foreign seminary.* He was bred a Protestant, and always continued a member of the Episcopal church, although he entertained a very high opinion of the Dissenters; and a particular esteem for the Catholics.

Among the various literary studies to which his genius was directed, pneumatology, as we have said, was one. Philosophers, indeed, have generally considered man in his individual powers, before they have followed these powers through their

* Mr. Murphy, who was about the same age with Mr. Burke, was from 1745 to 1750 at St. Omers, and knew many gentlemen who had been there for five years immediately before himself, and others who remained after him, until Burke entered himself of the Temple in London. The joint testimony of these witnesses proves that he was not a student at St. Omers. The evidence of his school-fellows and fellowstudents in Ireland proves, that he could not be at St. Omers, because he was at Ballytore school and Dublin university until his education was finished.

As long as they contented themselves with the liberty they enjoyed under the mild toleration of our laws and government, without making any attempts to subvert our established constitution. His disapprobation afterwards did not extend to all indiscriminately, it was directed to those individuals or classes only whose declarations or conduct manifested hostility to our church and state.

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operation in the various relations and engagements of social life. They have analyzed the mind before they ascertained what affections or actions of it were useful or hurtful. Anatomy preceded preventives, regimen, and medicine. This has been the case both with philosophy and philosophers. Pneumatics have been studied before ethics: Xenophanes went before Socrates; Hutchinson's Analysis of the Passions was written before his Moral Philosophy. The study, indeed, of man's nature in the abstract, which requires only an examination of the individual, is, perhaps, more within the reach of a young man, than the study of it in its operations, amidst the complicated engagements and duties of society, which demands his attention to the species as well as individual.

Burke, in his youth, bestowed much attention on logic and metaphysics in general, and applied himself with particular diligence to the investigation of Parkley's and Hume's systems.

While employed in treasuring up a profound knowledge to render himself useful, he did not neglect the means of rendering himself agreeable in the intercourse of life. To the learning of a scholar he added the manners of a gentleman. His company was sought among the gay and fashionable, for his pleasing conversation and deportment, as much as among the learned, for the force and brilliancy of his genius, the extent and depth of his knowledge. He had that great art of good breeding which rendered the members of the company pleased with him and themselves. He had an inexhaustible fund of discourse, either serious or merry, with wit and humour, poignant, strong, delicate, sportive, as answered the purpose of occasion. He had a vast variety of anecdotes and stories, which were always well adapted and well told; a constant cheerfulness and high spirits. His looks and voice were in unison with the agreeableness, insinuation, and impressiveness of his conversation and manners.

But though the object of regard and admiration in his native country, he did not

see much chance of acquiring in it an independent situation. Ireland, though often the mother of genius, is rarely its nurse. Burke, seeing little prospect of soon raising himself in his own country, made his first essay to attain permanent employment in another. Soon after he had finished academical studies, a vacancy took place in the professorship of Logic at Glasgow. A considerable intercourse had long subsisted between the universities of Glasgow and Dublin, owing, probably, in some measure to their local position, but in a great degree to the fame of the eminent Hutchinson, who had been educated at Dublin, and always retained a close intercourse with Ireland.

Burke, conscious of his metaphysical knowledge, applied for the professorship; but too late. Had he been successful, the Logic chair of Glasgow might, if possible, have been still more eminent than the Moral Philosophy chairs of Glasgow and of Edin

burgh: though the former have been filled by a Hutchinson, Smith, and Reid; the latter has been occupied by a Fergusson, and is now by a Stewart. Burke had planned a confutation of the Berkleian and Humean hypothesis; but the active engagements of politics afterwards prevented the completion of his speculative disquisitions.

Disappointment of early views has been the means of advancement to several eminent men of modern times. Dr. Fergusson was disappointed in an application for an inconsiderable living in an obscure part of Scotland. Had he been successful, taken up with the duties of his profession, his literary and philosophical talents might have been lost to the world.

Had Dr. Johnson become master of the Staffordshire school, talents might have been consumed in the tuition of boys which Providence formed for the instruction of men. The chair which Burke desired to fill would have been favourable to philosophical effort.