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The Professorship of Poetry at Oxford , for which there is about to be a contest , ought , according to the vulgar notion , to be held by a poet . But this is a vulgar notion , only : the Professorship is , properly speaking , one of Poetry in the old and Aristotelian sense , that is , a Professorship of iEsthetics . Out of the three men of distinction who have ever held it , Lowth , Coeleston , and Kebi , e , two were not writers of poetry . This "being the case , there could
not be a more proper candidate than Mr . HusKrcr—if he will come f or-ward , which it seems , however , he will not . It would be a pity if Oxford were to lose him through any over-delicacy , or rather fastidiousness on his part . In his absence , the choice will probably fall on Mr . Matthew Abnoi / d , late Eellow of Oriel , and formerly Scholar of Balliol , a poet , and if a poet rather by art than genius , the more likely perhaps on that account to be a good analyst and critic . The Rev . E . Bode and the Rev . Basil Jones are also in the field with fair chances of success ; and either would be a creditable Professor ^ Mr . Gladstone ' s late Homeric nights have produced a rumour that he also is a candidate . We are glad at all events to see that the contest is likely to be decided by literary merit , and not , as on former occasions , by religious faction . The election takes place on the 5 tli of May .
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The Daily Scotsman states that our notice of the forthcoming publication of Sir ~ W . Hamilton ' s lectures contained " several inaccuracies ; " but fails to establish , this rather sweeping charge in a single particular . The attempt indeed is made only in relation to an incidental statement that had but little to do with the matter—Mr . Veitch ' s connexion with , thenew edition of Dugaid Stewart's works . We expressed our belief that Mr . Veitch had something to do with carrying the work through , the press , forgetting at the moment that all the volumes are not yet published . Our contemporary calls tliis a
mistatement , intimating that Mr . Vhitch tad no connexion with the edition before Sir "W " . HamiX / Ton ' s death . This is really of veiy little consequence either way , as he superintends the remainder of the publication ; but we believe , nevertheless , that our contemporary will find on inquiry that the statement of the Leader isthe more correct , and that Mr . Veitch was engaged on the edition before Sir William ' s death . The matter is scarcely worth referring to at all , except as a curious illustration of what our esteemed contemporary regards as " several inaccuracies . "
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but the geological changes in the Earth ' s history ; nay , the very genesis of the solar system , the productive activity of the entire Cosmos . The following extract gives a general view of the law , and maybe taken as the starting -point of the article : — In respect to that progress which individ ual organisms display in tie course of their evolution , this question has been answered by the Germans . * The investigations of Wolff , Goethe , and Von Baer , have established the truth that the series of changes gone through during the development of a seed into a tree , or an ovum into an animal , constitute and advance from homogeneity of structure to heterogeneity of structure . In its primary stage , every germ consists of a substance that is uniform
throughout , both in texture and chemical composition . The first step in its development is the appearance of a difference between two parts of this substance ; or , as the phenomenon is described , in physiological language—a differentiation . Each of these differentiated di-visions presently begins itself to exhibit some contrast of parts ; and by and by these secondary differentfations become a 9 definite as the original one . This process is continuously repeated—5 s simultaneously going on in all parts of the growing embryo ; and by endless multiplication of these differentiations there is ultimately produced that complex combination of tissues and organs constituting the adult animal or plant . This is the course of evolution followed by all organisms ¦ whatever . It is settled beyond dispute that organic progress consists in a change from the homogeneous to the heterogeneous .
Now , we propose in the first place to show , that this law of organic progress is the law . of all progress . Whether it he in the development of the Earth , in the development of Life upon its surface , in the development of Society , of Government , of Manufactures , of Commerce , of Language , Literature , Science , Art , this same evolution of the simple into the complex , through a process of continuous differentiation , holds throughout . From the earliest traceable cosmical changes down to the latest results of civilization , -we shall find that the transformation of the homogeneous into the heterogeneous , is that in which Progress essentially consists . How rich tke article is in illustrative facts , gathered from almost all , and often very unexpected quarters , the following extract will show : — .
Before passing to other classes of facts , it should be observed that the evolution of the homogeneous into the heterogeneous is displayed not only in the differentiation of Painting and Sculpture from Architecture and from each other , and in the increased variety and specialty of the subjects they em"body , but it is further shown in the structure of each separate work . A modern picture or statue is far more heterogeneous in its constitution than an ancient one . An Egyptian sculpture-fresco represents all its figures as on one plane—that is , at the same distance from the eye ; and so is-less heterogeneous than a painting that represents them as at various distances from the eye . It exhibits all objects as exposed to tlie same degree of light ; and so is less heterogeneous than a painting which exhibits ats different objects and different parts of each object as in different degrees of light . It uses scarcely any hut the primary colours , and these in their full intensity ; and so is less heterogeneous than a painting which , introducing the primary colours but sparingly , employs an endless
variety of intermediate tints , each of heterogeneous composition , and differing from the others not only in quality but in intensity . Moreover , we see in these aboriginal works a great uniformity of conception . The same arrangement of figures is continually represented—the same actions , attitudes , faces , dresses . In Egypt the modes of representation were so fixed that it was sacrilege to introduce a novelty ; and indeed it could have been only in . virtue of a fixed mode of representation that a system of hieroglyphics became possible . The Assyrian bas-reliefe display parallel characters . Deities , kings , attendants , -winged-figures , and animals , are severally depicted in like positions , holding like implements , doing like things , and with like expression or non-expression of face . If a palm-grove is introduced , all the trees are of the same height , have the same number of leaves , and are equidistant . When water is represented , each wave is a counterpart of the rest ; and the fish , almost always of one kind , are evenly distributed over the surface . The beards of the kings , the gods , and the winged-figures , are everywhere similar ; as are the manes of the lions , and equally so those of the horses . Hair is represented throughout by one
The pre vailhig political distraction , whose influence on the Magazines we complained of last week , has not affected the Quarterlies . Their more hardy vegetation was evidently too far advanced to be seriously affected by the " great wind from the wilderness , " which suddenly smote the four corners of the House , shaking the mem of peace from their stable seats , and scattering the flying gold of the ruined factions far and wide through the land . A general election , in fact , is now-a-days too brief an event to have more than a transient influence on even the lighter activities of literature and life . Formerly it was a chronic inflammation , of the body politic , which arrested all useful
works and destroyed all healthy action for months together . Now it is eminently acute , and as brief as abate . You no sooner feel the true fever-beat of excitement , when all is over— -the social thermometer falls from boiling , point to blood-heat , the national pulse is equable as before . The representative machinery may still be complicated and even clumsy in construction , but its working is no longer difficult or tedious ; and with a tithe of the reforms so liberally promised on the hustings ,, it must surely become as accurate as it is expeditious . Meanwhile , the election being- past , and the new Reform Bill still future ,
there is an interval of idleness , and otium sine literis mors cst . Xiiterary notices begin , to appear in the daily papers ; the leading journal opens its columns for county correspondents to discuss the momentous subject of witch-proving ; the voice of the lecturer is heard , again in the land ; and white-handed nonelectora return to the , circulating libraries , while their brothers and husbands pore with listless vacuity over the thrice-read columns in the news-room In . these circumstances , even a dull llevicw would be welcome ; but the Reviews this quarter , as we have intimated , are far from dull , —they arc better than usual .
rake the Westminster , for instance , to begin with . It contains half a dozen articles , not one of which could be fairly called uninteresting or poor . The moat striking and elaborate of tltese are—the first , on " The Present State of Tlieology in . Germany > » and the fifth , entitled , « Progress : its Law and Cause . " The latter is on « of those articles almost peculiar to this journal—popular in form but thoroughly philosophical in substance—in which whole spheres of spcciul facts are gathered into a single principle ; and where , in particular , the of social life
phenomena , arc subjected to strictly scientific treatment , being shown to illustrate , even in their most trivial and fugitive aspects , the working of a general law Many of our readers may remember a paper of this kind , entitled _ Manners and * aslnon , " which appeared aomc time ago , in which the most or . dinary forms of courtesy , the simplest usages of every-day life , were traced up to pnmifove acts of worship and homage as their originals . In t ! . c present ; article , the generalization u > far more sweeping , as thclow of progress enounced embraces v \ its range not only all the phenomena of mtUviduftl and social advancement ,
form of curl . The king ' s beard is quite architecturally built up of compound tiers of uniform curls , alternating Avith twisted tiers placed in a transverse direction , and arranged with perfect regularity ; and the terminal tufts of the bulls' tails are represented in exactly the same manner . Without tracing out the like traits in early Christian art , in which , though less striking , they are still visible , the advance in heterogeneity will be sufficiently manifest on remembering that in the pictures of our own day the composition is endlessly varied ; the attitudes , faces , expressions unlike ; the subordinate objects different in size , form , position , texture ; and more or less of contrast even in the smallest details . Or , if we compare an Egyptian statue , seated bolt upright on a block , with hands on knees , fingers outspread and parallel , eyes looking straight forward , and the two sides perfectly symmetrical in every particular , with a statue of the advanced , Greek or the modern school , which is asymmetrical in respect of tbe position of the head , the body , the limbs , the arrangement of the hair , dress , appendages , and in its relations to neighbouring objects , we shall see the change from the homogeneous to the heterogeneous clearly manifested .
Our only objection to the paper , as a whole , is to the division expressed in the title , which we cannot help thinking is . very much like a distinction without a difference . Law and Cause , as here employed , arc in fact only two names for the same thing . If the necessary effect of all activity is diflcreuee , then , obviously , every agent , every force , must naturally tend to produce this result . The attempt to verify deductively under the second division what was inductively established under the first , is little more than a repetition of the inductive process slightly disguised , and does not add much to the elucidation ol the law . But tho discussion throughout is interesting , and the writing excellent , in matter , spirit , and style . The article on " The Present State of Thcolocy in Germairy"is a sketch of the three great theological parties—t he Critical , the Orthodox , and the Intennediiitc party that seeks to unite these extremes . It is condensed and clear , showing throughout full knowledge of the wliole subject , and written in a temperate , philosophical , and earnest spirit .
The strictly literary papers of the number arc one on the " Hindu DrnW—u very readable account of a subject new to most readers , but really interesting—especially to us ; and one on " Literature and Society , " which , however , wants substance and purpose , and is a contribution of fuels towards the illustration of tho subject , rather than a discussion of it . The , article on " Glaciers and Glacier Theories , " while giving Professor IToniiKS full credit foi the glacier facts which he has established , combats his faYowito theory , us I ' seems to us , on substantial grounds .
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352 . THE LEADER . ' ¦ " . ' [ No . 368 , Saturday ,
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w . ¦ , Critics are not the legislators , but the judges and polic « of literature . Tiiey do not malte Iaw 3— they interpret and try -to enforce them . — Edinburgh JSevieto . ¦ ' ' . ¦ , ' — ?— ' ' ' .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), April 11, 1857, page 352, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2188/page/16/
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