folly to admit the possibility of their consideration of them to the present existence in the same mind. Thus number, and I shall now fulfil the far then, Sallust contrasted their pe- promise with which I closed my last culiar characteristics in so forcible a Contemplatist. manner, that they must remain apart; Poets, philosophers, and moralists, they must walk by different roads to have in all ages stood forward to adthe same temple. But I still think, vance the dignity of man over the that in the next sentence he loses brute creation. In doing this they sight of this antithesis entirely, and have assumed for his prerogative, attributes to each, qualities which that which alone he exclusively poscould not be virtues in either of them, sesses-MIND. They have not vauntif singly considered: In altero miseris ed his personal endowments, for in perfugium; in altero malis pernicies. them he cannot stand the compa Here, as I before observed, the at- rison: in his strength he yields to the tributes are convertible: Cato might lion; in swiftness he submits to the have been a "perfugium miseris;" horse and the hound; in dexterity he and Cæsar a "pernicies malis:" nay is inferior to the beaver, whose inmore, unless it were so, it is evident stinctive operations place him far that virtue was lost in both. He who above the savage of nature; but while is undistinguishingly the friend of the he thus feels his own native inferi wretched, without being the foe of ority even to the beasts of the field, the wicked, is a weak, but not a good he finds himself placed immeasurably man; and he that pursues with indis- above them in resources of art; and criminate ferocity the guilty wretch, by these resources he appropriates to and refuses to open his heart to the himself the qualities of the whole unfortunate, is rather a dæmon than animal creation. Placed thus artia man. They must be united to ficially high, it is natural to ask to adorn each other; and returning to what he owes his elevation: the_anthe immediate subject of this letter, swer is important; to MIND. It is it is therefore evident, that so far from the energies of that living principle, being incompatible, they should be directed by its guidance and acting congenerous qualities: surely mercy from its impulse, which have raised may exist with justice. Cato and him so conspicuously in the scale of Cesar therefore, as judges, might beings; the boundless sphere of its have been severe against vice; but as combinations open to him new fields men, they might have been compas- of action in which he only can apsionate towards misfortune. But pear. The highest efforts of brute Sallust, by selecting two qualities so instinct are much beneath the lowest compatible, fell off, in my opinion, operations of intellectual power; man from the accuracy and spirit of his former delineation.

Liverpool, Oct. 8, 1807.

ATTALUS.

looks upon its sagacity only as the mimic resemblance of a loftier cause; I hope this will render my meaning he sees its termination and its stamore intelligible to Duidius, and tionary nature; those animals who I remain, Sir, &c. have been most celebrated for apparent ratiocination, the elephant for instance, whose actions certainly seem the most to result from will, have THE CONTEMPLATIST. never passed that boundary which has No. IV. limited them: the elephant of to-day "Ferum enimvero is mihi vicere has not advanced a single step beyond atque frui animi videtur qui aliquo nc- the elephant of two thousand years gotio intentus, preclari facinoris aut ago: a striking proof that what they artis bonæ famam querit."―ALLUST. do is mechanical. But with man it HE long digression into which is otherwise: nations that were herepaper in

favor of the oppressed, prevented me to splendour; with him all is profrom touching upon those points gressive: from his cradle upwards which it was my professed design to (speaking individually and collect do when I sat down to it. I was ac- ively) he is in a perpetual state of imwordingly compelled to postpone the provement: and this capacity, which

so eminently distinguishes him, is the who can feel the solemn change sole result of his Mind. Constantly wrought in the frame of him who impelled forward, he unceasingly dis- is suddenly struck with mental decovers something that was unknown; privation, and not exclaim with the one desire creates another; the same poet,

impulse animates millions; the mass "Mind, mind alone, bear witness earth and of being is thus put in motion; and

heaven,

they advanced with one simultaneous The living fountains in itself contains tendency. The whole creation is his Of beauteous and sublime."—ÂKENSIDE. theatre, and in its boundless space he The mind then, is not only the acts his part; he looks with forward distinguishing attribute between man and reverted eyes, corrects the past and the beast, but it is itself the highes: and anticipates the future. quality to be found in animated naIf then mind be that distinguishing ture. When we consider not only attribute; if it form that proud cha- its pre-eminence, but its utility and racter in our natures, what, I ask, can importance, we are irresistibly led to be more dignified in us than its ope- confess its paramount claim to admirations? The mechanical arts are ration. Nothing then but petulance, carried on by a sort of instinctive imi- or the wantonness of objection, cotid tation; the man of grossest intellect is lead any one to degrade the operations adequate to the performance of the of a quality so manifestly great in nicest operations of art: they address itself, and dignified in its consequences. themselves to the eyes and are per- We are led by nature to admire all formed with precision only by suc- that is wonderful and striking: the cessive repetitions. The mind is lofty rocks, the majestic ocean, the wholly unemployed: the whole dex- boiling whirlpool, the thundering cas terity is placed at the finger's ends. cade, affect us with emotions of awful This needs no proof; but if it did, delight; the soft and pleasing land we have only to revert to what is per- scape, the placid scene of rural life, formed by blind persons to be con- the silver-bosomed lake, the green vinced that an automaton might be foliage, the embowered walk, charm made to do as much as the mere me- no less with tranquil and peaceful chanic. sensations to both we pay our ho

Were there any sceptic hardy mage, for both are admirable in their enough to doubt the omnipotence and kind. Yet he that would dare to adpre-eminence of mind, let him for a vance the dignity of inanimate nature moment cast his eyes back upon facts. over the living lustre of intellect, Let him consider the deplorable bru- would be regarded as impious, and tality, the worse than brutal state, of pitied rather for obduracy of feeling, those poor creatures who have been than perversion of mind." invested with the human form, only It is not, therefore, asserting too as it were, to shew its nothingness much, to say that intellect holds the when unaccompanied by that active highest place among the works of and informing principle which gives God. To it every thing is subordiit all its grace and dignity, and useful- nate in the world; indeed, with few ness. The savage of Aveyron, the exceptions, it may be affirmed that wild boy of the woods, idiots, and all which we admire is more or less numerous other instances might be the effect of its potency. It is a sort adduced. What a melancholy and of deity, a creative faculty, which degrading spectacle ! Look at that possesses power sufficient to produce vacant uninformed laugh; look at new combinations so striking, as to that beamless eye; look at the hur- appear almost equal to the immediate ried and senseless walk; hear the works of God himself. Whoever shocking laugh; mark the whole evi- looks abroad upon this globe with a dence of fallen nature. Madness, too, curious and attentive eye, will inis another awfully striking proof both tensely feel that all its most admired of the omnipotence of mind, and the frail foundations upon which we build our lofty pretensions: who can look upon the ruins of a noble mind,"

and most cherished treasures have risen from the labours of man directed by the light of the mind. In those parts of the universe where nature

1

reigns in solitary pride, where her as little, even though his intellect footsteps have not been effaced by should not rise above the standard of those of her progeny, where her mediocrity. Truths, to be useful, grand features remain untamed re- must be adapted to the capacity of posing in undisturbed majesty, those for whom they are intended; beauty, utility, variety are banished: and pleasure to be gratifying, must silence and unfruitfulness dwell there: equally be tempered to the recipient. desert barrenness inhabits the gloomy Thousands who are incapable of dispace. Not so where man has long gesting the morality of Johnson and multiplied and applied his energies; Locke, may be led aside from vice he lends his assisting hand to nature, and warmed to the pursuit of virtue, and leads her forth to loveliness and by incitements dressed in an humble use. He creates, as it were, new garb; a simple narrative, a homely worlds around him; he reforms the maxim, often do more towards effectwildness which he finds; he commu- ing their purpose than the highest nicates a spark of that intellectual efforts of reasoning and metaphysical beam which animates his frame, and distinction. Those tastes too, which alters the face of things. The powers are not refined enough to draw pleaof his mind are called into action, and sure from the pure fountains of Milnothing remains untouched. ton and Shakspeare, of Homer and

By what fatality then is it that this Virgil, may take large draughts down principle, so exalted in itself, so ún- of a less costly beverage; innocent bounded in its application, so bene- pleasure forms half the business of ficial in its results, should under any the life of man; and those who modification which does not tend to cater for their appetite, by giving generate evil, be subjected to ridicule wholesome, though not high-seaor contempt? Forced as we are to soned food, are not to be despised. allow its supremacy, how is it that A sixpenny tale ending with a good we deny respect to its acts? Nay, moral, may furnish more real delight what is still more absurd and glaring, and advantage to a more numerous why only in one sphere of its activity class of readers, than the most cele is this manifest injustice committed? brated performances of the most ceThese questions I cannot answer, nor lebrated wits. do I think it possible for them to be answered at all satisfactorily.

Let us not then, continue to be guilty of the most flagrant of all inSurely the situation of that man justice. Let us do honour to purity who is employed in cultivating his of intention wherever we find it, mind, and in giving birth to its sug- not forgetting that virtue derives no gestions, is at least as honourably em- splendor from circumstance, but that ployed as he who writes for hire in she is and ever must be, great and an attorney's office, or cringes for dignified, from her own intrinsic sixpence behind a counter that he worth. Above all, let us not deride is more usefully employed than the the hand from which we receive the former, or even the latter in some cup; and where censure and ridicule cases, is irrefragable. It is impossible are employed only to wound honest but that he must perform some good pride, and to abase meritorious amin the course of his exertions: if his bition, let it never be forgotten that mind be of the higher order, it needs no is employed in the cause of tyranny eloquence, no argumentation to prove and unmanly oppression. this; and in my opinion it requires

CRITICISM...

"Nulli negabimus, nulli differemus justitiam."

The REIGN of CHARLEMAGNE, Con- A DISTINCT view of the reign sidered chiefly with reference to of Charlemagne, embracing a Religion, Laws, Literature, and comprehensive detail of his actions as Manners. By HENRY CAD, a warrior, a legi lator, and a prince, A.M. of Pembroke College, Oxford. was a field that offered abundant 1 vol. 1807. room for a writer to distinguish himUNIVERSAL MAG. VOL. VIII

2S

66

self in; and Mr. Card, actuated by a to make this remark, because Mr. laudable motive to illustrate this por- Card repeatedly mentions the contion of history, has attempted it in tempt which he feels for the details the work before us, but in our opi- of military successes; a contempt nion has completely failed in pro- surely unphilosophical, and singularly ducing a useful book. From an idle heterodox in the man who sits down wish to write a small volume, he has to delineate the character of an emin fact written such a one as is de- peror, more distinguished for his batprived of all utility: too circum- tles and his warlike ferocity, than for scribed for the unlearned reader, too his wisdom; for we cannot assent to general for the learned one, it is our author's attempt to place Charle adapted to suit neither. He who is magne in the light of a humane and ignorant of the events of Charle- virtuous character, as a profound magne's reign will here find little to legislator, an impartial judge, and a enlarge his ideas, from the abstract skilful politician. We could much and insufficient manner in which more willingly subscribe to the opi the subject is treated; and he who nion of Gibbon, who justly observes, has drawn his knowledge from the that in his institutions he could usual historical sources, will be as seldom discover the general views and much disappointed in meeting with immortal spirit of a legislator who nothing that is not familiar to him. survives himself for the benefit of Mr. Card has indeed made an 'osten- posterity." Nothing, therefore, tatious display of the sources whence could be more impolitic than the he says he has derived his materials neglect of his warlike exploits, and to for the present volume: but we can fix the attention of the reader upon hardly think that such a meagre un- those parts of his character which satisfactory performance could have appear the least admirable from inarisen from opportunities so ample. spection. But even were it otherBy what fatuity of judgment Mr. wise, were Charlemagne that enCard was led to think that a skeleton lightened personage which Mr. Card so very unimportant as the present would insinuate, yet he has most uncould be in any respect acceptable to accountably neglected to bring forthe public, we are at a loss to con- ward data in any manner commenceive; and our readers may judge surate to the establishment of this with what probable interest or bene- idea. Either, therefore, Mr. Card fit the long, and active, and import- has most lamentably abused the nuant reign of Charlemagne, has been merous sources he so ostentatiously treated, with regard to its religion, yaunts in his preface, or else he has laws, literature, and manners, when undertaken a task which it is beyond he is told that a modern octavo vo- the powers of saber history to effect. Jume, with broad margins and wide The latter is in fact the case; and lines, consisting of just 208 pages, Mr. Card is probably, before this, contains the whole of what the author convinced of the quixotism of his athas thought it necessary to say upon tempt. To have established the opithe subject. The fact is, that not nion he is so anxious about, he should one of the above topics could have have penetrated deeper into historibeen singly treated with any degree cal details; he should have multiof availability in so narrow a compass; plied his documents, and not have and why Mr. Card has deemed it skimmed over the different subjects adviseable to pass over with such as if he were giving an epitome inrapid negligence the military exploits stead of a history.

of this renowned warrior, we cannot We have, indeed, rarely met with conjecture. His knowledge of his- a work that is so completely barren tory, and of the human mind, must of every thing that can be offered to be more limited than we are willing our readers in the shape of an extract. to suppose, if he be ignorant of the The following tale is the only thing amazing influence which the con- that appears to us would answer the qests of a monarch have, not only trouble of transcribing.

upon himself, but upon all his plans "As this chapter is solely devoted and all his actions. We are induced to the collection of those detached

facts or events, which are remotely of his own daughter; and upon this or immediately connected with the circumstance conceived a project, the reign of Charlemagne, this is the execution of which seemed to be most proper place to introduce a con- easy from his situation at that time. cise abridgment of a work published Kerling having proposed that his at Munich in 1803, under the title of daughter should be accompanied to a very ancient history of the birth the castle of Pepin by a splendid esand youth of that monarch. Its au- cort, the steward informed him that thor, the baron de Aretin, professes to his master had ordered a certain numhave found an old German manu- ber of his followers to meet her half script, in the archives of the abbey way on her journey, and that he de Wechent Stephan, near Fresin- wished she should then be delivered gen, which he conjectures to have over to them. The king consented; been composed in the thirteenth cen- and after having embraced her fa tury, and which several ancient ther, the princess set off with her atwriters have described as an histori- tendants. On arriving at the appoint. cal monument highly meriting the ed place of meeting, they took their notice of the curious. It is singular leave; and instead of committing enough that Eginhard, the secretary their mistress to the care of Pepin's and intimate friend of Charlemagne, followers, they put her, unknowingly, should have been unable to transmit into the hands of the agents of the to us any particulars respecting his steward. place of nativity, and the employment of his juvenile years. We are not, therefore, to be suprized at the fruitful imagination of romance writers attempting to fill up the chasm of authentic evidence, which has been left by him and other contemporary writers.

"She was conducted by them into the most retired part of a forest, where they obliged her to strip off her garments, and assume those of her rival, and likewise to deliver up her nuptial ring, the present of her father. The steward on parting with his accomplices, had forced them to swear "According to the above-mention- they would cut the throat of the ed manuscript, Pepin, after having princess, and present him with her been called by the public voice to the tongue, as a proof of having faiththroue of France, declared his inten- fully performed their commission, tion to extirpate the paganism of The villains dragged their captive Germany; and for this express pur- into the heart of a forest, in order to pose fixed himself in the centre of dispatch her with the utmost secrecy; that empire, in the castle of Wichent she conjured their permission to take Sephen, where since has been found- with her a little dog, and a box coned a convent of Benedictines. Soon taining both gold and silk; after the king of a country, to whom the some hesitation, they yielded to her manuscript gives the appellation of solicitations, and at last were so workBrittaia or Kærling, offered him his ed upon by her beauty, innocence, daughter in marriage; but Pepin, and tears, as to disregard the fatal before he accepted his proposal, orders which they had received, on wished to have her portrait in ex- the condition, however, of her taking change for his. He was enchanted a solemn oath never to betray them. with the representation of the young Anxious to create no suspicion on the princess. lis steward and chief fa- part of their employer, of having left vourite to whom he shewed this pic-, the work uncomplete, they laid her ture, expressed an earnest desire to garment before him pierced in sevesee her, in order to satisfy his royal ral places, and sprinkled with the master respecting the resemblance of blood of the dog, whose tongue they the original to the picture. Accord- had torn out. The steward was eningly he repaired to the court of king Kærling, where he was well received, and found the beauty of the princess corresponding to the porrait. He likewise found that her eatures bore some similitude to those

tirely deceived by these appearances, his daughter was presented to the king, and the marriage consummated. She bore Pepin two sons according to the manuscript, one of whom attained the papacy under the name of