brain, it must reside in it either as a whole, or else in some particular part of it. It does not reside in it as a whole, because large masses of the brain have been destroyed and lost, without at all affecting the reason. Neither does it reside in any particular part, because every individual portion of the brain has, in successive instances, been the seat of disease, which has terminated in its total destruction, thing as conception and parturition,would assert that the whole was a mere delusion, and altogether unnecessary towards our existence. It is certain that before conception, neither brain, homunculus, nor ethereal essence, existed; but that after conception, some of them at least become inhabitants of the uterus. Now, we ask Mr. Lawrence, why the ethereal essence could not take up its abode in its animal habitation at the moment--therefore it evidently follows from of conception, or at any subsequent period, and gradually increase in energy and perfection, as its habitation became more developed, and adapted to the exercise of its functions? Mr. Lawrence's last effort, while considering the functions of the brain, consists in contrasting the mental manifestations in man, with those in other animals; and he boldly asserts that they are not only analogous, but in the ratio of their medullary development. "We cannot deny," he says, " to animals, all participation in rational endowments, with out shutting our eyes to the most obvious facts;-to indications of reasoning, which the unprejudiced observation of mankind has not failed to recognize and appreciate. "When the mules feel themselves in danger, they stop, turning their heads to the right and to the left; the motion of their ears seems to indicate that they reflect on the decision they ought to take," p. 102. such facts, as thought is not a function of the brain, either as a whole, or of any particular part, that it cannot be a function of it at all. But farther it appears, that the mind can influence this thought, arrest, nay actually destroy the vital manifestations, and suspend the organic functions, even of the brain itself. "A letter is brought to a man, (says Mr. Kennell,) containing some afflicting intelligence. He casts his eyes upon the contents, What is the cause of this sudden affection? and drops down without sense or motion. It may be said that the vessels have collapsed, that the brain is consequently disordered, and that loss of sense is the natural consequence. But let us take one step backward, and enquire what is the cause of the disorder itself, the effects of which are thus visible? It is produced by a sheet of white paper, distinguished by a few black marks. But no one would be absurd enough to suppose, that it was the effect of the paper alone, or of the characters inscribed upon it, unless those characters conveyed some meaning to the understanding. It is thought, then, which so suddenly agitates and disturbs the brain, and makes its vessels to collapse. From this influence of thought upon the external organ; circumstance alone, we discover the amazing of that thought which we can neither hear, nor see, nor touch, which yet produces an affection of the brain fully equal to a blow, a pressure, or any sensible injury. Now this very action of thought upon the brain, clearly shews that the brain does not produce it; while the mutual influence which they possess over each other, as clearly shews that there is a strong connection between them. But it is carefully to be remembered, that connection is not identity." p. 94 and 95. Mr. Lawrenee, we suppose, means this as a compliment; and we feel obliged that he did not go to the last extremity, and make us asses at once. Can he really be serious, when he thus indirectly insinuates, that a mule resembles man in intellectual powers? Such erroneous assertions acquire only importance by attempts at their refutation. Are animals capable of improvement, or of making the smallest advance in knowledge? Such as was the first generation, such is the present, and such will each succeed- Has Mr. Lawrence, in his physioloing one be, till the cessation of exist-gical researches, discovered any pheence. Nor has any succeeding gene-nomenon of this kind among the inferation even profited-even benefited, rior animals, any which has been sudin the least, by the experience of that denly paralyzed by any melancholy which has preceded it. But reason is intelligence-the death of a dear an attribute by which we are capable friend-or near relation-or which has of improvement, from the knowledge lost its small amount of understanding and experience of others. No one and become deranged under similar (not even Mr. Lawrence himself) will circumstances? We believe we may, be hardy enough to assert, that ́ ani- | without fear of contradiction, answer mals possess any such faculty. In this question for him. He has not. fine, if thought be a function of the Here then we are confessedly present ed with a wide difference-a most marked distinction-between the intellect of man and brutes. Mr. Lawrence asserts, that in almost all cases of insanity, the structure of the brain is diseased. "I have examined, after death, the heads of many insane persons, and have hardly seen a single brain which did not exhibit obvious marks of disease; in recent cases, loaded vessels, increased serous secretions; in all instances of longer duration, unequivocal signs of present or past increased action; blood vessels apparently more numerous, membranes thickened and opaque, depositions of coagulable lymph, forming adhesions or adventitious membranes; watery effusions, even abscesses: add to this, that the insane often become paralytic, or are suddenly cut off by apoplexy." p. 105 and 106. Mr. Lawrence's experience here differs from Hasland" Of thirtyseven dissections, made at Bethlem Hospital, the structure of the brain was, in eleven cases, firmer than usual; in six it was softer; and in the remaining twenty it was natural." See Quarterly Review, No. 22. But taking it even according to Mr. Lawrence's own statement, the argument will turn against himself. He admits that, "sometimes the mental phenomena are disturbed without any visible deviation from the healthy structure of the brain; as digestion or biliary secretion may be impaired or altered, without any recognizable change of structure in the stomach or liver. The brain, like other parts of this complicated machine, may be diseased sympathetically; and we see it recover.' As Mr. Lawrence has not defined functional disorder, we must leave the reader to form his own judgment upon it; we will, however, take upon ourselves to assert, that Mr. Lawrence never observed any derangement in the functions of a part, without a similar or corresponding derangement, either of the vessels of the part or its nerves. "The effect of medical treatment," he observes, "completely corroborates these views. Indeed, they who talk of, and believe in, diseases of the mind, are too wise to put their trust in mental remedies. Arguments, syllogisms, discourses, sermons, have never yet restored any patient; the moral pharmacopoeia is quite inefficient, and no real benefit can be conferred, without vigorous medical treatment, which is as efficacious in these affections as in the diseases of any other organs." So far as regards these statements, we can only say, they are not fact. Their truth is not found to be corroborated by experience. Moral treatment, in a very great proportion of cases, is found to be the only treatment serviceable; and it is found in a great number of instances, that neither moral nor active medical measures avail any thing. But this is not generally the case with the diseases of other organs. It must be allowed, that the diseases of other organs are often mistaken, and hence vigorous medical treatment may often seem to be inefficacious; whereas, were it judiciously selected, and rightly applied, it would probably prove beneficial. There is, moreover, one remarkable peculiarity attending insanity, and with which we shall now present our readers. It is an extraordinary fact in the history of mania, that maniacs, while confined, conduct themselves in a perfectly rational way; and so completely do they conceal the actual and real state of their intellect, as to deceive the most experienced and skilful medical practitioners; and thus succeed in removing those restraints imposed on them by law: but no sooner do they obtain their liberty, than they become guilty of every extravagance. It will be found in many cases of insanity, that the maniacs, while under coercion, act rationally, but when this is removed, they commit every excess dependent on mental infirmity. Will Mr. Lawrence say, that coercion restores and preserves the healthy structure of the brain, but that liberty disorganizes it again? These are facts, which, though they may fail in establishing an immaterial thinking essence, yet we think fully Mr. Lawrence's hypocontrovert thesis. (To be concluded in our next.) REVIEW-A Spiritual Guardian for Youth; being the substance of Sermons delivered at the early Morning Lecture, in the Summer of 1821, in Albion Chapel, Moorgate. 1 vol. By the Rev. Alex. Fletcher, Minister of the Scot's Secession Church. London: Ogles & Co. 1822. THE title of this work, and the name of the individual by whom it is written, will, with many, be a sufficient recommendation. Mr. Fletcher has long been known to the religious public as one of the best friends to the youth of this metropolis; and while we thank him for his exertions in the cause of morality and religion, we sincerely hope that those exertions will be abundantly rewarded, in a manner that will make him satisfied that he has not "laboured in vain, nor spent his strength for nought.” than the speculative notions of the greatest of philosophers-than the ardour inspired by party feeling in theology or in politics; in short, more worthy of encouragement than all the other pursuits of men throughout the wide expanse of the creation. It will scarcely be necessary for us to enter into a long review or analysis of this production. The subjects treated of are of the most important nature; and though many ideas have already appeared in numerous instances (indeed we know not that they can be too often repeated) yet the manner in which they are introduced cannot but command something more than respect. The work is well calculated to make young persons think upon their ways, and to produce a beneficial effect on their conduct; and we most cordially recommend parents and guardians to place it in the hands of those who are committed to their We think that Mr. Fletcher is peculiarly fitted for the instruction of the rising generation. It has been a matter of pleasure to us, to listen to some of his addresses to his youthful friends, to observe the earnestness and affection with which he laboured to impress upon their minds the importance of " the one thing needful," —to mark his manner and style when thus engaged, (the best, we might venture to say, it is possible for him to choose ;)-and to see the effect his instructions have had upon his youth-care, being full of wholesome truths, ful auditory. This must be to him a source of pleasure, and must encourage him to proceed in his labours; for beloved as he is by the children under his care or tuition, especially in his Sunday school, it is natural to suppose that the precepts he inculcates, will have their proper effect in leading them to that course of life, which it is his aim to impress upon their minds. The work before us, we doubt not, will be productive of as much benefit to the class of persons for whom it is intended, as any which has come under our observation for some months. The style is simple and affecting, and marked throughout with that extreme solicitude, so characteristic of its author. The object of the work is thus concisely stated: "Satan it is who has rendered the writing of this book necessary. He wishes you ruin, I wish you salvation. He has formed schemes to accomplish his wishes, and I have adopted measures to accomplish mine. It is his object to conduct you to hell, it is mine to lead you to heaven; it is his to degrade your immortal nature, it is mine to exalt it; it is his to conform you more completely to his own likeness, it is mine to conform you to the image of God; it is his to entail upon you unceasing misery, but it is mine to confer upon you unfading bliss." and written in a manner that cannot fail to captivate the youthful heart. We cannot refrain from giving the last paragraph in the volume, as strikingly exemplifying the truth of our remark, relating to the sincerity which shews itself throughout the work. It would be next to impossible for an individual to write it, who did not feel all its force; and we almost fancy we might have seen the tears rolling down the cheeks of this author while he was engaged in committing it to paper.— "Farewell, my young friends! The blessing of the Father, the blessing of the Son, the blessing of the Spirit, one God, rest upon you! I leave you with reluctance; may God never, never, never leave you, nor forsake you! As I have advanced, my anxiety for you has increased. Like the dying father surrounded by his offspring, I lay you down at mercy's feet. Holy Spirit, may the eye of mercy look on these youths! may the heart of mercy pity them! them. may the arms of mercy encompass In the building of mercy may they dwell for ever, and the triumphs of mercy may they celebrate for ever, with songs of loudest, sweetest, praise! God the Father, Son, and Spirit, hear my prayer: accept my offering! Amen and Amen!" REVIEW-Songs of Zion; being Imitations of Psalms. By James Montgomery. Longman & Co. London. pp. 153. 5s. 1822. Such is the avowed object of the work; an object more worthy of encouragement than the mighty moving IT is a heart-cheering and consolatory bodies of the mechanist or engineer-employment, to turn from the perusal of works, in which the highest intel- | periment; and as the many disgracelectual endowments which the Al- ful doggrel compositions, which we mighty has conferred upon his crea- daily see, abundantly confirm. On tures, are perverted into weapons the other hand, there is scarcely any against the glory, attributes, and go- thing more difficult, even to a poet of vernment, of the Creator, to the con- ability, than to write a good hymn. templation of eminent talents, em- And it may be remarked, that, in some ployed and consecrated to the acknow- heroic poems, confessedly excellent, ledgment and service of God the giver. hymns, when introduced, are often There is a dignity, a superiority, a beneath the rest of the work in mysterious depth, and breadth, and poetical beauty and propriety, and height, of feeling in the most exalted especially in religious keeping. One order of the human intellect, which reason of this general want of success, too often leads its possessor to mistake we conceive to be, that in hymns, as the aspirations of genius for the inspi- in epitaphs, the stores of obvious rations of religion; and to imagine, thought have been long ago exhaustthat feelings elicited by the external ed; so that to the genuine poet alone, phenomena of the works of creation, can any hope of originality or success and even the internal sympathies of possibly remain. the unrenewed heart, are the acceptable worship of the eternal God. It is an awful and lamentable fact, but of every-day occurrence and experience, that high intellectual acquisitions indispose their possessor to take up the cross, and confess the name of the Lord Jesus; and the poet especially, who, after having obtained the honours of this world, should venture to give this proof of the sincerity of his profession of the religion of a crucified Redeemer, must expect to But, between the cold and factiencounter the sneers of the profane, tious compositions of a mind, which the contempt and derision of the could, with equal elegance and sinceproud, and the neglect and suspicion rity, address an ode to Jupiter, or a of the half-hearted in religion. With Christian hymn to Jesus, and the emathese things before him, so mortifying nations of an heart renewed in the Holy to the flesh, and so trying to the spi- Ghost, and devoutly breathing through rit, Mr. Montgomery, with talents of the measures of verse, the melody of the highest order in poetry, and a sincerity, and the aspirations of pername and reputation of the most ex-sonal holiness, there is, as there must alted class among the living choir" | ever be, not only a striking contrast, of Britain, has ventured to devote but an immeasurable disparity in those talents, and connect that reputation and name, with a series of devotional pieces, in imitation of the Psalms of David. 66 There was a very general report abroad some time since, that the most eminent bards of this country were employed upon sacred poetry; we were gratified to hear this, because such a combination of splendid talent might have been expected to produce a system of psalmody commensurate with the wishes of those who admired the perfected excellence of the poetry, and the elevated standard of the taste, of the present times. genuine felicity of expression. It is on this account that we hail, with the sincerest pleasure, the present little volume, from the pen of Mr. Montgomery, and which we would fain only consider as a specimen, not, indeed, only of what he can do, but of what he may be induced to perform. To furnish appropriate language, in which sincere Christians may fitly express their devotional feelings, their sorrows and enjoyments, their hopes and their fears; in one word, their We are not unaware of the difficulty religious experience (to use a phrase of giving, what might, with propriety, grating to many ears,) is not only a be termed a version of the whole book praiseworthy, but an honourable, la- of Psalms: and we are equally perbour. To write some sort of verses on suaded of the inutility and inexpedia religious subject, string them toge- ency of any such attempt, as that of ther, and call it an hymn, is not rendering the complete subject of these attended with any considerable diffi- compositions into metre. But we are culty, as almost every serious Christ- | exceedingly desirous that Mr. Montian can testify, from having, at one gomery, who unites to the finest time or other, probably made the ex-strains of poetry, the warmest and | purest feelings of piety, should pro- | terms, or technical phrases, which ceed with this acceptable labour of love. Although many of the portions in this most delightful part of the word of God, are not at all adapted to versification, nor indeed to general use, having been written on particular occasions by their authors; yet as no scripture is of private interpretation and import, but is intended for the use and edification of the church in all ages, and as every psalm contains what may be emphatically termed a subject, and as Mr. Montgomery's genius seems peculiarly adapted to seize and appropriate such subject to the inspirations of his muse, we doubt not that every one of the psalms might be usefully and appropriately imitated, or the spirit thereof transfused by this "sweet singer," into songs, adapted to the purposes and worship of the Christian and spiritual Zion. To assert that these " Songs of Zion" were perfect, according to any given standard, would be high, but indefinite praise, unless we could add, that that standard might safely be assumed as a model of composition in this kind of writing. We think we may safely assert that we have found in these pieces, what we look for, in vain, through most of the collections of hymns in use at the present day, confessedly excellent as some of those collections undoubtedly are, and preeminently beautiful as many of the single hymns contained in each are known to be. In most of these imitations by Montgomery, we discover a perfection which belongs alike to an hymn and an epic poem-unity of subject, comprehending in itself a beginning, a middle, and an end. And although to many readers, this rare excellence will be a matter of no importance, to many others it will be the criterion which distinguishes these Songs" from the productions of the mere versifier, and shews them to be from the hand of a master. 66 seem to be appropriated almost exclusively as the vehicles of certain figments of theological opinion. These psalms contain, in the dress of an elegant, nervous, and pure English style, the doctrines of Christianity, not as held by any sect, exclusively, but as professed in common by all who hold the head, Jesus Christ. They will, therefore, we doubt not, be transplanted into different collections, hereafter to be formed, as the taste of compilers may influence them in a selection. They are also very properly adapted to common and well-known tunes; and as we know that the writer possesses a taste equally correct in music and poetry, we doubt not that, in being sung, these compositions will discover the value of such an advantage. We shall conclude these remarks with the author's imitation of part of the 137th Psalm, which we consider as a fair specimen of the work, the perusal of which we heartily recommend. Where Babylon's broad rivers roll, In exile we sat down to weep, Came, like departed joys, in sleep, Where, worn with toil, our limbs reclin'd; How can we sing the songs we love, Far from our own delightful land? My chiefest joy, may this right hand, My tongue be dumb, my pulse be still. ANNIVERSARIES OF RELIGIOUS AND British and Foreign Philanthropic We do not think this volume will On May 15th, 1822, a numerous and have a rapid sale at first, notwith-highly respectable meeting was held standing the celebrity of its author: idle curiosity is not very highly excited to discover how much one great poet excels another in the compositions of spiritual songs; still less do we think it likely to supersede any other collection of hymns now in use, as a whole; because it contains none of those set No. 43-VOL. IV. at the City of London Tavern, to cousider some plan for the permanent relief of the peasantry in Ireland, and also that of the British agriculturists and labouring mechanics. Among the methods proposed, no plan seemed to meet the views of those present with so much cordiality, as one proposed 3 D |