22 DARWINIANISM. 



all before us that is suggested by what we find in 

 Hutcheson, then, I know not that so very much praise is 

 due to Reid even for his initial collection/ The ex- 

 temporaneousness, so to speak, not only of his writing 

 in his Lectures, but even of his inventions, is, on the 

 whole perhaps, rather against Brown ; and it is Stewart 

 who, in regard to maturity at once of reflection and 

 work, not without equal regard also to his own, on the 

 whole, generous nature, must be held to be the most 

 valuable of this small and peculiar Scottish school. As 

 Carlyle never made a greater blunder in his life than 

 when he spoke against Keats, so Hegel never made a 

 greater blunder in his life than when -he said, " Of these 

 Scots, Dugald Stewart, who still lives, seems to be the 

 most insignificant." The relative merits of the three 

 can be verified by the easiest of comparisons at any 

 moment ; for it is absolutely the same material, and 

 absolutely in all respects the same that is anywhere 

 discussed by either of them. There is Conception, for 

 example ; .Reid writes relatively, and Stewart writes 

 relatively, and Brown writes relatively : place the three 

 chapters together, and just see which is best. Of course 

 Hamilton was even virulent in all denial of Brown ; but 

 Hamilton need not impose on us. Hamilton makes, and 

 even academically verified, an enormous parade of eru- 

 dition in regard to Commentators ! and how small is the 

 vocabulary of such and how easy it is to read it, each 

 of us can make good for himself, if he will only turn 

 up, in Homer say, the commentating Hypotheses at the 

 beginning of each book ! Perhaps, indeed, it was im- 

 possible for such a petulant, negative, nagging nature 

 as Hamilton's ever to be profound. His inquiry into 

 Qualities is about the best thing in him that has the 

 look of an. inquiry, and even it must by his impatience 

 be marred. Observe, too, how he takes himself together 



