EFFECTS

Of the modern Diffusion of Knowledge.

IN consequence of this general diffusion of intelligence, nations are becoming vastly better acquainted with the physical, moral and political condition of each other. Whatever of any moment is transacted in the legislative assemblies of one country is now very soon known, not merely to the rulers, but also to the people, of every other country. Nay, an interesting occurrence of any nature cannot transpire in an insignificant town of Europe or America, without finding its way, through the medium of the national journals, to the eyes and ears of all Christendom. Every man must now be in a considerable degree a spectator of the doings of the world, or he is soon very far in the rear of the intelligence of the day. Indeed, he has only to read a respectable newspaper, and he may be informed of the discoveries in the arts, the discussions in the senates, and the bearings of public opinion all over the world.

The reasons of all this may chiefly be found in that increased desire of information, which characterizes the mass of society in the present age. Intelligence of every kind, and especially political information, has become an article of profit; and when once this is the case, there can be no doubt that it will be abundantly supplied. Beside this, it is important to remark, that the art of navigation has been within a few years materially improved, and commercial relations have become vastly more extensive. The establishment of packet ships between the two continents has brought London and Paris as near to us as Pittsburgh and New Orleans. There is every reason to believe, that, within the next half century, steam navigation will render communication between the ports of Europe and America as frequent, and almost as regular, as that by ordinary mails. The commercial houses of every nation are establishing their agencies in the principal cities of every other nation, and thus binding together the people by every tie of interest; while at the same time they are furnishing innumerable channels, by which information may be circulated among every class of the community. Hence it is, that the moral influence which nations are exerting upon each other, is greater than it has been at any antecedent period in the history of the world. The institu

tions of our country are becoming known, almost of necessity, to every other country. Knowledge provokes to comparison, and comparison leads to reflection. The fact that others are happier than themselves prompts men to inquire whence this difference proceeds, and how their own melioration may be accomplished. By simply looking upon a free people, an oppressed people instinctively feel that they have inalienable rights; and they will never afterwards be at rest, until the enjoyment of these rights is guarantied to them. Thus one form of government, which in any pre-eminent degree promotes the happiness of man, is gradually but irresistibly disseminating the principles of its constitution, and, from the very fact of its existence, calling into being those trains of thought, which must in the end revolutionize every government within the sphere of its influence, under which the people are oppressed.

And thus is it that the field, in which mind may labor, has now become wide as the limits of civilization. A doctrine advanced by one man, if it has any claim to interest, is soon known to every other man. The movement of one intellect now sets in motion the intellects of millions. We may now calculate upon effects, not upon a state or a people, but upon the melting, amalgamating mass of human nature. Man is now the instrument which genius wields at its will; it touches a chord of the human heart, and nations vibrate in unison. And thus he who can rivet the attention of a community upon an elementary principle hitherto neglected in politics or morals, or who can bring an acknowledged principle to bear upon an existing abuse, may, by his own intellectual might, with only the assistance of the press, transform the institutions of an empire or a world.

In many respects the nations of Christendom collectively are becoming somewhat analogous to our own Federal Republic. Antiquated distinctions are breaking away, and local animosities are subsiding. The common people of different countries are knowing each other better, esteeming each other more, and attaching themselves to each other by various manifestations of reciprocal good will. It is true, every nation has still its separate boundaries, and its individual interests; but the freedom of commercial intercourse is allowing those interests to adjust themselves to each other, and thus rendering the causes of collision of vastly less frequent Occurrence, Local questions are becoming of less, and ge

neral questions of greater importance. Thanks be to God, men have at last begun to understand the rights, and feel for the wrongs, of each other. Mountains interposed do not so much make enemies of nations. Let the trumpet of alarm be sounded, and its notes are now heard by every nation, whether of Europe or America. Let a voice, borne on the feeblest breeze, tell that the rights of man are in danger, and it floats over valley and mountain, across continent and ocean, until it has vibrated on the ear of the remotest dweller in Christendom. Let the arm of oppression be raised to crush the feeblest nation on earth, and there will be heard every where, if not the shout of defiance, at least the deeptoned murmur of implacable displeasure. It is the cry of aggrieved, insulted, much-abused man. It is human nature waking in her might from the slumber of ages, shaking herself from the dust of antiquated institutions, girding herself for the combat, and going forth conquering and to conquer; and wo unto the man, wo unto the dynasty, wo unto the party, and wo unto the policy, on whom shall fall the scath of her blighting indignation.

THE LOVE OF HUMAN ESTIMATION.

Is it true that a passion of such powerful and various operation, as that we have now been considering, is no where recommended in Scripture as a motive of action? Are we no where referred to the opinion of the world, no where expostulated with from a regard to reputation? Are there no appeals made by any of the messengers of God's will to our sense of shame, to our pride, to our ambition; to`our vanity? Certain it is that such appeals are at least rarely to be met with. Our Savior, indeed, seems to have thought it hazardous, in any degree, to encourage a regard to the opinion of the world as a motive to action, because, however advantageous might be its operation in some instances, where a higher principle was wanting, still the most casual recommendation of a sentiment so natural, so seducing, and so universal, would have been liable to perpetual misconstruction and abuse.

Indeed, no man can read the discourses of our Savior, or of his apostles, without observing how utterly they are at war with the spirit of self-aggrandizement. Perhaps, however,

you may expect, that I should refer you to examples where this temper is clearly censured or punished. What think you, then, of the history of Herod Agrippa? "On a set day,' says the historian, 'Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto the people. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory; and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.' I make no comments on this story. It is too solemn. Think only, if such was the punishment of a man for accepting the idolatrous flattery offered him, can they be guiltless in the eyes of Heaven, who cannot live but upon the honey of adulation, and whose whole life is but a continual series of contrivances to gain the favor of the multitude, a continual preference of the glory of themselves to the glory of their Creator? Is not this example of the requisitions of the Gospel sufficient?Read then the dreadful woes denounced against the Jewish rulers, not merely because they did not receive our Savior, nor merely because they were continually meditating his destruction; but because they did all their works to be seen of men.

But as nothing, perhaps, is gained in point of practical improvement, by pushing these principles of indifference to the world to an extreme, or in declaiming indiscriminately against any prevailing sentiment of extensive influence, before we consider the restrictions under which the love of fame should be laid in the mind of a Christian, we will, as we proposed, endeavor to ascertain, and candidly to allow, all those advantages, which may result from this regard to the opinion of others, when more pure and evangelical motives are either wanting or not sufficiently established.

We

Here, then, we will allow, that much of the real as well as fictitious excellence, which has adorned the world, may be traced, in some degree, to the spirit of emulation. allow, that it calls forth the energies of the young mind; that it matures in our colleges and schools some of the earliest products of youthful capacity; and that it offers incalculable aid to the lessons and to the discipline of instructers. When we look at our libraries, we can hardly find a volume, which does not, in a measure, owe its appearance to the love of fame. When we gaze on the ruins of our ancient magnificence, or the rare remains of ancient skill, we are obliged

to confess, that we owe these to the influence of emulation. Nay, more, when we read the lives of great men, and are lost in wonder at their astonishing intellectual supremacy, we are compelled to acknowledge, that for this we are partly indebted to the love of fame. We acknowledge, also, that it often supplies successfully the place of nobler motives; and that, notwithstanding the evils which grow out of its abuse, the world would suffer from its utter extinction. For the weight of public opinion is sometimes thrown into the scale of truth. We know that the popular sentiment will sometimes control the tyranny of the powerful, and counteract the influence of wealth; that it restrains sometimes the madness of lust, and sometimes the cunning of malevolence. We are also sensible, that the influence of a regard to reputation is often favorable to the improvement of social intercourse. To a deference to the world's opinion, and to a love of its good will, are we to attribute much of that politeness and propriety, which are discoverable in manners, and much of that courtesy, which, by habitual observance, sheds perhaps, at length, a favorable influence on the disposition. It is this, which brings down the haughty to condescension, and softens the rough into gentleness. It is this which sometimes checks the offensiveness of vanity, and moderates the excess of selfishness. It causes thousands to appear kind, who would otherwise be rude,-and honorable, who would otherwise be base.

These genial effects upon the intercourse of society are sufficient to induce us to retain the love of human estimation in the number of lawful motives. It was probably a view of some of these influences partially supplying the place of real benevolence, which induced the apostle sometimes to recommend a regard to human opinion. He advises the Roman converts to 'provide things honorable in the eyes of all men.' To the Phillippians, after recommending all things honest, just, pure, and lovely, he ventures also to add "whatsoever things are of good report.' Nay, more; he says not only, if there be any virtue,' but if there be any praise, think on these things.' We believe this is the most decisive testimony of approbation; which can be gathered from the Scriptures. We will add, also, in favor of the useful operation of this universal passion, that it perhaps cannot be completely engaged, like all the other passions, on the side of vice.For the highest degree of moral depravity is consistent only