1'823.] Philosophy of Contemporar 



tion has a tendency to increase faster 

 tlian capital, is proved by the great 

 body of the poor being poor and miser- 

 able." If this be true, wao^es should 

 be always lowest in newly-planted 

 countries, as in them capital is scarce ; 

 3'et we find wages greater in America 

 tlian in England, where, in comparison 

 to the population, the capital is ten 

 times greater ; and in Van Dieman's 

 land, where there is no capital com- 

 paratively, wages of common labourers 

 are so liigh as seven shillings and 

 sixpence. 



The general rule is, that the more 

 men can give the more they will give : 

 hence the richest country pays the 

 greatest wages. But there is a rule 

 greater than this, — the supply and the 

 demand ; all other rules are modifica- 

 tions of this, depending on circum- 

 stances, occasions, &c. 



For the Monthly Magazine. 

 THE PHILOSOPHY OF CONTEM- 

 PORARY CRITICISM. 



NO. XXIX. 



Quarterlji Review. No. 55. 



IF the maxim of our great poet be 

 admitted, that " spirits are not 

 finely touched but to fine issues," few 

 persons have to answer for a more 

 wanton abuse of talents, which, pro- 

 perly directed, might claim our grati- 

 tude in as high a degree as our admi- 

 ration, than the conductors of this 

 journal. We never open its pages 

 without recognizing the stamp of abi- 

 lities of the first order, accompanied 

 by a lamentable defence of the 

 most flagrant abuses and most perni- 

 cious principles. The present number 

 presents no exception to the general 

 character of the Review. In vitupera- 

 tion and malignity it falls short of none 

 of its predecessors ; and no opportu- 

 nity is neglected of manifesting its in- 

 veterate and virulent opposition to all 

 that is honourable and liberal in public 

 Kpirit and sentiment. 



It opens with a notice of i)/. L'Ahhi 

 Gregoire's History of the Religious 

 Sects that have arisen from the com- 

 mencement of the last century to the 

 present period. Mr. Gregoire is the 

 exvbishop of Jilois, an orthodox Catho- 

 lic, even to bigotry, whose natural 

 benevolence of feeling has to sustain, 

 in t!ie course of this history, a singular 

 istruggle with the dogmatism of his 

 religious creed. He is, in fact, one 

 of those well-meaning zealots, whose 

 iflfatualiou induces them to as- 



y Criticism, No. XXIX, 219 



sign to the Deity, qualities which 

 they would shudder at the thought of 

 attributing even to their worst personal 

 enemies. His history exhibits a most 

 melancholy and deplorable picture of 

 the baneful effects which religious 

 fanaticism, and misguided zeal, have 

 produced upon the human species. 

 In contemplating the examples of this 

 nature, furnished by the numerous 

 sects which have sprung up Mithinthe 

 short space of little more than a cen- 

 tury, we are at a loss whelher to won- 

 der most at the impudent impostures 

 attempted upon the world, or tiie easy 

 faith which has enabled all of tliem to 

 meet with some degree of success. 

 The Reviewer is, indeed, justified in 

 observing, that, while "such is the cre- 

 dulity of mankind, no quack can be too 

 ignorant, no religious enthusiast too in- 

 sane, to obtain followers." Nor is it 

 less remarkable that the disciples of 

 every sect have generally displayed a 

 zeal in its behalf, and a willingness to 

 undergo sufferings and privations in 

 its cause, exactly proportioned to the 

 absurdity and unreasonableness of its 

 doctrines. M. Gregoire gives an 

 authentic account of four nuns, who 

 actually endured crucifixion, some of them 

 during three hours, in support of the 

 pretended miracles wrought at the 

 tomb of the Deacon Paris ! " Who 

 from true worship's gold can separate 

 the dross ?" We turn with a sigh from 

 the contemplation of that strange cre- 

 dulity, which has rendered man in 

 every age the ready dupe of successive 

 impostors, and which appears to destine 

 him to be eternally the " poor child of 

 doubt and hope, whose faith is built on 

 reeds." In this article, the eritie has 

 executed his task in an able and inter- 

 esting manner, and has, on the whole, 

 evinced tolerable impartiality, although 

 the " No Popery" spirit occasionally 

 betrays itself, in some severe reflections 

 on M. Gregoire's Anti-Prolcslantism. 

 The notice of the Works of the Ris;ht 

 Honourable Sir Charles Hanhnry Wil- 

 liams, appears introduced principally 

 for the opportunity it affords of making 

 a personal attack upon Mr. Jeffrey. 

 This gentleman, it appears, edited the 

 colkction in question; and, according 

 to the statements of the Reviewer, be- 

 sides having executed his editorial 

 duty very negligently in a variety of 

 instances, is chargeable with a want of 

 good faith in representing himself, both 

 in the title-page and preface, to have 

 obtained his originals directly from the 



Earl 



