THE LONDON REVIEW.
FROM the terms of its prospectus, we understood that the great object of this new Quarterly was to become the organ of Philoso- phic Reformers, and to net as a guide and a beacon in the cause of Philosophic Reform. It was to tell us tiliat to shun, what to fol- low, and how to follow it,—pointing out at the sums time the end to he attained and the hest means of attaining it. It was also to breathe a new spirit into our criticism, if it did not lay the founda- tion a a system entirely new. If the performance be compared with the promise, it can hardly he said that the London Review' has succeeded : if the First Number be tested by the merit of the best existing Quarterlies, it will be placed somewhat ahead of them as regards its theoretical knowledge, the weight of its matter, and the searching spirit of its inquiry ; somewhat behind them in work. manlike skill and courteousness of tone—perhaps in critical ability.
The most masterly—we do not say the most popular—article in the Number, is without doubt the review of Professor SEnowicres "Discourse on the Studies of the University." This paper is evi- dently from the hand of an excellent scholar, a most severe rea- soner, and a profound thinker ; and by him the crackrnan of Cam- bridge is absolutely crushed. A more cool or a more complete demolition of an antagonist is seldom seen. It is first proved that the Fellow of Trinity had no very distinct idea of the general views of his subject ; the several heads of his discourse are next examined seriatim, and his sounding commonplaces showts to mean nothing, or nonsense, or falsehood; until at last the luciless Professor is made to look like an overgrown schoolboy who has written a theme, and wished to say something fine without exactly knowing what to say. We will take an extract from this paper, both as a specimen of the writer, and as showing the feeling that actuates him at least on a subject which Utilitarians are charged with undervaluing.
TIIE USES OF CLASSICAL STUDIES.
The true ground for assigning to classical studies a high place in general edu- cation—a far higher one, indeed, than to what the Professor calls " the severer investigations of science " (meaning mathematics, and the applications of ma- thematics)—is, that the former cultivate the whole mind, the latter only a narrow corner of it. The subject of the one is but lines and numbers; of the other, human life from its highest to its homeliest concerns. In the one, the only faculty exercised is tatiocinatiou; and that, too, under circumstances of unusual facility : in the other, there is scarcely a valuable power or habit of the iutellect which finds not its appropriate nourishment. We believe, accord- ingly, that the superiority of scholars over mathematicians, wherever intellects are brought fairly into competition, is borne out by a wink experience. As between the eirmk and Roman and any modern literature, the superiority of the former, as an instrumeut of education, lies in this—that in all other lite- ratures the vaiiuus nutriment which is needful for the mind lies scattered, SOIlle here, some there, and the same book is seldom food for more than a small part of the character; but in classical literature the whele ntan drinks from the same fountain : the sense of beauty, the admiration of exalted pereonal excel- lence, and the most varied powers of thought, are all nourished and culled iuto action, each in the highest degree, and nut separately but simultaneously.
We hold with Mr. Sedgwiek, that these languages should be studied in our early years; not because we think, as he almost seems to do, that a young scholar can understand and relish "great works of imagination" before he can learn simple equations, but because the mechanical difficulties ate most easily vanquished at an early age; and because the acquisition of a complex and symmetrical language is itself the most valuable discipline, not of the imagina- tion, but of the reason which a young mind is capable of. The Greek or Latin gramniar is a specimen of logical and metaphysical analysis, the place of which in education no other of the ordinary studies of youth could supply. Of these reasons, substantial and cogent as they are in recommendation of classical studies, we find not a word in Mr. Sedgwick's tract ; but, instead of them, much harping on the value of the writings of antiquity as " patterns" and " models." This is lauding the abuse of classical knowledge as the use; and is a very had lesson to " the younger members" of the University. The study of the ancient writers has been of unspeakable benefit to the nioderns; from which benefit the attempts at direct imitation of those writers have been no trifling drawback. The necessary effect of imitating " models" is, to set manner above matter. The imitation of the classics has perverted the whole taste of modern Europe on the subject of composition : it has made style a sub- ject of cultivation and of praise, independently of ideas; whereas, by the ancients style was never thought of but in complete subordination to matter. The ancients would as soon have thought of a coat in the abstract as of style in the abstract : the met it of a style, in their eyes, was that it exactly fitted the thought. Their first aim was, by the assiduous study of their subject, to se- cure to themselves thoughts worth expressing ; their next was to find words which would convey those thoughts with the utmost degree of nicety; aud only when this was made sure did they think of ornament. Their style, there- fore, whether ornamented or plain, grows out of their turn of thought ; and may be admired, but cannot be imitated by any one whose turn of thought is different. The instruction which Professor Sedgwick should have given to Ins pupils, was to follow no models, to attempt no style, but let their thoughts shape out the style best suited to them ; to resemble the ancients, not by copying their manner, but by understanding their own subject as well, cultivating !heir faculties as highly, and taking as much trouble with their work as the ancients did. All imitation of an author's style, except that which arises from making his thoughts your own, is mere affectation and vicious -mannerism.
The papers more immediately connected by their subjects with politics and philosophic reform, are "The State of the Nation, "The Ballot—A Dialogue," "Municipal Corporation Reform," and "Tithes and their Commutation." The last is an able artiole, in which the theory of Rieeneo—that tithes are a tax, and paid by the consumer—is clearly expounded and enforced ; whilst the uses of the theory at the present moment, in the settlement of the Tithe question, and the formation of a new arrangement of the Den-laws, upon their present principles, but making 40s. instead of 60s. the "pivot price," are pointed out. The deficiency of the paper is in not showing us how to prevent tithes from interfering with cultivation—we are told what we ought to have, but not how to get it. "Municipal Corporation Reform" treats the tubject largely, but superficially, and with eotnewhat of the air of a schemer. The author either had not space thoroughly to develop his plans, or a deticiency in practical and worldly knowledge pre- vented him from giving to them the fulness and specificality which satisfy the reader. The sty le also wants force, and the tone is rather captious. The article, however, may be read with ad- vantage, especially at the present time. The Dialogue on the Bal- lot is a most skilful exposition of the whole subject. In the argu- ments there is not, of course, much of novelty ; but all the reasons in favour of' the ballot are strikingly presented, those against it satisfactorily answered, and the opposing fallacies and contra- dictions traced out to all their inconsequences and absurdities, whilst the utmost use is made of the form of dialogue to present the matter neatly and clearly.
Distinguished by many useful and even happy thoughts, and marked by its encouraging tone towards Reformers, the " leader, ' on the State of the Nation, seems too remote, and cold, and, when it does touch upon the present time, of questionable soundness as regards some views and small as regards others. The paper does not look upon existing society in its various classes—the King, the Court, the Aristocracy, the Commons, and the several divisions (in political opinion) amongst the People—either to advise us as regards immediate action, or to speculate on the possible results of the present condition of affairs and the temper of the different classes of the community. Half of the article is occupied with an historical summary, showing in a popular way, that when men are intrusted with power they will abuse it for their own interests; nnd attempting to explain the origin of the public desire for Re- form. The cause of this spirit seems almost inscrutable to the reviewer. But as near as he can guess, it is traceable to the "re- flections" of the middle classes, stimulated by the bad reception which good measures met with from Parliament; and in this way, "the exertions of Mr. Hume have rendered the most important service." It seems "considering too curiously to consider thus." Mere reflection, we suspect, would take centuries to create the change that has taken place in the great body of the people. And though it were absurd and ungrateful to deny that the Member for Middlesex has contributed perhaps more than any other pub- lic man towards the detection of abuses, it appears to us to be beyond the power of any one man, or set of men, to have roused the inertness of the general mind as it has roused itself during the last twenty years. Many causes of various kinds have been in operation, though differing in extent, intensity, and degree. The ultimate cause was the eaormous weight of our taxation, consequent upon the Revolutionary wars,—a pressure which was increased by the change in the currency, and still further aggra- vated by the indecisive way in which the preparation for the change was made. These things ruined thousands, crippled many more in their means of living, and naturally forced attention to the Government when such constant and heavy demands were made for the Government's support. The general extension of edu- cation was favourable to inquiry ; the writings of BENTH AM and ADAM &tem furnished materials for the thoughtful, the specula- tions of Pet NE and other Revolutionary writers to the violent; and the manifold corruptions and abuses in the administrative depart- ments supplied plenty of striking facts to men who would have been indifferent to abstract principles. Neither was meat wanting for the political passions to feed upon. The insolence, the profli- gacy, the tyranny and cruelty of the Tories—their employment of spies, their dragoonings of the people, their barefaced invasions of the "Constitution,' excited sympathy for the victims, hatred of their oppressors, and naturally suggested the question—what is the value of that system which will neither restrain nor punish such "great state criminals?" Many other causes, some open, some latent, were also in operation; not the least of which was the dogged resistance of the Tories to every thing which even had the name of Reform.
The other papers in this Number require less examination.
"Musical Reminiscences" is light and gossipy, but is not dis- tinguished for niceness of perception or felicity of expression, and is not very distinct in its purpose. The article on South America is valuable for the novelty of its facts and information, furnished by one who has resided in the country for years. The only paper that could have afforded mitch scope for criticism was that on EBENEZER ELLIOTT, and there we have none. The text is the "Poetry of the Poor ;" from which the writer preaches effectively enough, though coarsely, about Busters, and mechanics, and their teaching one another; but of the growth and formation of &store's mind, the character of his genius, the matter of his Poems, or the quality of his poetry, we learn nothing. The notice on New South Wales is a good review; that on Spanish Litera- ture we have not read.
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