EDINBURGH PHILOSOPHICAL INSTITUTION. INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS BY PROFESSOR WILSON. (From the Edinburgh Advertiser, Nov. 2.)

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 417, 13 April 1850, Page 2 (Supplement)

EDINBURGH PHILOSOPHICAL INSTITUTION. INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS BY PROFESSOR WILSON. (From the Edinburgh Advertiser, Nov. 2.)

The winter session of the Philosophical Institution was opened in the Hall, Queen Street, on Tuesday evening, by an introductory address I'rona Professor Wilson, President of the Institution. Professor Wilson, upon presenting himself, was received with great applause. The Learned Professor commenced by saying that, in addressing them for the third time as President of the Institution, at the open l ing of the session, he would make BOrne observation on -the objections couched in the dicta of two celebrated men — objections which had been supposed to bear against all such institutions as that, insomuch as they were supposed to be too favourable to superficial knowledge. " A little learning is a dangerous thing," &c. that was one of the dicta, familiar to them all, and on which celebrated men had chosen to deliver their opinions. The other was, that a little or a superficial learning or philosophy incline men to Atheism. Tiie one dictua was by Pope, the other by Lord Bacon. Now he (Professor Wilson) held that both of these celebrated dicta had been grossly mi&taken ; and that they were altogether inapplicable to such an Aisociation as that, or of any other Association calculated or intended to promote the knowledge, and thereby the virtue and happiness, of mankind." A little learning is a dangerous thing-;" how was that said ; when was it said ; and in what spirit was it said by Pope, in his celebrated Essay on Criticism ? Of what was that poet treating when he used thia language ? He was treating of the art of criticim. What was the art of criticism ? It was reason, intelligence, or power. Now, between the characteristics, morally and intellectually, of the critic and the poet, there was necessarily a strict alliance— so strict that in reading that celebrated essay, one was disposed to think that Pope was sometimes speaking of the poet and sometimes of the critic. The critic must have an expansive soul ; an active and perspicuous mind. He must have a large sympathy with mankind ; he mu->t be above all mean and despicable prtjudices ; he must embrace mankind with the getiuine feelings of humanity — with a broad grasp in all their different states and phases. He must be all this before he shall take upon himself the office of the critic. He who was to sit in the tribunal before wlmm shall be brought the claims of the most illustrous of mankind; he who was to devote his genius and talents for the enlightenments cf the human race in that noble and comprehensive art which dealt with the affections, passions, and imaginations of man — what kind of a character must he pobsess ? He must possess much of the poetical chaiactcr, but more subdued. To such a man " a little learning is a dangerous thing ;" for he is called upon to expound not only the principles in human nature which give birth to poetry, hut the principles which give rise to art. He must know both natuie and art ; aud he who knew both nature and art must have a wide and embracing knowledge! He must be a man capable of appreciating the writings of such great men as Pinder, Sophocles, and Shakspeare, who saw so far into the arcana of nature. "A little learning" would make such a man ridiculous ; and he would be received with a dismal universal hiss of public scorn. But what had that to do with its application to the great body of mankind; to those who, in humility and modesty, sought to extend the sphere of thenknowledge, and to make themselves acquainted with some of those impassioned matters which poetry had reveled. The general sense of mankind was abhorrent to a dogma which vet forth that a little learning was a dangerous thing in such a case as this ; and, toerefore, the Professor contended that, what the poet meant was, that a little learning would be dangerous as well as pernicious to such men as undertook the office of the critic, and so they lay before them all the principles of nature and of the highest art. After some remarks as to the low and empirical state of criticism at the time Pope lived, contrasted with what it was now, when it wns ascending to a science, the Learned Professor then adverted to the consequences that had flowed from ibis state of thing*. A high-souled and high-hearted criticism was pievalent over the whole country ; all that was good was loved and admired ; and that admiration was directed not mearely to the highest efforts of geniui, but to the productions of all who possessed a genial spirit of humanity, and were imbued with a love of nature, purity, piety, patriotism, or religion; and hence hundreds of thousands of those who loved literature, and participated in its enjoyments, were willing to come boldly forward to the light. The Professor then alluded to the saying which had been put forth on the anthority of Lord Bacon— that a little, or superfical knowledge inclined men to^ Atheism ; and that, therefore, such an Association as that, which made no pretentions to high or deep knowledge, must be dangerous. If they would refer to the place where this passage occurred in the writings of Lord Bacon, they would see in what spirit he was writing 1 , and foi what purpose. The words to which he retered occurred in that greut woik entitled " The Advancement of Learning ; and the Professor bhovred tl»»t, taken the argument used throughout the two books into which that work was divided, in connection with what was advanced in that greatest of Lord Bacon's works, the •' Novum Orgauum," the intention of that celebrated man was to apply the works in question to such philosophers as rested satisfied with second causes, instead of pushing their enquiries as far as they could go—from nature up to nature's God. The Professor then argued that, as in this Christum country all the habits of mind and of life as well as all the desires of the people were not to stop short at second causes, seeing that they had begun, m fact, by believing in a first cause, there was no danger of their being led away to Atheism, He was convinced that, could Lord Bacon have foreseen that the world would have bfiome so far advanced as it was, he would have rejoiced that the time wa* come, or was coining, when that knowledge of which lie spoke would be, 0a he him 1 , elf expressed it, a itorchoute /or the

Creator, and a relief for the state of men. To us it imported much to know that this world upon which we existed moved with a rapidity which almost baffled our conceptions ; that while we stood and peacefully gazed upon the face of a sleeping child, or upon the placid waters in the sunshine, this globe was whirling and careering in a storm of motion which we could not adequately malfse ; in the midit of all which storm and turanlt we had perfect quietude and repose. And taking another step they knew that in the sublime system of the universe unnumbered orbs were circling like rur globe, and seemed to hear in their revolutions that eternal harmony which is the veritable music of the spheres. The Learned Professor showed that a man might be deeply impressed by the light ofscience, and yet not be able to grapple with its most difficut processes. Even a child might be impressed with the tiuih of astronomy ; and therefore he said that the philosopher who brought such knowledge within the reach of the minds of the people of this country ennobled alike himself, his teaching, and those who were taught. We hear a great deal (said (he Professor) abont the reac» tion of knowledge upon the hnman faculties ; and the reaction may not, and is not, always necessa ily good. We must consider what is the good reaction, and what may be the ill. If the mind by this system gets into a state of self-exaltation, ielf-idolatry, and conceives of what it knows, and is oblivious of Him who gave him those faculties by which that knowledge was acquired, then such reaction is positively bad, and, unfortunately, such is the nature of the human mind, it is not rare — so that any prime to such a reaction must, I think, be very partial, and be very carefully and cautiously administered, even as a poison in therapeutics* But there is another reactionary feeling in the mind, of peace and tranquillity, where it is made to feel greater and happier, without the attribution to itself of any part therein, but feeling it all to proceed from the Almighty. Such a reaction as that is safe and salutary at all times. The knowledge which gives a man, not pride in himself, but which makes him conscious that he has a rational spiiit, is good. It has been said that the cherub is the being of knowledge, and the seraph the being of love. So long, therefore, as love and admiration are tbe attendant spirits upon knowledge, that knowledge is good, and good and noble is the mind employed therein ; but whenever he sees the mirror of the universe to reflect himself and his own soul nlone, better that it should be brokeu altogether ; but that mirror of which Bacon speaks, which rcilcct the iufi • nity of nature, and though it gives vi a knowledge of the great First Cause, may it never be broken, and may the suulight of truth shine upon it for erer and ever! (Great applause.)

A sub-union of Mechanics' Institutions, in connexion with the Yorkshire Union of Mechanics' Institutions 1 has been formed at Harrogate, and the occasion had been celebrated. Mr. George Cruikshank, the arti&t, presided ; and was supported by Viscount Goderich, the Dean of Ripon, and several others of the local gentry. Mr. Edward Baines, of Leeds, proposed the Chairman's health, and Mr. Cruiluhank replied with a characteristic speech : " Ladies and Gentlemen, — When I look round this room and see tucli an elegant assembly as this before me, and when I consider the men of mind and rank who support me on this occasion, I ask myself, what have I done that 1 should be permitted to place myself in such an envious and elevated position ? Well, I hardly know how to answer that question ; but I presume it can only be because I happen to be an individual whom it has pleased God to bless with certain talents and abilities, and all that I have done has been, not to bury them or hide them under a bushel ; the natural abilities I possess must come from a higher power than myself, and to them I owe this, more than to anything I can myself do. At the time when my talents were directed or rather misled by others, and before my own mind was fully formed, 1 must have done many mischievous things as a caricaturist. But when my mind was formed, and I began to act fox myself, I determined — as it bad always been against my own private feeling to hurt the feelings of others — I determined never to commit a personal caricature; and feeling that, as a gentleman and an independent man, I never could work for the beuefit of any political party, I therefore, naturally, left personal and political caricatures ; since which 1 have done the best 1 could to amuse, and where I could, to instruct, the younger portion of the community ; and the only reason you receive me with this marked kindness and attention is, because you have understood my object, and have been satisfied with my efforts. The fact is, I have merely touched a chord in your breast, which you have all responded to— that of kindly feeling for our race, which you all possess. I have a very good opinion of the world at large ; it is only with the worst and the smallest part of it that you need not to be pleased. You all know that good actions are not bruited ; good men are not generally he'd up to the popular gaze — but it is the impudent, the base, the arrogant, who will make themselves known ; yet they are only few. — Ladies and gentlemen, I will not detain you many minutes with my own affairs, but I will just offer to you one observation or two on the point on which Mr. Bainei has so well and so ably addressed you— the great end and aim of these institutions, for that is the point. However desirable it might be considered to instruct the humbler classes, let: us look at what the results will be. It will make the people more intellectual in their character, and all more good and virtuous— and, like all good people, desirous to see others happy as well as themselves. And I would say, ladies should feel particularly interested in the success of such institutions ; for, my word fur it, no intellectual man ever ill used a woman. No, it is not on record, nor ever will be, that a high intellectual mind was ever cruel to a woman. It is only the poor uneducated brutes — and those do not exist to any extraordinary extent at present. In conclusion, I would say, the great end and aim of those institutions it to improve the character of the humble classes, and to make their homes happy and comfortable. This should be the great end and aim of our lives ; and when we come to consider that by those means the great mass of mankind is being mended and improved in their character and condition, you will agree that the result will be the bestowment of a degree of happiueis amongst mankind ; and by this means a love of the great altar of domestic happiness will be extended all over the land." — Atlas.