judgement. The souls of the martyrs alone pass not through this middle state, but are transferred immediately to heaven.

Tertullian" proceeds to enquire whether the soul, after it has once passed into the lower parts of the earth, can leave them and revisit these upper regions. This question he determines in the negative; arguing principally from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. But the dæmons who are continually labouring to seduce us into error, though they cannot call up the soul after death, yet can practise illusions upon the senses; and by presenting themselves under human forms, persuade men that they are the ghosts of persons deceased. Thus Saul was persuaded that he saw and conversed with Samuel. In like manner, Tertullian refers to the agency of dæmons the deceptions practised by the dealers in magic; who generally affected to call up the spirits of such persons as had come to an untimely end: taking advantage of the popular superstition, that the souls of men, cut off by a violent death, hover about the earth until the period has elapsed to which, had they not been so cut off, their lives would have been extended.

But 78 in what state, it may be asked, does the soul remain during its abode in the lower parts of the earth? Does it sleep? "We have seen," answers Tertullian, "that sleep is an affection of the body, not of the soul. When united to the body, the soul does not sleep; much less, when separate from the body. No: the righteous judgements of God begin to take effect in this intermediate state. The souls of the good receive a foretaste of the happiness, and the souls of the wicked of the misery, which will be assigned them as their everlasting portion, at the day of final

retribution."

Such are Tertullian's speculations upon the origin, nature, and destiny of the soul. Should the examination of them have appeared somewhat minute and tedious, it must be remembered that the only mode of putting the reader in possession of the state of philosophy in any age is to exhibit to him the questions which formed the subjects of discussion, and the manner in which they were discussed.

78 c. 58. Compare de Res. Carnis, c. 17., and the 40th of King Edward's Articles. Qui animas defunctorum prædicant usque ad diem judicii absque omni sensu dormire, aut illas asserunt unà cum corporibus mori, et extremo die cum illis excitandas, ab Orthodoxâ Fide, quæ nobis in Sacris Literis traditur, prorsus dissentiunt.

The result of the examination must, we think, be deemed favorable to our author's character for talent and ingenuity. Many of the questions proposed may appear trifling-many of his arguments weak and inconclusive; the questions, however, are not more trifling, or the arguments more inconclusive, than those which occur in the writings of the most celebrated philosophers of antiquity. It would be the extreme of absurdity to compare the writings of Plato and Tertullian, as compositions; but if they are considered as specimens of philosophical investigation, of reasoning and argument, he who professes to admire Plato will hardly escape the charge of inconsistency, if he thinks meanly or speaks contemptuously of Tertullian.

In further illustration of our author's philosophical opinions, we shall proceed briefly to state his notions respecting the nature of angels and dæmons. 79 He asserts, in the first

79 Apology, c. 22. Atque adeo dicimus esse substantias quasdam Spiritales; nec nomen novum est. Sciunt dæmones Philosophi, Socrate ipso ad dæmonii arbitrium expectante.... dæmones sciunt Poetæ ; et jam vulgus indoctum in usum maledicti frequentat.... Angelos quoque etiam Plato non negavit. See also adv. Marcionem, L. ii. c. 8. Sed adflatus Dei generosior Spiritu Materiali, quo Angeli constiterunt. Apology, c. 46. Quum secundum Deos Philosophi Dæmones deputent. De Animâ, c. 1.

place, that there are spiritual substances, or material spirits: this is not denied even by the philosophers. 80 These spiritual, or angelic substances were originally created to be the ministers of the Divine will; but some were betrayed into transgression. 81 Smitten with the beauty of the daughters of men, they descended from heaven, 82 and imparted many branches of knowledge, revealed to themselves, but hitherto hidden from mankind:-the properties of metals-the virtues of herbs-the powers of enchantment-and the arts of divination and astrology. Out of complaisance also to their earthly brides, they communicated the arts which administer to female vanity:-of polishing and setting precious stones of dying wool-of preparing cosmetics.

83

From these corrupt angels sprang dæmons; a still more corrupt race of spirits, whose actuating principle is hostility against man, and

80 Nos officia divina Angelos credimus. De Animâ, c. 37. Apology, c. 22. De Idololatriâ, c. 4.

81 In proof of the alleged intercourse between the angels and the daughters of men, Tertullian appeals to Genesis vi. 2. de Virgin. vel. c. 7. and to the apocryphal book of Enoch. de Cultu Fœminarum, L. i. c. 3.

82 De Cultu Foeminarum, L. i. c. 2. L. ii. cc. 4, 10. De Idololatriâ, c. 9. Apology, c. 35.

83 Apology, c. 22. Compare de Spectaculis, c. 2.

whose sole object is to accomplish his destruction. This they attempt in various ways; but as they are invisible to the eye, their mischievous activity is known only by its effects. They nip the fruit in the bud; they blight the corn; and, as through the tenuity and subtlety of their substance they can operate on the soul as well as the body, while they inflict diseases on the one, they agitate the other with furious passions and ungovernable lust. By the same property of their substance they cause men to dream. 85 But their favourite employment is, to draw men off, from the worship of the true God, to idolatry. 66 For this purpose they lurk within the statues of deceased mortals; 87 practising illusions upon weak minds, and seducing them into a belief in the divinity of an idol. " In their attempts Apology, c. 23.

86

84

84 De Animâ, cc. 47, 49. 86 Apology, cc. 23, 27.

4, 15.

Compare de Idololatriâ, cc. 3,

86 De Spectaculis, cc. 10, 12, 13, 23. where Tertullian ascribes the invention of the games and scenic exhibitions to the dæmons.

7 The illusions practised by the professors of magic were, according to our author, peculiarly the work of dæmons; when for instance the object of the incantation was to raise a dead man from the grave, a dæmon presented himself under the figure of the deceased. De Animâ, c. 57. where the miracles performed by Pharaoh's magicians are mentioned. See p. 212.