they form an appropriate appendix. He is surprised that his father should have been accused of infidelity. And he writes a treatise upon the religious instruction of the young, scrupulously avoiding to mention Christianity or the Bible, but arguing against them, and rejecting them under the pretence that he is contending with Calvin. A child of seven years old, who has learned philosophy at Lanark, may not possess sufficient common sense to perceive the drift of his instructor's observations. But an unsophisticated English lad would see through the whole scheme in an instant. The fact is, that Mr. Owen, the father, was blamed by some of our crafty infidels for avowing his disbelief of Christianity; Mr. Owen, the son, has taken the hint; and withholding an admission which did credit to the family honesty, perseveres in the nonsensical scepticism which renders it impossible to denominate them Christians. If things proceed in the same train for another generation, we shall have the grandson of the great philanthropist retaining the no religion he has inherited, and covering it with a Jesuit's or a fanatic's eloak. In the mean time the book before us will do good. The nation is once more to be pestered with the speeches, solici tations, and subscriptions of those who desire to educate the poor without the assistance of the clergy. The pretence is the instruction of children between two and seven years of age. The object is to prop up the sinking cause of Joseph Lancaster; to get rid of the Prayer-book, the Creed, and the Catechism, and to make the mass of the population dissenters in their infancy. Nobody can read the speeches and pamphlets produced upon the occasion without perceiving that this is their drift. But those who wish to see the system in its brightest colours, should consult the "Outline" of Mr. R. D. Owen. How such a man and such a scheme can be encouraged by our pious sectaries, we shall not undertake to explain. We may venture, however, to declare, that his task is not more ridiculous or more mischievous than that which is talked by greater men, and greedily swallowed by their admirers. If they have talked too loud, or swallowed too eagerly, and thereby defeated a long meditated attempt, we have to thank them for saving us the trouble of exposing their conduct, by doing it so effectually themselves. ART. XII. An Introductory Lecture to a Course in Comparative Anatomy, illustrative of Paley's Natural Theology. By John Kidd, M. D. Regius Professor of Medicine in the University of Oxford. 8vo. 72 pp. 2s. 6d. Rivingtons. 1824. OUR philosophical infidels are become more cautious and circumspect than they were a few years ago. They have learned that Christianity is not to be rejected in a moment, even at the bidding of a physioligist or a chemist. They have received an intelligible hint, that they must confine themselves to their own business. The geologist who furnishes his receipts for the formation of her worlds, the phrenologists who babble about the development of our organs, and the anatomist who demonstrates the non existence of spirit, have consented, for obvious reasons, to keep their opinions to themselves; and Professor Kidd judiciously avails himself of this time of peace, to promulgate and strengthen very different notions. At the recommendation of several distinguished members of his University, he professes to illustrate Paley's Natural Theology by "a Course of Comparative Anatomy," and determines to publish the excellent Lecture by which that Course was introduced to his pupils. We sincerely rejoice at his conduct; and with the hope of making his observations more extensively known, we extract, without much selection, from his pamphlet. "As every subject is probably viewed by each individual in some peculiar light, in a light, that is, modified by his habitual train of reflection, I would beg permission, in the commencement of these Lectures, to make a few observations on the application and value of the argument employed by Paley in the work above mentioned. "Being fully persuaded then that the supposition of pure intel, lectual atheism involves an intellectual absurdity; in other words, that the pure or unmixed application of the intellectual powers, supposing them to be in any degree sufficient for the process of reasoning, can never lead to a conclusion involving the disbelief of a Creator; being fully persuaded of this point, I feel that so far it is unnecessary to hold any argument on the subject; and that Paley, without making any appeal to the understanding of a supposed atheist, might have simply held up to view the manifestation of the power and wisdom of God, evidenced in the works of creation, as a subject worthy both of philosophical and religious contemplation. But atheism apparently exists and has existed in all ages of the world; and is from time to time either openly professed or insidiously recommended by those, whose intellectual powers, however distorted or diseased, give general proof of original strength and soundness. Nor is it difficult, whether to those who admit the original depravity of our nature, or to those who have simply by observation penetrated the recesses of the human heart, to discover the existence of motives that would lead either to the profession of atheism, or to a wish that the doctrine were true. For, without entering more minutely into a question, the discussion of which belongs rather to others, it is evident from antecedent reasoning, that a profligate man, whose life is systematically at variance with what are generally acknowledged as the moral laws of God, would first wish to escape the punishment consequent on the infringement of those laws; and would thus be led to hope, that the author of those laws had no existence but in the opinion of mankind. And such a wish is probably implied in that passage of the Bible; The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God:' for since in the language habitual to Scripture wickedness and folly are convertible terms, and as what we are affirmed to say in our heart may naturally be understood as expressing the object of our affections, rather than the conviction of our understandings; hence those words may be interpreted as implying the hope, rather than the belief of the fool, or wicked man. On the other hand, the outward profession of atheism may be traced to many sources. Those men, for instance, who live a depraved life may choose to profess a disbelief in God, in order to obviate the accusation of inconsistency in living directly in opposition to his laws: or intellectual pride, that absurd yet baneful error of our nature, may lead some to the profession of a doctrine, on the discussion of which more humble, and therefore to them more contemptible minds may fear to enter. Some, again, may gratify their vanity by the invention or application of specious arguments, for the purpose of influencing others, less wicked perhaps, but still weaker than themselves; while these their disciples may on their part be gratified by supposing, that they see the solidity of the arguments of a favourite leader: for that such reciprocal feeling may take place between opposite characters is manifested on various occasions. Doubtless the pleasure is as great Of being cheated, as to cheat.' "To us perhaps the evil of atheistical doctrines is rather an object of wonder than of fear: for during a long period in which the cause of irreligion has been both openly and insidiously advocated, by writers neither unlearned nor unpopular, the infection happily has reached a very few of the thousands who have been educated in this University. "Of any fear to be entertained from the writings of Lucretius, I could never myself see any rational ground. But as I have known that fear expressed by one whose opinion ought not to be treated with indifference on any subject connected with intellectual education, I will take this opportunity of shewing (in one instance for the present) how easily the reasonings of the Epicurean philo sophy, if they deserve the name of reasoning, may be combated on this point. * "There is not perhaps in the whole poem of Lucretius á more beautifully poetical passage than that, in which the helplessness of human infancy is contrasted with the early development of the powers of brutes: and certainly I could not select one more fitted for the present occasion, because it will give me an opportunity of introducing, and also of amplifying, one of Paley's most favourite instances of contrivance in the structure of the human body. "The passage to which I allude is in the 5th book, line 223. "Tum porro Puer, ut sævis projectus ab undis Nec crepitacula eis opus sunt, nec cuiquam adhibenda est "The helplessness above described arises in a great measure from the imperfect state of that bony column called the spine, on which the body principally depends for the due exercise of its powers. "I will first therefore shew, how admirably this column is calculated for the intended purpose in the adult state; and, in afterwards examining the state of the same column in the infant, we shall observe, that in the midst of the most decided marks of weakness and imperfection, there is an extraordinary instance of strength and perfect growth in precisely that part of the column, which could not have been left in an incomplete state without manifest, immediate, and constant danger to the individual. And in reasoning on the subject, we soon perceive how that very helplessness and imperfect state of the physical powers in infancy, so ill understood and appreciated by the Epicurean, contribute to the fuller developement of the moral character, not only of the individual, but of his parents also, and of all his immediate connections. The mutual affection, for instance, that takes place and is cemented between the infant and its mother during the lengthened period in which the latter nurses her offspring-the stimulus which is given to the exertions of the other parent in supplying the increasing wants of those who depend on him for support-and the general feeling and expression of good-will and attachment which binds together the numerous individuals of the same family-all coincide to increase the sum of human happiness and virtue, Whereas, let the Epicurean infant be born with all his powers complete, and let him exert those powers as soon as born, independently of the assistance of parent, or sister, or brother; and what would then remain of those endearing relations but the empty name? "In considering the office of the adult spine, we find the fol lowing qualities requisite:-great strength combined with great flexibility, together with a general convenience of form for the attachment and secure lodgment of many important organs. Let us then examine how these qualities are attained; and first with respect to strength. "To this end its pyramidal form is obviously conducive, and the arrangement of the solid matter of which it is composed is such as to contribute to the same effect for that solid matter, instead of being collected into one compact mass, is diffused in such a manner as to resemble the structure of sponge; and it is well known with reference to the strength of artificial columns, that the same quantity of matter being given for each, those columns which are hollow are stronger than those which are solid. "Again, the whole column is made up of numerous parts, called vertibræ, which are so bound together by strong and elastic bands or ligaments, as to lessen the chance of its being broken in the act of bending; and these vertebræ being applied to each other throughout by broad horizontal surfaces, are thus best calculated to support the perpendicular pressure of the superincumbent parts. "The effect of general strength is further accomplished by the mutual locking in of the projecting portions or processes of the several vertebræ; and the same effect is accomplished to an additional extent among those vertebræ which belong to the thorax or chest, by the mode of articulation between the vertebræ and the ribs; each rib being united, not entirely to the side of its corresponding vertebra, but partially to the upper and lower side of two contiguous vertebra. "The flexibility of the spine is secured to the utmost requisite extent by the number of articulations or joints which it possesses, and which amount to more than twenty, as well as by the elasticity of the substance constituting those joints: and the projecting parts or processes of the several vertebra which serve for the insertion of the muscles and tendons which are to move the whole, are differently disposed in the neck, the back, and the loins, so as to be accommodated to the degree and kind of motion in each: thus the vertebræ of the neck admit of a lateral motion to a greater extent than those of the back; and the vertebræ of the back admit of flexion and extension to a greater degree than those of the neck; while the vertebræ of the loins, being intended for support rather than flexibility, have their processes so distributed, as to contribute principally to the former of those effects." P. 3. "Thus far we have seen the conditions of the adult spine, calculated as they are most admirably for flexibility, strength, and security: let us now examine it in the age of early infancy, and we shall see, that at that period, when the conditions of strength and flexibility are not required, inasmuch as the individual is con |