LIFE AND ESSAYS OF BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, 18mo. mus. 0 38 THE LUCY BOOKS, By Jacob Abbott, complete in 6 vols. 16mo., fine paper, illuminated titles, scarlet cloth, gilt backs, in a case; a set, 3 75 Cousin Lucy's Stories; Cousin Lucy's Conversations; Cousin Lucy at Study; Cousin Lucy at Play; Cousin Lucy among the Mountains; Cousin Lucy on the Sea Shore; all in neat muslin, 18mo., each 0 45 THE HOME STORY BOOK, comprising the following three Juveniles, illustrated, THE HOLIDAY, by Joseph Alden, D. D., 18mo., cloth, THE SLEIGH Ride, THE WHIPPOORWILL, .0 45 0 31 *RATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY, or the Subjective Law and Objective Idea of all Intelligence, by Rev. Laurens P. Hickok, D. D., 717 pages octavo, muslin, (author's book,) . 0 31 . 0 31 . 2 50 *THE TRIAL OF WILLIAM FREEMAN, for the Murder of John G. Van Nest, Sarah Van Nest, George Van Nest, and Phebe Wyckoff, who was defended on a plea of insanity, by Hon. William H. Seward, including the testimony, arguments of the counsel, decisions of the courts, etc., Reported by B. F. Hall, Esq., octavo, law sheep, (author's book,) 2.00 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS. 1 25 *THE LIFE OF JOHN ADAMS, Second President of the U. S., by J. M. Austin, with a portrait, 12mo., cloth, (published soon,) . 1 25 *THE LIFE OF THOMAS JEFFERSON, Third President of the U. S., by H. S. Randall, same style, (nearly ready,) *THE LIVES OF JAMES MADISON AND JAMES MONROE, Fourth and Fifth Presidents of the U. S., by J. Q. Adams, same style, *THE LIFE OF JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, Sixth President of the U. S., by William H. Seward, same style, LIFE OF GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON, Seventh President of the U. S., by J. S Jenkins, same style, LIFE OF GENERAL ZACHARY TAYLOR, Twelfth President 1 25 of the United States, by H. Montgomery, same style, . 1 25 The Lives of the remaining Presidents are in preparation. The following supplied in quantities at a Liberal Discount: Cash Account. 15 13 DR. HICKOK'S RATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY. RATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY, or the Subjective Idea and the Objective Law of all Intelligence. By Laurens P. Hickok, D. D., Professor of Christian Theology in the Theological Seminary, Auburn, N. Y. The few, not the many, will find pleasure and improvement in the study of a treatise like this, discussing with much ability and research, indicative of close and patient thought, the abstruse science of the mind, and reaching principles by a careful induction of well arranged and considered facts. The author has favorably introduced himself, in this work, to the thinking portion of the religious public, and will calmly await the verdict of the learned world upon this elaborate performance. It is a handsomely printed octavo of 700 pages.-N. Y. Observer, Prof. Hickok's Psychology.-The review of Prof. Tayler Lewis, in the Bibliotheca Sacra, of the work of Dr. Hickok of the Auburn Seminary, is the first fair analysis of its system and theories that we have ever seen, although the volume has been for some time before the public, challenging attention and criticism by the grave importance of its subject, and its marked departures in many respects, from the generally received doctrines. Its formidable size, and its more formidable style and terminology, may have had some effect in disheartening critical zeal; but its crudite and comprehensive discussions are evidently destined to mingle with the broad current of philosophy, and to command the attention, if not the assent, of scholars. There is no difficulty of dialect, or abstruseness of style that can long keep thought that is thought from its influence upon the world. Prof. Lewis, one of the clearest thinkers among us, has brought the whole force of his mind to bear upon the work; and though in many respects of theological tendency, not at all prone to approve it, has commended it in decided terms, as a work which will give its author “a very high standing among thinkers"-and that "it increases in interest on every page." Some of the discussions in the latter part of the book are of the profoundest moment. All readers who have suffered the comparatively dry detail of statement and definition in the first part of the volume, (or the difficulties of style, he might have added) to deter them from the close study of the whole, may be assured that they have lost much which possesses not only a philosophical and a scientific, but also a high moral and religious value." We trust that the hearty commendation of so distinguished a scholar and subtle a reasoner as Prof. Lewis, will have the effect of multiplying the readers of Dr. Hickok's treatise, and of bringing out further crit icism upon its merits or deficiencies, its truths or its untruths.-N. Y. Evang. 66 Dr. Hickok is profoundly versed in the writings of the great Continental phi losophers. He is so familiar with their thoughts, their mode of reasoning and their phraseology, that their exceeding intellectual wealth is no source of embar rassment, but he handles and makes use of their treasures with the graceful facil ity of one who was born for their enjoyment. He has melted down the rough, rugged ore of German Thought in the crucible of his own strenuous, persistent intellect, till it flows forth in a clear, brilliant, translucent stream of refined and precious metal, ready to receive the original impress, which will give it value in the currency of all thinking men. Nor is he confined to this process of reproduction and purification. His work is essentially original. It is a uniform, consistent whole, which everywhere shows the characteristics of an independent mind. Although its progress, from the very nature of the subject, and the manner in which it is presented, must necessarily be slow, it will win a favorable reception among the limited number who are competent to decide understandingly on its merits, and will secure a place as a standard authority on the difficult science to which it is devoted.-N. Y. Tribune. The work is well printed on large type, fine paper, 717 pages large 8vo. and sold at the reduced price of $2,00, by Crocker & Brewster, Boston, W. F Draper, Andover, M. H. Newman & Co., New York; also, at wholesale and retail, by DERBY & MILLER, Publishers, AUBURN, N. Y. THE BIBLIOTHECA SACRA, NO. XXXI. AND AMERICAN BIBLICAL REPOSITORY, NO. LXXXIII. JULY, 1851. ARTICLE I. THE ARRANGEMENTS IN THE CONSTITUTION OF THE MIND, FOR A FUTURE JUDGMENT AND RETRIBUTION. By George B. Cheever, D. D., New York. IN tracing the materials and agencies in the human mind for a future judgment and retribution, we find, next after Remembrance, the article and operation of Remorse. We are first to find the law, under which this operation of a guilty nature acts. And this is one of the plainest, best developed, and most unquestionable of the facts and laws of our being. It is the faculty and law of Conscience. There is within the soul a silent, invisible, but ever present witness of all thoughts, feelings, words, and actions. This witness is named in our language, Conscience. The first and literal meaning of the Greek word, ovveidńois, is a knowing with one's self, a consciousness. This is also the etymological, elemental meaning of our English word conscience, con-science, knowing with. Add to this the idea of the discernment and judging of right and wrong, with the approval or disapproval of the same, and we shall have the full definition of the faculty of Conscience. It is a word perhaps to be found in all languages, and it has the same meaning, all the world over. The conscience is sometimes called our Moral Sense, that is, an inward sense of moral qualities and actions, a sense of right and wrong, answering to our outward senses; and as these distinguish the qualities of external objects, distinguishing in like manner the qualities of moral objects, or the difference between moral qualities. Conscience is the judgment of the mind in regard to all the acts and VOL. VIII. No. 31. 41 movements of our being. Sometimes it is so slight as not to be noticed, being merely a consciousness, general and indefinite, that does not take shape in a particular judgment. There are five grand points, in reference to which we shall consider this faculty: 1. As universal in its existence; 2. Unceasing in its action; 3. Retrospective in its operations; 4. As affected by habit, and susceptible of perversion; 5. As eternal in its power. First then, this faculty of conscience is a universal possession of mankind. It is doubtless a part of our essential being as made in the image of God. The sense of right and wrong in ourselves, and the judgment of right and wrong in others is an experience and a process familiar, in some degree, to every man. The development, education, and action of this faculty are determined very much by men's circumstances; and it is a faculty which acts according to the degree of light that has been enjoyed in regard to duty. But in some degree the possession and action of conscience are to be distinguished everywhere, and the faculty is as surely a part of every man's being as the faculty of memory, or the power of reason. We inquire, to make this plainer, What would be the condition of the world without this faculty of conscience as a part of the human constitution? Conceive, if we can, of a man, an intelligent being, actually without a conscience. All sense of the difference between good and evil, right and wrong, would disappear from such a man's experience. Convenience and pleasure, self-enjoyment, present and to come, would be his only law. Utility would be his guide, and whatever was pleasurable would be regarded as useful, and the highest utility would be the production of pleasure for himself. All regard to God would cease, and all regard to man, save that of prudence in watching for his own interests, which would always, in his estimation, be above those of all other men in importance. There would also be no sense of guilt or crime in others, no condemnation passed upon others, except merely as a matter of utility or profit. The condemnation which we pass on others arises solely from the same constitution of our being which produces the consciousness of guilt in ourselves, the displeasure of our own moral sense at our own conduct. If this introspective conscience did not exist, there would be no circumspective conscience, no such thing as a moral sense or judgment of the qualities of other men's actions. The same act of our moral being which justifies or condemns another, and renders the character of our neighbor pleasing or displeasing to us in a moral point of view, is the power that acts upon ourselves; it is the 1851.] Conscience universal in its Operation. 473 same power. It would not act upon others, if it did not act upon ourselves. Without this faculty, there would be, in morals, no distinction of colors. As to a blind man, white, black, red, green, or blue, all are the same; so in a moral sense, without the faculty of conscience, would be all the qualities of actions to the soul. As to one who had lost the sense of taste, it were a matter of indifference what element his food were composed of, since wood, iron, stones, fruit, meat, bread, vegetables, all would be the same, so would it be to one who has lost the faculty of conscience with the moral character and qualities of all feeling, thought and action. The sun strikes upon all objects, and the reflection of his rays produces the variety of nature; but there is no perception of such variety by a blind man; just so, the moral sun shines upon all qualities, and is reflected back, but there is no perception of this by a being without a conscience. There would be, in such a case, no response to God's Word, no sense of obligation. There would be merely the sense of profit. There would be no gratitude. Favors received would be absorbed as a dry soil absorbs the rain, or as a tree receives nourishment from earth, air, and the elements; but there would be no return, no feeling of love, no sense of obligation. Parental kindness would beget no affection but that founded on self-interest; so far as a parent could be useful, so far he would be cherished, cared for, cultivated, but no farther. Just so it would be in regard to God. The idea of Deity itself, of the Creator, Benefactor, Judge, of the All-merciful, All-wise, just God, would be merely the idea of a vast utility; or, as self would be predominant and absorbing, the idea of an enemy, the idea of a being too vast to be controlled and used for selfish purposes, and therefore opposed to self-interest and an enemy. Take away conscience, and leave only utility, and you make every man, in his own view, God, every man to himself the centre of the universe. And that too without any sense of guilt, that too with the blind, straightforward, unchecked, unceasing, unrelenting instinct of selfishness, which, whatever stood in its way, be it man or beast, God or nature, would sacrifice and tread down all. If the world were filled with such beings, the world would be a hell, without hell's sense of sin; a chaos of conflict, where the strife, if it went on, would depopulate the globe, and where the only stop to it would be the universal experience of its misery, and the mutual agreement of restraint and check as a matter of sheer utility, expediency and necessity. Such would man be, such would the world be, without conscience. But conscience is universal, |