Derline of Greek Theology, occasioned by the Advanre of Geography and Philosophical Criticism. - Secession of Poets, Philosophers, Historians. -Abortive public Attempts to sustain it.- Duration of its Decline.-Its Fall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 23 CHAPTER III. DIGRESSION ON HINDU THEOLOGY AND EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION. Comparative Theology of India ; its Phase of Sorcery; its Anthropo centric Phase. VEDAISM the Contemplation of Matter, or Adoration of Nature, set forth in the Vedas and Institutes of Menu.—The Universe is God. Transmutation of the World.-Doctrine of Emanation.-Transmigrution. — Absorption. — Penitential Services. — Happiness in Absolute Quietude. BUDDHISM the Contemplation of Force-The supreme impersonal Power. -Nature of the World-of Man.—The Passage of every thing to Nonentity.- Development of Buddhism into a vast monastic System marked by intense Selfishness. Its practical Gorllessness. EGYPT a mysterious Country to the old Europeans.— Its History, great public Works, and foreign Relations.— Antiquity of its Civilization and Art.-Its Philosophy, hieroglyphic Literature, and peculiar Agriculture. Rise of Civilization in rainless Countries.- Geography, Geology, and Topography of Egypt. — The Inundations of the Nile lead to Astronomy. Comparative Theology of Egypt.-Animal Worship, Star Worship. Impersonation of Divine Attribut's—Pantheism.—The Trinities of Egypt. — Incarnation.— Redemption. — Future Judgment. — Trial of the Dead.-Rituals and Ceremonies . . . . . . . . 56 CHAPTER IV. GREEK AGE OF INQUIRY. RISE AND DECLINE OF PHYSICAL SPECULATION. IONIAN PHILOSOPHY, commencing from Egyptian Ideas, identifies in Water, or Air, or Fire, the First Principle.—Emerging from the Stage of Sorcery, it founds Psychology, Biology, Cosmogony, Astronomy, and ends in doubting whether there is any Criterion of Truth. ITALIAN PHILOSOPHY depends on Numbers and Harmonies. — It reproduces the Egyptian and Hindu Doctrine of Transmigration. ELEATIC PHILOSOPHY presents a greut Advance, indicating a rapid Approach to Oriental Ideas.-It assumes a Pantheistic Aspect. RISE OF PHILOSOPHY IN EUROPEAN GREECE.- Relations and Influence of the Mediterranean Commercial and Colonial System.-Athens attains to commercial Supremacy.—Her vast Progress in Intelligence and Art. -Her Demoralization. She becomes the Intellectual Centre of the Mediterranean. Commencement of the Athenian higher Analysis. It is conducted by THE SOPHISTS, who reject Philosophy, Religion, and even Morality, and end in Atheism. Political Dangers of the higher Analysis.—Illustration from the Middle Ages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 94 CHAPTER V. RISE AND DECLINE OF ETHICAL PHILOSOPHY. the Importance of Virtue and Morality, thereby inaugurating an Age of Faith.—His Life and Death.—The schools originating from his Movement teach the- Pursuit of Pleasure and Gratification of Self. Plato founds the Academy.—His three primal Principles.—The Ex istence of a personal God.--Nature of the World and the Soul.- The ideal Theory, Generals or Types.- Reminiscence.--Transmigration.Plato's political Institutions. — His Republic. — His Proofs of the Immortality of the Soul.-Criticism on his Doctrines. RISE OF THE SCEPTICS, who conduct the higher Analysis of Ethical Philosophy.-Pyrrho demonstrates the Uncertainty of Knowledge. Inevitable Passage into tranquil Indifference, Quietude, and Irreligion, as recommended by Epicurus.—Decomposition of the Socratic and Platonic Systems in the later Academies.—Their Errors and Duplicities, -End of the Greek Age of Faith . . . . . . . . . 143 The MACEDONIAN CAMPAIGN.-Disastrous in its political Effects to Greece, but ushering in the Age of Reason. ARISTOTLE founds the Inductive Philosophy. His Method the Inverse of that of Plato.-Its great power.-In his own hands it fails for want of Knowledge, but is carried out by the Alexandrians. ZENO.—His Philosophical Aim is the Cultivation of Virtue and Know- ledge. He is in the Ethical Branch the Counterpart of Aristotle in FOUNDATION OF THE MUSEUM OF ALEXANDRIA.—The great Libraries, Observatories, Botanical Gardens, Menageries, Dissecting Houses. Its Effect on the rapid Development of exact Knowledge.— Influence of Euclid, Archimedes, Eratosthenes, Apollonius, Ptolemy, Hipparchus, on Geometry, Natural Philosophy, Astronomy, Chronology, Geography. THE GREEK AGE OF INTELLECTUAL DECREPITUDE. THE DEATH OF GREEK PHILOSOPHY. Dedine of Greek Philosophy: it becomes Retrospective, and in Philo the Jew and Apollonius of Tyana leans on Inspiration, Mysticism, NEO-PLATONISM founded by Ammonius Saccas, followed by Plotinus, Porphyry, Iamblicus, Proclus.—The Alexandrian Trinity.--Ecstasy, -Alliance with Magic, Necromancy. The Emperor Justinian closes the philosophical Schools. Summary of Greek Philosophy.—Its four Problems: 1. Origin of the World ; 2. Nature of the Soul ; 3. Existence of God; 4. Criterion of Truth.—Solution of these Problems in the Age of Inquiry-in that of Determination of the Law of Variation of Greek Opinion. — The Development of Nutional Intellect is the same as that of Individual. Determination of the final Conclusions of Greek Philosophy as to Goil, the World, the Soul, the Criterion of Truth. — Illustrations and DIGRESSION ON THE HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHICAL INFLUENCES PREPARATION FOR RESUMING THE EXAMINATION OF THE INTELLECTUAL PROGRESS Religious Ideas of the primitive Europeans.—The Form of their Varia- tions is determined by the Influence of Rome. Necessity of Roman History in these Investigations. Rise and Development of Roman Power, its successive Phases, territorial Acquixitions.-Becomes Supreme in the Mediterranean.—Consequent Demoralization of Italy. - Irresistible Concentration of Power.- Development of Imperialism.—Eventual Extinction of the true Romar. Effect on the intellectual, religious, and social Condition of the Mediter- ranean Countries. — Produces homogeneous Thought. — Imperialism prepares the way for Monotheism.-Momentous Transition of the Roman World in its religious Ideas. Opinions of the Roman Philosophers.-Coalescence of the new and oll Ideas.-Seizure of Power by the Illiterate, and consequent Debasement THE PROGRESSIVE VARIATION OF OPINIONS CLOSED BY THE INSTITUTION OF COUNCILS AND THE CONCENTRATION OF POWER IN A PONTIFF. RISE, EARLY VARIATIONS, CONFLICTS, AND FINAL ESTABLISHMENT OF CHRISTIANITY. Rise of Christianity.-Distinguished from ecclesiastical Organization.- It is demanded by the deplorable Condition of the Empire.--Its brief Conflict with Paganism.-Character of its first Organization.- Variations of Thought and Rise of Sects: their essential Difference in the East and West.—The three primitive Forms of Christianity: the Spread of Christianity from Syria.-Its Antagonism to Imperialism. their Conflicts.-Position of Affairs under Diocletian.—The Policy of Constantine.—He avails himself of the Christian Party, and through it attains supreme Power.-His personal Relations to it. The Trinitarian Controversy.-Story of Arius.—The Council of Nicea. The Progress of the Bishop of Rome to Supremacy. — The Roman Church ; its primitive subordinate Position.—Causes of its increasing Wealth, Influence, and Corruptions. — Stages of its Advancement through the Pelagian, Nestorian, and Eutychian Disputes.—Rivalry of the Bishops of Constantinople, Alexandria, and Rome. Necessity of a Pontiff in the West and ecclesiastical Councils in the East. -Nature of those Councils and of pontifical Power. The Period closes at the Capture and Sack of Rome by Alaric.—Defence of that Event by St. Augustine.-Criticism on his Writings. Character of the Progress of Thought through this Period.- Destiny of the three great Bishops . . . . . . . . . Page 266 CHAPTER X. AGE OF FAITH IN THE EAST. State. The consequent Paganization of Religion and Persecution of Philosophy. Political Necessity for the enforcement of Patristicism, or Science of the Fathers.—Its peculiar Doctrines. Obliteration of the Vestiges of Greek Knowledge by Patristicism.- The Libraries and Serapion of Alexandria.-Destruction of the latter by Theodosius.- Death of Hypatia.-E.ctinction of Learning in the East by Cyril, his Associates and Successors . . . . . . . 308 CHAPTER XI. THE THREE ATTACKS, VANDAL, PERSIAN, ARAB. Province by Justinian after great Calamities. |