Bibliography. | 187 
is our intention to present an analysis of Miilder’s views, at some length, 
' ina future number of this Journal, we shall at present do no more than 
recommend it to the careful perusal of our readers, for it is a work 
not to be fully appreciated by a cursory reading. 
11. Life of Goprrey Witi1am Von Lerenirz; on the basis of the 
German work of Dr. G. E. Gunsraver. By Joun M. Mackie. 12mo, 
pp- 288. Boston, Gould, Kendall & Lincoln. 1845.—The biography of 
great and learned men, of those who have, by their labors in the com- 
mon cause of sound knowledge, either opened new paths of investi- 
gation, or made more accessible those which before existed, is one of the 
most interesting and valuable departments of literature, and one pecu- 
liarly adapted to the advancement of science. Leibnitz was the author 
of much of that peculiar philosophy, which, adopted with certain varia- 
tions by Kant and other Germans, has become universally known as the 
German philosophy. He was a man of great and varied attainments,— 
varied to an extent rarely reached by any but the German mind, and 
profound in all. His prolonged life of industrious application, gave 
him opportunities for going over almost an entire field of human 
knowledge, and wherever he went, his uncommon powers of invention 
and research enabled him to make original and important discoveries. 
He was a cotemporary of Newton; and, like the great English philos- 
opher, he early fell upon new and invaluable methods in the higher 
mathematics. Without entering at all into the merits of the protracted 
personal controversy, which grew up between Newton and Leibnitz, 
regarding the priority of discovery of the method of fluxions,—the 
differential caleulus,—we can say, that Leibnitz was undoubtedly an 
original discoverer, and the French philosophers have not hesitated to 
award him the palm of decided priority. All scientific Europe, for a 
quarter of a century, was embroiled by this celebrated controversy, 
which was actively kept up for years, after death had removed Leib- 
nitz from the arena, which event no doubt, gave an undue advantage 
to the English competitor, aided, as he was, by the well-known re- 
port of the Committee of the Royal Society, to whom the affair was 
committed for adjudication, and who, singularly enough, concluded their 
labors without giving to their German member an opportunity of defend- 
ing before them his claims. 
Mr. Mackie has given a very impartial view of the history of this 
controversy, and also a well condensed summary of his peculiar philo- 
sophical tenets before alluded to. The memoir is well written, free from 
repitition, and consequently makes the subject the most prominent thing 
before the reader. We have read it with equal pleasure and profit, 
and have no doubt that it will meet with general approval. It is evi- 
