principles or their adaptation to modern readers, these are abundantly supplied by his accomplished editor. Should this work be given to the American public in a reprint, as we trust will be the case, we desire first of all to see it published in a form more convenient and attractive than is that of the Edinburgh edition. We hope also that it may be accompanied by a translation of the fragments of Royer Collard's lectures, collected and appended by Jouffroy to his translation of Reid's works. These lectures are so instructive a comment and expansion of Reid's system, that they ought not to be withheld from the mass of English readers. Perhaps also they should be accompanied by the preface of Jouffroy to the same edition of Reid. Both these would show how Reid was transplanted into France, and constituted the influence and began the impulses which have resulted in the better French philosophy of the present day. In this connection we ought not to omit to mention that the editor of the work has very appropriately dedicated it to Victor Cousin, not only in token of the editor's admiration of the first philosopher of France, but, as a tribute due appropriately and preeminently to the statesman through whom Scotland has been again united intellectually to her old political ally, and the author's writings, (the best result of Scottish speculation) made the basis of academical instruction in philosophy, throughout the central nation of Europe." 66 The Dictionary of the Philosophical Sciences, is the last of the three works which we propose to notice. It is issued by an association of professors of philosophy, of the school of Cousin. The attention of the numerous disciples of this school has been of late much directed to historical and critical inquiries and the natural result of investigations of this sort, by a sufficient number of men of a common way of thinking, is the publication of an encyclopedia or critical dictionary. It is issued in numbers or livraisons, each containing more than 300 large and closely printed pages, which are sold in Paris at five francs. Two of these constitute a volume; and four volumes will complete the work. The initials of the writer are subjoined to each article, and a list of the writers' names in full accompanies each volume. The work is edited by Franck, a member of the institute and associate professor of philosophy, in the faculty of letters at Paris. The principles of the work are given at some length in the preface. They are in the main the principles of the eclectic school, though they are expressed in language and by terms to which the disciples of the English philosophy of common sense and of faith, would make little objection. This dictionary differs from the German encyclopaedia of Krug in being 1848.] New Dictionary of Philosophical Sciences. 115 more exclusively and appropriately metaphysical in its topics, and it also gives fuller notices of French and English writers and discussions. It has the advantage also of being free from the peculiar technology and nomenclature which the German writers always adopt, whether they criticise a German, a French, or an English writer. It brings down the knowledge of these sciences to a recent date. The several topics treated of are described in the preface, as the following: "1. Philosophy properly so called. 2. The history of philosophy with a criticism, or at least an impartial judgment, of all the opinions and systems which philosophy spreads out before us. 3. The biography of all the philosophers of any importance, confined within such limits, as to conduce to the knowledge of their opinions and to the general history of the science. We need not add that this portion of our labor does not concern the living. 4. Philosophical bibliography arranged in such a way, that at the conclusion of every article, there may be found a list of all the works which relate to that subject, or of all the writings of the philosopher whose life and opinions have been considered. 5. The definition of every philosophical term, to whatsoever system it may belong; whether or not it has been retained in use. Each of these definitions is in some sort, the history of the word of which it proposes to explain the signification. It takes it at its origin; it follows it through all the schools which have adopted it in succession, and have turned it to their own use. Thus it is that the history of words is inseparable from the history of ideas. This part of our work, though obviously the most humble, is not perhaps the least useful. It might contribute if prosecuted by hands more skilful than ours, to establish in philosophy at least a unity of language." The subjects are arranged in the alphabetic order. The titles under the letter B, are the following: Baader, Bacon (Roger and Francis), Barclay, Bardili, Bassus Aufidius, Baumeister, Baumgarten (A. G.), Bayer, Bayle, Beattie, Beautiful the idea of, Beausobre (Isaac and Louis), Beccaria, Beck, Becker (Balthazar and Rodolfus), Bede, Bendavid, Bentham, Bérard, Bérenger (of Tours and of Poitiers) Berg, Berger (J. E. de. and J. G. E.), Bergier, Bérigard, Bergk, Berkeley, Bernard of Chartres, Bessarion, Bias, Bichat, Biel, The supreme good, (Bien, Souverain Bien), Bilfinger, Bion, Bodin or Bodinus, Boëce or Boëthius, Boehme (Jacob and C. F.), Boëthius (Daniel), Boëthus, Bolingbroke, Bonald, Bonaventura St., Bonnet, Bonstetten, Born, Boscovich, Bossuet, Buddhism, Boulainvilliers, Boursier, Bouterweck, Bredenburg, Broussais, Brown (Peter and Thomas) Bruce, Brucker, Bruno, Bryson, Buddeus, Buffier, Buhle, Buonafede, Buridan, Burke, Burlamaqui, Burleigh, Butler. The letter B, we should not expect would be one of the most promising, but it will be seen from these titles, that the plan of the dictionary is truly liberal. The tone of the dictionary is believing and elevated. Its influence is favorable to morality, to conservative yet liberal political views, and to religious faith. The relations of the eclectic school to Christianity and to Christian theology, are however somewhat singular, and it is worthy a serious consideration as illustrating the type of Christianity which prevails in France, and the almost necessary influence of the Romish church on the reflecting and inquiring minds among its men of education. The philosophers of the eclectic school as inquirers after truth, are serious and believing, and in some sense of the word, are religious. They are serious and believing, inasmuch as they recognize with distinct acknowledgement the moral and religious nature of man, and the moral administration of God as adapted to this nature. Christianity as a system of religious truth, and as breathing the spirit of duty and of love, they in some sense acknowledge to be divine. Many or most of them in their external profession, may be very good Catholics. But they find themselves in a perpetual warfare with the church. In this dictionary, the theological spirit is perpetually spoken of as a necessary antagonist of the philosophical. Christianity is recognized as being coïncident with the indications and conclusions of philosophy, but the Christian theology of the church is never there recognized. It is never hinted, much less is it asserted, that the principles of theology ought to be as truly harmonious with the deductions of true science as the foundations of natural religion. Nay, the contrary seems to be continually implied. What harmony can there be between faith and science, if the only condition of this peace shall be a general armistice with no definite and well defined concord. What union between the thinking philosopher and believing Christian, if it be necessary that the philosopher when he thinks should forget the Christian when he believes, and the Christian just so far as he believes, must be untrue to the philosopher when he reflects. The cause of this disunion and weakness is too obvious to require an explanation. It is as clear as the sunlight that it lies in the attitude in which the Romish church teaches the truths of Christianity and the grounds on which it rests its claims. Its sad and disastrous consequence to the best minds of the nation, must continue so long as science and Christian theology shall maintain their present relative position. It is mournful to think, that while the philosophical spirit of the people is so hopeful, neither Romanism nor Protestantism seem to understand its condition nor to be able to meet its wants. It would seem that if a truly Christian philosophy could be grafted upon this promising stock, an entire change 1848.] Jerome and his Times. 117 might be effected in the thinking mind of the nation. But from whence this Christian philosophy is to come, is more than we can predict. The difference between France and either Germany or England in this respect is striking, with all the monstrous errors of Germany. It is still a perpetual problem with the newest philosophy, to give a philosophical solution of the doctrines of Christianity. The solution may be more inexplicable than the difficulty left unsolved, but the attempt to make it, argues the conviction that scientific and Christian truth ought to be harmonious. In England, philosophy has endeavored to follow and to keep pace with theology, though it must be confessed it has too often been "haud passibus aequis." But in England it has always been believed that theology and philosophy should move with even pace in the same harmonious rounds, and should together manifest the glory of the God who is truth and love. That this ideal harmony should be fully realized, is the aim and effort of every truly Christian philosopher. ARTICLE VII. JEROME AND HIS TIMES. By Rev. Samuel Osgood, Providence, R I. 1. Sancti Eusebii Hieronymi Stridonensis, Presbyteri Opera. Studio ac Labore Domini Johannis Martianay, Presbyteri et Monachi Ordinis S. Benedicti è Congregatione S. Mauri, Parisiis, MDCXIII —MDCCVI. Works of St. Eusebius Jerome of Stridon, Presbyter. Edited by John Martianay, Presbyter, and Monk of the Benedictine Order of the Congregation of St. Maur. In five Volumes, folio. 2. Histoire de Saint Jerome, Perè de L'Eglise, au IV Siecle; Sa Vie, Ses Ecrits et Ses Doctrines, par F. Z. Collombet. Paris, 1844. History of St. Jerome, Father of the church in the Fourth Century; his Life; his Writings and his Doctrines. In two volumes, 8vo. By F. Z. Collombet. RICH as was the church of the fourth century in illustrious men who adorned imposing office with brilliant abilities; in princes like the imperial convert Constantine who begun, and the more consistent Theodosius, who completed the union of the church and State; in prelates indomitable as Athanasius, profound as Augustine, eloquent as Gregory and Chrysostom, and commanding as Ambrose and Basil; it is not to any of these titled dignitaries that Christendom in ages since has paid her most frequent honors. The Roman church, at least, has passed over this majestic array of princes and prelates with comparative indifference, and reserved her brightest aureola for an untitled scholar, who shrank alike from courts and councils, who refused the proffered mitre, and forbore to exercise even the office of priest. Whom can we mean but Jerome the monk of Bethlehem? As a devotee he has perhaps been more honored by Catholics than any saint upon the calendar who has lived since the apostolic times, whilst as a scholar he has been ranked by all parties as chief in the ancient church. His spirit has haunted the visions of monks and nuns, and the imaginations of painters and sculptors. His kneeling form meets us in the gorgeous windows of the middle age cathedrals, and in the rich miniatures of illuminated manuscripts. Who has not heard of the picture, in the Vatican, of the Last Communion of St. Jerome, and who would undertake to complete the catalogue of similar works or name the artists among whom Domenichino and the Caracci have taken the lead? It is not merely from the prostrate devotee of the papal ages, that the monk of Bethlehem has received such honors. His letters and tracts were among the first to receive the stamp of the printing-press,1 and in their Gothic type are now among the most precious specimens in antiquarian collections. No fewer than eight editions of his entire works have been published, the first of which appeared at Basle (1516 -1520) under the charge of the celebrated Erasmus, and the last of which is from the Paris press with ink as yet scarcely dry. As an interpreter and translator of Scripture, his name stands chief of the fathers in the preface of the translators of our approved English Bible. As great proof of his literary importance may be found in the ponderous volume that Le Clerc wrote in question of his scholarship, as in the petulant and tiresome folios that Martianay and his fellows sent forth in his defence. The lighter literature of a later day has not forgotten the saint. He appears conspicuous in the meditations of Zimmermann and the fancies of Chateaubriand, whilst in the gayest city in the world 1 In the library of Harvard University we find an edition of his epistles which, although without date, according to Brunet's Manual must have been printed as early as 1469, and an edition of his tract against Jovinian that bears the date of 1474. |