dulgences the appearance of spirit, of elegance, and of gaiety: can we dout of the possibility of connecting, in the tender mind, these pleasing associations with pursuits that are truly worthy and honourable ?— There are few men to be found, among those who have received the advantages of a liberal education, who do not retain, through life, that admiration of the heroic ages of Greece and Rome with which the classical authors once inspired them. It is, in truth, a fortunate prepossession, on the whole, and one of which I should be sorry to counteract the influence But are there not others of equal importance to morality and to happiness, with which the mind might, at the same period of life, be inspired? If the first conceptions, for example, which an infant formed of the Deity, and its first moral perceptions, were associated with the early impressions produced on the heart by the beauties of nature, or the charms of poetical description, those serious thoughts which are resorted to, by most men, merely as a source of consolation in adversity, and which, on that very account, are frequently tinctured. with some degree of gloom, would recur spontaneously to the mind in its best and happiest hours; and would insensibly blend themselves with all its purest and most refined enjoyments.

In those parts of Europe, where the prevailing opinions involve the greatest variety of errors and corruptions, it is, I believe, a common idea with many respectable and enlightened men, that, in every country. it is most prudent to conduct the religious instruction of youth upon the plan which is prescribed by the national establishment: in order that the pupil, according to the vigour or feebleness of his mind, may either shake off, in future life, the prejudices of the nursery, or die in the popular persuasion. This idea I own, appears to me to be equally illfounded and dangerous. If religious opinions have, as will not be disputed, a powerful influence on the happiness and on the conduct of mankind, dues not humanity require of us, to rescue as many victims as possible from the bands of bigotry and to save them from the cruel alternative, of remaining under the gloom of a depressing superstition, or of being distracted by a perpetual conflict between the heart and the understanding ?-It is an enlightened education alone. that in most countries of Europe, can save the young philosopher from that anxiety and despondence, which every man of sensibility, who, in his childhood, has imbibed the popular opinions, must necessarily experience, when he first begins to examine their foundation; and, what is of still greater importan e, which can save him, during life, from that occasional scepticism, to which all men are liable, whose systems fluctuate with the inequalities of their spirits, and the variations of the atmosphere.

I shall conclude this subject, with remarking, that, although in all moral and religious systems, there is a great mixture of important truth, and although it is, i cousequence of this alliance, that errors and ab. surdities are enabled to preserve their hold of the belief, yet it is commonly found, that, in proportion as an established creed is complicated in its dogmas and in its ceremonies, and in proportion to the number of accessory ideas which it has grafted upon the truth, the more difficult is it, for those who have adopted it in childhood, to emancipate themselves completely from its influence; and, in those cases in which they at last succeed, the greater is their danger of abandoning, along with their errors, all the truths which they have been taught to con

nect with them. The Roman Catholic system is shaken off with much greater difficulty, than those which are taught in the reformed churches: but when it loses its hold of the mind, it much more frequently prepares the way for unlimited scepticism. The causes of this I may perhaps have an opportunity of pointing out, in treating of the association of ideas.

I have now finished all that I think necessary to offer, at present, on the application of the philosophy of mind to the subject of education. To some readers, I am afraid, that what I have advanced on the subject, will appear to border on enthusiasm ; and I will not attempt to justify myself against the charge. I am well aware of the tendency, which spe culative men sometimes have, to magnify the effects of education, as well as to entertain too sanguine views of the improvement of the world; and I am ready to acknowledge that there are instances of individuals, whose vigour of mind is sufficient to overcome every thing that is pernicious in their early habits: but I am fully persuaded, that these instances are rare ; and that by far the greater part of mankind continue, through life, to pursue the same track into which they have been thrown by the accidental circumstances of situation, instruction, and example.

SECTION II.

Continuation of the same Subject.

THE remarks which have been hitherto made, on the utility of the philosophy of the human mind, are of a very general nature, and apply equally to all descriptions of men. Besides, however, these more obvious advantages of the study, there are others, which, though less striking and less extensive in their application, are nevertheless, to some particular classes of individuals, of the highest importance. Without pretending to exhaust the subject, I shall offer a few detached observations upon it, in this section.

I already took notice, in general terms, of the common relation which all the different branches of our knowledge bear to the philosophy of the human mind In consequence of this relation, it not only forms an interesting object of curiosity to literary men of every denomination, but, if successfully prosecuted, it cannot fail to furnish useful lights for directing their inquiries; whatever the nature of the subjects may be, which happen to engage their attention.

In order to be satisfied of the justness of this observation, it is sufficient to recollect, that to the philosophy of the mind are to be referred all our inquiries concerning the divisions and the classifications of the objects of human knowledge, and also, all the various rules, both for the investigation, and the communication, of truth. These general views of science, and these general rules of method, ought to form the subjects of a national and useful logic; a study, undoubtedly, in itself of the greatest importance and dignity, but in which less progress has hither to been made than is commonly imagined.

I shall endeavour to illustrate, very briefly, a few of the advantages which might be expected to result from such a system of logic, if properly executed.

I. And, in the first place, it is evident that it would be of the highest importance in all the sciences, (in some of them, indeed, much more than in others,) to exhibit a precise and steady idea of the objects which they present to our inquiry.-What was the principal circumstance which contributed to mislead the ancients, in their physical researches ? Was it not their confused and wavering notions about the particular class of truths, which it was their business to investigate? It was owing to this, that they were led to neglect the obvious phenomena and laws of moving bodies; and to indulge themselves in conjectures about the efficient causes of motion, and the nature of those minds, by which they conceived the particles of matter to be animated; and that they so often blended the history of facts with their metaphysical speculations. In the present state of science, indeed, we are not liable to such mistakes in natural philosophy, but it would be difficult to mention any other branch of knowledge, which is entirely exempted from them. In metaphysics, I might almost say, they are at the bottom of all our controversies. In the celebrated dispute, for example, which has been so long carried on, about the explanation given by the ideal theory of the phenomena of perception, the whole difficulty arose from this, that philosophers had no precise notion of the point they wished to ascertain and now, that the controversy has been brought to a conclusion, (as I think all men of candour must confess it to have been by Dr. Reid) it will be found, that his doctrine on the subject throws no light whatever on what was generally understood to be the great object of inquiry, L mean, on the mode of communication between the mind and the material world and, in truth, amounts only to a precise description of the fact, stripped of all hypothesis, and stated in such a manner, as to give us a distinct view of the insurmountable limits which nature has in this instance prescribed to our curiosity. The same observation may be made on the reasonings of this profound and original author, with respect to some metaphysical questions that had been started on the subject of vision; in particular, concerning the cause of our seeing objects single with two eyes, and our seeing objects erect, by means of inverted images on the retina.

If we were to examine, in like manner, the present state of morals, of jurisprudence, of politics, and of philosophical criticism, I believe, we should find, that the principal circumstance which retards their progress, is the vague and indistinct idea, which those who apply to the study of them have formed to themselves of the objects of their researches. Were these objects once clearly defined, and the proper plan of inquiry for attaining them illustrated by a few unexceptionable models, writers of inferior genius would be enabled to employ their industry to much more advantage; and would be prevented from adding to that rubbish, which, in consequence of the ill-directed ingenuity of our predecessors, obstructs our progress in the pursuit of truth.

As a philosophical system of logic would assist us in our particular scientific investigations, by keeping steadily in our view the attainable objects of human curiosity, so, by exhibiting to us the relation in which they all stand to each other, and the relation which they all bear to

what ought to be their common aim, the advancement of human happiness, it would have a tendency to confine industry and genius to inquiries which are of real practical utility; and would communicate a dignity to the most subordinate pursuits, which are in any respect subservient to so important a purpose. When our views are limited to one particular science, to which we have been led to devote ourselves by taste or by accident, the course of our studies resembles the progress of a traveller through an unknown country, whose wanderings, from place to place, are determined merely by the impulse of occasional curiosity, and whose opportunities of information must necessarily be limited to the objects which accidentally present themselves to his notice. It is the philosophy of the mind alone, which, by furnishing us with a general map of the field of human knowledge, can enable us to proceed with steadiness, and in an useful direction; and while it gratifies our curiosity, and animates our exertions, by exhibiting to us all the various bearings of our journey, can conduct us to those eminences from whence the eye may wander over the vast and unexplored regions of science. Lord Bacon was the first person who took this comprehensive view of the different departments of study; and who pointed out, to all the classes of literary men, the great end to which their labours should conspire; the multiplication of the sources of hunan enjoyment, and the extension of man's dominion over nature. Had this object been kept steadily in view by his followers, their discoveries, numerous and important as they have been, would have advanced with still greater rapidity, and would have had a much more extensive influence on the practical arts of life.*

From such a system of logic, too, important assistance might be expected, for reforming the established plan of public or academical education. It is melancholy to reflect on the manner in which this is carried on, in most, perhaps, I might say, in all the countries of Europe; and that, in an age of comparative light and liberality, the intellectual and moral characters of youth should continue to be formed on a plan devised by men, who were not only strangers to the business of the world, but who felt themselves interested in opposing the progress of useful knowledge.

For accomplishing a reformation in the plan of academical study, on rational and systematical principles, it is necessary, in the first place, to consider the relation in which the different branches of literature, and the different arts and sciences, stand to each other, and to the practical purposes of life and secondly, to consider them in relation to the human mind, in order to determine the arrangement, best fitted for unfolding and maturing its faculties. Many valuable hints towards such a work may be collected from Lord Bacon's writings.

Omnium autem gravissimus error in deviatione ab ultimo doctrinarum fine consistit. Appetunt enim homines scientiam, alii ex insita curiositate et irrequieta; alii animi causa et delectationis, alii existimationis gratia : alii contenuonis ergo, atque ut in disserendo superiores sint: plerique propter lucrum et victum paucissimi, ut donum rationis, divinitus datum, in usus humani generis impendunt.-Hoc enim illud est, quod revera doctrinan atque artes condecoraret et attolleret, si contemplatio, et actio, arctiore quam adhuc vinculo copularentur. De Aug. Scient. lib. i.

II. Another very important branch of a rational system of logic (as I had occasion already to observe) ought to be, to lay down the rules of investigation which it is proper to follow in the different sciences. In all of these, the faculties of the understanding are the instruments with which we operate; and without a previous knowledge of their nature, it is impossible to employ them to the best advantage. In every exercise of our reasoning and of our inventive powers, there are general laws which regulate the progress of the mind; and when once these laws are ascertained, they enable us to speculate and to invent, for the future, with more system, and with a greater certainty of success.-In the mechanical arts, it is well known, how much time and ingenuity are misapplied by those who acquire their practical skill by their own trials, undirected by the precepts or example of others. What we call the rules of an art, are merely a collection of general observations, suggested by long experience, with respect to the most compendious and effectual means of performing every different step of the processes which the art involves. In consequence of such rules, the artist is enabled to command the same success in all his operations, for which the unskilled workman must trust to a happy combination of accidental circumstances; the misapplications, too, of the labour of one race are saved to the next; and the acquisition of practical address is facilitated, by confining its exertions to one direction.--The analogy is perfect in those processes, which are purely intellectual, and to regulate which is the great object of logic. In the case of individuals, who have no other guide to direct them in their inquiries than their own natural sagacity, much time and ingenuity must inevitably be thrown away, in every exertion of the inventive powers. In proportion, however, to the degree of their experience and observation, the number of these misapplications will diminish; and the power of invention will be enabled to proceed with more certainty and steadiness to its object. The misfortune is, that as the aids, which the understanding derives from experience, are seldom recorded in writing, or even described in words, every suc ceeding inquirer finds himself, at the commencement of his philosophical pursuits, obliged to struggle with the same disadvantages which had retarded the progress of his predecessors If the more important practical rules, which habits of investigation suggest to individuals, were diligently preserved, each generation would be placed in circumstances more favourable to invention than the preceding; and the progress of knowledge, instead of cramping original genius, would assist and direct its exertions. In the infancy of literature, indeed, its range may be more unbounded, and its accidental excursions may excite more astonishment, than in a cultivated and enlightened age; but it is only in such an age, that inventive genius can be trained by rules founded on the experience of our predecessors, in such a manner as to insure the gradual and regular improvement of science. So just is the remark of Lord Bacon:" Certo sciant homines, artes inveniendi solidas "et veras adolescere et incrementa sumere cum ipsis inventis."

The analogy between the mechanical arts, and the operations of scientific invention, might perhaps be carried further. In the former, we know how much, the natural powers of man have been assisted, by the use of tools and instruments. Is it not possible to devise, in like manner, certain aids to our intellectual faculties ?