ever we may think of his own anti-metaphysical stand-point—in natural science, by bis discussions on the "passage from the organic to the inorganic," on the "Vestiges'" theory, on the possibility of spontaneous combustion, and many another quæstio vexata, The French lightness of his style makes whatever he indites highly readable—nor do we find in his manner so much of "flippancy" and "sparkling shallowness," as to impel us to sympathy with Madame d'Ossoli's wrath at his undertaking the Life of Goethe. At the present time he appears to be be ruling spirit of that noticeable nondescript among weekly journals, the Leader—a pretty vehicle of propagandism in the cause of free-thinking and free-speaking—a perfect repertory of the new curiosities of literature in matters political, theological, social, scientific, and æsthetic. The aim of that journal would seem,
As far as might be, to carve out
Free space for every human doubt,
That the whole mind might orb about[1]—
Yet (is this yet a thing to be ashamed of?) we will plead guilty to a habit of consulting some at least of its columns, with infinitely greater interest (they are so fresh and suggestive, so piquant in their very audacity!) than we do those of other papers, of time-honoured prestige, and unimpeachable orthodoxy. And we remember bow one of the most distinguished critics of the age—himself, observe, a stanch Tory, a good High Churchman, and indeed a kind of cyclopædic antithesis to the Leader—once recorded as follows his testimony to its drift: "a journal," he called it, "distinguished by its ability, by its hardihood of speculation, by its comprehensive candour, but, in my eyes, still more advantageously distinguished by its deep sincerity." Its literary department is conducted by Mr. Lewes, and in other sections his "fine French hand"[2] is probably traceable—making it the organ of his assaults on conservatism in faith and practice, and especially of his enforcement of the "positive" philosophy which seems to bold, with Byron, that
our days are too brief for affording
Space to dispute what no one ever could
Decide, and everybody one day will
Know very clearly—or at least lie still.
And therefore would it leave off metaphysical
Discussion.
To that journal Mr. Lewes contributed, some months since, a series of articles expository of the Positive Philosophy of Auguste Comte, and which forms the first part of the volume of Bohn's Scientific Library now before us. The Englisb reader who desires a fuller presentment of the subject, will of course consult Miss Martineau's two volumes. But probably, most English readers will find quite enough to "give them pause" in Mr. Lewes's compact epitome—which has the additional attraction of being conveyed in a clear, and lively, and highly readable form—never too diffuse to be heavy (the original sin of the original author), nor too condensed to be easily intelligible; the very book, in fact, to secure a
