the Learned Faculties ought not to be deprived of that privilege. This cenfure, however, is not the greatest proof I have given of my veneration for Christianity. The uniforin coincidence of this doctrine with the pureft moral and rational belief which I have exhibited in that work, is the best and most permanent panegyric that could be bestowed upon it; because it was from this coincidence, and not by hiftorical erudition, that Chriftianity though it had frequently degenerated, has always been restored to its purity; and it is upon the fame principle alone, that in fimilar revolutions, which doubt less will occur in future, Christianity will again be restored.

"That I have, on all occafions, recommended to the profeffors of religion a peculiar degree of confcientious fincerity, so that they should neither pretend to believe, nor intrude upon their pupils, any articles of faith but those of which they are themselves fully convinced. This internal judge I have always reprefented to myself as present (zur Seite stebend) when I was engaged in my writings, not only with a view to guard me against every error which might tend to corrupt the mind, but also to prevent me from using any expression which might be confidered as opprobrious.

Sup.

ported by fuch motives, I can fafely tranfinit to your Majesty the declaration respecting my philofophical doctrines demanded from me, and given with perfect fincerity of conscience: for in my feventy-firit year of age (1794) the idea naturally arites, that in a short time I shall probably be obliged to give an ac. count of all these transactions to the JUDGE of the world, whose omniscience beholds our hearts, and all the springs of action.

"IMMANUEL KANT."

No more, it is to be hoped, will be required on this subject.

2. That the Abbé Barruel is a Cafuist rather than a Logician, and confequently unqualified to write upon philofopbic Subjects.

To prove this assertion, it will be neceffary to shew that the Abbé did not understand the nature and tendency of the Critical Philofophy; that he has quoted passages, and made propofitions which have no connection with each other; and that he has entirely omitted the opposite illustrations, while he has endeavoured to put a false construction upon Profeffor

VOL. XXXVII. JAN. 1800.

Kant's principles, with an avowed design to thew an affinity between the Critical System and that of Weishaupt, or other Illuminati; an affinity which does not exist. On the other hand, it is well known to those who are at all acquainted with the state of philosophy in Germany, that there is an effential difference between their respective principles, and that the objections started by Weishaupt against the fundamental tenets of Kant, are such as will ever prevent an union between these Philofophers. It will, however, be more to the present purpose, to give a specimen of the Abbé Barruel's mifrepresentation of Kant's opinions. As our antagonist has not thought proper to communicate his fragments even in the same order which the Profeffor observes in the Effay in question, we shall here recapitulate Kant's words, and refute the Abbé by oppofing them to his abfurd propofitions contained in page 523 and following of the "History of Jacobinifm," translated into English under the eyes of the author, and fold by the publisher of the original work.

"I. It is melancholy to be obliged to seek, in the hopes of another world, for the end and destiny of the human species." -BARRUEL.

a

This paffage is so entirely repugnant to Kant's principles, and involves a proposition so abfurd in itself, that it mult either have been warped from an antithesis (or one of the antinomies expofed by the Critical Philofophers) into thesis, or altogether perverted in its meaning by the French Tranflator and Commentator in the "Spectateur du Nord," from which it has professedly been ex tracted. There is no fuch impious afsertion to be found in the work of Kant before alluded to; nor is it probable that this acute writer would advance a principle inconsistent with his philosophic system.

"II. It is not of man conducted by reason as it is of brutes led by instinct. The former has each for his end the developement of all his faculties, while in the latter, the end is accomplished in each individual brute. Among men, on the contrary, the end is for the fpecies, and not for the individual; for the life of man is too short to attain the perfection and complete developement of his faculties. In the class of man all the individuals pass and perifr; the species alone survives, and is alone immortal." - BARRUEL.

F

To

To shew the obvious misrepresentation in this passage, which is composed of fragments from several distinct propofitions of the Essay, we shall give the reader a faithful tranflation of Kant's words, from the original, as literally as is consistent with the idiom of the English language :

"Man being the only rational creature on earth, those natural difpofitions or talents, which incite him to the use of his reason, should be completely developed in the genus only, not in the individual."-KANT. Propofition Second, p. 66.-Nature has ordained that every gradation of improvement beyond the mechanical arrangement of his animal existence, shall be altogether effected by man himfelf (i. e. by his moral powers); and that he shall partake of no other happiness or perfection, than what he has procured himself, not instinctively, but by his own reason. After having explained that man is a moral agent, neither led by instinct, nor endued with innate knowledge; that Nature appears to have been very partimonious in her original difpenfation of endowments; that we prepare a fabric of convenience and happiness for others, without enjoying the fruits of our progreffive exertions; and that, though it appear enigmatical why generations should labour and live in mitery, as it were, to fulfil the intentions of Nature, by advancing one step farther, and laying the foundation for the profperity of their fuccessors, yet this gradual progress is neceffary, if we admit the following propofition:"A genus of animals is faid to be endowed with reafon; and, as a class of rrafonable beings who all die individually, though the genus never dies, they mould nevertheless attain the complete developement of their talents (anlagen)." KANT. Propos. Third, pages 667-669. It is evident, from the author's own words, that the question here is not of the mortality or immortality of the foul; and that the French commentators have entirely mifunderstood the drift of the argument.

"III. With respect to man again, the end of the fpecies cannot be accom. plished, that is to say, his faculties can only be entirely developed, in the most perfect state of society.

"IV. That perfect state of society would be a general confederacy of the earth, fo united together, that diflentions, jealoufies, ambition, or wars, would never be heard of."-BARRELE

"The greatest problem for the buman race, and to the folution of which man is compelled by Nature, relates to the inflitution of a civil fociety, which should administer universal justice. The highest intention of Nature, namely, the developement of all her difpofitions in mankind, can be accomplished only in that state of society, where the greatest degree of liberty prevails; and which, though it admits a thorough independ. ence (antagonism) among its members, still appoints and maintains the most exact limits of this liberty, so that it may be confiftent with that of others. As Na

ture farther wills, that man in fociety should realize this as well as all other purposes of his destiny, it follows that a fociety in which liberty subjected to external laws is established and combined with the greatest poffible degree of an irrefiftible power, or a perfect and just civil conflitution, is the greatest taik Nature has impofed upon the human race; because she can attain her other purposes with our species only by the solution and practical application of that problem." KANT. Propos. Fifth, pages 671 & 672. "V. Thousands and thousands of years may elapfe before this happy period of perpetual peace may come; but, what. ever may be the idea conceived of the free exercise of our will, it is nevertheless certain, that the apparent refult of that volition, the actions of man are, as well as the other facts of Nature, de. termined by general laws."-BARRUEL. Whatever idea we may form of the liberty of the will in a metaphyfical sense, yet the phenomena of it in actions of man, as well as every other natural event, are determined by general laws of Nature. History, which records these phenomena, however deeply their caufes inay be concealed, still affords us a profpect by which we may discover them in a regular feries, if we take an enlarged view of the fanciful display of the human will. Thus, the actions which appear confused and controlled by no rule in the individual, we shall recognize in the whole species as a continual, though flow, evolution of their original talent or difpofition. For instance, marriages, births, and deaths, being much influenced by the free will of man, appear to be fubject to no rule, according to which their number could be previously determined by calculation: and yet the annual lifts of them in populous countries evince that, as well as the inconstant weather, they take place according to fixed natural laws. The changes changes of the atmosphere cannot be previously determined in fingle cafes; but, upon the whole, they do not fail to preserve vegetation, the current of rivers, and other inftitutions of Nature, in an uniform, uninterrupted course. Individuals, and even whole nations, are little aware, that while they, each according to his own mind, and frequently in oppofition to each other, pursue their peculiar aim, they imperceptibly co-operate with, and are, without their knowledge, guided by the intentions of Nature. And let us even suppose that mankind were made acquainted with her purposes, they would be little concerned in that enquiry.

"As men in their exertions do not act merely from instinct, like animals, and yet, upon the whole, do not proceed upon a settled plan concerted by rational citizens of the world, it appears to be impoffible to form a systematic history of their transactions, such a one for inftance, s might be composed of the bee, or the aver. The obferver cannot repress a certain degree of indignation, when he Ies the actions and omiffions of man rerefented upon the great theatre of the world; when he finds occafionally ap. parent wifilom in individual cafes, but on taking a more general view of things, perceives that the whole is interwoven with folly, puerile vanity, nay even puerile malignity, and a defire of detruction. At length he is at a lofs what idea he must forin of that species which is so conceited of its prerogatives. There is no explanation left to the philosopher; and as he cannot presuppose in man, and bis general actions, any rational and peculiar design, he endeavours to discover a purpose of Nature in the inconsistent course of human affairs; and thence, if poffible, to frame a history according to a fixed natural plan, though the creatures who are the objects of this research, proceed without a determinate rule. Let us try whether we can discover a guide to fuch an historical picture; and trust that Nature will endow a man with ta

lents adequate to the completion of the piece. Thus the produced a KEPLER, who, contrary to expectation, reduced the eccentric course of the planets to fixed laws; and a NEWTON, who explained these laws from a general and Latural caufe." - Vide KANT's Idea of an Universal Hilory, in a Cosmopolitical Piero: Introdution, pages 663-665.(Extracted from the second Volume of his "Mifcellaneous Works:" genuine edition; Hallg, Renger, 1799.

F2

CONCLUSION.

Without commenting upon the incon

gruity of the quotations made by the Abbé Barruel; an incongruity which the intelligent and unprejudiced reader will easily detect; I shall only add the following declaration :

It appears to me, as I have verbally ftated to the Abbé, that he has acted on this occasion from confcientious motives rather than from rational conviction. Had he defended the great cause of Chriftianity and Social Order with arguments clearly deduced, and proved that the spirit and tendency of the Critical Philofophers eventually militates against established religions and governments, I should have filently borne his reproaches, nay even made with him a common caufe. But convinced that he is mistaken, and finding that he has contributed to prejudice the world against my venerable teacher, for whom neither time nor diftance can diminish my respect, I have ventured, nay I thought it my duty, to refute assertions equally virulent and undeserved. For my own part, I shall only add, that I have uniformly, during the present political and religious conteft, observed a respectful filence; a conduct becoming the pupils of Kant, and the inhabitants of a country where we enjoy every degree of rational liberty. Nor would I have undertaken the publication of the Elements of Critical Philofophy, had I not been repeatedly urged by my literary friends in Edinburgh, to perform that arduous task. Among these I have the fatisfaction to recal to my memory men of the first talents and respectability; men now employed in the instruction of youth at that learned College. And whatever my opinions were at the time when I composed this work, I folemnly disclaim every personal inference that might be drawn from a book, in which the general principles of another author are avowedly fubmitted to the examination of the learned-not with a view to diffeminate them in political circles, or to propagate them in popular pamphlets, exhibit the truth or fallacy principles to competent judges. I trust I have faid enough to conciliate the opinion of those who might have been prejudiced against the philosophic system of a man who, for more than half a century, has ranked high in the estimation of Europe; whose irreproachable manners are adinired by all who have the happirefs to know him; and whose whole life is one feries of virtuous actions.

Jan. 10.

acy

A. F. M. WILLICH,

I

T is but feldom that narratives of great events are published by those who are concerned in them, or in the lifetimes of those who were spectators of, or agents in them. Clarendon and the Duke de Sulli appeared long after every person was departed who took any share in the tranfactions they commemorate; but these historians have ever supported the repuation they had originally obtained for knowledge, information, and accuracy, and those who wish for fatisfaction as to the events of those periods, still apply to those authors in their original ftate, rather than to the manufactured accounts of later compilers or writers.

The prefent Author was an actor in many of the frenes he describes, an artentive observer of the manœuvres of party, well acquainted with the fprings which moved both the Royalists and the fashions, and very capable of fathoming the defigns both of those who oppofed, and those who fupported the existing Government of unhappy France, during the period of the Revolution. Some bias in favour of his friends may be naturally expected, but, on the whole, we think the prefent contains facts as little diftorted as can be expected from one who has Suffered the lots of fortune and station in life, and who has been driven into exile for taking part in defence of his king, of religion, and of fociety at large.

The present Annals commence in AuLuft 1788, and end with the termination of what our Author calls that guilty affembly (meaning the National Convention), whose vanity, ambition, cupidity, ingratitude, ignorance, and audacity, have overturned the most ancient and no

blest monarchy of Europe, and rendered France the theatre of every crime, of every calamity, and of the most horrid catastrophes."

In the course of these volumes many important secrets are difclosed, and much private anecdote brought to light. The character and conduct of Mirabeau and fome of the leaders of each fide, exhibit very interesting matter for reflection.The whole will ferve to shew the dangers of innovation, and the atrocities which are likely to be committed by a people let loose from the obligations of religion, and freed from the restraints of law.

The name of Abbé Sieyes having of late made much noife, and himself the object of much curiofity, we shall felect the following account of a negotiation with that pretended republican, as decifive of the character of the man:

"It only depended on the poffeffion of an Abbey of 12,000 livres (five hundred pounds sterling) a year, and a little more attention from the Archbishop of Sens, to have made the Abbé Sieyes one of the most zealous fupporters of the old Government. I affert this fact on the testimony of feveral perfons worthy of the highest credit, without any fear of its being contradicted by the Abbé Sieyes himielf; and I cite him from among a thousand instances, that the world may justly appreciate the zeal, patriotifm, and principles of those revolutionary demoniacs, who all, madmen and idiots excepted, had no other object in declaiming and writing so violently against the Government and the Minifters, than to make them purchase at a higher price their filence or their pen. The

The Abbé Sieyes, a man for systems, a Subtle arguer, an obfcurely profound metaphysician, pushed himself into notice in 1787, in the Provincial Affembly of Orleans, of which he was a member, by his continual and frequently embarraffing oppofition to the old principles, and to all the views of the Government. The Archbishop of Sens, then Minister, being informed of it, asked M. de L-, one of the principal members of that department, who the Abbé Sieyes was, of whom he heard fo much. • He is a man (replied M. de L-) extremely dangerous in times like these. You muit abfolutely secure him, to prevent his doing a great deal of mischief.' But by what means fecure him? There is but one; and that is, to chain him down with fetters-not of iron, but of gold.'-' What! do you think he is to be bought ? I have no doubt of it; he is not rich, he loves expenfive living, and good cheer, and of course money. How much must he have? Do you think an annuity of 6000 livres upon an Abbey would be enough? -No; his price is higher than that.' -Say twelve, then.' That will do; but instead of giving him an annuity give him an Abbey of that value. He is of low extraction, and full of vanity; he would be highly flattered with an Abbey, and you will be fure of being better ferved for it.'-' Let it be so then. Will you undertake the negotiation?'No, I cannot; but the Abbé de Gezarges, who is known to be entirely devoted to you, is in our Provincial Affembly, and nobody is fitter to execute the commiffion.'-" Well, then, I will put it into his hands.

The Archbishop of Sens in consequence fent the Abbé Cezarges private instructions, together with a letter which he was to thew as occation required to the Abbé Sieyes, and in which the Minister spoke highly of the talents and great knowledge of the Abbé, faying, that he had mentioned him to the King, and that his Majetty thought of calling him into the Administration, of preferring him to an Abbey of 12,000 livres income, &c.

"With these credentials the Abbé Gezarges went and paid a friendly vifit to the Abbé Sieyes. How is it, my dear Abbé, faid he to him, that, with all the talents you poffefs, you have not the wit to turn them to account in improving your situation? The fide of opposition in our Affemblies will only lerve to create you powerful ene

mies, and to shut the door of favour against you; whereas, if instead of perpetually oppofing and embarrasting the Government you were to be of fervice to it, you would certainly be well rewarded.' Of service to the Govern. ment! to the Ministers! Do not mention it to me, there is nothing to be done with those People, they are all either madmen or fools.'-' The Archbishop of Sens' The Archbishop of Sens is the greatest madman among them. • You will allow at least that he is not a fool, and I will convince you that he is not mad; you are much in the wrong to speak of him as you do: the proof of his not being mad is, that he thinks highly of you.'-' Of me! He does not ever know my name.'' You are mistaken; he has heard a great deal of you, and does not doubt that you could, if you would, be of very great fervice to the Administration: he has even proposed you to the King, and to give you an Abbey.'- An Abbey!'-' Yes, an Abbey, and an Abbey too with a revenue of 12.000 livres; this deferves attention.'- No doubt it would, if what you fay were true.' I can thew you all I have faid to you, written by the hand of the Minister himself: and I should not have mentioned it to you, had I not been expreffly commiffioned by him to do it. Oh! that alters the cafe.' • Well! what answer shall I give?'

I cannot pretend to say that a good Abbey would not give me a very great pleasure.'-' That's right, and you may depend upon having one; but may the Ministry alfo depend upon your services?" -Of course, and if they will liften to me they will be guilty of fewer follies?'Then I may write to the Archbishop of Sens that you except the Abbey, and fo forth.'- Yes, certainly; but when is this to take place?'- Immediately after the closing of our Provincial Affeinbly. You must go to Versailles, where you will fee the Archbishop; converte with him upon the fubject, and in the next arrange. ment of the lift you will be appointed.

"From that moment the Abbé Sieyes entirely changed his tone in the Affem bly, to the great aftonishment of thofe who were unacquainted with his fecret. They continued fitting for about fox weeks longer. Hardly were they broke up when the Abhe Sieyes repaired to Vertailles, and presented himfelt at the Hotel of the Archbishop of Sens. During two hours he waited in vain in the anti-chamber for the moment when he fhould be introduced into the Minister's cdofet.