frightful darkness, in all matters connected with the origin of our ideas, with the nature of our voluntary notions, and with the influences which the nervous system of the brain exercises over the movements of the whole man. All these barriers stand in our way in attempting to effect a full inquiry into the nature, extent, and use of those mental principles which refer more directly to matters of taste and sentiment. And hence also arise those contradictory judgments and varied opinions, found not only among different nations, but among members of the same civil community, on what constitutes the elementary principles of the grand, the beautiful, and the good.

The author affirms that the fine arts can never be successfully cultivated, unless we adopt a more correct and comprehensive system of mental philosophy. Had we a proper knowledge of our minds, we should soon be able to recognise those fine threads of thought and feeling, which enter into all our reasonings and judgments respecting works of art. We should then possess full and adequate ideas of poetry, painting, music, sculpture, and other branches of artistic knowledge; and be able to give a proper stimulus and direction to those peculiar mental faculties on which such arts respectively rest. Without a metaphysical knowledge of this kind, we are no more able to reason accurately on matters of beauty and taste, than a blind man is to descant on the nature and varieties of colours.*

* Investigaciones Filosoficas, pp. 2. 3.

The most mysterious parts of the mental economy, in the eyes of Arteaga, are, the union of the soul with the body, and the operations of the senses. How ideas are generated by this process, he thinks it beyond the powers of man to explain. The simple perceptions of the external qualities of material objects, do not appear to him so puzzling; but the formation of complex notions, such as enter largely into all our judgments of artistic excellencies or defects, have never been satisfactorily accounted for upon any mental hypothesis whatever. It is for this reason that he strenuously recommends a more sedulous and profound cultivation of the powers of the mind, and particularly of its more active and imaginative ones, for the purpose of throwing light upon all matters connected with polite literature and the arts.*

PIETRO TAMBURINI BRESCIANO.-Bresciano was a writer on moral philosophy, and published, in 1798, "Introduzione allo Studio della Filosofia Morale." The most interesting and important chapter in this work, is that devoted to an examination of the Cartesian philosophy. In addition to this the author gives a detailed account of the several prominent theories of morals, promulgated since Lord Bacon's time; and discusses their merits in reference to the intellectual constitution of man.

The following are some Italian authors on mental philosophy, whose works I have not had the Investigaciones Filosificas, pp. 7. 10.

.

opportunity of consulting. I have taken the notice of them from Lombardi's "Storia della Letteratura Italiana" and the "Biografia" of the kingdom of Naples, 1813.

CLAUDIO FROMOND.-Fromond was born in 1704, and was a member of one of the religious orders in Italy. He occupied a Chair of Logic in 1738. His work entitled "Nova et Generalis Introductio ad Philosophiam" was published soon after that date. There are several metaphysical principles slightly touched upon in the treatise, but it chiefly relates to physical inquiries.

GIAMMARIA ORTES.-Ortes cultivated metaphysical subjects to some extent, and with some success. His work called "Riflessioni sugli oggetti apprensibili e sulle cognizioni umane per rapporto alle lingue," obtained him considerable applause among philosophical readers of his own country.

FRANCESCO ANTONIO GRIMALDI. — This writer was a professor in one of the public Universities of Calabria. He is the author of "Riflessioni sopra l'Ineguaglianza tra gli Uomini." He opposes the views of Rousseau, whom he censures rather severely.

VINCENZO MICHELI.-This author was a native of Sicily, and gained considerable reputation for his metaphysical talents. The system of Wolff engaged much of his attention; and he entered

deeply into the principles of "Contradiction, Sufficient Reason, and Necessary Connection."

ANDREA SPAGNI.-This was a laborious writer on philosophy. He wrote on the nature of Ideas, on Cause and Effect, upon Good and Evil, and on Miracles.

* Biografia degli Uom. Illustr. della Sicilia, 1918.

CHAPTER XV.

WATTS, HUTCHESON, HARRIS, TUCKER, AND
HORNE TOOKE.

DR. WATTS.

WATTS'S "Logic, or the Right use of Reason,' published in 1725, has long been a classical work in the English language. It is not, however, a treatise embracing any metaphysical system or theory, save that of Mr. Locke, on which it is built.

On the nature of ideas, the author puts forth the following statement.

"First, the nature of perception shall just be mentioned, though this may seem to belong to another science rather than Logic.

"Perception is that act of the mind, (or as some philosophers call it, rather a passion or impression,) whereby the mind becomes conscious of any thing, as when I feel hunger, thirst, or cold, or heat; when I see a horse, a tree, or a man; when I hear a human voice, or thunder; I am conscious of these things, and this is called perception.