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of systems , with which even the great Leibnitz could not feel satisfied , our author ( at pp . 8 , 9 ) gives us at once a fair view of the principles he would advocate towards " Tart de produire , en effet , dans le champ de leur kme , sous le soleil et la rosee de Dieu , le vin et le froment de la verite . "
In a word , to learn the truth , we must receive it from God I (" pour connaitre la verite , il faut la recevoir de Dieu . " ) Such is the great hasis of M . Gratry ' s whole work . Opposed to mere logical abstractions , mathematical materialities , and , above all , to the subtle but mischievous jargon of the Sophists , he views logic as something given to us , by which we may gain truth : not as a series of formal processes , by which we may be ever seeking—and ever doubting .
Of the uncertainties of ancient philosophy , we have a powerful illustration in the learned work of Sextus Empiricus , in which we cart learn only to doubt ; in later years , Ritter and Lewis have still more clearly shown the mass of contradictions and impossibilities with which it was beset . Yet more recently , the Rev . Octavius Preire Owen , in a little work published by the Religious Tract Society ,
entitled , " Schools of Ancient Philosophy , " laboured m a like worthy spirit , to prove that " worldly wisdom knew not God . " It is in this spirit that we must accept the volumes now before us —volumes in which the true in heart will rejoice to see their own feelings reflected—though doubtless they may demur to / the Romanist sanction which accompanies the first volume of the
" Philosophic de la Connaissance de Dieu . " But , while dissenting from the immediately religious views of the author , we must thank him cordially for an analysis of the schools of Theology , —from Plato and Aristotle , St . Augustine , and St . Thomas Aquinas , down to Descartes , Pascal , Malebranche , Penelon , Petau , and Leibnitz , —alike remarkable for its diligent and conscientious reading , and for a versatility of learning and a power of thought which have been rarely surpassed .
At the same time , we hope our readers will not look upon these volumes as an excuse for displacing the study of Hamilton , De Morgan , or Thompson . Formal logic must ever be a valuable study , if we would avoid false conclusions and flippant arguments ; but we must look at such works as the present , as seeking to arrive at the great source of truth by those means which itself has vouchsafed ; we must consider , that , however sectarian differences may set us apart from their author , they still realize the principle that truth is from
God only—uncertainty from man . Of the learning or the elegant style of the author the volumes themselves are the best evidence , while the sale of ten editions of the " Connaissance " speaks for itself . On the whole , whatever may be
our doubts as to some views maintained , we wish the author the fair success due to one who evidently and honourably believes in what he is writing , and who has thus added a valuable contribution' towards the solution of that greatest of difficulties—where man shall stop , and ( loci begin .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Untitled Article
of systems , with which even the great Leibnitz could not feel satisfied , our author ( at pp . 8 , 9 ) gives us at once a fair view of the principles he would advocate towards " Tart de produire , en effet , dans le champ de leur kme , sous le soleil et la rosee de Dieu , le vin et le froment de la verite . "
In a word , to learn the truth , we must receive it from God I (" pour connaitre la verite , il faut la recevoir de Dieu . " ) Such is the great hasis of M . Gratry ' s whole work . Opposed to mere logical abstractions , mathematical materialities , and , above all , to the subtle but mischievous jargon of the Sophists , he views logic as something given to us , by which we may gain truth : not as a series of formal processes , by which we may be ever seeking—and ever doubting .
Of the uncertainties of ancient philosophy , we have a powerful illustration in the learned work of Sextus Empiricus , in which we cart learn only to doubt ; in later years , Ritter and Lewis have still more clearly shown the mass of contradictions and impossibilities with which it was beset . Yet more recently , the Rev . Octavius Preire Owen , in a little work published by the Religious Tract Society ,
entitled , " Schools of Ancient Philosophy , " laboured m a like worthy spirit , to prove that " worldly wisdom knew not God . " It is in this spirit that we must accept the volumes now before us —volumes in which the true in heart will rejoice to see their own feelings reflected—though doubtless they may demur to / the Romanist sanction which accompanies the first volume of the
" Philosophic de la Connaissance de Dieu . " But , while dissenting from the immediately religious views of the author , we must thank him cordially for an analysis of the schools of Theology , —from Plato and Aristotle , St . Augustine , and St . Thomas Aquinas , down to Descartes , Pascal , Malebranche , Penelon , Petau , and Leibnitz , —alike remarkable for its diligent and conscientious reading , and for a versatility of learning and a power of thought which have been rarely surpassed .
At the same time , we hope our readers will not look upon these volumes as an excuse for displacing the study of Hamilton , De Morgan , or Thompson . Formal logic must ever be a valuable study , if we would avoid false conclusions and flippant arguments ; but we must look at such works as the present , as seeking to arrive at the great source of truth by those means which itself has vouchsafed ; we must consider , that , however sectarian differences may set us apart from their author , they still realize the principle that truth is from
God only—uncertainty from man . Of the learning or the elegant style of the author the volumes themselves are the best evidence , while the sale of ten editions of the " Connaissance " speaks for itself . On the whole , whatever may be
our doubts as to some views maintained , we wish the author the fair success due to one who evidently and honourably believes in what he is writing , and who has thus added a valuable contribution' towards the solution of that greatest of difficulties—where man shall stop , and ( loci begin .