouires a second thought 10 ma.
Ills STYLE so stimulates attention that II
never tires. and. TO those VINO are ac-
ouaintcd with the subject appears 10
have as much spirit as can DC s"i'is
blended with reason.
chad. I'm language more precise ana luiIl-
nous than has ever been employed ny
any other metaphysical writer, MAINTAIN
CA that the will of the prince was the
standard Of right and wrong. THOUSANDS
eagerly welcomed a theory which. wniic
il exalted the kingly Office, relaxed the
OBLIGATIONS OF morality. and degraded re-
uet,n into a mere affair Of state. His
tory of England, Vol. l., chapter =.
"IIobbes's politics" says Hume IN his
History OF England. "are fitted only to
promote tyranny. and his ethics 10 en-
courage RIGHTEOUSNESS. Though an enemy
IN religion. he partakcs nothing OF the
snirit of skepticsm but is as positive and
doematical as if human reason could at
tain a thorough conviction in these sub
iects."
When Hobbies entered the special do
main of pope-possihlv 10 exhibit the YER
satilitv of his talents-in his TRANSACTIONS
of classic poetrv. hc was not az all sue
cossful. and tho work he then performed
aid not reflect any credit on his scholar
shin or in any wise add 10 his reputa-
ton i'm his philosophical researches. In
1874 no published a translation In verse
NJ the "niad" and the odyssey which
drew from Pope the assertion that his
poet,v is too mean for criticism
One Of the severest criticisms. briefly
and clearly summing up Hobbies main
position. is from the pen OF that able
and learned historian and statesman. Sir
lanes Macintosh who says: Hobbies.
having thus struck affections )ut Of his
mass OF human nature. and having totally
..f.,,1oretood the nature cye1 OF the