On this page

• Text (1)

  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

• 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

    forms and ceremonies , as under warmer suns , and the powerful but dangerous impression of catholic rifes . The mind of Herder was , like his person , of an elevated and

    serious cast , but it was also marked fey certain peculiarities , which merit being stated in reference to the distinct walks of literature , in which he , was distinguished .

    The most characteristic was the strength of his sensibility , by which he was guided , even in walks where a severer reason was more especially requisite . The revolution in philosophy which took place in Germany , produced upon "him an effect similar to that wrought upon Burke by the politic

    Untitled Article

    cal revolution in Fcaiijce j ami he nourished a sort of dread of scfeov lastic metaphysics , hated the tech * , meal terms of metaphysical science , and indeed seemed almost t $ corisi * . der the trammels of logic as a bondage to a liberal mind . He . was

    therefore a bitter foe to the philpso * phy of Kant ahd his foHo < yer& flfe loved nothing that had not a beautiful form , and hence , though the scholar of Kant , to whose personal character he on one occasion ! de *

    livered an interesting testimony * , he latterly evinced a bitterness against the sage of Koiiing $ berg which is the greatest reproach Mn his memory , so that in the noble edition of his workj poifr passing through the press , the editors

    . . . ¦ , > . - . ¦ » * Herder has the fallowing passage in his Letters for the Promotion of Humanity ^ ., ¦ ' . < s It was once my felicity to have a philosopher for my preceptors "theny in the maturity of life , he had all the hilarity of . a young man ; and I believe he retains it ftow in his old age . His expanded brow announced profound meditation , but was still the seat of unbroken serenity and happiness . Language most pregnant with thought flovfed with ease from his lips . Jest and wit 3 , nd humour were at his command , and his society was not less amusing than instructive . . With the same genius with which he investigated Leibnitz , " Wolf , Bautngarlerl , Crtfsius ,

    and Hume , and follovrcd Kepler and Newton in their systems of the universe , he took Up and appreciated the popular writings which then appeared , Rousseau ' s Emilius , Eloisa , &c . and examined all the new discoveries ot natural and experimental science ; but he always returned to the pure and siniple study 6 f the nature and moral "worth , of man . The various races of mankind , history , philosophy , hiathematics , and experimental science were the sources Whence he enriched and enlivened his style and conversation ; he was indifFcrentto no object of human knowledge . With these acquirements he was free from party spirit and cabal ;

    aad the ambition of a name had no influence on him , opposed to the extension and promotion of science and truths—Despotism was foreign ftoin his temper , and he encouraged and pleasingly compelled others to think for themselves . This Jtnan whom I name with the utmost gratitude and reverence is tmanuel Jfcant ?* After such a testimony what could occasion so acrimonious an hostility totfye philosophy of his ancient piaster I What could render intolerant or iiiuVbanp a man whose . life was virtue and whose habitual affections , love ? Certainly th ^ decided and irreconcjleable opposition / between their' habits of feeliner . Kant is a

    rigid ana hard-hearted logician ; in his speculative philpsopny * a sort of JComan consul ,, he has no bowels of compassion for human wfca&ness ; his system is * dry , cold and unbending , He resolves virtue in ( o suWirnity , and excludes feeling fp Om acts of duty . Herder on the contrary even in tkc absfruseness of metaphysicfc is til Ways the man 6 f scntitnent and orator . He writes from , and to the heart . With Shaftsbury hfe views virtuie as a kind of ? bea , uty . Th ^ re is , % natural hostility between such | nindj » . Kant wrote a con tern ptuaus review of Her 4 e | : ' s largest wojrk ^ the Vhilospp h y ^ of History ^ and Herder in his Metdcritik and ' Qaltigonc attacked tac criticalph > lo 5 ophy > but feeljiy and intttectualry t these Utter \ vprk $ iifi ? con § idor-^ atth * V 0 ^ H ; 3 Bfeifr ? ftirwiroU . ¦ • ' : ' . ' '> - V ' .,. ; , "

    Untitled Article

    Remarks on the Genius and Writings of Ucrde * u 175

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1808, page 175, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2391/page/3/