Our Correspondent who inquires after a Disquisition in a former Number, in which it was shewn, that imagination as well as judgement is exercised in mathematical inquiries, is referred to our Critique upon Bailey's Doctrine of Interest and Annuities, Vol. v. p. 150. Feb. 1809.

ERRATA.

the March No. p. 289. 1. 17. for cervas read cervus.

April No. p 375. 1. 26. for of the facility, read by the facility.
p. 376. 1. 7. for this fraternity, read his fraternity.

p. 378. 1. 3. read suffer its distinctness.

In the present No. p. 464. 1. 28. for devotion towards them, read devotion towards

THE

ECLECTIC REVIEW,

FOR JUNE, 1814.

Art. I. A Treatise on Human Happiness. By the late Rev. William Stevens, D.D. Edited by the Rev. Thomas Martyn, B.D. F.R. and L.S. Regius Professor of Botany in the University of Cambridge. 12mo. pp. xxiv. 276. price 7s. London. Cadell and Davies, 1813.

A WORK upon the subject of this Treatise which would, in any adequate degree, fulfil the promise of its title, has long appeared to be a desideratum. We were not, indeed, prepared to subscribe to a prefatory remark in the volume before us, that the subject is so entirely new, or at least has seldom, if ever, been professedly treated of by any writer, either ancient or modern;' but we have long wished to see a work in which the principles of philosophical induction should be applied to human experience, so as to conduct to some rational doctrine on the subject of happiness, which might serve, not merely as the basis of a theory, but for the practical guidance of life. Nothing can be more vague or unsatisfactory, than the ideas which are attached to the term happiness, by writers of various descriptions. It is the summum bonum of the Theologian, and the political weal of the Economist; by some writers it is used to denote mere sensitive enjoyment, or a something, which consists in a certain order of fine ineffable sentiments. We have often had reason to regret that writers even of the highest class, have given only a loose and inefficient treatment of the subject, substituting a declamatory exposition of some general truths for investigation and argument. The valuable work written by Dr. Lucas (on the whole, perhaps, the best of this class) will disappoint the reader who takes it up with the expectation of finding in it any inquiry into those mysteries of our nature, those essential circumVOL. XI.

3 N

stances and laws of our intellectual being, which bear upon the very constitution of happiness. Throughout his work, we do not recollect any thing purporting to be a definition of the object of inquiry: and in the Treatise before us, the term is used with equal laxity of meaning, except that the epithet human, in the title, seems intended to denote, that happiness is to be taken in a subordinate sense, as relating to human experience.

We are not generally disposed to lay much stress upon philological definitions in regard to such subjects. They contribute little to the elucidation of truth, and still less can they be assumed as the basis of argument. But it is the duty of writers, when they employ as the subject of a moral 'treatise,' a term so indefinite and uncertain, to affix to it, in the first instance, a distinct, specific meaning. Happiness, taken absolutely, is that supreme satisfaction which arises from the enjoyment of the highest good of which we are capable and that good must, of necessity, he infinite as the nature of the soul itself. On this point the dictates of revealed truth and those of sound philosophy, are in perfect unison; and no uninspired author has, perhaps, clothed them in sweeter eloquence than the devout Hooker. "Nothing may be infinitely desired,' he has remarked but that good which indeed is infinite.'-No good is infinite, but only God; there'fore he is our felicity and bliss. Moreover desire tendeth unto union with that it desireth. If then in him we be blessed, it is by force of participation and conjunction with him. Again, it is not the possession of any good thing can make them happy which have it, unless they enjoy the things wherewith they are possessed. Then are we happy therefore, when fully we enjoy God as an object wherein the powers of our soul are satisfied even with everlasting delight: so that although we be men, yet by being unto God united, we live as it were the life of God. Happiness, therefore, is that state, whereby we attain, so far as possibly may be attained, the full possession of that which simply for itself is to be desired, and containeth in it after an eminent 'sort the contentation of our desires, the highest degree of all our perfection. Of such perfection capable we are not in this life.Complete union with God must be according 'unto every power and faculty of our minds apt to receive so glorious an object. Capable we are of God, both by understanding and will: by understanding, as he is that sovereign Truth which comprehends the rich treasures of all wisdom: by will as he is that sea of goodness whereof whoso tasteth shall thirst no more.'-The whole of the

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eleventh section of the 1st book of the Ecclesiastical Polity,' from which the above is taken, is in the same elevated strain, and forms the best dissertation on the nature of happiness which, we believe, is to be met with in any author. We cannot avoid expressing our regret that Dr. Stevens should not have bestowed a more studious attention, than we have any reason to suppose from his treatise, he did, upon this part of a work so invaluable and so satisfactory in respect to every thing but the main object of its author. It would, indeed, be a severe reflection on the Dr. to suspect him to have been unacquainted with it.

Without losing sight of its primary import, there is, certainly, a secondary sense in which the term happiness may be used, in reference to those subordinate objects of desire and attainment, which are suitable to our wants and condition in this preparatory state of existence. It must still, however, be understood to signify a state of mind, not a transient feeling. To express mere sensitive gratification, we have the Aerm pleasure, which is sufficient for the purpose; and the emotion of excited affection is aptly designated by joy. A false happiness, in this qualified sense, may be supplied by a fancied good, as joy may be excited by unworthy, no less than by fit and real objects. But if we wish to preserve either clearness or consistency in our reasonings, we must abstain from using these words as convertible or synonymous.

Writers

We have been obliged to detain our readers from the consideration of the work before us, by our definitions; but they appear to us to be practically important. There are, indeed, further distinctions in relation to the subject of this Treatise, on which it is necessary to remark in the outset. have not, in general, been sufficiently careful to distinguish between the external means of happiness, and the cause of that happiness which must be in ourselves. They have not appeared to keep clearly separate, the consideration of the constitution of our nature, from that of the present actual condition of mankind; and they have, in consequence, lost sight of the proper object of inquiry. This, surely, does not relate to the actual experience of the bulk of mankind. Antecedent to any such examination, we should have sufficient ground to conclude that the general condition of man, would correspond to the degradation of his nature; that it would exhibit the melancholy frustration by sin of the happiness he was originally capacitated to enjoy. Our inquiry, then, should respect the nature of that happiness which we were fitted to receive, and the degree in which its attainment is, at present, to be hoped for.

The Analytical Table prefixed to this Treatise by the

editor, will shew the reader what it is designed to accomplish; and will serve to explain the rather pompous exordium, which announces the difficulty and singularity of the undertaking.

:

To proceed in this matter with any tolerable success,' says our author, it is necessary to pull off the disguises which are thrown over the face of things; to search into the mazes and intricacies of the heart; to withstand the force of artifice, refinement and invention; to withhold an assent to men's words, and give it to their actions in short to search through manners, through history, ard through life and this life, too, sometimes passed in regions and climes utterly dissimilar to our own. In a word, the whole human creation must be in some degree laid open; which will, of conse quence, force us into a train of reflections, so seldom insisted on, and so hard to be admitted by the generality of mankind, that it is no unreasonable presumption to hope that the end will justify the means, or at least the usefulness of the doctrine will atone for its singularity.'

We should have thought that the only ground on which any doctrine could rest its claim to general reception, would be, not its usefulness, but its truth; and that its singularity, whatever presumption might have been previously entertained from that circumstance against its probability, would no longer form any objection when exhibited in the light of evidence. Dr. Stevens has, however, another considerable claim' to advance on behalf of his work to the public favour.'

The following work is no crude and hasty production, but was written at leisure, and has lain by me some years, on purpose to see whether the experience of so much time would shake its credit, and shew any considerable defect in its reasoning and observations. And as this hath never happened, but, on the contrary, I am more and more convinced of its truth, I have at length ventured to deliver it to the public inspection.'

No doubt can, we think, he entertained of the earnest interest which the author took in his subject, and of the complacent persuasion which he had of the importance and efliciency of his labours in elucidating it. The work is divided into three parts. The first is upon the causes of men's complaints for the want of happiness:' and is designed to combat that dangerous yet prevailing opinion, of the general predominance of misery in human life,' and to shew its want of support from the sacred writings. In the first chapter, he argues that such an opinion derogates from the mercy and wisdom of God. Our readers, we apprehend, will not be disposed from the following extract to anticipate much usefulness' in the doctrine which this treatise is designed to establish.