1 2 DARWIN1ANISM. 



those principles by which his writings are distinguished 

 from those of preceding philosophers will constitute an 

 era in the history of metaphysical science." As Dr. 

 Welsh, with the " palm " in his hand, was troubled 

 whether he should give it to Pope or to Brown, so, even 

 when expressing his amazement at " the marvellous 

 display of profound and original thought," " classical 

 finish," " matchless ingenuity," " eloquence," etc. etc., on 

 the part of this " the subtlest metaphysician of the age," 

 he seems obliged to admit, " Hume was nearly as acute ! " 

 but then, as he triumphantly remembers, " witli all his 

 ingenuity, he (Hume) could not rear a consistent 

 system ! " These two names, Pope and Hume, are even 

 categories, two remarkable leading categories, during the 

 second advent of poetry and romance in England : both lay 

 at the indignant heart of the murmurers and malcontents 

 of the sort of small Fronde then ! But to Dr. Welsh, 

 while his Lectures, " for metaphysical acuteness, profound 

 and liberal views, refined taste, varied learning, and 

 philosophical eloquence, may challenge comparison with 

 any work that was ever published," it is still " An 

 Inquiry into the Eelation of Cause and Effect" that 

 constitutes for Brown his capital achievement. Even 

 " some of the notes there settle, in the most masterly 

 way, questions that for ages had been a subject of 

 contention among philosophers ; " while, as for the 

 Inquiry itself, it has been " matured and perfected into 

 one of the most elegant and profound works on the 

 philosophy of mind that has appeared in modern times," 

 nay, it must be regarded " as the first perfect work 

 on a metaphysical subject, and as fixing an era in the 

 science to which it belongs, as much as was done by the 

 Principia ! " 



Well, that at all events is certain, that in the whole 

 history of philosophy there is, probably, not one single 



