His quiet and retired serve to explain the

systems than his own, are grand in their way. life, which was quite that of a recluse, may extraordinary ignorance of human nature, (especially on its brighter side,) which he so constantly displays. Something also must be attributed to a natural and somewhat violent reaction from the philosophy of the preceding age, which was certainly tainted to a great extent with Neo-Platonic mysticism. + Moreover, like Voltaire, Bentham, and other short-sighted men, Hobbes was wonderfully clear-sighted, as far as he did see, and so had no notion of anything beyond what met his intellectual eye, lying beneath the surface. The chief causes of his errors, however, are the confusion which he makes between the Reason and the Understanding-between Ideas and Conceptions, between relative and positive Truth, from his utterly ignoring all moral sentiment, and innate sense of duty;-and from his unphilosophical method of proceeding from the outward to the inward, instead of the reverse. From Hobbes, as from most other men of one idea, we may learn much, if we know how to read him. He thought for himself, which, as Lessing says, is better, even if you think wrongly, than not to think at all; while the originality of his thoughts, and the startling character of his paradoxes, force his readers to think. Another good point in Hobbes is, that he acted thoroughly up to his principles; and it is, indeed, a good thing, as well as a rare one, when the founder of a philosophical school does act up to his principles-for then we see the tendency of those principles. Did not the disciples of Hobbes and Locke contradict their principles by their deeds every day of their lives, and act more from benevolent instincts and good-hearted impulses than from any fixed principles whatever, it would be pitiable indeed.

* We must also bear in mind, that Hobbes was a wanderer all his life, without a home, and with but few ties of affection.

+ Lord Herbert, of Cherbury, for instance (who, in point of authorship, was an immediate 'predecessor of Hobbes), maintained that an internal illumination was given to all mankind by means of a closed book in the mind, the clasps of which would only open when nature bade them. The extraordinary doctrines of that philosophic cobbler, the German mystic Jacob Böhme, who is said to have numbered among his disciples our unfortunate martyr monarch, are better known.

Hobbes, we have seen, denies the existence of any moral faculty. Bishop Butler ("Essay on the Nature of Virtue,") in language very similar to that of Coleridge, already quoted, well says, "That we have a moral approving and disapproving faculty is certain, from our experiencing it in ourselves, and recognizing it in others. It appears from our exercising it unavoidably in our approbation and disapprobation even of feigned characters; from the words right and wrong, odious and amiable, base and worthy, with many others of like signification in all languages. Great part of common language and common behaviour is formed upon the supposition of such a moral faculty, whether called conscience, moral reason, moral sense, or Divine reason; whether considered as a sentiment of the understanding, or as a perception of the heart, or, which seems the truth, as including both."

The effect and influence of the writings of Hobbes appears to me to have been usually underrated. It is true that they never became popular in their original form—that the "Leviathan" was condemned by Parliament to be burnt by the hands of the common hangman;— still the principles of these works exercised a very great, though a silent influence, especially among the higher ranks of society, and that large class who adopt opinions, as they do money, because they are current; and clothe their minds as they do their bodies, according to the newest fashion in vogue. The selfish nature of Hobbes's morality appears to have extensively leavened the literature of the succeeding age; and many a sparkling couplet of the poets of the reign of Charles II. owes much of its wit and causticity to one or other of Hobbes's definitions of our human passions and affections ;-nay, Bishop Burnet, in the "History of his Own Times," goes so far as to ascribe the corruption of the monarch himself to the influence of his old tutor.

Before dismissing Hobbes, I must call your attention to the solidity, brilliancy, and lucid clearness of his style. His intellect, keen and clear, and cold as it is clear, liable to be led astray by no glimmer of affection, or fire of passion-nay, through the very want of these passions and affections, ignoring and misrepresenting many of the fairest and richest tracts on the map of the human heart-rarely, indeed, rises above the creeping selfishness of his ordinary morality; but still, as far as it does see and know, it illustrates with wonderful force and clearness, and expresses many a worldly maxim with an epigrammatic terseness, which has anticipated celebrated proverbial dicta of after-writers. One example of the happy manner in which he can express an universally-allowed truth will suffice: "Words are wise men's counters; but they are the money of fools,"*— -an observation which we shall do well to bear in mind, when reading Hobbes himself.

* As examples of one or two more of such pregnant expressions, we may quote, "The errours of definitions multiply themselves as the reckoning proceeds;" "Men measure, not only all other men, but all other things, by themselves;" "Thought is quick."

FOURTEENTH MEETING.

ROYAL INSTITUTION.-May 15, 1854.

JOSEPH DICKINSON, M.D., F.L.S., &c., PRESIDENT, in the Chair.

Mr. FRANCIS ARCHER exhibited a living specimen of Beröe, taken by Mr. Price at Birkenhead.

Mr. T. C. ARCHER exhibited a large and interesting series of ropes, &c. manufactured from vegetable fibre, principally the produce of the East Indies; also the celebrated fish poison from Demerara.

The Rev. ABRAHAM HUME, D.C.L., LL.D., F.S.A., &c., read a Paper on the "Dialects of the English Language," being the continuation of a Paper read before the Society on the 9th January, 1854.

EXTRAORDINARY MEETING.

ROYAL INSTITUTION.-May 29, 1854.

JOSEPH DICKINSON, M.D., F.L.S., &c., PRESIDENT, in the Chair.

The circular convening this meeting-"To receive the REPORT of the DELEGATES appointed at an Extraordinary Meeting held the 31st March last, To carry out further arrangements for the proposed amalgamation with one or more of the other Learned Societies, and report thereon, with a sketch of amended laws,'" having been read—

The SECRETARY communicated the following resolutions, passed at a Meeting of the Council held this evening, viz.:—

1. "That this Council, finding that the union of the two Societies under the proposed name is unpalatable to many of the older members of this Society, is of opinion that the union is advisable only in case the name of the Literary and Philosophical' be retained, without change or addition."

2. "That the Council consider that if the name of the Society is changed, and a new code of laws adopted, the Society will no longer be the old Literary and Philosophical Society, and that therefore the

adoption of this report involves an alienation of its funds, and consequently that a majority of nine-tenths are necessary to carry the proposed report."

It was moved by Dr. HUME, seconded by Mr. HEATH—

"That the Report be adopted, subject to the revision of any of the laws contained therein by the amalgamated societies."

Amendment moved by Dr. IHNE, seconded by Mr. J. B. YATES— "That, before the Report be taken into consideration, the Society determine that the name of the Society be retained unchanged."

The amendment, on being put from the chair, was carried, there being twenty-three votes for, thirteen votes against.

The amendment being then considered as taking the place of the original motion, it was moved by Mr. HEATH, and seconded by Mr. PICTON

"That the question involved in Dr. IHNE's resolution just carried be referred to a poll of the whole Society by circular.”

On being put from the Chair, this motion was negatived by a large majority.

Dr. HUME then moved, and Dr. IHNE seconded

"That, subject to the amendment just adopted, and subject to the clause of revision recommended in the Report, this Report be adopted.” On this motion being read from the chair, the following amendment was moved by Mr. SWINTON BOULT, and seconded by Mr. J. FORSHAW— That, inasmuch as the advantages to be derived from the age, history, and associations of this Society, can be secured only by maintaining its continuous existence, and it is essential for that purpose that the junction with the Historic Society be completed before the matter included in the Report of the Delegates be considered, such consideration be postponed until the junction has been effected, with the distinct understanding that the revision of the laws shall thereafter be proceeded with, in such manner as the enlarged Society shall determine."

This amendment, on being put from the Chair, was carried by a large majority.

Mr. T. C. ARCHER then moved, and Mr. J. B. YATES seconded"That the Report of the Delegates be rejected."

This motion was withdrawn.

On the motion of Mr. SWINTON BOULT, "The thanks of the Meeting to the President, for his able conduct in the chair," was unanimously voted.

FIFTEENTH MEETING.

ROYAL INSTITUTION.-May 29, 1854.

JOSEPH DICKINSON, M.D., F.L.S., &c. PRESIDENT, in the Chair.

Mr. CHARLES KIRWAN was ballotted for, and duly elected an Ordinary Member.

Mr. J. B. YATES exhibited a specimen of Paper (given to him by Mr. DAVID GLADSTONE) made of the fibre of the Plantain Musa Paradisiaca.

Mr. F. P. MARRAT exhibited a Lizard, captured amongst the sand hills, at Southport; also specimens of the following Mosses, viz. :— Bryum inclinatum; Annandale, May, 1854. Hypnum elodes; Southport, May, 1854. Fissidens incurvus; Bidston.

Hypnum medium; Hooton, April, 1854.

Mr. J. B. YATES exhibited old French documents, containing the Autographs of Louis XIII. and XIV.; also of Marshall Bouflers and the Minister Chamillard.