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498 The Leader and Saturday Analyst. [Ma...
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FAKABAY'S JUVENILE LECTURES * ryHE deart...
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* Bi.v Lecture* on the Forces of Matter....
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Des Idees Napoleoniennes.* T Hat "The Id...
Disregarded then , it has since risen into great importance , seeing ' that its author is no longer a mere theorist , but a man with power to actualize his ideas * ,, and : ' m » ke them , the facts of his times . We are , therefore , not ungrateful to the French . ediW , who has thus pressed-it upon our consideration , and have reperused it with no common interest . It lias awakened some thoughts in us which we desire to share with our readers . The first thing- that strikes us in this famous essay is the scientific form into which the matter of argument is cast . Here is no merely popuh . r writing , hut an essay for philosopher * and politicians . It is wonderful . that its early readers saw no greatness in it , whether of de . » ign or style ; that its author received- no appreciation us a thinUer who might become a doer . Never was a sterner or more
people ; the representative of tlie nation , Tn his public acts the Emperor always took glory to him .-wl * that be owed ever \ thing to the French people alone . When , surrounded by kings aid h . onrijre , he , at the foot of the Pyrenees , disposed of thrones and of ' empires , heenenretieally asserted for himself that title of First Representative of 'the People which it seemed to be proposed to assign to tke Legislative body . " A note to that effect was indeed inserted in the Moniteur , 19 th December , 3808 , by order of the Emperor . Another excerpt , and we have done : — " One may snm up the Imperial system by saying that its base ts democratic , since all its powers emanate from the people ; while its organization is-hierarchical , since there are in society various ranks
logical mind declared—never a more sincere sagacity disclosed . But blindness was the disease of the time—its policy also ; and the corning- event was seen but in the shadow , not the sunlight . The dawn had not vet approached , and the nations sat in darkness . The cardinal idea of the work undoubtedly-was that France naturally is the source of progress to Western Europe , for she possesses the two supports of empires—the genius of the arts of peace and the g-enins of war . Moreover , France has an especial mission , namely , in _ all treaties to throw in her sword of Brerinus in favour of civilization . With this mission rec « nt events have proved that the author has identified his own . To these ideas , thus expressed and thus reacorreiauve maxims uiai ia iiic
to stiriulnte all capacities . Thus have we pitted down a few hasty notes while re-perusing a celebrated work , to which , notwithstanding , too little attention has been paid . Let it now be carefully perused by all concerned . If it stimulate Englishmen to regard ideas with favour , and to place them in their proper relation to 'facttt , something will be won on the score not only of national progress , but of national safety . It is not by envy and hatred of whatever is great in French institutions that England can prosper , but by nobly rising in generous emulation , and supplementing : her own deficiencies by what is best in the example of her powerful neighbour .
lizea , the writer aaaeo —one m . pmvince of government to guide true ideas by placing itself boldly at their head . " If , " said he , " instead of leading , a Government suffers itself to be led , it at once ensures its own destruction , and compromises , instead of protecting society " And such , maxims'he has since observed , as . well as adopted the associated ideas . He has taken the initiative in policy , both domestic and . foreign . The now Imperial writer professes an indifference to mere forms of government . He recognised only two Governments as fulfilling their providential mission—one Oriental , and one Occidental ; i . e ., the ' American- 'and the Russian . The hitter had tc struggle against " les vievx prejugis de noire vieille Europe " but it was then clear to Louis Napoleon tluit "it was ' only-from , the Czar that the East eould receive the amelioration which it was awaiting . " .-Upon-the 1 whole , lie seems to approve of the Russian despotism but the republican form is also hiyh in favour . A republic , however , cannot exist without ah aristocracy : and further , ' " the nature of
democracy is to become personifiecT in one ma : ; " —~{ la tmture de la d ^ inor \ craiie est f / e sepersonnificr darisun 7 ionime . ) The Rationale of these opinions lies in the fact that in a state . there are two classes of interests , permanent interests and transient interests ; the spirit of the former is transmitted from age to age by tradition , and can only be represented by an . aristocracy . , Transient and special interests , on the contrary , can only be j thoroughly appreciated by the delegates of the people . Napoleon I . is not , for the reasons above stated , to he blamed , ( such is the philosophical deduction ms > de by his nephew ) for having I eurnu unfed with a crown his republican laurels . ' They who ceil- !
suvtd him w ' ere . t ) oot > le " of naltrv passions , while he was tniiclcd by sur t-d him were people of paltry passions , while he was guided by juaasniiK-of—I be loJi ) e ^ rang e . "When the remarks of such people ; were reported to the ' cai ) tive of St . Helena , he righTTuTly exclsiiined , " llnve I , then , reigned over -pigmies in intellect ,- that T have been ' so little understood ! " On the contrary , the first Emperor , to be justly appreciated , , should bo " consider ^ , comme le Messie desidecs , uovvclles . " Now the main thing of importance in these pretensions and reasoning ' s liesalter allin theassumptions that ideasas powersdo
, , , , , exist ; , that there arc new ideas that supersede the old ; and that tho Buonaparte family have a mission , identified with that of France , to establish a Messianic dynasty in their favour . Without-controverting ' these assumptions , which it would be idle to attempt in words only , Europe must regard them with the utmost attention , and stnnd * ineess » ntly on her guard in relation to all that they imply . Much of the tractate under review ia occupied with a running defence of many points of the first Napoleon ' s special policy—most of which has now little concern for us or the world . Among his
philanthropic purposes , however , the completion of which was prevented by wnr , may bo mentioned his project of having the prices of tho pit seats in the Theatre Francois reduced on Sundays to . one franc , in order that tho people might enjoy the ehefs-d ' eeuvre of French literature ; and in a speech , delivered in 1807 , before tho Legislative body , ho said , that "in all parts . of his empire , even in the Huuillc . Ht hnmlet , the comfort of the citizens and the value of land would be very soon enhanced by the effect of tho general system of improvement which ho hnd . conceived . " In glancing 1 at these pnHtuiges , we nre reminded of Marc Antony ' s reading 1 to the populace tho will over the dead body of Cro ^ ar , —
" Hero was a Ct » 8 ar : when comes subh another 1 " No reopoiiabhi objection can he token to the credit which the nephew churned for-tlib great institution * actually e » thblihhed by his uuele . I" loth the adminUtrotive und political owiiniZMtion of the empire he displayed admirable gcmuH * Doubtless , Napoleon HI . will einnliilo him in these respect * . He will , endeavour to ^ ive to Frunco whut . he says America bits not- > -ai > organized social world . " Man , " lie btate « emphuticnlly , " ha » not yet taken root in America ; he is not incorporated with the soil ; the interests are personal , und not terrin toiial . " The reverne of the American' order be would establish in Europe , and thu » plate France " at the hend of civilizutii n . " In regnrd to tho office-of Emperor , nlao , un important distinction pre-VttilH . Take it as we have , translated it : — - " Napoleon is the supreme chief of the State ; tho elected of tho
498 The Leader And Saturday Analyst. [Ma...
498 The Leader and Saturday Analyst . [ Mat 26 , IS 60 .
Fakabay's Juvenile Lectures * Ryhe Deart...
FAKABAY'S JUVENILE LECTURES * ryHE dearth of good lecturers is a remarkable fact , and one not A satisfactorily accounted for on the principle o-fsubstitution ^ by the comparative cheapm ss of good books . There--is , something beyond the n ere words of a good lecturer which m ; rkes oral teaching effective , and smooths away the difficulties that attend the reception of new and complicated idens ; and when experimental science is the theme to be illustrated , there is a great deal suggested as well . - as leariit by witnessing' tlie demons ! rat ions of an able manipulator . There is another point of view in which first-class lectures are important . They brii g belore a number of persons later facts and ideas than ivre ' to be fbjiind in books . A . considerable portion of this work niiyht be done by means of periodical Hte ; at nre ; but in all the i " sciences ' oTobservatiowand ' experiment there are tl . iiigs to be seen , ¦ ! as well a » to be talked of or written about , and a public
institii-| ~ lion "\ ean obtam either the ' actual ' objects ' , or-correct representations , to an ' -extent impossible to private persons . But not withstandingthe' penri . an . tiit value of lectures , \ ve have si arcely half a dozeu firstrate-lectnrers ; the . ^ popular demand rttnning strongly , in favour of S"inetl ) irig tliat savours of biiffooriery , rather tlviin corresponds with the best forms that our literature assumes . Among the few who can lecture well , Faraday has long--occupied a foremost place , and amontr the greatest triumphs of teaching have been the scientific discoiii'Hes annually delivered to juvenile audiences , of which the book before us contains the latest and not leaat successful efforts .. The greatest men have nearly always been remarkable for the childlike nat and bus shown in ii chiullike niu anil has siiown in
¦ preservation of n - ure , Faraday arepreservation or - nre , J ' tvrauay- a remarkable degree how the sensitive , impressionable character of child-—fiotni 7 t-lTrlov e '' -of ~ w ^ tible with a laborious precision of investigation and the utmost accuracy of inductive thought . If any one . liears our great philosopher deliver u lecture , or reads a few pages of such a work as the present , it will be apparent that his moral and emotional nature has been an important cause of the' brilliant success that has attended his scientific career . He cannot get so used to the world that its t henomena cesvirto tl ' ect him has
mosordinary p e a . He no capacity 1 for being " used up , " and the commonest incident strikes him with . 1 the fret * lme ' Hs and vividness that a traveller experiences when a new oceaii ov iiiountaiii chain is exhibited to ltis view . With Faraday i there is no such thing ns the conitnon-place , for every incident | suggests trains of thought and speculation that link effects with I causes , and bind all nature together as a beautiful and harmonious i whole . Wonder , if not the parent ., is a near relative of investigation 1 linked with theological or physical superstition , it is content with
any . marvellous explanation without regard to its truth ; . but when united to a clear , patient intelligence Umt has acquired the -habit of ; philosophic doubt , it is an invaluable incentive to scientific inquiry . ! Those who do not love wlnit Tennyson aptly calls the " Fairy Tales ! of Science , " will neither do for priestt * nor doorkeepers in Nature's ' Temple ; they luivo no acceptable sneriiice to offer , and to them the j oracle will innko no respi » nhe . Benats , as Sir Thomas Brown tella ] us , <; an " inhabit the enrth , " but mini lives in it when he in filled ' with n * ¦ ' devout and learned admiration" of tho wondero which it contains . Farndiiy ih remarkable f «» r recoiling his audience to those primitive feelings which the din and turmoil of un industrial
civilization me upt to overpower . " ' Let u » con « i < Jer , " he exclaim * , " how wonderfully we stand upon thin world . Here it is we nre born , bred , and live ; and yet we view these things with an jilmont o < itiro absence of wonder to ourselves resptioting 1 ho way in whicli all "this huppouB . So xuuilJ , indeed , ia our woudtT , tliat wo are never taken by Hurpriftf . " Few , indeed , have ever reflected that the niniplo lacb of stnuding- npon the earth is a innrvellous thing ; and yet if we examine , we hIiiiII perceive that rightly undermtunding it would go a great way to inttke till science intelligible . How many forces or forms- concur to thia result—gravitation , cohenion , power of nerve and umscle , mit one of which do we really underhtand . Nothing * seems more simple than pulling n nheet of puper ono way or pushing it another by monnn of niUHCulur force , but it \ t \ neverthnlesn a
* Bi.V Lecture* On The Forces Of Matter....
* Bi . v Lecture * on the Forces of Matter . It . Qriffin aud Co ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), May 26, 1860, page 14, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_26051860/page/14/
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