them an easier prey to such as have called themselves philosophers. Nor would this circumstance have been much regretted, had not this class of men perverted the subject, and converted one part of the infinitely wonderful works of the self-same Being, into an instrument of opposing and thwarting another part of them. than most Christians are disposed to allow; and to treat Nature's truths as they do, in connection with revealed truths, would have the two-fold effect of depriving sophists, on the one hand, of their most powerful arguments against the gospel; and on the other, of instructing Christians in the knowledge of those laws of nature which they are called to obey, and even must in some sense obey, so long as they maintain their animal existence in this world. This appears to be the object of Mr. Macnab, in his theory, and we trust we shall considerably ramify and enforce the same subject in our following papers.-In general, we may say, that his object seems to be, not to present the world with a new system of philosophy, but with a new theory, by which all the principles of philosophy, known or unknown, moral or physical, may harmonize. This seems to be his object. It is, in short, to furnish a key, by means of which he would unlock all mysteries; a thread, by which he would unravel all know It has been said, that philosophy is a handmaid to Christianity; and this, perhaps, would be a truth, were it not that it is so shockingly abused. Yea, I would go farther, and grant it an equally divine origin with Christianity itself; for the facts on which true philosophy rests, have the same origin with those of revelation; they differ only in their nature or kind, but not in their authority; this being the same in both; and, like the vessels of silver and gold in the ancient sacred service, physical truths are of use to illustrate and enforce spiritual truths. Hence, is it the business of Christians, according to their ability, to trace them in their respective bearings, and to observe their admirable harmony, notwithstanding their infi-ledge; a light, that will dissipate all nite diversity; for, "the works of the Lord are great," says a celebrated saint of old," and sought out of all them that have pleasure therein." Were all Christians, according to the opportunity and ability which God gives them, as faithful as they ought to be in the discharge of this duty, it is impossible to calculate the happy effects which might result from it, both to themselves and unbelievers. However the generality may here plead to be excused, it is certainly the duty of the intelligent and learned among them, whatever be their profession, to devote at least a portion of their time, to a pursuit so rational, so instructive, and important, as that of demonstrating the correspondence and harmony subsisting among the various works of God, and by this means both edify their brethren, and convince the gainsayers. It is pleasing to think, that there have not been wanting the most masterly works of this kind; but to the person who has consulted the work of our author, and is alive to the subject, it must appear that we are still far, far short of what yet remains to be done. The sacred writers, themselves, will be found much more philosophical It darkness; a centre, that will unite all lines. Matter and mind are alike subject to its laws; for its laws, according to him, "are more universal than those of gravitation."* Alike, it unfolds the mysteries of the Creation, Providence, and Redemption. unites all knowledge into a point or focus. It displays a continuity, a harmony, a concatenation, the most astonishing, subsisting among all the works of the Almighty. It shews how the book of Nature and the book of Revelation are linked together; the one being the first, the other the second volume of a work by the same hand. Such is the theory of Mr. Macnab. This is the thesis he wishes to maintain. He wishes to simplify, to generalize, to give the mind a hold of every thing at one grasp! And, how noble, how sublime the idea, could it only be realized! But is not the idea chimerical? To employ the phraseology of our author, judging by "analogy," where do we find any thing that will bear us out in such a pursuit, in the whole universe? Here, we see, if there be unities, there are also diversities-diversities ad infi Macnab's Theory, art. 12. nitum. How then can it ever be, that all should approximate towards each other, and meet in a point? This difficulty, as it refers to particulars, we do not pretend to solve, for this, upon the best plan it is possible to propose, must be the work of ages; but we may observe in general, that it is possible to conceive a circle whose circumference may contain the whole. And will not this circle have a point or centre, from which, if you stretch your line to its circumference, you include one portion of a septenary scale? Continue your measurement from this second point, around the line of your circumference; and after dividing itself into six other portions, it will bring you back to the same point whence you set out. The circumference of the circle then, which extends beyond all things, must include the whole; and the centre of this circle is the point where all meet. This theory, reduced to a mathematical figure, would be represented by a vast circle, including a hexagon, the six angles of which were brought into contact with its circumference, both having one common centre. By such a figure is proved the point in question, in as far as it relates to the whole; and it being the object of Mr. Macnab's work to make it appear, that things in general, by a law in nature, arrange themselves into concentric circles, every one of which is susceptible of being divided in the manner above described; it will hence follow, that when we discover the centre of each circle, we ascertain the point of union where all meet. From this point, therefore, if we set out on the septenary scale, we can never be bewildered; for we are travelling on the surest ground; namely, from a centre to a circle, and from any point in the circle, round its circumference, which will bring us back by the number seven, to the centre where we began. The septenary scale is, accordingly, the grand hypothesis of our author: and let none be startled at his hypothesis; for, that it is founded on undeniable mathematical truth, the septenary division of the centre and the hexagon, as above described, clearly demonstrates. There are THREE sources from which the human mind is furnished with ideas; and these proceed in the gradation of sense, reason, and faith. 1. Some objects are perceptible by our senses. 2. Some are perceived by reason, or abstraction, or deductions, of the intellect. 3. Some are cognizable by neither of these means, but are purely the objects of faith or belief, resting upon supernatural revelation; and they bid defiance to the powers of the human mind, to come to the knowledge of them by any other means. Now the different arrangements of our ingenious author's plan, determine the limits and demarcations of the human faculties with wonderful accuracy, as will be evident by the following sketch. On the abstruse subject of the origin of matter, the manner in which he proceeds is admirable. He seems to be aware beforehand, that to explain all its intricacies, is a theme beyond the reach of man; and therefore he avoids involving himself in the perplexing and unsatisfying jargon of the schools, respecting the concourse of atoms, the eternal existence of matter, its infinite divisibility, indestructibility, and the like. He wisely waves all those hard and knotty questions, which tend rather to gender strife, than to prove the subject; and begins where common sense begins, and views the world as it appears to the peasant and to the philosopher. perceives in general, that there are two classes which may be said to comprehend the whole. These are matter and mind. The latter he therefore places on the right hand, and the former on the left. But prosecuting his observations farther, he perceives another class, which, strictly speaking, is neither matter nor mind; yet, by striking characteristics, is allied to both. This, accordingly, he places in the middle between the other two; and this constitutes his first scale, which stands thus: MATTER. CENTRAL STATE. He MIND. But he observes again, that matter, strictly speaking, appears under different aspects, viz. mechanical and chemical; and that mind also appears under different aspects, namely, animal and intellectual. And the central step between these, as partaking of both, yet distinct from both, is organization and vegetable life; which, by the principles that compose the first of its properties, is allied to the left of the scale; but by those that compose its last property, is allied to the right of the scale. So that we have now an organic, or vegetable step in the cen MATTER. Mechanical, Chemical. tre of the scale; on each side of which are two belonging to matter, and two to mind; represented thus: CENTRAL STATE. Organic, Vegetable. Having made this advance, the mind of our author was led naturally to proceed a step further; and he perceived that the phenomena of the three central steps, viz. the chemical, vegetable, and animal, were cognizable by the human senses; but that the phenomena of the two lateral, namely, mechanism and intellect, belong to the province of reason or abstraction. Still dipping deeper and deeper into this wonderful subject, and now exercising his reason upon it, he perceives a chasm in his plan, a something wanting at its beginning and end; a something, which appears dark and mysterious, involving the first and the last; that is to say, an efficient and final cause; the one regarding the elementary part of matter, the other regarding the moral part of intelligence. This, accordingly suggested to him the complete septenary scale. To the beginning of the mechanical, he was led to prefix the elemental; and to the end of the intellectual, to superadd the moral; and both these are hemmed in by the inscrutable paths of the Almighty, beginning with eternity ab ante, or efficient causation, and termi Eternity ab ante Efficient Causation. Matter. MIND. Animal, Intellectual. nating with eternity to come, or final causation. These two, added to each extremity of the scale, differ from the other steps, in the respect that they are above the reach of human investigation; they are involved in eternity both ways. They are not cognizable, like the other five, by sense or reason, but are above our ken as mere animal or rational beings. They are, therefore, matters of faith or belief, as the others are of sense and reason; and this demonstrates the necessity of DIVINE REVELATION, to assist and bear us out in such profound investigations; for, without such aid, we must fall infinitely short of our object. Hence the necessarily mutilated systems, both of cosmography and ethics, where men discoursing on such subjects do not avail themselves of the light of the word of God, but walk merely by the light of the spark of their own kindling. Our author's complete septenary scale, or great seven-fold mystery of nature, now appears in the following scheme, with the Sun, the soul of the organic vegetable world, presiding over the centre. Mind Elemental, Mechanical, Chemical, Organic. Animal, Intellectual, Moral. 3, Vegetable. 5, Eternity to come, Final Causation. Perceived by the senses. Understood by abstraction, reason, or intellect. Believed by faith in the word of God, who is called Alpha and Omega, the First and Last. Let the author who suggests these noble ideas, and this rational method of treating the most abstruse and august of all subjects, here speak for himself. "These," says he, "constitute what may be called the seven-fold mystery of nature." "It is a scale, wherein the third and fifth are connected by sensible ties; the second and sixth by abstract reasoning; and the first and last by faith, or belief in Him who is called the 'First and Last,' and whose emblem is 'light' and 'fire,' typifying a state, which passeth all understanding,' transcending and enveloping in eternity, both ends of the scale." Art. 85. "The seven steps of the scale arc marked by a perfect harmony, which reigns throughout; but are at the same time so interwoven by the law of continuity, that we cannot fix a line of demarcation between any two contiguous steps. It is difficult, also, to find language expressive of this analogy, and yet flexible in its terms; so that their meanings may amalgamate by the insensible gradations of synonyme; for rigid definitions find no place here. There must be no abrupt transitions, no sharply defined margins; they must run into each other, like the seven colours of the rainbow, or the seven sounds of the octave; and, instead of a definition, we must designate cach step by its middle or prominent feature. This is the natural way of handling those abstruse inquiries, contenting ourselves at first with an outline, and afterwards gradually retouching and improving it by approximation, as a painter in finishing a landscape." Art. 86. "As the seven colours of the rainbow produces all imaginable colours, and the seven sounds of the octave all imaginable sounds, even so the seven steps of the great scale, embrace all imaginable science; the whole being compacted and swallowed up in the 'first and last.'" Art. 87. In this manner does our author proceed, guiding us by his masterly hand through labyrinths of darkness and confusion, into fields of clear day, where, by a little assistance, every object may be seen in its proper attitude. Our author, having got his grand seven-fold mystery of nature thus arranged, see with what admirable ease he accounts for the operations of the whole; and how each part, by the influence of habit and reiteration, goes on unto perfection! Beginning at the highest, and descending to the lowest, we perceive, that, in the moral department, perseverance produces more faith and obedience; in the intellectual, habit produces readiness and skill; in the animal, exercise produces quickness of apprehension, muscular vigour, and address; in the vegetable, cultivation produces luxuriant growth; in the chemical, the repetition of many of its processes, produces a more and more refined spirit; in the mechanical, friction, and the like, produces firmness and smoothness, and so on; but in the elemental, which, by hypothesis, excludes the idea of diversity or change, the analogy becomes evanescent, or, like the moral, matter of faith. Art. 93. Gliding along in this manner, we could easily present the reader, not only with the different scales of our author, but with a variety of others, all tending to demonstrate the harmony subsisting among the works of God: we could add criticism upon criticism, and illustration upon illustration, all proceeding, like so many wheels within wheels, and systems within systems, from the most diminutive atom, to the majestic whole; but this we must reserve to subsequent papers. Meanwhile we entreat the countenance and blessing of the great Eternal, whose works and ways we would humbly attempt to demonstrate and vindicate, to enable us to execute the present undertaking, in some measure at least, correspondent to the greatness of the object. (To be continued.) LECTURE ON ASTRONOMY. MR. EDITOR. SIR,-As the paper on Light, which I had the honour to send you, appeared in the Imperial Magazine, I am induced to put into your hands the following, on Theoretical Astronomy. It was delivered as a lecture, on the 9th of November, 1821, before a very numerous and highly respectable audience, at one of the public sittings of a philosophical institution, now flourishing in the south of the kingdom. Both in matter and style it is accommodated to the taste of a popular assembly; and was received at its delivery with sufficient marks of approbation. Perhaps that which was heard with apparent interest, may be at least read without offence. AMICUS SCIENTIÆ. Exordium.-Before I enter immediately on that subject which is to occupy our attention this evening, I cannot forbear the opportunity which is afforded me of presenting my congratulatory offering to this highly respectable and learned society. A prosperity like that which has crowned this institution, during the period we have had the happiness and honour to be acquainted with it, cannot have failed to inspire every friend of sci ence, every lover of wisdom, with a satisfaction the most perfect and entire. May this society still prosper! Like the tree, deep-rooted and well watered, may it still flourish; perfuming the air with its fragrance, adorning the earth with its verdure, and benefiting the world by its fruit! May it never want the beams of a vivifying sun, nor the refreshing breezes, nor the fruitful showers of heaven! May it continue the seat of all that is noble and elegant; of all that is entertaining and instructive in learning and philosophy; the boast and ornament of these towns, to the end of time! Such are the wishes of a stranger; a stranger, whom the members of this society have received with the attention and kindness of a brother! Such the desires of one who is willing to contribute what lies in his power to the welfare of this institution: The best proof of which he now proceeds to submit. Definition of Astronomy.-Astronomy is the science which teaches the knowledge of the heavenly bodies; their magnitudes, distances, motions, periods, eclipses, and order. Josephus History of the Science. informs us, that Astronomy was understood among the antediluvians ; and that it was particularly studied by the patriarch Seth, and his posterity. Unless we can credit this account of Josephus, the ancient Chaldeans must be acknowledged as the fathers of Astronomy. The lofty summit of the tower of Babel; the extensive and level plains of that country; the refreshing coolness of the night, after the oppressive heats of the day; an unbroken horizon; a pure and serene sky-all conspired to engage that people to contemplate the extent of the heavens, and to observe the motions and phenomena of the stars. From Chaldea, Astronomy passed into Egypt, and from Egypt into Phonecia; and as the Phoenicians applied it to the purposes of navigation, they soon became masters of commerce, and of the sea. Thales, the chief of the seven sages of Greece, who flourished about 600 years before the Christian era, is said to have brought the science of the stars from Phoenicia into Greece; and to have taught the reason of the length and shortness of the days, the causes of eclipses, and other astronomical phænomena. the hands of the Greeks, the science was cultivated with assiduity and success; and the names of Pythagoras, Anaximander, Meton, Pythias, Ar In famed in the annals of the stars. The Romans, the Arabian princes, and at last the princes of Europe, became the patrons and promoters of Astronomy. Importance of the Science.-Whether we consider the objects which Astronomy sets before us; or, the accuracy and precision of most of its proofs and calculations; or, the service which, in various ways, it renders to the na-chimedes, Aristotle, and others, are tions of the earth, it is, and ever must remain, the most valuable, interesting, and sublime science, which can possibly engage the attention of man. This noble science, not only deserves our reg as a matter of curiosity, or rather of astonishment ap,wonder; and as answering the most inrtant purposes for the good of civil society; but still more so, as it opens a scene, which impresses the mind with the most exalted, and consequent', the most just and correct ideas, of that eternal and omnipotent Being, who contrived, made, and still upholds, the whole! When surveying those stupendous works, which move with such order and harmony through the immeasurable fields of space, we are led to exclaim, But it is from the sixteenth century to the present time; from the days of Copernicus to those of Herschel and Olbers, that this sublime science has continued to advance towards perfection, with a steadiness and glory so peculiar to itself. And in all that interval, if we except the very days in which the immortal Newton sketched the laws of the universe, perhaps Astronomy, perhaps science of no kind, has ever witnessed a more bril *In the first volume of the Imperial Magazine, we gave, through several numbers, the These are thy glorious works, Parent of History of Astronomy at large, which would good, Almighty! thine this universal frame seem to supersede the necessity of this. But as the lecture would be incomplete were this historical sketch omitted, it is retained, that order and uniformity may be preserved. |