to views that are at once simpler-more comprehensive—and more influential on all the grand interests of human life—the abstruse and perplexed and technical forms which it has hitherto assumed, being only symptomatic of its incipient and infant condition-or being but the scaffolding by means of which the grand fabric of human science is finally to be secured to its due and commanding proportions. It has accordingly been well remarked by Dr. Robertson, that the change which took place in the literary and scientific taste of the eighteenth century, "has everywhere turned the spirit of philosophical inquiry from frivolous or abstruse speculations to the business and affairs of men." It follows from this, that as science advances, it will become not more difficult, but more easy of acquirement-and that its influence over the happiness and improvement of the human race will be augmented in a corresponding proportion.

ERRORS OF THEORY WHEN NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ARRANGEMENTS OF NATURE.

THERE are two sets of follies into which men fall in their theoretical deductions, when the progressive and essentially graduated scheme of nature is not taken into account. In the first place, they often fall into conclusions which, though just in themselves, are yet inapplicable to the condition of the world at the time to which these deductions are meant to be adapted. Or, in the second place, they may, though still with an appearance of theoretical accuracy, be led into the formation of opinions which can have no adaptation to the possible arrangements of Nature and Providence at any conceivable period of their evolution.

We may take as examples of the former set of errors, the opinions which have sometimes been advanced respecting WarSlavery and the partial education of the people.

Thus, though it has been eloquently said of War, "that if it have its horrors, it has also its compensations-it calls out noble bursts of human energy: it is relieved by lights of tenderness, and glories in the highest qualities by which our unchanged nature can be adorned: the fields which it has signalized are separated to a peculiar honour: pilgrims visit them, and their names are spells to awaken those deep and proud emotions which are among the high mysteries of our being"-Still, notwithstanding all this, it is true that it affords one of the most humiliating aspects which belong to our human condition-that it is in truth one of the surest symptoms of our race being but yet in the infancy of its course-and that there is good reason for entertaining the belief, that during the long coming ages of the world, it will be proscribed, as one of the greatest errors and evils which had marked the earlier stages of its history. But then, though all this be true, it does not follow that there may not be great want of sound judgment in the speculations of theoretical minds, con

sidered as aiming at the subversion of this evil, at the periods in which such attempts have hitherto been made---for though the evil be one which the more matured condition of the species will of itself cast off-it may also be an evil which belongs almost essentially to its earlier and less advanced periods---just as the tendency to fighting seems to be part of the disposition of young people and of savages—and, at any rate, the whole question---so far as its practical consequences are concerned, is one rather of prudence as applicable to existing circumstances, than of theoretical truth which may be applied to any condition of the world that may be conceived.

Slavery has its origin in war, and has always either accompanied or been the consequence of it-and it too may well be believed to be one of those errors and practical evils, to the extermination of which we are entitled to look forward with confidence, when the rights of mankind shall have been better understood—and when juster notions respecting all human relations and affairs shall, in the progress of time, have been more universally prevalent. But the same thing may be said of this great blot on the moral history of man, as of the disposition to war to which we have previously alluded---though an evil, and an evil of the greatest magnitude in itself---it may only be capable of being entirely remedied by the utter extermination of the disposition to war, with which it is so intimately connected--and there may therefore be great want of sound judgment in the conclusions of those theorists, who seem to proceed on the idea that the time has already arrived when the evil may be extinguished over the entire face of the earth.

In the same manner, it is pleasing to think, that as ages roll on, a period may come, when the lights of knowledge will be universally diffused among men---and when nations that now sit in the regions of darkness and of the shadow of death, shall be made acquainted with their true relation to the rest of the human family---and to the entire order of nature in which they hold their place. There is no ground for the imputation of enthusiasm when this pleasing expectation is indulged--because the thing is not only not inconsistent with the arrangements of nature, but seems to be an issue at which her progressive course is really pointing. Still it may be true that the time is yet far dis

tant when this result can be expected to be realized-and that it is rather a happy prospect to be indulged as the destined attainment of some more advanced period of social life, than a point to be seriously arrived at by the exertions of those who are at present in existence, and conformably with the circumstances of society as we now see them developed.

In a word, the whole of these three accidents of the human condition, as we now observe it, may be regarded, on a comprehensive view of the possible attainments of our race--and of the long ages during which these attainments are to be brought forth ---as evident symptoms of the very incipient stage at which the destined course of mankind has yet arrived. And all that we are entitled to expect of theoretical improvers is, that they shall not too speedily endeavour to reduce their speculations to practice, but in all their attempts at amelioration, shall keep in view the actual condition of mankind at the moment--and the slowly progressive character which belongs essentially to every thing relating to human affairs,

We mentioned, however, as the second kind of error into which abstract speculation respecting human affairs is sometimes apt to lead, a tendency to indulge in theoretical conclusions which are inconsistent with the condition of mankind in any conceivable state of their progress-or with any alteration of their circumstances that would not essentially change the whole order of na

ture.

Of this kind of error, the most remarkable instance was unquestionably that afforded by Mr. Owen in America, when, with great pomp of phraseology—and we may believe with perfect confidence in his own theoretical deductions, he hesitated not to inform the society over which he presided, that after much deep thought—and much anxious desire to find out the true causes of the imperfect and unhappy state of mankind as a society, he had at last satisfied himself that he had found out the true elements of this misery-and that these were property-marriage -and religion.

The author of this treatise does not think that his work would be in the least improved by the insertion of the speech in which

this sublime discovery was announced-but those who would like to see how far an ill-conducted spirit of speculation may mislead even a well-intentioned mind-and into what fooleries men may be led, when they lose sight of the actual condition of nature around them-will find the whole matter detailed, in so far as regards the disclosure and ultimate failure of Mr. Owen's scheme, in the second volume of Stuart's America-and as we have no doubt that the author of the plan could have given a very plausible vindication of his notions, the whole affair may be regarded as perhaps the most instructive instance ever afforded of the practical errors that may be grafted on speculations not altogether devoid, when considered merely in their abstract form, of some appearance of plausibility.