now, who were never guilty of subjugating half Europe, and whose offences have been very imperfectly ascertained. Admitting that there have been bloody wars going on for several years past, which is highly probable, it does not follow that the events of those wars were such as we have been told;—that Buonaparte was the author and conductor of them ;-or that such a person ever existed. What disturbances may have taken place in the government of the French people, we, and even nineteen-twentieths of them, have no means of learning but from imperfect hearsay evidence: but that there have been numerous bloody wars with France under the dominion of the Bourbons we are well assured: and we are now told that France is governed by a Bourbon king of the name of Lewis, who professes to be in the twenty-third year of his reign. Let every one conjecture for himself. I am far from pretending to decide who may have been the governor or governors of the French nation, and the leaders of their armies, for several years past. Certain it is, that when men are indulging their inclination for the marvellous, they always show a strong propensity to accumulate on one individual (real or imaginary) the exploits of many; besides multiplying and exaggerating these exploits a thousand-fold. Thus, the expounders of the ancient mythology tell us there were several persons of the name of Hercules, (either originally bearing that appellation, or having it applied to them as an honor,) whose collective feats, after being dressed up in a sufficiently marvellous garb, were attributed to a single hero. Is it not just possible, that during the rage for words of Greek derivation, the title of "Napoleon" (Nanoλewv,) which signifies "Lion of the forest," may have been conferred by the popular voice on more than one favorite general, distinguished for irresistible valor? Is it not also possible that "BUONA PARTE" may have been originally a sort of cant term applied to the “good (i. e. the bravest or most patriotic) part" of the French army collectively, and have been afterwards mistaken for the proper name of an individual? I do not profess to support this conjecture; but it is certain that such mistakes may and do occur. Some critics have supposed that the Athenians imagined ANASTASIS ("Resurrection") to be a new goddess, in whose cause Paul was preaching. Would it have been thought any thing incredible if we had been told that the an cient Persians, who had no idea of any but a monarchical government, had supposed Aristocratia to be a queen of Sparta? But we need not confine ourselves to hypothetical cases; it is positively stated that the Hindoos at this day believe "the honorable East India Company" to be a venerable old lady of high dignity, residing in this country. The Germans of the present day derive their

nanie from a similar mistake; the first tribe of them who invaded Gaul assumed the honorable title of "Ger-man," which signifies "warrior;" (the words "war" and "guerre," as well as "man," which remains in our language unaltered, are evidently derived from the Teutonic ;) and the Gauls applied this as a name to the whole race.

However, I merely throw out these conjectures without by any means contending that more plausible ones might not be suggested. But whatever supposition we adopt, or whether we adopt any, the objections to the commonly-received accounts will remain in their full force, and imperiously demand the attention of the candid sceptic.

I call on those therefore who profess themselves advocates of free enquiry, who disdain to be carried along with the stream of popular opinion, and who will listen to no testimony that runs counter to experience,-to follow up their own principles fairly and consistently. Let the same mode of argument be adopted in all cases alike; and then it can no longer be attributed to hostile prejudice, but to enlarged and philosophical views. If they have already rejected some histories, on the ground of their being strange and marvellous,—of their relating facts, unprecedented, and at variance with the established course of nature,-let them not give credit to another history which lies open to the very same objections,-the extraordinary and romantic tale we have been just considering. If they have discredited the testimony of witnesses, who are said at least to have been disinterested, and to have braved persecutions and death in support of their assertions, -can these philosophers consistently listen to and believe the testimony of those who avowedly get money by the tales they publish, and who do not even pretend that they incur any serious risk in case of being detected in a falsehood? If in other cases they have refused to listen to an account which has passed through many intermediate hands before it reaches them, and which is defended by those who have an interest in maintaining it; let them consider through how many, and what very suspicious hands, this story has arrived to them, without the possibility (as I have shown) of tracing it back to any decidedly authentic source, after all; and likewise how strong an interest, in every way, those who have hitherto

1 Germaniæ vocabulum recens et nuper additum ; quoniam, qui primi Rhenum transgressi Gallos expulerint, ac nunc Tungri, tunc Germani vocati sint: ita nationis nomen in nomen gentis evaluisse paullatim, ut omnes, primum a victore ob metum, mox a seipsis invento nomine, Germani vocarentur. Tacitus, de Mor. Germ.

2 For let it not be forgotten, that these writers, themselves, refer to no better authority than that of an un-named and unknown foreign correspondent.

imposed on them have in keeping up the imposture: let them, in short, show themselves as ready to detect the cheats, and despise the fables, of politicians, as of priests. But if they are still wedded to the popular belief in this point, let them be consistent enough to admit the same evidence in other cases, which they yield to in this. If after all that has been said, they cannot bring themselves to doubt of the existence of Napoleon Buonaparte, they must at least acknowlege that they do not apply to that question the same plan of reasoning which they have made use of in others, and they are consequently bound in reason and in honesty to renounce it altogether.

OBJECTS, ADVANTAGES,

AND

PLEASURES OF SCIENCE.

[EXTRACTED FROM THE PRELIMINARY TREATISE OF THE LIBRARY OF USEFUL KNOWLEGE."]

AFTER the many instances or samples which have now been given of the nature and objects of Natural Science, we might proceed to a different field, and describe in the same way the other grand branch of Human Knowlege, that which teaches the properties or habits of Mind-the intellectual faculties of man; that is to say, the powers of his understanding, by which he perceives, imagines, remembers, and reasons;-his moral faculties, that is to say, the feelings and passions which influence him ;and, lastly, as a conclusion or result drawn from the whole, his duties both towards himself as an individual, and towards others as a member of society; which last head opens to our view the whole doctrines of political science, including the nature of governments, of policy, and generally of laws. But we shall abstain at present from entering at all on this field, and shall now take up the subject more particularly pointed at through the course of the preceding observations, and to illustrate which they have been framed, namely, the use and importance of scientific studies.

Man is composed of two parts, body and mind, connected indeed together, but wholly different from one another. The nature of the union-the part of our outward and visible frame in which it is peculiarly formed-or whether the soul be indeed connected with any particular portion of the body, so as to reside there-are points as yet wholly hid from our knowlege, and which are likely to remain for ever concealed. But this we know, as certainly as we can know any truth, that there is such a thing as the mind; and that we have at the least as good proof of its existence, independent of the body, as we have of the existence of the body itself. Each has its uses, and each has its peculiar gratifications. The bounty of Providence has given us outward senses to be employed, and has furnished the means of gratifying them in various kinds, VOL. XXVII. NO. LIV. 21

Pam.

and in ample measure. As long as we only taste those pleasures according to the rules of prudence and of our duty, that is, in moderation for our own sakes, and in harmlessness towards our neighbors, we fulfil rather than thwart the purposes of our being. But the same bountiful Providence has endowed us with the higher nature also-with understandings as well as with senseswith faculties that are of a more exalted nature, and admit of more refined enjoyments, than any the bodily frame can bestow; and by pursuing such gratifications rather than those of mere sense, we fulfil the highest ends of our creation, and obtain both a present and a future reward. These things are often said, but they are not therefore the less true, or the less worthy of deep attention. Let us mark their practical application to the occupations and enjoyments of all branches of society, beginning with those who form the great bulk of every community, the working classes, by what names soever their vocations may be called-professions, arts, trades, bandicrafts, or common labor.

The first object of every man who has to depend on his own exertions must needs be to provide for his daily wants. This is a high and important office; it deserves his utmost attention; it includes some of his most important duties, both to himself, his kindred, and his country; and although in performing this office he is only influenced by his own interest, or by his necessities, yet it is one which renders him truly the best benefactor of the community to which he belongs. All other pursuits must give way to this; the hours which he gives to learning must be after he has done his work: his independence, without which he is not worthy to be called a man, requires first of all that he should have ensured for himself, and those dependent on him, a comfortable subsistence before he can have a right to taste any indulgence, either of his senses or of his mind; and the more he learns the greater progress he makes in the sciences-the more will he value that independence, and the more will he prize the industry, the habits of regular labor, whereby he is enabled to secure so prime a blessing.

In one view, it is true, the progress which he makes in science may help his ordinary exertions, the main business of every man's life. There is hardly any trade or occupation in which useful lessons may not be learnt by studying one science or another. The necessity of science to the more liberal professions is selfevident; little less manifest is the use to their members of extending their knowlege beyond the branches of study, with which their several pursuits are more peculiarly conversant. But the other departments of industry derive hardly less benefit from the To how many kinds of workmen must a knowlege

same source.