His contributions to the Quarterly' were part of a higher standard of reviewing than that periodical at present succeeds in laying before the public. Copleston's influence, however, never was the result of his writings; they were only an adornment to his literary character, not the foundation of it. As an active and leading member of the University, it is obvious that he must defend it by writing, when need was, as well as aid it by personal management, if he would maintain the reputation he had acquired, and was ambitious of increasing. He was not, in fact, an author, but he only used a certain clear way of expressing himself on paper, to assist in the general objects of his life. Dr. Copleston did not neglect the essential part of a literary man's life which foreign travel occupies. The letters which he wrote from the Continent, some of which are given in his Memoirs, are those of a clear-headed, impartial, and observant traveller. It was natural to him, in the vigour of youth, and especially under the excitement of fresh scenes, and the freedom from home trammels, to show much independence of vulgar prejudice, an active appreciation of good customs and habits, though foreign to his own previous associations, and much liberality of mind in touching upon many subjects of religious comment which usually are a stumbling-block to travellers-we mean all notices of Romish ceremonial and practice. Obtuseness of mind was not Copleston's failing; yet there was a sad inability to break through the formal routine of official life, in the practical execution of his various powers-an inability which, from being at first only excused, became at last his adopted principle of action. Better hopes, for instance, might have been entertained than were afterwards realized, if we consider the following remarks as coming from one who was to be Dean of St. Paul's.

"In Italy there is still a great spirit of devotion in their own way. One of the most striking peculiarities was the numerous paintings of saints and martyrs, in frescoes, by the roadside, and against houses in every village we passed through. Their climate admits of this exposure, and the execution is far superior to what would be seen in country places in any other part of the world. The churches, too, which are in catholic' countries open all day long, were never without people kneeling in profound devotion. One custom they have, which might well be imitated by Protestants, that of repairing to church to say their private prayers. Many people in passing will turn in for this purpose, and stay a few minutes on their knees, whether any service is going on or not." —Pp. 58, 59.

There is something almost melancholy and depressing in such barren unpractical speculations, when the writer of them for more than twenty years presided over the dreary walls of the interior of that cathedral, without any attempt to give them Christian life, or even artistic warmth; and never heeded the popular outcry to open its doors without the payment of the invidious twopence.

The Monastic system meets with its usual condemnation at his hands, as testified by his remarks on Chartreuse; his previous admiration, however, of the material part of this institution is interesting in itself, and shows his appreciation of art. We therefore give our readers the result of both what he saw, and what he thought :

"It is always described as the richest church in point of decoration, perhaps, in the world. Taking into account the beauty of the works of art, and the costliness of the materials which compose, rather than adorn it, it does, I believe, deserve that character. We were perfectly confounded with the prodigious display of exquisite sculpture, and rich inlaid work of marble and precious stone. Wreaths of flowers, birds, and other ornamental devices, are represented in native colours by pieces of marble, and of every species of stone which the lapidaries use. The size, the beauty, the variety and the endless profusion of these materials, added to the taste and elegance with which the work is executed, deserve all that has been said, or can be said, in its praise. Some of the finest pictures have been taken by the French to enrich the Louvre, but they have abstained from pillaging the wealth which encrusts all the shrines and walls of the church. The large monastery to which it was attached, like all other establishments of the kind within the reach of French influence, has been suppressed, but the building still remains unoccupied, except by two monks, who attend to the service of the church. The foundation was of the most munificent kind. The apartments allotted to each monk were equal to a small house, with a garden and servants' rooms. I own that among the acts of the French in their conquered countries, this one of the suppression of monasteries always gave me pleasure. The institution is so burdensome and injurious, and yet so interwoven with the law and the religion of a country, that one can never hope to see it eradicated by regular means. It must be either a robber or a tyrant, or both, like our Henry, to do it. They talk of restoring religious orders again in Italy; but whatever they do, I believe the world is secure against the endowment of wealthy religious houses again."'-Pp. 57, 58.

If such, however, were Dr. Copleston's abstract views on the political bearing of monasteries, he was not uncourteous or ungrateful for the attention and hospitality he received from these institutions, or blind to personal virtues even in a monk. After visiting St. Bernard, he writes:

"Our wishes have been gratified to the utmost; the day has been almost without a cloud. We arrived in good time for the evening reception. There were three other strangers besides ourselves who supped with the pères. It has been as pleasant an evening as I ever passed. The prior, who entered most into conversation, is just what a monk ought to be, that is, just the opposite of what they are represented to be in all books-mild, well-bred, well acquainted with what is going on in the world, and, though very temperate himself, pressing his hospitality as far as decorum will allow. The younger monks give the most cheerful and kind attendance. When one considers in what a savage solitude all this scene is passing, I can hardly fancy it real. But the cold, which is bitter, now that I am retired to my bedroom, forcibly reminds me of my actual existence in a spot, of which I have often read, but which, till lately, I never dreamt of seeing."-P. 53.

His comments on the religion of the Continent we conclude with the following letter, in which we again notice some discrepancy between the brighter and truer fancies of the heart, and the dull perseverance with which he subsequently aided in perpetuating a worn-out system, rather than in reviving more active life:

"In Flanders, everything wears the appearance of strict attachment to the Roman Catholic worship. The churches are open in summer from five in the morning till noon, during which time a succession of priests are officiating, the people coming and going, seldom less than thirty in the church at any one time, with great appearance of devotion. In the streets are often seen religious processions, figures of Christ and of the Virgin carried, and long lines of people, well marshalled, women and children classed respectively, all singing, with books in their hands, and wearing an appearance of sincere and serious piety. This proceeding took me by surprise. I was not aware that the people took so warm a part in the performance of religious offices, it being one of the commonest objections to popery, that it leaves all to the priests, while the people are merely passive. At Mayence I certainly saw a parochial procession, consisting of nearly all the congregation of a parish, singing lustily, and with as much pertinacity as a Methodist meeting. As you advance towards the Rhine, however, there is a greater mixture of Protestants, who are of two classes, the Lutherans, by far the most numerous, and the Reformed, as they are called, kar’¿¿oxnv, or Calvinists. These last, originating in Geneva and France, are not numerous on the side of Germany. Formerly there existed strong jealousies and opposition between the two classes, which have now generally subsided; the Calvinists, being the less numerous, are inclined to yield, and at Mayence they have even formed a coalition very recently, so that they use the same church, have the same minister, and partake of the communion together. The minister using the gospel-words, 'This is my body,' and each communicant understanding them in his own way.

"In all the places of worship I have attended (except one, which I will speak of presently), I must say that there was greater appearance of devotion than the English church ordinarily presents. The people seemed to make it more their own business. They come before the service begins. Many sit there an hour with their books, and seem to be engaged in private prayer. I confess I cannot understand the ground upon which the English boast themselves to be a peculiarly religious people. To be sure, on the Continent Sunday is regarded as a festival, and all sorts of innocent amusements go on in the evening, after divine service is over. This is the case as much in Protestant as in Catholic countries, and I believe Heylin, in his Treatise on the Sabbath, is right in saying that the day was never, in the history of the church, considered as profaned by the practice, till about the latter end of our Elizabeth's reign, when the Puritan notions began to prevail. The place of worship I meant to speak of, is the Jews' synagogue at Amsterdam."-Pp. 77-79.

It is only in scattered fragments of the Memoirs that we are able to gather traces of Dr. Copleston's practical views on Church matters; we suspect, indeed, that he had no very definite principles in which conviction of the heart and mind were combined with strength of resolution in practice. He had a conscientious desire to do his duty, but as he had not started in life with an ecclesiastical or even theological idea dominant in his mind, so he never felt quite at home in adopting one, and even betrayed

some little impatience at the assumption of a higher standard on the part of others than was natural to himself. He was too much disposed to give up an ideal aim, and to strive for a certain blending of theory and practice, which is occasionally asserted to be the attribute of a practical man. This philosophy of moderation we must beg leave to call in question, on general grounds. The world owes its best features of character, its greatest men, its truest wisdom, its noblest actions, its deepest philosophy, its loveliest poetry, its chief moral excellences,to the zealous carrying out of individual theories and ideas, spontaneously arising in the human mind. If individuals sink their own gifts, whatever they may be, even though, by comparison with the mass, they may appear eccentric in their development, the seeds or small trickling fountain, that give new life and fresh purity to the growth of the human mind or the waters of life, are, we conceive, thereby withdrawn. The standard of vigorous power is lowered in the general mass, without that stimulant of genius in its ideal form, which Providence, in many ways, raises up. If every one follows the standard of every one else, a certain and rapid deterioration is the consequence. Human society can no more live on itself,— that is, on its own formalized and generally approved maxims of moderation,-than the bear for any length of time on its own fat; extraneous nourishment, occasional stimulus, and all the wants of a physical constitution, apply to the necessities of man in a social aspect. Moderation of mind, as brought in opposition to anything ideal, is very different to that principle of common sense which consists, not in smothering individual powers, but in their guidance and direction. We must, after all, remember, in a practical way, that religion itself is an ideal thing, so far as it holds out for our example ideal virtues and ideal types of character. Any attempt, therefore, to weaken the force of abstract virtues, to depreciate ideal examples, and call in question the use of theoretical excellence, practically militates against the scheme of revelation. On the point, for instance, of Christian charity, it may be somewhat difficult to harmonize. the enjoyment of ordinary comforts with the existence of great suffering around us; but it is obviously no true solution of this to give up a certain ideal of entire self-devotion to the cause of the poor, which our Lord Himself pictures. The following passage from a letter to Dr. Whately, written 1824, enters rather into this question; and we cannot but observe, in the appeal which is brought in to Holy Writ, that the particular line of counsel we refer to is omitted, while rather a singular reference to the Divine example is introduced in its place. The tendency of such a mode of speaking is to make what is technically called a counsel of perfection a reductio ad absurdum.

"I can easily enter into the feelings you describe, which impel Mrs. W. to exertions beyond her strength; but after so severe a lesson, even the sense of duty must be satisfied in permitting many things to go unattended to, which, if the means were in our hands, we should be glad to regulate. It seems absurd to mount to metaphysical principles for a guide in the common familiar concerns of life. Yet I have frequently been led to reflect on the wide prevalence of evil in the world, as a proof that God cannot expect us to harass ourselves incessantly in resisting it. He doubtless permits it, as affording an arena for our energies, directed as they should be in obedience to his will. But it could never be meant that our own enjoyment is to be nullified by it.

"These reflections used to occur to my mind when engaged in active duties as a college officer; and it often appeared to me the most difficult question, with what degree of evil existing under one's eyes one might fairly indulge a feeling of complacency, and a desire for repose or enjoyment. No one will say that these feelings are not to be indulged at all, while any degree of evil exists around us which we may by possibility counteract. Our Saviour himself was not always teaching or relieving distress, and much both of moral and physical evil he must have witnessed without interfering to correct it.

"Whenever, therefore, a service of this kind exceeds the measure of our health or spirits, we ought to be satisfied that another duty withdraws us from it, and endeavour to forget, by diversion to other objects, the imperfections and blemishes which are inseparable from earthly things.

"It is seldom, indeed, that one has occasion to inculcate this sort of duty, but the best motives require a moderating hand; even benevolence itself may grow up into asceticism."'-Pp. 99, 100.

Asceticism in religion, to put it only on the practical ground, is surely as true an element in stimulating the mass of mankind, in raising the average standard of self-denial, as that kind of selfdevotion which we see every day to any secular object or cause which gains influence. Every cause, true or false, which gains ground, must have special devotees, and can never be spread by that one-sided view of the expression, common sense, which forbids an individual to adopt any other line than what popular discrimination sees to the bottom of. No one, indeed, was more alive to the danger of going down the stream than Dr. Copleston, in matters which he fairly grasped, as, for instance, the secular rights of the Church. The following passage illustrates this:

"As to the inequality of endowments, and the provision made for the dignity of the clerical order, these are matters on which the public at large never will be made to judge rightly. The vulgar cannot enter into the notion, and the apparent inconsistency of such principles with the spirit of the Gospel, will always influence the opinion of society. The more popular, therefore, our Government becomes, the less likely are these institutions to be respected, or even to be endured. Still, I trust the destruction of them will not be promoted or countenanced by the rulers of the church, although it may be forced upon them."'-P. 158.

But the inconsistency of his practical views, from a dread of theory, with his real consciousness of existing evils, is apparent in a letter where he says this, I dread all sudden and theoretical measures,' and continues,- The main thing we want;' but, how he could supply this want without what he reprobates,