When his work shall be completed in accordance with these principles, the Christian student will possess, and for the first time, a history in which the various philosophical epochs and systems will be considered in their bearing upon Christianity, and be judged of by their conformity with the doctrines of our most holy faith.

When the charge of hostility to revealed religion is brought against the whole body of modern philosophy, there should doubtless be some discrimination made between its different systems. As the Platonic or Ideal philosophy was found to accord more naturally with Christianity at its first publication, than the opposite Aristotelian system; so does it appear to have been at the revival of learning in Italy, when all the doctrines of Grecian and Roman philosophy were imported from the Eastern empire, and allowed, under the princely patronage of the Medici, a free competition with. the reigning Peripatetic system. But while it may be allowed to the Ideal philosophy, that in itself it is more friendly to Christianity, and capable of easier alliance with it, than Sensnalism; yet we think it may be shown, that, as it has practically existed during the period under consideration, it has been equally exclusive of Revelation with its rival system, and must therefore, in a religious point of view, be placed in the same connexion with the latter. This is a point which deserves particular attention at the present time. There is a class among ourselves who, having become dissatisfied with that system, which derives all our knowledge from sensation, have warmly embraced the Ideal system, or an eclectic system combining the two. In the ardour of their attachment to their newly espoused doctrine, and their strong sense of its advantages over the system to which it is opposed, they have overlooked the hostile attitude in which it has stood, and which it still maintains, towards the positive doctrines of Christianity. They have seen and thought so much of the evils of Materialism, that they have seemed to regard it as the grand, if not the only, defect of modern philosophy. They have appeared to think, that could philosophy be redeemed from Materialism, it would be all that could be desired. It is not perhaps unnatural, that during the heat of the conflict between Idealism and Materialism, the particular points at issue should be unduly magnified, and completely fill the vision of the combatants. But let any one look, as a Christian, over

the great philosophical arena, and he will soon perceive that the conflicting systems make common cause for the supremacy of reason, and are melted into one front of opposition to the claims of revelation. And while he recognises in Idealism a natural ally of religion, he will perceive it to be involved in the general apostacy, and ranged under the seductive banner of independence. Whatever speculative grounds he may have for preferring it, in itself considered, to Materialism, he will see little to choose between them, when they are both estranged from the vital knowledge of the doctrines of our holy religion. The intellectual pride and conceit of reason's sufficiency, engendered by an infidel Idealism, will appear to him no less pernicious, and no less repugnant to the spirit and principles of Christianity, than the more grovelling dispositions and earthly interests which are fed and fostered by an infidel Materialism. That corruption of moral principle,-that degeneracy of personal character, that enormous growth of the selfish passions for gain, equality, and power, amidst the ruins of the disinterested and generous principles of human nature, that clashing of the different orders and interests of society,-that rebellion in the body politic of the hands and feet against the head, these, and similar evils by which these latter days are so darkly contrasted with some earlier periods, the Christian observer will derive, not chiefly, as others have done from the Materialism of modern philosophy, but from that infidelity chargeable equally upon all its different systems. While, therefore, this infidel character of philosophy remains unaltered, he will make little account of the speculative changes from worse to better, through which it may pass. He will not be satisfied, until the rising eclecticism of the present age, which now begins to recognise the two sources of natural knowledge, shall so widen its scope, as to include with them the one great source of divine knowledge. And that future reform in philosophy which he contemplates, and for which he labours, will consist in his view chiefly in its learning the uncertainty and insufficiency of all the knowledge derived from the lower sources, and its humbly and gratefully receiving the light which shines from above. When the exiled theology shall be restored to the family of the sciences, and to her rightful place as queen of all the rest, then will the cause of the Christian's complaint be removed, and he in his turn may restore to his

confidence a philosophy, until that time justly suspected and banished.

But we are here assuming the great fact to be proved, viz. that the character of modern philosophy is, in truth, such as has been described, independent of revelation, irreligious and worldly. It seemed necessary, however, that what has now been said should be premised, in order that the reader might perceive the foundation upon which the argument will rest, the exact light in which the subject will be viewed, as well as the nature and paramount importance of the fact to be hereafter proved.*

LITERARY NOTICES.

A Commentary on the Book of Psalms, on a plan embracing the Hebrew Text, with a new Literal Version, by Geo. Bush, Prof. of Heb. and Orient. Lit. in the New-York City University. New-York; published by Leavitt, Lord & Co. West & Trow, printers. 1834.

WHILE the press is teeming with so many works on the Bible, which are mere compilations of other men's sentiments,—which bear the marks of ignorance or negligence on every page, and which betray but too palpably the selfish motives in which they originated; it is grateful to meet with a work like the present, which seems to have sprung from a pure love of sacred literature, and which is obviously the fruit of much original study and reflection. Such an effort as this, so far from requiring an apology, deserves every encouragement which the intelligent public can afford. Copious commentaries on particular books, are, as has been frequently before intimated in this journal, the great desideratum at the present time. More, certainly, will be gained to the cause of biblical science by the thorough exposition of a single book of Holy Writ, than by a commentary which runs superficially over the entire volume of Inspiration. It is impossible in the brief notice of this work which is designed here, to descend into minute criticism. But we cannot forbear to say, how favourably we have been disappointed, on turning to the principal points of difficulty, to find how justly and satisfactorily they have been treated. E. g. on the subject of the imprecations contained in the Psalms, instead of adopting the forced and unnatural theory, that they are mere declarations or predictions, he has admitted their obvious import, and endeavoured to justify it by an appeal to the

Although the characteristic of infidelity did not become very conspicuous in modern philosophy until near the seventeenth century, yet on further reflection it has seemed to the writer more just to place the origin of this period farther back than it was placed in the former number, and make it coincident with that revolution which took place in the fifteenth century, in the entire condition of Europe; since it was, then, that those causes began to operate, which, in due time, produced the resuts here described.

principles of our moral nature. Again, in the section on the principles of interpretation, instead of referring the language of the Old Testament wholly to the proximate events in the Jewish history, or wholly to objects of the new dispensation, he adopts the doctrine of an interior sense, the bovoia of Olshausen, substantially the same with that advocated in the article on this subject in our third number.-It is only on the point of the application of the name Son to Christ in the second Psalm, that we could have wished for greater explicitness. While it may be conceded to the author, that in the second Psalm this appellation designates the Messianic office into which Christ was inaugurated at the resurrection, it by no means follows, as would be inferred by the reader from his statements, that it is not used elsewhere in a higher sense. The best critics and theologians, without distinction of party, are, we believe, now agreed, that the term Son, as applied to Christ in the Scriptures, has not only a physical sense, and a theocratic and official sense, but also a metaphysical sense, expressing the eternal, though mysterious relation of the second person in the Trinity to Father. Of this the reader may satisfy himself by consulting the systems of Knapp, Hahn, Tholuck, &c. So far then as the doctrine of the eternal generation of the Son of God is coincident with this statement, we must believe it has a scriptural foundation. The errour of our author upon this point, if it is an errour, is to be rather inferred from the manner in which he has treated the subject, and his omission of the whole truth, than from any positive assertion.

The work, as a whole, is highly creditable to the judgment and ability of Mr. Bush. He has shown himself in no common degree adequate to the rising demands made upon one, who would successfully expound the Bible. And it is our trust, he will receive such encouragement, as will induce him to prosecute a work for which he has shown himself so competent.

The Religious Offering for 1835. 12mo. Leavitt, Lord & Co.

The object of the publishers of this volume is to furnish the public with a work, answering in some respects to the popular annuals, but which shall be exclusively of a moral and religious character, one that shall embody, in as attractive a form as possible, those great truths which relate to man as a moral and religious being. The work consists of original poetry, entirely from the pen of one individual, well known to the literary community, and presents ample variety in its topics, as well as in the forms of its versification. The publishers have not extended this volume to the usual size of annuals, nor encumbered it with expensive plates, from a desire to have it accessible, by its cheapness, to all who may wish, at the present season, to make the accustomed offering to their friends.

Elements of Psychology, included in a critical examination of Locke's Essay on the Human Understanding. By Victor Cousin, Professor, &c. Translated from the French, with an Introduction, Notes, and Additions, by C. S. Henry. Hartford; Cooke & Company, 1834.

It has been known for a long time, that the doctrines of the "Essay on the Human Understanding" are discarded by the great body of the European philosophers; but the precise reasons for which they have discarded them, have not been so well understood. The present work exhibits these reasons more fully and intelligibly, than any other work with which we are acquainted. It is pronounced by a high philosophical authority, to be "the best work on Locke since the Nouveaux Essais of Leibnitz." There is in it less of that misty vagueness of conception, and repulsive technicality of style, which have been complained of in the philosophers of the Ideal school, than in any other produc

tion of Cousin,-it may perhaps be said with truth, than in any other work from that class of writers. On this account it is peculiarly adapted to the taste of the English world. Unless the prevailing indifference to speculative inquiries should suffer this work to fall into neglect, it must have a salutary effect in rectifying the partialities of English philosophy. We can only wish that the same patience and impartiality which have been evinced by Cousin in his examination of Locke, may be exercised by American theologians and philosophers in examining his Critique.

We hope ere long to bring the principles of this work more fully before our readers, and shall therefore content ourselves at present with saying, that although the positive system of the author, as developed in his other works, appears to us to clash in many points with the spirit, the claims, and the doctrines of revealed religion, and so far to be false; there is yet much that is true and important in his objections to Locke. It will be not a little surprising to some readers, to find the charge of a departure from the method of observation and experience in the examination of the human mind, so conclusively established against Locke, who has been so much praised for his adherence to it.

In taking up this, or any of the works of Cousin, the reader finds nothing of that dry and frigid abstractness which he expects in metaphysical writers. His arguments are not only supported by thorough learning, but are embellished by the graces of style and the colouring of imagination, and urged with an ardour and impetuosity of feeling which reminds one of the military profession of the author at an earlier stage of his history.

These attributes of the style, as well as the shades of thought, are faithfully preserved by Mr. Henry in his translation. His Introduction shows a good acquaintance not only with the principles of his author, but with the general history of philosophy. He has sometimes seemed to forget, that from the nature of the case, his readers must be, for the most part, unacquainted with the peculiar forms of thought and expression, which his studies have rendered familiar to himself, and is therefore at times needlessly obscure. But he has furnished the public with a work, which relates to the highest problems of thought, and promises to be an important instrument in promoting the knowledge of the human mind, and for this deserves the gratitude of the students of mental

science.

Biographia Literaria, or Biographical Sketches of my Literary Life and Opinions. By S. T. Coleridge. Two volumes in one. New-York, published

by Leavitt, Lord & Co.; Boston, Crocker & Brewster. 1834. It is expected that an edition of the entire works of Coleridge, comprising his unpublished writings, will ere long be presented to the public; it would seem wise, therefore, to suspend judgment respecting his philosophical and theological system, until these materials are furnished; especially as Coleridge is one of those writers whose system must be gathered from detached passages, scattered through his works, and is no where connectedly exhibited. What the final judgment of the learned public will be, it is difficult to anticipate, amidst the discrepancies of sentiment which now exist. If it does not make his works the highest oracles of wisdom, as some expect, neither will it, we imagine, bury them in the grave of their author, as others desire. That the works of Coleridge possess great excellencies, is not denied by the most prejudiced of his opponents. They contain passages of almost unrivalled power and beauty,they exhibit a varied and profound learning,-they bear the impress of high moral qualities, an ardent love of truth, boldness and honesty in the pursuit of it,and their tendency is to excite the mind to reflection, and to elevate the tone of feeling and principle. These are excellencies which will, we believe, redeem the writings of Coleridge from oblivion, and overbalance, in the view of can