a great amount of close and accurate thought The absence of a very minute factor in the operation may make a very great error in the conclusion. The other method, is to take the existing state of facts in connection with all the known acting and counteracting forces, and apply to them the well ascertained results, in other similar facts, which mander giving directions to take in all sail and make all things ready. Why is this order given? Wait a few moments and all is revealed. Now the dark and lowering clou's appear, and the moaning winds show you that the storm is here. The secret of all is, that the practiced eye of the mariner saw in the distance, what you saw not, and he knew what was coming; so by familiarizing your-brings you at once at the true answer. By selves with the laws of storm and calm, in this means, we have a short and satisfactory the social heavens, you may as clearly des- method of determining with a good degree cry the rising storm, and indicate as clearly of precision, the future position of any nathe necessary preparations to meet it. To tion. Let no one conclude, that he can be arrive at such a result, the observer must re- prepared for this final process at one leap.— gard all, even the minutest indications, such Years of close and accurate study of the anas would escape the notice of the casual nals of the past are necessary to settle satisreader of passing events. Happy is that factorily, the laws of the philosophy of sopeople who can see these shadowy indica-ciety, unless we take on trust what others tions, and prepare to meet them. In a dili- have ascertained. Fatal errors in both phygent and careful study of the faithful records sical and mental science have been foisted of the past, we have clearly marked before upon the world for sober truth, for the want us the history of the present. In the phi- of a little more patient investigation. A few losophy of human society, the proposition facts may have been collected and from these that like causes produced like results, in like few a law has been inferred, while, if the circumstances, holds as true as in natural investigation had been carried a little further a different conclusion would have been formphilosophy. Ascertain the existing, operative causes in society, and the accelerating have this and counteracting forces, and you proposition with the means of its solution, what will be the end or future condition of that society or nation? ed. In this view I confess there are difficulties connected with the question, in either method of solution. These arise mainly from not apprehending or fully appreciating all the facts and forces, which must enter into the consideration of the problem, which, This proposition is susceptible of two though they may be very minute in themmethods of solution. One of them is long selves, will nevertheless greatly affect the and laborious, and so much so that most result. There is one element in this calcumen would abandon the effort-give it up lation, very generally overlooked, which still in despair, or else jump at a conclusion, contains a controlling power in the problem. which would be as likely to be false as true From this element or factor, if you please, The process is this: take the known laws of which will be introduced in a moment, havhuman nature and apply them to certaining the starting point, you can see the end, hypothetical occurrences, and reduce from in the material course of things, settled and them the results, which must follow; having fixed according to both methods of solution, done this, you must apply them to the as suggested above. When once the ball is known state of facts, and by another process put in motion on the inclined plane it goes of reasoning arrive at a final conclusion.- on with accelerated velocity till it reaches This when done may not be very satisfacto- the terminus. Again having been moved ry, for the reason there may be a variety in that direction, the force requisite to arrest of disturbing forces thrown in the strength it, is greater than what was necessary at first of which we may not be prepared fully to to have given it a different direction. This estimate. Hence, arises also, the necessity of must be considered and weighed well. It is a proposition stated and demonstrated in ple, or even by those who stand behind the natural philosophy, that descending bodies s reen and work the wires of society, the acquire velocity with distance. A like law philosophic historian, must and will both holds good in the social body as demonstra-see and admit the fact. The next difficulty ted by the Philosophy of History. This is, in determining how far this remedial Philosophy of History, by the way, is not agency may be brought to bear on the afthe mere reading or study of History; neith-fected body of society. This too, I think is er is it a heaping together of a heterogeneous more in appearance than in fact. If we sit mass of facts without, form or order; but it down and philosophise, we might be led to is taking the mass of facts as furnished by very erroneous conclusions, because the truth the histories of different nations in their ori- appearing very plainly to us, we would supgin, progress, ascent, and decline, and from pose, that all others would see it equally so. these facts recorded, ascertain the cause of Herein we are mistaken. Galileo thought their various states, and then after collating he could satisfy the savans of his day, that a sufficient number of these facts, to deduce the earth rolled over from west to east, but the law governing in like cases. This, by he found chaius and threatened death, were the way, in my estimation, is one of the harder arguments than he could offer, and most interesting and profitable studies that he renounced, though adhering to his opincan engage the attention, of the scholar and ion still. especially the statesman of this country. The element of calculation to which I referred above is this, that there is in human nature, when left to itself, a downward tendency-a strong aptitude to take on the injurious forms of influence—a stronger affini ty for evil than for good. Downward, I say, because its tendency is to destruction and ruin. Add to this, that there is no recuperative energy in human society, so that when once it has taken a direction toward ruin, of itself, it cannot stop. But society is made up of individuals, and these individually affect and operate upon each other, and as these have universally taken the direction to evil, and are evil, so the whole mass is affected. This corrupt state of society must progress, as the consuming cancer on the human frame, until the whole frame-work of society is involved and the vital parts are wasted, unless a corrective power is brought to bear upon it from without. Without this lost element thrown into society, the history would be short-easily written and certainly determined before hand. The difficulties which suggest themselves here are two, to wit:the constant disinclination to consider or admit the downward tendency. This difficulty, however, is only an appearance; for though it be denied by the body of the peo Let us, however, get away from the philosophy of hypothesis, and turn to the philosophy of fact or of History. What is the answer here given? The restless ambition of man is never satisfied. Some there are, who are ready to make any sacrifice for their country, but these are so few as not to ma terially change the result, though they may the controlling spirits, the boasted "amor postpone the catastrophe for a time. With patria" is an empty sound, and the much decried love of self is the moving power. These, being so also bed with self, submit not to any correcting influence. The same restless ambition, leads to a resort to every kind of effort, which offers any prospect of attaining the desired end. As an illustration of the foregoing princi ples, we may refer to almost any ancient nation, or even to any modern nation of sufficiently long standing to have performed its cycle. What was the cause of the downfall of the great Roman Empire? The cause was one, and only one; though it developed itself in a variety of forms. That cause was the corruption of the controlling authority. Mr. Gibbon has labored to show, that the introduction of Christianity, had a strong influence to bring about that event. But bad it in fact, any tendency in that direction at ? He, himself, has shown in his History that none of the emperors submitted to the claims of Christianity at all, except in name, with the exception of Constantine, shortly before his death. He has further shown, that fraud, corruption, bribery, intrigue, debauchery, and effeminacy characterized the court, the senate, the forum, and the camp. Christianity had some influence on the minds of multitudes of the common people, and so far as that influence was felt in the higher circles at all, it tended to stave off the event, which must certainly arrive at some time.-is heir to, education, universal education.In the light of History what is that correc- Give the people, the whole people education tive principle to be thrown in and finally to and you will have revolutionized society become interwoven with the very elements and corrected all its evils." How far this of society, for its proper preservation? This will succeed, we can easily determine, from question is answered variously by the differ- an application of historic philosophy. Hapent schools of social doctors. Among them pily we are not left to supposition. It is a there exists as wide a difference as between fact, which cannot be denied, that as indithe different shools of corporial doctors, and viduals and smaller communities are affecteach as bitterly decrying the other. One ed by certain causes, so would the whole class has fallen out with the distribution of body of society be, if under the operation of property, and ascribe all the social evils to the same causes. Has education, however the inequality in this respect. They propose long continued or faithfully bestowed, any as a remedy, a system of complete agrarian-power to curb the ambition, to soothe the ism. Demolish everything-shake it all up passions, to control the affections, to assuage together and parcel it out anew-make it all grief, or correct the disorders of the soul? equal. The unequal distribution, being the cause, a perfect equalization is the perfect things, and as fickle as the wind. Few, indeed, would find in them any appetency for` the hard toil and fatiguing labor of producing from mother earth, the necessary stock of provision for man and beast, while he possessed no more than the gentleman of the glove and cane. This is equally foreign to the disease of society and has proved to be but a useless nostrum. "Hold," cries a third, "I have found the real philosopher's stone and a panacea for all the ills that flesh cure. How absurd! Let this be done, and would it affect the moral nature? This would remain as before. This remaining as before how soon violence and fraud would intro duce the same state of facts again. They have mistaken the cause, and of consequence the remedy. The cause is not external but internal to man. Though you wash and lustrate the fox a thousand times, he is the same sly, cunning animal as before, because you change not his nature. Whatever changes you may make in the externals of society, you only change for a time the mode of developement. But to History. What is the state of so ciety in Germany or Prussia, the most unihear as much complaint of social evils here, versally educated nations in the world? We as elsewhere? Education draws out and developes the capacities of man and fits him for an enlarged sphere of action, but fosters rather than curbs his ambition. If this be the philosopher's stone, it fails to secure the philosophers desire. In like manner every thing that affects only the mental and phy sical state, fails to afford the needed corrective for the evils of society. The more rapid our progress through the world, the more restless we become. From the same source “You are all wrong," cries another, "you of testimony we are advised, also, that it is must break up the present organization of so- not the opinions which may prevail among ciety, and form yourselves into communities, the common or uncommon people, which and every one be assigned his work accord- can afford this relief from impending disasing to his peculiar appetencies, and have one ter, whether these opinions be religious or common stock." How will this operate?— political, because there is somewhere a secret The appetencies are themselves whimsical spring of action, which over-rides our theo ries, however well they may have been ma- sunk at the bottom of the Tiber. A f tured-a soul within, full of life and mo- of which have been raised from that river tion-restless, powerful. What is philoso- such as the "Boy in Prayer." (now in the phy, reason, patriotism, opinion, before Museum of Berlin,) are tokens of what still awakened, aroused passion or lofty ambi-lie buried under the water and mud of the tion? "A reed shaken by the wind." The yellow river; and the longings of antiquaglittering diadem, the loud huzzah, intoxi-rians, though seemingly hopeless, have at cate the brain and demolish the barriers least been justifiable. There has been no heretofore reared in the way. Man in every lack of adventurous projects to obtain posage has the same essential elements of na- session of the marble and bronze gods and ture, and differs in their developement only goddesses, which many virtuosi assert were not taken away or destroyed by any of the according to the circumstances and occabarbarian tribes which sacked Rome at difsions, which call them forth. The study ferent periods, and which, consequently, of History will exhibit the principles which must have been flung into the river. An are here set forth. It will also prevent us extensive system of dragging the river was from being unduly elated, by the occaat one time recommended, but it proved a sional gleams of light from the changing failure. Another plan was, to divert the operations of human society, and also from being overcharged with sorrow at the dark Tiber into a new channel, and thus dry the clouds which rise upon the social horizon.-present bed. This plan, too, proved impracIn human nature alone there is no help. But ticable, for reasons which it would be needstill is there any reliable remedy for what less to state. But one of our country menall admit to be a sore evil under the sun?a Mr. Vansittart-has lately proposed to There is, and which will finally triumph search the bottom of the river by means of the newly-invented breathing apparatus, over all the earth. It strikes, as it must, which, it is asserted, enables divers to remain at the root of the evil-at the inner, moving springs of action-at the heart of the under water for hours without the least difindividuals composing the body. The time ficulty or inconvenience. Mr. Vansittart's is coming "to which hope looks forward proposal was not by any means suggested with ardent joy, when one law shall bind by interested motives; he is ready and wilall nations, and that law shall be the law of ling to sacrifice a large sum of money for a scientific purpose. He proposed that the reuniversal brotherhood." That remedy is sults of the investigation should be divided found, and only found in the regenerative between the British Museum and the Papal power of the gospel of the son of God.Our historic philosophy brings us to this Government. If that government had acceded to his very rational offer, everything would have gone on smoothly. But the Pope's advisers have thrown unexpected difficulties in the way. They claim the right of reserving to themselves the lion's share, while all expense and risk is to fall to the share of the Englishman. They demand, in short, to reserve to themselves the right of prohibiting the export of very rare or valuab ntiquities. There the matter rests, for of course their impertinent demand has brought all the proceedings to a standstill. Researches, are, however, being carried on, on the banks of the ancient Aulium, where the walls of villas are still visible conclusion. ART TREASURES IN THE TIBER. A correspondent of the London Literary Gazette, writing from Cologne, gives the following interesting piece of art-intelligence, which will excite the attention of Antiqua ries. The latest news which has arrived here from German antiquarians at Rome, has produced great excitement among artists and virtuosi of all classes. You know that many of the treasures of the ernal city are still under the water. In the port of Civita Vecchia, too, a colossal arm of rare beauty has been found; and this arm, it is needless to say, must have had a body,which body may be somewhere in the vicinity of the arm. The lake of Nervi, too, which was once surrounded by villas and temples, is being searched and a rich harvest expected." TO YOUNG MEN. Another bountiful harvest has been gathered up, and the season for moral and intellectual culture approaches. All our schools and institutions of learning will soon open to quicken and develop the mind. This is well. 'But,' says one, 'I'm a poor mechanic, and must work for the support of myself and dependant friends. How am I to cultivate my mind?' Not so with those who work their way up in the world. The brain is relieved, while the body is active and growing, and the body is resting while the mind is expanding. Thus the whole man of the worker is well developed. In most colleges, the habit of smoking or chewing tobacco is exceedingly prevalent, and most destructive it is to these young men. D'gestion becomes impaired, the appetite is lost, medicines are swallowed, no mother or sister at hand to watch over him and he sinks away before the morning's sun opened or illumined his youthful mind.— Then an all-wise Providence,' is charged with his early death, while the causes are overlooked, The same indulgence in the use of tobacco by the laboring man, though always pernicious, is less injurious than to the student, whose habits are sedentary, and who breathes only vitiated, confined air. In view of these truths, is it not better to obtain a small library of choice books, at a small expense, and read and study them at home? By reading, attending lectures, and by conversing with those better informed than yourself, Books are cheap. By economy, a few dollars may be saved yearly, and paid out for such works as will feed the mind and keep it in a growing condition. When too tired to read, let a sister or a young brother With a library at home, every member of read aloud for an hour. In this way you the famlly may be benefitted and improved. may acquire a knowledge of all the great Look at Elihu Burritt, the learned Blackleading subjects now engaging the attention smith, master of more languages than any of the learned and scientific men of the college educated man in America. He read world. Many of our greatest, most bril- and studied books at home. The same is liant and successful men are self-educated.true of thousands of others who now fill the In fact, we have come to regard this Home The reasons are obvious. most important places in life Then buy books-work and study-study and work-work at your trade, on the farm, on the lake, river, or sea. Work and study -study and work, and your body and brain will become developed and enlarged, and Your mind cultivated and expanded. Now is the time to begin. The above is most excellent advice for those young men who are not favored with the privilege of a collegiate course; and it affords many most important and useful hints to such as are. Let none fail to profit by its perusal; an attention to these hints will prove equally happy in its effects both upon the mind and physical condition of man |