422 



KANT,. 



Kn ( . tion which was then in high repute as a seminary of 

 ^. ' pietism. At this school, he contracted an intimate 

 friendship with the celebrated philologer Ruhnkenius, 

 which may naturally be supposed to have had a salu- 

 tary influence on the studies of both. It is rather a 

 remarkable circumstance, however, that at this early 

 period, the inclination of Kant led him to devote his 

 intention principally to philology, while the mind of 

 Kuhnkenius was chiefly directed, by an apparently na- 

 tural disposition, to philosophy. In their maturer years, 

 as is well known, these dispositions were precisely re- 

 versed. 



In his old age, Kant dwelt with peculiar pleasure 

 on the recollection of his early philological studies, 

 and delighted to have an opportunity of reciting pas- 

 sages from his favourite classical authors. 



In his youth, Kant had the misfortune to lose both 

 his parents, who had scarcely the pleasure of witness- 

 ing the dawning talents of their son'. The liberality 

 of some friends of his family, however, still enabled 

 him to prosecute his studies ; and after having com- 

 pleted his school education, he repaired to the univer- 

 sity of his native town. Here he applied with ardour 

 to the mathematical, philosophical, and theological sci- 

 ences ; and his pecuniary means being extremely slen- 

 der, he contrived to support himself, in part, by assist- 

 ing other young men in the prosecution of their studies. 

 After he had finished his university course, he engaged 

 for some years as a private tutor in several families, 

 particularly that of a M. de Hullesen, at Arnsdorf ; 

 and during this period, he embraced the opportunities 

 which his retirement afforded him, of collecting a vast 

 store of knowledge, in almost every department of 

 science. 



Having attained his thirtieth year, and already dis- 

 tinguished himself as the author of several philosophi- 

 cal tracts, exhibiting great depth of thought, and ori- 

 ginality of genius, he resolved to devote himself to the 

 profession of a public teacher. With this view, he return- 

 ed to the university, and took the degree of doctor, ac- 

 cording to the usual forms, in the year 1755. A short 

 time thereafter, he began to deliver lectures on logic, 

 metaphysics, mathematics, and natural philosophy ; to 

 which, at a subsequent period, he added the law of na- 

 ture, moral philosophy, natural theology, and physical 

 geography. Although his talents were now well known 

 and justly appreciated, yet he remained in this situation 

 fifteen years, before he obtained a professorship ; which 

 was, at length, conferred upon him in 1770. From this 

 period, he continued to discharge his duties, as a pub- 

 lic teacher in the university of Koningsberg, with fideli- 

 ty and success, until a few years before his death. He 

 never changed, nor wished to change his place ; riches 

 and honours seem to have had no attractions for him ; 

 and he is known to have declined several advantageous 

 proposals that were made to induce him to transfer his 

 talents to other universities. He died on the 12th of 

 February, 1804, in the 80th year of his age. 



Professor Kant was a man of a very cheerful and so- 

 cial disposition ; and his manners were genteel and affa- 

 ble. He had none of that awkwardness or reserve, 

 which is generally held to be characteristic of the scho- 

 lar and the philosopher. He loved company, and was 

 both inquisitive, and fond of communicating his own 

 opinions upon all subjects. His moral character was 

 unimpeachable; and he appears to have been much 

 esteemed in the circle in which he moved. 



Kant was well advanced in years, before he attempt. 



ed to accomplish that reform in metaphysical science, 

 which he seems to have long meditated. In several of 

 his earlier productions, howejrer, he evidently appears 

 to be dissatisfied with the previous theories ; and in his 

 in.-.ugural dissertation, in 1770, De munai sensibilit at* 

 que intelligibilis forma et principiis, he exhibited some 

 of those peculiar views, which were afterwards more 

 fully developed in his great work, the Critik der reinen 

 Vernunfl. This work was published in 1781. For se- 

 veral years, it attracted no attention ; and the publish- 

 er, it is said, was on the pcint of destroying the sheets, 

 as waste paper, when a sudden demand rapidly carried 

 off the whole impression. From that period, the philo- 

 sophers of Germany ware divided into professed parti- 

 zans, and determined antagonists of the doctrines of 

 Kant ; and a multitude of publications issued yearly 

 from the press, for the purpose of confirming or refu- 

 ting them. 



Of a theory which produced so great a sensation in 

 that country where it was first promulgated, and which 

 is still considered by many as having completely demo- 

 lished the old metaphysical systems, some account will 

 naturally be expected in this work. However difficult 

 the task, we shall endeavour to exhibit such a concise 

 statement of the peculiar doctrines of the critical philo- 

 sophy, drawn up from an attentive perusal of the writ- 

 ings of Kant, and of his most eminent commentators, as 

 shall, we trust, in some measure, gratify the curiosity 

 of our readers. 



According to the opinions of the greater number of 

 philosophers, previous to Kant, there existed a scienee, 

 in which the principles of purely speculative reason 

 were applied to objects beyond the sphere of the sen- 

 sible world. The cultivators of this science were 

 agreed as to its reality ; however widely they might be 

 at variance with respect to the degree of certainty 

 which they ascribed to its principles, the extent of 

 their application, and the nature of their proofs. A 

 great mass of heterogeneous materials had been ga- 

 thered together, wrought up into a systematic form, 

 and presented to the world as the result of abstract 

 scientific investigation, upon subjects the most inter- 

 esting to humanity. But, however rich in materials, 

 and extent of territory, the teachers of this sublime 

 philosophy had not been very careful to investigate the 

 foundation upon which the system was constructed, 

 nor to ascertain the precise limits within which its 

 doctrines could be legitimately applied. Controver- 

 sies accordingly ensued ; these tended to produce un- 

 certainty and doubt; and various contradictory opi- 

 nions were successively broached upon some of the 

 most important subjects of metaphysical inquiry. An 

 ingenious individual, by a well directed objection to 

 one element of this system, the principle of causa- 

 tion, produced a sensation in the philosophical world, 

 which has yet scarcely ceased to be felt. We allude, 

 of course, to the celebrated sceptical philosopher, Da- 

 vid Hume. Against him it was in vain to contend 

 with the old principles, because it was precisely these, 

 the accuracy of which he disputed. His principal an- 

 tagonists, however, instead of boldly meeting him upon 

 his own ground, abandoned the field; left the whole 

 science of metaphysics in jeopardy ; and made theii 

 appeal to another tribunal, that of common sense. 

 Here their triumph was easy and complete ; for, al- 

 though they entirely failed to rescue the science itself, 

 whose Very existence was at stake, from the dangers to 

 which it was exposed, they, at least, for a time, con- 



1 



Kant. 



