130 Philosophy 0/ ConUmporiin/ 



IVfemoir on the Spirit, the Object, and 

 the Utility of Biblical Institutions, and 

 the same has been accorded to M. G. 

 de Felice, of Lisle, grandson of the 

 celebrated de Felice, editor of the 

 Cyclopedia of Yverdun. The labours 

 of this Protestaut association must 

 have been unremitting to produce such 

 eflBcacious results, its resources being 

 comparatively scanty. Their Monthly 

 Bulletin contains many curious facts 

 and incidents, derived from their 

 agents and correspondents, abroad 

 and at home. 



For the Monthly Maf/azine. 

 THE PHILOSOPHY OF CONTEM- 

 PORARY CRITICISM. 



NO. XXXVI. 



The Westminster Revieiv, No, 1, 



WE congratulate the public on the 

 appearance of a new literary 

 review, conducted on principles of 

 liberalitj^ and rational freedom. The 

 courses uniformly pursued by the most 

 distinguished publications of this kind, 

 rendered such an undertaking abso- 

 hitely necessary. The pages of the 

 Edinhurgk and Qvutrterly, devoted as 

 they unceasingly are, and have been, 

 totlie dissemination of notions directly 

 opposed to each other, and not unfre- 

 quently at war with themselves, are 

 better calculated to confound than to 

 illumine the public intellect: while 

 the very purpose of the Westminster is 

 obviously that of combining, with a 

 fair, candid, and honest, representa- 

 tion of every work worthy of its 

 notice, the propagation and mainte- 

 nance of doctrines morally and poli- 

 tically correct; and to expose the 

 falsehood and impurity of opinions, 

 with which less honourable and less 

 virtuous periodicals are so continually 

 and sedulously endeavouring to embuc 

 the minds of their readers. In saying 

 thus much of the publication before 

 us, we act on its own sound and un- 

 biassed ])rinciple ; we reject every 

 partial persuasion, all undue iniluence, 

 and ask of our readers no credit but 

 that of meaning to be guided by the 

 sentiments of truth and generosity, 

 and with that spirit which, with equal 

 feeling and firmness, spurns at the 

 tyranny of criticism, and at the impo- 

 sition of absolute government. 



Without intending to say, that we 

 are prepared to adopt every minor 

 tenet of the " Westminster Review," 

 we cannot but add to the expression of 

 our high approval and commendation 



Criticism, No. XXXV 1. [Marcli I, 



of the style in which it is written, the 

 broad and general avowal of our con- 

 sentaneous feelings, and the unre- 

 served declaration, that, judging of 

 the character of this publication by 

 the tone and temper of this its initial 

 Number, we consider its establishment 

 as a great public benefit; and, un- 

 swayed by any personal favour or 

 afl'ection, (for we have no knowledge 

 either of the projectors or the conduc- 

 tors,) award it our sincerest eulogy, 

 and warmest wish for its success. 



The present Number of the West- 

 minster contains twelve articles: the 

 first of which is 3Ie7i and Things in 

 1823, a poem, with notes, by James 

 Shergold Boone, m.a. In his treat- 

 ment of this work, the critic, without 

 slighting the matter of his author, em- 

 braces every opportunity of advancing 

 his own just opinions; and the occa- 

 sions for advancing them are little 

 limited, since Mv. Boone's poem ha? 

 an immediate reference to the political 

 topics of the day. Such a production, 

 by its very nature, invites a free- 

 minded commentator to a repetition of 

 the discussion ; and such a commen- 

 tator will as naturally enter upon it 

 with a ffout, a satisfaction, peculiar to 

 spirits as liberal as his own; and what 

 his own spirit really is may be collected 

 fronr the commencement of his second 

 paragraph: — "When Dr. Brown (says 

 the Westminster reviewer,) made his 

 estimate of the manners and principles 

 of the times, about three-fourths of a 

 century since, he passed over the 

 people altogether, as of no conse- 

 quence in the investigation. He con- 

 sidered them as ' a brute and random 

 bolt, or a.liieless ball sleeping in the 

 cannon,' and requiring some superior 

 intelligence, to give it life and direc- 

 tion." Tire reviewer then proceeds 

 with noticing the liapi)y progress which 

 intellect has made through the aid of 

 the press, and the comparative, im- 

 portance which the great bulk of the 

 people has thence assumed. " The 

 lifeless ball (says he,) has become in- 

 stinct with mind, and the brute, rnn- 

 dom bolt, will, in due time, strike 

 nnerringly and irresistibh'." This idea 

 he spiritedly and ably jjursues through 

 many, if not all, of its diversified rami- 

 fications, and vigorously sustains opi- 

 nions which constitute the decisive 

 characteristics of a sincere and high- 

 minded lover of mankind, and of the 

 religious and civil rights of nations. 



XUe second article, Fables for the 

 JJol]f 



