thought, of fresh thought on fresh thought, of hot thought on hot thought; in mirth and refutation, in ridicule and laughter: for these are the free play of the natural mind, and these cannot be got without a college. It must be recollected that the theological division of the English people corresponds, though very roughly, with a social division. Nonconformists differ much from Conformists: their habits are different, their manners are different, their ethics are different. A Unitarian marries a wife, and turns banker; his son is made a lord, and turns to the Church: sic itur ad astra. So subtle and so strong are the influences of life and society, of rank and homage and luxury, so feeble the strength of loose opinion, that few families resist the former long; hereditary wealth, in a generation or two, very conscientiously retreats to the religion of the wealthy. All this was quite forgotten at the establishment of the London University. Lord Brougham is accustomed to describe the expectations of thronged halls and eager students and intense and ceaseless study; and the astonishment of the promoters at the moderate number and calm demeanor and brief sojourn of those who responded to their call. Nor is the case altered now: the expanse of Gower Street will not emulate the slopes of St. Geneviêve, nor will De Morgan be followed like Abelard. The number of Nonconformists who desire to give their sons what can, in the English use of the term, be called a "university education," is not very considerable; nor, according to the better authorities, does it increase. They do not design their sons in general for an intellectual life, for the learned professions, for business on a large scale or of a varied kind; they do not wish their sons to form aristocratic connections : but to be solicitors, attorneys, merchants, in a patient and useful way. For this, they think and most likely they think rightlythat twenty years of life are quite an adequate preparation; they believe that more would, in most cases, interfere with the practiced sagacity, the moderate habits, the simple wants, the routine inclinations, which are essential to the humbler sorts of practical occupation. Open, therefore, the older universities though you may, you will not practically increase or materially change the class who will resort to them; the Dissenters in Oxford will ever be but a small, a feeble, an immaterial, though certainly a respectable and perhaps an erudite minority. The English Catholics might be a more numerous as we suspect they are in Oxford opinion a far more formidable faction; a Catholic Hall, we can believe, would really be a nuisance in Oxford: yet even this, we imagine, should be boldly encountered, — it would become much less fearful in a very few years. The English leanings and prejudices are so contrary to Romanism that it is only the semblance of persecution and the fortuitous opportunities of recent years which have occasioned its recent prominence. Would not the Tractarian movement have come to a point sooner, have gained less strength, have effected less for the Roman Church, if the Oxford men had from early youth seen exactly what Catholicism was? Familiarity will spoil romance : the charm of Romanism is its mystery. But anyhow, if what has been said be in the least true, if Oxford is, as we have hinted, to educate our thinkers, - how absurd to train them in ignorance of what is how peculiarly foolish to deny them the instruction of associating with people formed in other disciplines and bred in other faiths, the only sure mode of comprehending those disciplines and estimating those faiths! how wretched to make them say exactly beforehand what they will believe, and that with an accuracy which hardly any cultivated man would like to apply even to his most elaborate or mature speculations! What wonder if this ends in the common doctrine that the Articles are "forms of thought," irremediable categories of the understanding, — certain by nature, as clear as if they were themselves revealed? Lastly, Oxford has vexed the English people she has crossed their one speculative Affection, she has encountered their one speculative Hatred. So often as a Tractarian clergyman enters a village, and immediately there is question of candlesticks and crosses and rood-lofts and piscina, — immediately people mutter, "Why, that is Oxford!" More than that: a hundred educated men (as Romanists boast), with her honors to their names and her token on their faces and her teaching on their minds, have deserted to the enemy of England. This can not be answered. These people are ever busy; their names are daily in the papers; they visit out-of-theway places; they are gazed at in the quietest towns: and wherever one of the grave figures passes, with a dark dress and a pale face and an Oxonian caution, he leaves an impression, the system which trained him must be bad. Such is our axiom. Tell an Englishman that a building is without use, and he will stare; that it is illiberal, and he will survey it; that it teaches Aristotle, and he will seem perplexed; that it don't teach science, and he won't mind but only hint that it is the pope, and he will arise and burn it to the ground. Some one has said this concerning Oxford; so let her be wise. Without are fightings, within are fears. : 37 1 20 66 66 12 32 was were. -"to heed" for "to have heeded." 3, 4, 5-"are,' 66 10 as " for "like." to find " for "to have found." live" for "lived." Page 168, line 15-"creditor" for "debtor." 15-"it" for "them." 11-"with titles' for "with the titles." 21 "is" for "was.' 181, 184, 66 191, 66 192, 66 22 12 66 15 306, 66 66 3-"place" for "have placed." 5 dignities" for " 'dignitaries." 12-"polity" and "no polity" transposed, comma put before instead of after "distinct." 7, 21, 27-"polities" for politics 12- -"hidden" for "hid." "have been" for "be." "or" canceled before "had." "have" for "had." 33-"was" for "is." 17 66 11 31 11 LITERARY STUDIES. THE FIRST EDINBURGH REVIEWERS.* (1855.) It is odd to hear that the Edinburgh Review was once thought an incendiary publication. A young generation, which has always regarded the appearance of that periodical as a grave constitutional event (and been told that its composition is intrusted to Privy Councilors only), can scarcely believe that once, grave gentlemen kicked it out of doors; that the dignified classes murmured at "those young men" starting such views, abetting such tendencies, using such expressions; that aged men said, "Very clever, but not at all sound." Venerable men, too, exaggerate. People say the Review was planned in a garret ; but this is *A Memoir of the Rev. Sydney Smith. By his Daughter, Lady Holland. With a Selection from his Letters. Edited by Mrs. Austin. 2 vols. Longmans. Lord Jeffrey's Contributions to the Edinburgh Review. A New Edition, in one Volume. Longmans. Lord Brougham's Collected Works. Vols. i., ii., iii. Lives of Philosophers of the Reign of George III. Lives of Men of Letters of the Reign of George III. Historical Sketches of the Statesmen who flourished in the Reign of George III. Griffin. The Rev. Sydney Smith's Miscellaneous Works, including his Contribu tions to the Edinburgh Review. Longmans. The Earl of Buchan, a fanatical Tory Scotchman, had the number for October, 1808 (containing Jeffrey's article on Don Cevallos, which caused Scott to sever his connection with the Edinburgh and led to the foundation of the Quarterly), laid on the floor of the lobby in his Edinburgh house and the front door opened, and then solemnly kicked it into the street. See Lord Cockburn's "Life of Jeffrey," Vol. i, page 151, note.-ED. A rather intense expression, even though Jeffrey himself calls it "the dear little Lawnmarket garret." Jeffrey was poor, but many fine people lived in anything but fine quarters in old Edinburgh. - ED. VOL. I.-1 (1) |