On this page

• Text (2)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    Untitled Article

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Untitled Article

    bestowing it on . psychology and the history of Philosophy , might have been left in MS . without public Loss . The Lectures on the early schools are pleasantly written , but we , who read them only a fortnight ago , are utterly unable to recal anything they contain ^—a , proof that no vivid impression was produced . Very different is the second volume , which is entirely devoted to Plato and to an analysis of Aristotle ' s treatise De Animd . This is a rare and admirable volume , and if republished by itself would , we have little doubt , hold its place on every philosophic shelf . In these Lectures Mr . Butler is not only handling topics -with- which he is familiar , but has acquired greater mastery in exposition . He lias studied Plato with rare zeal , and his enthusiasm gives eloquence to his style , which carries the reader on , even when that reader is , like ourselves , opposed to the conclusions aimed at . Considering the enormous reputation of Plato it is astonishing how few men have read the writings they are told to prize so highly . One of the few was certainly Mr . Butler , and the result of his studies has been a

    And thus he fastens on " tbe rationality of man as his essential attribute , " and makes the pursuit of truth ithe object of life . Now it is clear that reason is only one attribute of man ; by no means the essential attribute , if the highest ; and that the object of life is living , not the pursuit of truth , for truth itself is only employed as a means of life . Whoever , therefore , abstracting Reason , and ignoring all the other complex attributes of man , builds his philosophy on that basis , may be very " spiritual , " utterly " ideal , " and dear to all rhetoricians , but assuredly will fail in the primary requisite of a philosopher ; he might as well attempt to teach zoology by fastening attention solely on the way in which animals secure their prey , neglecting all other considerations of structure and function . But we said we would not discuss Plato , and must keep our word . :

    The second , and to us the most valuable portion of Mr . Butler ' s volume is devoted to an analysis of Aristotle's treatise on the VittU Principle . Mr Butler has , in common with the majority of moderns , failed to recognise the peculiar significance of the title employed by Aristotle , because like them he has overlooked the fundamental fact that the separation of Soul from Life is Christian and not Greek . Aristotle is accused by Mr . Butler of " materialism . * ' The accusation is common ; but it would have astonished a Greek . Materialism and Imtnaterialism are words which to Aristotle would have

    called up no ideas . Life and Soul were inextricably interwoven , in his sys tern , not as two things temporarily conjoined , but as two aspects otojcL thing 1 . Life was always and everywhere psychial , though only speedy intelligent . This was the doctrine of Aristotle ; and now after so . Tpg JL centuries it is reproduced by Mr . Herbert Spencer in bis JP ^ wc ^^ gi dedty chology with a fulness of detail , and a rigour of demonstration der the present state of science . its far as he Of all this ^ Mr . Butler has not a suspicion ; but he analyse ^ and readers understands it , with great clearness and care the whole tree ' will be very grateful to him for the care thus bestowed .

    passionate admiration of Plato and the Platonic Philosophy . That much of this admiration is owing to the supposed affinities between Platonism and Christianity is evident in many passages . But without such a prestige Mr . Butler would probably have bowed before it ; the bent of his mind being peculiarly in that semi-sentimental , semi-logical direction taken by minds ¦ which delight in certain doctrines more because they are " consolatory " thau because they are true ; and delight also in the subtleties of logical fence . This is not the place to discuss the Philosophy of Plato , and we content ourselves with simply indicating Mr . Butler ' s position . For those -who admire Plato , either upon trust or after study of his writings , these Lectures will be delightful and instructive . For those who take a much more moderate view of the _ Platonic Philosophy , these Lectures will also have a charm such as the writing in general on that subject seldom reaches . Great as Mr .. Butler ' s admiration is , it is not indiserimihating . For example , in noticing the sweeping condemnation of the Platonic Dialogues by Astwho sacrifices twenty-one—* Mr . Butler well says : —

    The reasons upon which this bold decision is founded are totally unsatisfactory . An ideal is formed of the Platonic style , and all which seems to fall below this conception is declared to he tbe feeble imitation of some ambitious pupil . Some construct this ideal in reference to the perfection of style , others in reference toforceof ctoctrine ; some look to the artist , others to thephilosopher ; but all equally adopta principleagainst which the genuineness of none of the more voluminous authors of antiquity could stancL No one 19 . more : ready than myself to admit that among the Platonic dialogues are some which appear miserably unworthy of the author of the sixth and seventh books of the Republic ; hut -when I find the Hippias Minor , -with its barren paradoxes , authenticated by the express reference of Aristotle , I learn to distrust a priori criticism . Plato ' s writings were spxead over a long and meditative life : they were produced under variousi influences

    , and probably under many changes of temper and feeling ; the Columbus of the Ideal World could riot always steer steadily and exultingly for the land of his discoveries and his reputation ; nor can we tell what conjunctures may have given pertinency to discussions that now seem arid and unprofitable . The partiality of a writer for early essays may have induced Plato to permit imperfect sketches to shelter their imperfection under the shadow of maturer greatness ; and his deep reverence for Socrates may have sometimes induced him to forbear qualifying with his own more finished excellence a few of those paradoxical discussions in which the old roaster kept his unrivalled powers of casuistry in play , and breathed himself for more momentous encounters . By the aid of such considerations as these , there are none of the works of Plato authenticated by fair external evidence , which wemK not receive aa possible , or probable , products of his mind .

    We are all in the habit of talking of the Platonic Philosophy as if t * ¦ were such a philosophy expounded in Plato ' s Dialogues ; but in trutr one might as well talk of Shakspeare ' s Philosophy , or Moliere ' s . Not c ** Plato everywhere rambling and discursive , but he is everywhere sel % on , * ra " dictory . The doctrines taught in one dialogue are contradicted N tlxose taught in another . Certain general views on Method are pretty ' <> asfcant , and certain particular opinions are frequent ; but any co-ordmate < ' y stem of thought is not to be extracted from the Dialogues . Looking bre ""? at tne teaching , we may , with Mr . Butler , recognise in it a twofold asr ^* — The teaching of Plato presented a double aspect , and each found ltfl exaggerated likeness in succeeding forma of philosophy . On the one hand , thf . onstant ™ 6 P recia " tion of the certainty and value of such knowledge as is derive *] ' nrouSk tne channel of the senses , was represented in the sceptical , or semi-.- " 1 ^ *^ succession of the Academics ; on the other , the loftier viewa of hia mor « - »> stract tenets were resumed , and too often disfigured , by the Alexandrian myBt' -3 * In exhibiting the ultimate

    forms of his dootrinoB when separately and e * cfasi » r * y received , tllcse schools afford very valuable instruction to the student of Plato . ThjLdouble result is highly characteristic of the localities where it manifested ' * kelf , The subtle intellect of Greece soon adopted as its favourite that element - " Flatonism which gave room for endless distinctions , strange paradoxes , an * , scholastic conflict ; the Oriental genius of Alexandria found food for its muf ""?? quietism in those remote and etherial speculations which , Beemed to justify a u ^ e « f meditative" inaction , and even to exhibit , as its reward and inhcritanepi nn immediate commerce with heaven . No inquiry can be more interesting a « a profitable to those who desire to grow wise upon , recorded errorto erect , as it « vere , warning beacons upon e-very perilous passage in the vast sea of human . t * o ^ ulation—than that which examines these two developments of Platonism , and tra ^ a to their consumm ate efflorescence the germs which already lay scattered thrtjiujh the old dialogues of the master himself . Every one feels that the danger of th ^ l ? japonic philosophy from its earliest hour , was its bias to exolvsivQ conUmplativenes 8 } and in those developments you have tlxo inevitable result .

    One leading characteristic of Plato ' s mind—a characteristic eminently unphilosophic , but eminentl y calculated to captivate the majority— -is that abstract mode of viewing things , which constitutes his " idealism . " He never looka at the thing before him ; never considers it in its totality , in its manysided significance , 'liut always abstracts from it some one attribute , and , fastening upon that , ignores nil the rest ; It is thus , " When Plato Is engaged with , the'discussion , of the particular sciences , lie resolves them into tho science of Good ; when engnged with the particular virtues , lie resolves them into th « virtno of Science . The Laches is a discussion on valour , and it ia shown to be as nothing whore not directed by that presiding knowledge which alone can raise it into tho sphere of virtue ; while , on the other hand , mathematics , music , astronomy , arc foolow tho level of tho philosopher , whero not jnado strictly subordinate to the art of converse "with the supremely good .

    Untitled Article

    STORY OF A BLUE-BOTT" ^ : . _' ¦ r -n -. 1 -, * . -r . v - " ' * . London : D- Jvutt . I * Folk du Log * . Par Leon Gozlan . , ^ in aH the contentmeat that Have you ever seen * huge blue-bottle . Ja ^^ give , suddenly entangled in sunshine and the vicinity of a good >^ &HrkiU the corner ready to the web of an ill-conditioned spider , ^ neanous body on its innocent jvices P pounce on lusvjctun , and nourish ii- hich has many parodNin-iuiriatf It is an entomological trag « fcp ^^ j ^ fets be ^ tlbved ^ describe V witness socie ^ -parpdwswhiclvBah ^ m L 6 on &OJ 5 hin apparently underthe F $ mco ^ PaI * tf £ \ ? e f % s us , ia thevolumeof tales wBchhe ^ rather ^ wium ? inspiration < # »« ac ^? 2 ^ some new versions df the blue-bottle ^ arid jpider ^^^^^^ oAsPeiits JldacMcmels . Here is a sicetch frbm ^ he ' ?* f F ^ * * 5 fes , which Will , perhaps , interest the admirers © fcthe S&nes best or these . y . c r ¦ to cf ' ¦

    (' lit r ^ lG " » t » i » ± i 3 i _ _ j > _ -: I ^_ HjT- — toom M Vjt ; s , a rich Belgian merchant , had become possessor , in May , 1837 , f £ l ' leviable property on the banks ^ of the Seine , not very far from Ville-i net e ' P ) slng » besides a charming villa arid stables ^ a garden , a con-^ . f ' vatory , pleasure-grounds , with statues and lab y rinths—* a short , every-Jiirig a retired merchant could desire as his elysnun after traversing the world from Antwerp to Java . To crown his happiness , he had exceH 6 nt health and was a bachelor , proof against all the assaults of coquetry . With a constitution which had resisted yellow fever , and a serisibUitJy whicVhad resisted matrimony for two-and-forty years , lie was sure at O ^ nce of his , heart and his stomach . You can conceive the sensations with , which . M . Maes took his first walk in his garden , with his hands under his coattails , in all the glories of proprietorship I The sun was shining with the splendour of commencing Juno on garden , corn-field , and meadow , arid , above all , on the river— -that river which promised endless fishing , the

    ruling passion of M . Maes . The close neighbourhood of the river had chiefly decided him to purchase Folie Margot at rather a bouncing price , and lie had provided himself with all tbe apparatus dear to the piscatorial imagination . How happy M . Maes was going to be ! He almost envied himself as he thought of the thrill with which he should perceive his line vibrating to the bite of a twenty ^ pound carp . Next to fishing , like a true Belgian , he loved flowers , and there was a whole army of them at his feet . He stooped to gather a tulip , and on rising saw , about two paces from him , a man as short and fiit as himself , with little grey eyes sunk into bis head , and a costume between a miller ' s and a mason ' s . The stranger bowed as

    low as the parabolic section of his body would permit , and smiled elaborately . * 'You are the gardener , doubtless ? " "No , Monsieur Maes , I am Nicolas Merrain , your poor neighbour , the owner of that slip of ground , no bigger than a pocket-liankcrchief , that lies between your property and the river . I come to bid you welcome , Monsieur Maes . " " And what crop does your ground yield you , Monsieur Merrain ? " " Pebbles in summer , mud in winter . But I have an affection for it ; my poor wife used to come awd wash her linen there in her life- time . " " Very good . You keep your bit of ground in memory of your wife . I esteem you for it , Monsieur Merrain . We shall be good neighbours , I sec . " " You do me an honour in . thinking so , Monsieur , arid if in anything you nc « d my poor services " * ' Whatis your trade , my good friend ? " " I do a little of all sorts , I buy standing

    crpps ; I buy old buildings when they arc not too dear , and sell the materials by lot . " As M . Maes , in haste to make tho tour of his grounds , bade his new neighbour good day , that worthy murmured to hiraself , " I shall make a good job of it . This man must be fond of fishing . " You see at least one spider on the watch for our human blue-bottle . Bui he , happy in not knowing his coming unhappineag , smoked his cigar with i new relish as he sauntered in his garden the next morning . AH at once h < perceives that hie domain , which has two gates towardd the VWcneuve road has no outlot at all towards the Seine . How , then , did the former owner of Folio Margot got down to the river ? Pooh ! The reas 6 n was simjple They could not have cared aboiit fishing . M . Maes lost nti time in soncunj for « mason , but no sooner was a breach made in the wall , than id disclose the figure of that obliging neighbour ^ Nicolas Mcrrmn , who with his forme

    Untitled Article

    A pbll 26 , 1856 . ] THE LEADER . 401

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), April 26, 1856, page 401, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2138/page/17/