He intended also to give a very full course | prehensiveness and readiness of intellect, of Political Economy. His first intention that he threw new light on subjects that was to deliver his lectures upon that subject might have appeared most foreign to his in summer, but he was soon convinced that habits of thinking. At the same time, there this would confine him too much to the town; was no obtrusion of abstruse topics or reand he resolved for one year to endeavour condite reflections. He was always willing to give a lecture at three o'clock. Political to follow the stream of conversation wherEconomy was a subject which had occupied ever it flowed, and was as ready to disport much of his thoughts before he was elected with the commonest topics, as to discuss high professor. There is cause to regret that all his notes, from different works, as well as his own views, are lost to the public, having originally been written in short-hand, and never extended.

He intended, after having delivered his lectures upon Political Economy for six or seven years, to resign his situation, and retire to the country, where he proposed to prepare his lectures for publication, and devote himself, without any interruption whatever, to letters and philosophy.

I shall now conclude this sketch with a summary of what I conceive to have been the distinguishing characteristics of Dr. Brown, as a man, and as a philosopher.

points in philosophy. So much was this the case, that strangers sometimes considered the accuracy of his knowledge upon subjects which might be supposed unimportant to a philosopher, as bordering on pedantry, and the interest he seemed to take in them as affected. The fact however was, that his active mind embraced and retained almost without an effort every subject of human knowledge, and his kind heart considered nothing as unimportant, which could in any degree affect the happiness of a single human being.-There generally ran through his conversation a vein of easy pleasantry and wit. His wit was peculiar, and predominated over his humour. The consequence of this Among the more prominent features of was, that his combinations, delicate and oriDr. Brown's character, may be enumerated ginal as they were in a high degree, were the greatest gentleness and kindness and de- not always such as excite to laughter. licacy of mind, united with the noblest inde- Those, therefore, who have no standard of pendence of spirit, a generous admiration of wit but the noisy merriment it occasions, and every thing affectionate or exalted in charac- who cannot think it natural if it does not flow ter, a manly contempt for every thing mean from a highly excited state of animal spirits, or selfish, and especially for those arts by looked upon his feats of intellect as implying which the feeble and unworthy raise them- an effort which was not always successful ; selves to situations that they can only dis- and it required a more refined taste to pergrace; (a contempt that he expressed with ceive, that they were in reality the beautiful a freedom which could not but be hurtful to and altogether unconstrained result of a pehis own popularity, where these arts are so culiar conformation of intellect. I have been common and so successful ;) a detestation for a little fuller upon these two points in Dr. every thing that even bordered on tyranny Brown's character, because they were some and oppression, a truly British love of liber- times misapprehended. I may also here rety, and the most ardent desire for the dif- mark, that his extreme affability was somefusion of knowledge, and happiness, and vir- times ascribed, by those who would have tue among mankind. In private life, he was been ready to represent a colder and more possessed of almost every quality that ren- distant behaviour as indicative of pride, to ders society delightful; and was indeed re- an affected politeness, in which the heart had markable for nothing more than for his love little share. The very contrary of this, howof home, and the happiness he shed around ever, was the fact; bland and kind as his him there. It was ever his strongest wish manners were, his heart was still kinder; to make every one who was with him happy; and warm as were his professions of friendand with his talents of society, it was scarce- ship and attachment, whenever he had an oply possible that he could fail in his object. portunity, he showed that he was more ready His exquisite delicacy of perception gave him to do than to say. a quick fore-feeling of whatever might be As an author, his fate has been singular, hurtful to any one; and his wit, his varied and, during his own lifetime, hard. Though information, his classical taste, and, above all, it was never disputed that he had first-rate his mild and gentlemanly manners, and his talents, none of his works, while he was alive, truly philosophic evenness of temper, diffus-ever attained any great popularity; and, in ed around him the purest and most refined the reviews of the day, the name of Dr. enjoyment. Of almost universal knowledge, Brown is almost the only one of any celebrity acquired by the most extensive reading, and that is never to be found. As a poet he by wide intercourse with the world, there was peculiarly unsuccessful. The many conwas no topic of conversation to which he sidered it to be impossible that the subtlest seemed a stranger; and such was his commetaphysician of the age could be a tolerable

poet, and paid no attention to his produc-artist merely, and not as a philosopher. In tions; and the obscurity that common read- the quickness and subtlety of intellect of ers found in many of them tempted them to which the power of analysing is compounded, endeavour to turn into ridicule what they did and which, whatever may be the estimation not understand. It was, therefore, not very in which they are held by men of merely safe to express approbation of any of the practical understandings, are so indispensably poems; and they had thus the uncommon necessary to the philosopher of mind, there fate of being more read and admired than cannot be named, after Dr. Brown, any one praised. Those who were charmed, did not who can be considered aut similis aut secunchoose to subject themselves to the ridicule dus. It is impossible, indeed, to turn to a of owning it. Thinking what the dull would single page in his writings that does not conthink, they feared to praise. tain some feat of ingenuity. But it was in It is only as an elegant writer, and as a metaphysics that he turned this power to most metaphysician, that the public have been wil-account, and where the results are most asling to recognise Dr. Brown; and even as a tonishing. States of mind that had been metaphysician, it is painful to reflect that dur-looked upon for ages as reduced to the last ing his life, his fame was never equal to his degree of simplicity, and as belonging to those merits. Subtleness and acuteness were allow-facts in our constitution which the most ed to him at the expense of his higher quali- sceptical could not doubt, and the most ties. I am disposed to ascribe this to the very subtle could not explain, he brought to the greatness and universality of his powers, and crucible, and evolved from them simpler eleam convinced that he would have been a ments. For the most complicated and puzmuch greater favourite with the great bulk of zling questions that our mysterious and alreaders, had he, with the same refinement most inscrutable nature presents to our inand eloquence, been less ingenious and pro-quiry, he found a quick and easy solution. found. But without speculating on the No intricacy was too involved for him to uncauses that prevented him from obtaining ravel, no labyrinth too mazy for him to exthat general popularity which he so well de-plore. The knot that thousands had left in served, and which is now beginning to be despair, as too complicated for mortal hand expressed, when, alas! it is too late for him; to undo, and which others, more presumpit may be better to give a view of those ex-tuous, had cut in twain, in the rage of bafcellences which were but partially appreciat- fled ingenuity, he unloosed with unrivalled ed, so that the honours which were withheld dexterity. The enigmas which a false philofrom him when he was alive may not be de-sophy had so long propounded, and which, nied him now that he is dead, and that the because they were not solved, had made vicaurels which can never deck his brow, may tims of many of the finest and highest-gifted at least be hung upon his hearse, and strew- of our race, he at last succeeded in unriddled upon his grave. ing.

In the philosophic love of truth, and in A capacity for analysing like his was not, the patient investigation of it, Dr. Brown perhaps, to be expected at an earlier age of may be pronounced as at least equal, and in the world. As this is the last quality that subtlety of intellect and powers of analysis, displays itself in the individual, so it is the as superior, to any metaphysician that ever last feature that is exhibited in the literature existed. Or if there ever was any philoso- of a country. No ancient nation probably pher who might dispute with him the palm cultivated letters sufficiently long to bring for any one of these qualities, of this at least them to this point in their intellectual proI am certain, that no one ever combined them gress. Certain it is that we should look in all in equal perfection. The predominating vain among the ancients for any extraordinary quality in his intellectual character was un- display of dexterous analysis. Had any one questionably his power of analysing the even arisen superior to the age in which he most necessary of all qualities to a metaphy-lived, his language would have prevented the sician. In itself, indeed, it is not, in how-full display of his powers; for exquisitely ever high a degree it may be possessed, suf- fitted as the ancient languages are to convey ficient to make a perfect metaphysician; but complex conceptions, they want flexibility it is the most essential ingredient in the for- for the nicer turns of thought. A history of mation of such a character. Without it, a the progress of the analytical capacities of man may make many useful practical obser- language, and a comparison of different lanvations on the constitution of our nature, and guages in this respect, is a desideratum in from these he may deduce important con- literature. It would throw much more light clusions as to the wisdom of God, and as to upon the intellectual character of nations, the conduct becoming a man in the various and upon the nature of the human mind situations in which he may be placed; but itself, than seems generally to be supthis is all that he can do,-he throws no new light upon the science of mind, he is acquainted with the mental phenomena as an

posed.

Since the subject of language has been introduced, I may here make a few observa

tions upon the use that Dr. Brown made of of blinding and misleading metaphysicians. it in his philosophical investigations. The This, indeed, is his favourite organ in the only real use of abstract language, as has discovery and elucidation of truth. He does been seen, is to make us acquainted with the not in his reasonings trust much to analogy, truths of which the world is already in pos- nor to the bringing of an individual example session, and to give permanence to the truths under a general rule; nor does he attempt to which we ourselves may discover. This gain our prejudices on his side, by addressing fact, however, obvious though it may appear, himself to our pride of understanding on the has been disputed by almost all metaphysical one hand, or to our common sense on the philosophers. Language has been represent-other-the usual methods of our metaphysied by them as the instrument of thought; and cians. His object is, by clearly defining his indeed, to read the trifling and merely verbal terms, to withdraw the attention of the disputes of many metaphysicians, it would reader from words to things. This is not appear that it was often their only instru- always perhaps the most agreeable, but it is ment. Dr. Brown, at a very early period by far the shortest and the surest road to of life, acquired correct views of the true truth; for if we could all look upon nature purposes for which language is to be employ- herself with our own eyes, unbiassed by the ed, and by a habit of analysing every complex views that others have taken of her, our term, escaped completely from what Bacon conclusions would seldom be erroneous. In calls the Idola Fori. The habit to which I metaphysics, and indeed in all the sciences allude was a very striking characteristic of where the human mind is directly concernhis intellect; and no account of his charac-ed, the chief art that we have to learn is to ter as a philosopher would be complete, in analyse, quickly and directly, the language which it was not very particularly noticed. we employ. For explaining and teaching It is impossible to say how much greater this art, and for evincing its importance, I efficacy it gave to his acuteness. It derived know of no works equal to those of Dr. its origin doubtless from his great activity Brown; and they might be recommended and ingenuity, and no one, unless he had to those who wish to acquire this art of these qualities in an equal degree of perfec- thinking, in the same spirit that dictated tion, could arrive at the same dexterity and the famous saying of Locke, "If you wish power ; it therefore detracts nothing from your son to learn logic, make him read Chilthe merits of his discoveries, to ascribe the lingworth." most important of them to this habit. That To his power of analysis, then, there I do not over-rate its influence, those who can be no hesitation in giving the first place, are at all acquainted with his works will ad- in the view of Dr. Brown's intellectual chamit, when they are reminded of the words racter. But a mere capacity of analysing, Power, Volition, Occasional, Efficient, and as has been already remarked, though indisPhysical Causes.-Dr. Brown himself has pensably necessary to all those who would remarked in the preface to the third edition extend the boundaries of science of any of his work on Cause and Effect, that "The description, and above all of metaphysical very simplification of the language itself, in science, is not of itself sufficient to constiwhich we are accustomed to think of the tute a philosopher. To form a perfect phiabstract relations of things, is one of the losopher, another quality is necessary; a most important contributions which meta- | quality which, as Dr. Brown has observed, physical analysis is occasionally able to make" sees through a long train of thought a disto the Philosophy of Physical Inquiry,-that tant conclusion, and separating at every highest and noblest logic, which, compre-stage the essential from the accessory cirhending at once our intellectual nature and cumstances, and gathering and combining every thing which is known to exist, con-analogies as it proceeds, arrives at length at siders the mind in all its possible relations a system of harmonious truth. This comto the species of truths which it is capable prehensive energy is a quality to which aof discovering. To remove a number of cuteness is necessary, but which is not itself cumbrous words is, in many cases, all that is necessarily implied in acuteness; or, rather, necessary to render distinctly visible, as it it is a combination of qualities for which we were, to our very glance, truths which they, have not yet an exact name, but which and they only, have been for ages hiding from forms a peculiar character of genius, and is, our view. " in truth, the very guiding spirit of all philoIn these respects, the benefits Dr. sophic investigation." Brown has conferred upon philosophy are The idea is very prevalent, that this cominestimable. He has in a thousand in-prehensive energy, though involving acutestances simplified the language in which we ness, is incompatible with that quality when are accustomed to think of the abstract re- it exists in a more than usual degree. And lations of things, and he has removed and it certainly has generally happened that those explained many of those words which, more who have been distinguished for their inthan any other cause, have had the effect | genuity, have wasted their powers in un

profitable displays of subtlety, satisfied with him. He was, in the strictest sense of the detecting error, or discovering particular word, a man of science. To this last cirtruths, without arranging the result of their cumstance, more, perhaps, than to any analytical efforts into a regular system; and other, is to be ascribed the fact, that the that men of more comprehensive minds have fame he has enjoyed is so little when comemployed themselves in recording the more pared with the character that has been given obvious analogies of things, without attend- him. The great bulk of readers value truth, ing to their minor differences, in conse- at least such truth as does not interest their quence of which their arrangements, how-passions, merely in reference to its applicaever practically useful, have been philo- tion to use; and abstract truth can never be sophically erroneous and liable to be expos- very useful to any one in the intercourse of ed by subtler intellects. It might easily life, till the progress of observation and of be shown, from the principles of our nature, science brings remote relations frequently that this has arisen merely from accidental before the view of a great proportion of the causes, and that there is no real incompati- members of society. The more subtle and bility between the two qualities. But an profound, therefore, that a philosopher is, abstract discussion of the question is un- if he does not join to his subtlety and comnecessary: the case of Dr. Brown sets it at prehensiveness of intellect a practical underrest. His comprehensiveness, though not standing, the more contracted, for a time, equally remarkable. was almost equally re- must be his fame. I am aware, accordingly, markable with his acuteness. And I recol- that my opinion as to the rank that Dr. lect no philosopher to whom, with so much Brown holds among philosophers must apjustice, can be applied the admirable passage pear to many to be higher than his merits in Bacon, where, in his address Ad Regem entitle him to. But I am confident, that Suum, he paraphrases the sacred compari- those who are able to judge for themselves, son of the heart of the king to the sand of and who will carefully compare the views of the sea-Cujus quanquam massa prægrandis, Dr. Brown with the views of the philosopartes tamen minutissima; sic mentis indidit phers that preceded him, will ultimately Deus majestati tuæ crasim plane mirabilem, confirm the decision.

statement of a doctrine, or of a system.

quæ cum maxima quæque complectatur, mini- Such, then, were Dr. Brown's powers ma tamen prehendat, nec patiatur effluere: for philosophizing. Next to the powers of cum perdifficile videatur, vel potius impossibile a philosopher for discovering truth, is his in natura, ut idem instrumentum et grandia capacity for illustrating it. I shall now, opera et pusilla apte disponat. It is by the therefore, make a few remarks upon Dr. union of these two qualities that Dr. Brown Brown's style, understanding by that word may most easily be distinguished from other all those qualities that are concerned in the philosophers. For example, he may thus easily be distinguished from Smith and The circumstance that is most remarkHume. Smith had more, perhaps, of the able in Dr. Brown's style is the synthetical comprehensive quality, and Hume was near- manner in which he states his doctrine. ly as acute: but Smith was inferior in me- Though the most analytical of all philosotaphysical acumen; and Hume, with all his phers in his inquiries after truth, he is the ingenuity, could not rear a consistent system. most synthetical in delivering the result of The names of Hume and of Smith may be them. Some writers lead the reader to a considered as representative of two numerous general conclusion by the same path that classes of philosophers. There is another they themselves pursued in the discovery. class, at the head of whom may be placed They start the doubts that at first occurred Dr. Reid, who employ themselves chiefly to themselves; they suggest the solutions in the induction of facts, in the choice of that satisfied their own minds; and thus which they are determined by their practical they proceed, appearing to follow rather importance alone, and who scarcely pay any than lead their readers. But Dr. Brown attention to the relations that bind them to-pursued a method exactly contrary. After gether. From this class Dr. Brown may bringing a subject, by a cautious induction be more easily distinguished than from any of innumerable particulars, to the greatest other. Facts to him had little other interest, but as they were to be analysed and arranged. And his arrangements were made, not according to the accidental uses, but according to the essential properties of objects. He valued truth for its own sake, and no accidental interest or temporary subserviency to particular purposes had any influence with

• De Augmentis Scientiarum, lib. i.

degree of generality, he then opens it up to the reader in the most systematic manner, presenting the separate truths, neither in the relation in which they suggested themselves to his own mind, nor in the way in which they may insinuate themselves most easily into the mind of the reader, but in the relation which they hold to each other in nature. To those who love truth for its own sake, this is decidedly the best method, and it is desirable that it should be followed in

It can scarcely be necessary to remind the reader

pleasure in them; for they are never intro- that I speak only of the charms of his style.