folio. We are not en train for work. We leave therefore our ancient friends, to coquet with the morning paper.

Never glances our eye over the political article of the day; that we do not feel tempted to exclaim with Lord Falkland, "Peace, peace." Ferocious to a degree is the editorial exhibition at present under our notice. To a beautiful text is wedded an odious commentary." Every man" saith the scribe," is equal in the eyes of our common father." This, we delight to acknowledge; but then followeth the usual tirade against heads pronounced scaffold-worthy, for that they wear coronets,-against hands declared polluted, for that they sway sceptres.-" Power hast thou, and I have none, therefore thou art a tyrant; gold hast thou, and I have none, therefore thou art a miser. Shame on thee, to sit in courtly halls, whiles I toil in open plains. Shame on thee, to speak with princes, whiles I bend my body before their lackeys. Am I not a man even as thyself?" Such is the appeal that the poor address to their wealthy brethren.

Bethink thee, poor friend (for with thee, as part of the whole, we would fraternize ourselves), bethink thee, whether thou hast right to complain. Dost thou not long for these honours thyself? Doth not

thine own heart hunger after these riches? Were all that belongs to the envied, thine own, wouldst thou not be as one of themselves? Doth not the same impulse which moves thee to desire, induce them to retain? Are they selfish? So art thou. Why then should that which would receive no better usage from thee, be wrested from them? Suppose all the wealth in the country were equally apportioned amongst the heads of families; under the present state of moral feeling, the next generation would witness a return to the existing aspect of society. The economist would have accumulated treasures, the prodigal would have dispersed them: and as wealth is necessary to the maintenance of political honours, we should again see the few powerful rich, placed in contrast with the many powerless poor.

But thou complainest, friend, that the Aristocrat disdains thee; that appearances carry the homage which should be conceded only to the man. Thou speakest truly, and thy words point to thy only remedy. Thou hast hitherto only put thy naked un-alluring appearances into competition with the gorgeous and attractive appearances of thy more fortunate fellows. Develope the MAN, put thy essentiality of being into contrast with the fairest external apparitions, and thou shalt no longer lament the inferiority of thy position

Consider, that even now the man of Genius takes his place amongst the men of Title, and consider, that whatever thy avocation in this life be, the end for which thou existest, is to become a fair representative of Genius. Thou will not deny that Genius dwells in thee :thou sayest, "Heaven is just, and gave to all an equal right to participate in the fruits of the earth," and wilt thou not likewise say, "Heaven is just, and gave to all an equal right to participate in the inheritance of mind." Let desires after the outward be quelled in thy bosom. Let thy soul be consecrate to holy and loving influences, for through these doth Genius utter its voice, and the truth is recognised by the age.

It is only by bringing the moral and intellectual aspects of man into comparison with his highest outward station, that the inferiority of the latter can be properly exemplified. The truly developed man of Genius sighs not for honours, and yet he has them. Honours that outvie all appertaining to political institutions. Precious is the diadem of a King; magnificent his retinue; great his dominion. But the Child of Genius is a God-crowned Sovereign. Immortal affections follow in his train, and his empire is the Universe!

But enough of one class of subjects,-let us change it. And truly we need pause, for our fountain-inkstand is dried up. Know, gentle reader, as a matter that may concern thee much, that we use Riddle's Duplex Fountain Inkstand, a new invention for holding at the same tinie a proportionate quantity of black and red ink. Now this is very convenient.

We are filled again, and find by our elbow, an extraordinary work thus entitled, "The Discovery of the Vital Principle, or Physiology of Man," recently published by G. A. Starling, 40, Leicester Square. The writer of this book is evidently mad ;-it is therefore probable that there is some truth in it. He is mad too, much in the same way that St. Paul was supposed to be. Too much learning has made him so. Too much learning brought to bear on one idea. The anonymous author is possessed with the notion, that all Matter is Diamond, and thereupon proceeds to announce an Evangile of the Diamond, as the primal indivisible atom of the Universe. We find that this work has been exposed to considerable ridicule; yet after all, however apparently extravagant, it only carries out the data of natural theology as far as they will go. We have long known that the new natural theology was only the old mysticism in a sprucer and more learned form, and that both at bottom were virtual pantheism. Our author quotes largely from the Bridgewater Treatises, Lord Brougham, Paley, Mrs. Somerville, and other similar authorities, and on their joint testimony, erects a theory of his own.

Space will not permit a laboured analysis of this production; yet some conception we will render. All Matter he says, being Diamond, and this substance having from its very nature, a tendency to form itself into a central mass or primitive egg, that egg being the centre and most solid portion of the sphere, would, of course become the focus of all attraction, and collect around its surface, matter, in parts, like unto itself. Thus would the circumference of the primitive egg, be studded with eggs, which, by pressing in every direction upon the parent egg, would cause it to stagnate or become degenerated, and in its nature changed. From cold to heat it gradually progresses, and generates a new form of matter, the fluid. Thus the solid egg is changed from the perfectly compressed and most minute atom, into a fluid state, expanding, swelling, and causing a succession of steam to arise from the centre to the boiling point or circumference, and to fall externally from thence to the bottom or freezing point, gradually drawing the outward bound eggs by means of the apex, into its stomach, and forming there a new centre or foundation egg in the midst of a minute fluid

ocean.

Thus is formed to each part of the tissue, a progressive line of gravitation, similar to that, on the larger scale, of the earth itself; the apex, or lowest portion of which, is always the seat of electricity, the highest that of galvanism; the heart or centre being the cavity whence the materials are ejected. The matter at the electric point, is ever in a crystalline condition, and attracts solid particles analogous to itself, by electricity preserving the mass above in a fluid state of motion; this fluid matter forming a medium between the solid parts and the aerial animal boundary, by which the whole sphere is netted together. We cannot but smile when we find that at the final change of matter into the aeriform, men will be saved from the Last Judgement by means of Balloons. "Ere the awful termination of the present abode of man," ejaculates the author, "let us hope that we may see the surrounding atmosphere spotted and illumined by moving vessels of every description, as we now behold them on the waters."

Matter and space with our author are coeval, "That which in the beginning was filled by the ovum, must have contained prior to that period, matter of a lighter description, displaced by the organisation of the ovum." Is it not plain that here we are yet to seek for something beyond the ovum, the diamond, or atom?

Separation and gravitation are with the author synonymous terms, and pre-suppose sin and the fall of man. "By separation or gravitation," he says "matter was first divided into three forms, the solid, the fluid and aeriform, united in one, which finally became perfected as the ovum of the universe; the materials of the ovum, by the same law, again gravitating to form a foetus, threefold in one as before, and being again the separation of imperfect from perfect matter.

The Law of Gravitation is prior to the universe, and Deity is prior to Gravitation. In proof of the latter dogma, the writer states, that a body must ascend ere it can descend,-we should be disposed to add, and descend before it can ascend. It is a question in which "either" is the proper answer; it is not to be settled by mere thesis and antithesis, but a third and mediate case must be supposed.

Friction or agitation is the only inherent quality of matter; it causes heat, and heat moisture; consequently, the primitive atoms began to adhere together. Two atoms adhering to each other, would have double force; thus attraction beginning, the two would accumulate four, the four eight, and so on, until the mass assumed the solid form, and became the perfectly organised egg. Blind or inorganic matter can organise itself. Life being the triumph of vital over phyBical laws, and progressive,-organization must have commenced from the most simple, and been carried on to its present complicated state. Its primary form being circular, (and it is well known that a circle may be enlarged from a mere point to infinity,) we must admit that matter has ever been and will ever continue to be. Power, extent, or volume, and organisation, have been acquired by unity and connexion. We have the same perfection in a single atom, as in the whole universe. But who shall assert that one atom can possibly possess the power of millions? One single solitary atom can never be annihilated; but it could never, on the other hand, extend itself into space, or become voluminous without some assisting power to extend it into 3 P

N. S.-VOL. I.

a form, or condense it into one entire centre. This power is the innate principle of motion or life which produced the law of gravitation, the original impression upon the matter forming our universe, of which all the subsequent combinations &c. are the necessary result. All the varied motions of matter are produced by contact. Organisation is nothing more than parts uniting together to make a whole; as in arithmetical progression, we find developed, 1. Unity; 2. Addition; 3. Subtraction; 4. Multiplication. Such are the existing laws of nature. The beginning is the end, and the end the beginning.

Man is the faithful Thermometer of life, in which the living moving Mercury rises or falls, to indicate the state of his health, or of the air which he breathes; teaching him what food to take, or what to avoid, &c. Mercury is the only metal which unites the solid, fluid, and aeriform states of matter in one-the elastic. There are alike three stages of elasticity and non-elasticity,—the oval, the fœtal, and the locomotive.

As an instance how all things connect together in this writer's mind, take this. He had said, that "the human heart is the only perfect machine of the human life." In a note, we find that "the Indian rubber is the substance which most nearly approaches to that of the human heart. This has lately been discovered to be, in some degree, analogous to silk." The text, which would be unintelligible without this note, then proceeds. "From the primitive egg of a pure, unadulterated diamond, has been produced that delicate, most refined, and perfect living mechanic, the little silk-worm. From this little worm, all heart, all love, all feeling, has been produced the immense and wonderful universe, with all its continuous chain or links of animated structure. From its own body has this little worm spun out the line which first formed the canopy of heaven, the silken bed on which its ashes could hereafter repose. It was this perfect little insect which produced from its tears the first pure crystal drop of water. (This is always found in the human heart). To its sympathy and love man is himself indebted for an existence. It was this little worm which spun the threads forming the first matting and downy texture of his bed. From the mixture of its ashes has been wrought that entire web or continuous wrapper, which incloses and protects every organ of his wonderful machine."

There is a sort of Hindoo sublimity about this hypothesis. Thus prepared, let the reader turn ostrich, and digest the following:

The substance of every animal is the same; its quality of three kinds, diamond, iron, and carbon: its genders, masculine, feminine, and neuter. The masculine gender is the iron, the feminine the diamond, the neuter the carbon, or latent life. Man first existed in the neuter gender, as in Eden, ere he was doomed to labour and death. Secondly, in the masculine, as in Adam, after Eve had been separated from his body; and lastly, in the feminine gender, as Eve. In the

"The larva is the second state. . It has no sex, or, at least, none has hitherto been distinguished, the developement of the sex of insects being confined to the state of imago or winged insects."

non-elastic life, the genders are separated; in the elastic, united. The perfect man is formed from one pure substance, of a three-fold natureAdamus. He unites in himself the three forms of matter or genders in one-the elastic, the perfect solid, the perfect fluid, and the perfect aeriform. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word,† and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth; the Spirit, and the water, and the blood; and these three agree in one' (Ì John, v. 7). In allusion to the author of this universe, I shall not presume to apply either the masculine or feminine gender; but I do assert, without hesitation, that the celestial parent, in whom we live, and move, and have our being,' unites both these genders in one perfect frame--the elastic."

What from this point the author proceeds to tell us of God, as the primitive diamond, only shews the imperfection and inadequacy of the system of inquiry which he has adopted, that is, the inductive and à posteriori. He stops at the fosse, which we allegorised in our new year's greeting; but let the scientific man, who is better off, throw the first stone! Our nameless pantheist is safe from the doom of the proto-martyr. The evangile of the diamond calls not on its writer to suffer. It is written, that whether mad or inspired, he shall not die the death of St. Stephen.

Trials of the Heart. By Mrs. Bray, author of "Trelawny," &c. &c. 3 vols. Longman, 1839.

Beautiful exceedingly are these volumes. Mrs. Bray has in them given us a picture of the various trials and calamities, by which it is the lot of man to suffer in this his earthly pilgrimage. The tale, entitled "Prediction," is very sweet. In it there is no variety of incident, yet is the interest of the plot unceasingly preserved. We become concerned in the developement of the feelings of its different personages-we are only anxious respecting their fate, because we sympathise in their distresses. We are not incited to the perusal of the tale, by having our curiosity stimulated by the authoress enveloping her hero in a mystery, which the reader is ever wishing to fathom. No! far from it. We can almost anticipate every incident in the piece. It is by the drawing forth of character, that Mrs. Bray excites us to the perusal. Not by exciting our merriment, by laying bare any peculiarity of speech, &c. &c, which so many authors mistake for delineations of character, but by making us weep for their failings and pity their misfortunes.

In the "Orphans of La Vendée," we have another phase of the miseries of humanity exposed to view. The mutual affection of a brother and sister for one another, is there the author's ground-work. Here again the plot is simple, but the details are most powerfully

"There is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."Gal. iii. 18.

+ It is the second person in the Trinity (the word), which corresponds to the fluid, or active states of matter, by means of which God causes this universe to increase in size, and work onwards to its perfect or locomotive state of existence.