The Intellectual And Moral Culture Of Mankind.

THE INTELLECTUAL AND MORAL CULTURE OF MANKIND .

lo those who keep in view the advancement of civilisation and the general amelioration , intellectually and morally , nf the human race , but few researches can prove more interesting than such as tend to explain ancl exhibit the constitution of man ' s mental element , and the effect of experience

upon it , for from careful consideration of the past progress of the world we may , deduce some criteria whereby to judge more accurately than heretofore , of the permanent results of our present mode of life upon succeeding generations . Travelling back mentally through the space of

nearly 6 , 000 years to the infancy of the world , of necessity we meet with vague and perplexing statements , statements showing in the earliest ages all the dimness ancl uncertainty attaching to the traditionary mode of imparting knowledge and transmitting in history factsfor on the observer of

, those facts alone would they strike with the force due to their reality , and each succeeding narrator would probably innocently enough remould the history in accordance with his perception or the peculiar idiosyncracy of his mind . Then , later , is to be observed the mystic code prevalent among

the Orientals , wrapping all teaching in a mantle of allegory , or setting it forth in the guise of a parable or fable . The cause and utility of these modes of procedure it is not necessary just at present to discuss , as we shall subsequently have some occasion to refer to them .

The difficulties barring access to the sanctuary of truth should not discourage us in our endeavours to attain it , but rather call forth increased energy for the search ; and it is most important to consider , in the first place , the probable nature of the obstacles to be surmounted before anythingapproaching even to a tolerably clear glimpse of the facts can be obtained .

In all matters of natural knowledge the earliest writers were vague , principally , perhaps , upon account of the limited state of their own knowledge of those matters which they endeavoured , to the best of their ability , to explain for the benefit of their children . Thus they often ventured upon

the description of occurrences which must ever be taken upon faith . Such , for instance , as the account of certain parts of the creation itself . Thus , in setting forth the origin of the sun , amongst the other works of the Grand Architect of the Universealthough the very mode of statement itself

, calls up at once in the mind the idea of Omnipotence , no more clear account can be had than the modern poetical one : — Let there be light ! said God , And forthwith light Etherealfirst of thingsquintessence

, , pure , Sprung from the deep , and from her native east , To journey thro' the airy gloom began , For yet the sun was not ; He in a cloudy tabernacle , sojourned the while .

Taking , as we have already said , upon faith the creation of those objects which appeal to our senses as the work of the Omnipotent , the next task consists in ascertaining the progress of observation ancl generalisation upon natural phenomena ; but here various accounts , apparently in

many points very conflicting , must be examined , and their discrepancies obviated . When , at the building of the Tower of Babel , the various nations were dispersed each with their own tongue , it would naturally follow that from that period each colony would have its own account of those

matters which occurred on and in sight of the earth ; hence arose differences , not only in the modes of reasoning adopted , but , in some cases , in the statement of observed facts , and much delay arose in reconciling these differences , on account of the late period at which the

interpretation of some of the hieroglyphic and cuneiform languages was effected . Even at the present time , it must be admitted that both in the Hebrew and other manuscripts

of the earlier ages there is much uncertainty as to numbers , and even as to dates , the latter being , perhaps , the most important , as the occurrence of anachronisms gave rise , most probably , to the confusion of individuals ; thus , amongst some philosophers , Moschus the Sidonian has

been supposed to be identical with Moses ; but , judging by their writings , we think it highly improbable that such was the case , as Moschus was evidently far more advanced in the knowledge of the natural sciences than was Moses , though very possibly he may be identical with the Mochus

spoken of by Flavius Josephus as an authority on matters of antiquity . Again , if another instance is wanted , the earlier writers have evidently confounded Seth , the son of Adam , with ( Seth ) Sesostris , the ruler of Egyptsome of them hastily attributing to the

, former intentions and arts which now clearly appear to have orig inated with the latter , although it seemed almost absurd to imagine that Seth ( the son of Adam ) should so soon after the creation have made the discoveries the honour of

which they would give him . After the dispersion of those who had been forty years building the Tower of Babel it is certain that at least three distinct divisions of the human race were established , which spreading over large tracts of territory , subsequently became separated into

more numerous subdivisions . The three principal divisions are , first , the people inhabiting the northern parts of Europe , ancl Asia ; second , those occupying 3 udrsa and the east ; and third , the Egyptians , Philistines and aborigines of Africa . The only one of these three classes of which we

have a really clear and reliable history is the second , and our religious tenets being based upon that history , it is accordingly customary to value all other ancient documents as truthful , according to their coincidence with its statements , rejecting