circumstances, for the true betterment of humanity. Body, instinct, impulse, opinion, thought, knowledge, vital activity,-the whole aggregate which constitutes our manhood,-ought to be honestly, and as continuously as possible, exercised in restraining the wrong, and in maintaining and sustaining the right. That is true utility, genuine manliness, real life. If the writer or the reader should cast his "glance" within "the gentle closure" of his own consciousness, could either or each venture to say, "Within the knowledge of mine own desert" I can inscribe the words, "All these things have I done"? Alas! that tenant of the heart, we fear, would shrink from answering a confident "Yea," to this self-questioning. And if it, indeed, be so, that the introspective glance which we advise display the flaws which disfigure the "precious jewel" of our being, shall we, thereupon, take refuge in despair? We counsel no such cowardice. Let us rather rally our whole energy and force for another trial,- —one other more determined onset against each foe by whom man's future is threatened, assailed, or jeopardized. Not as "Time's fool," shall we treat the visitant whom he has lately sent us, but as God's youngest angel come "What's new to speak, what's done to register." Thought is the soul's highest form of life; action is the embodiment of thought. Union in action is only possible through communion of thought; and, therefore, we intend to devote the present paper to a critical notice of some of "the means of literary culture," with special reference to what we conceive to be the grand characteristic of our age,-"the communion of thought." 66 It is true that several topics, justly coming under the wide category of " means of literary culture," have already at some length occupied our pen; and these pages, e. g., The Art of Reasoning,' "The Elements of Rhetoric," "The Art of Speaking,' ""Mutual Improvement and Debating Societies," "Aids to Self-Culture," &c. &c., while some of our collaborateurs have undertaken the consideration of several other items of a similar kind. To these same matters it is not our present intention to do more than refer en passant, before we enter upon fresh fields of detail and criticism. The more usual means of literary culture, schools, universities, books, &c., do not enter into our plan; neither do the more popular forms of conveying knowledge, e. g., Mechanics' Institutes, Philosophical Associations, Athenæums, Working Men's Colleges, magazine literature, or newspapers, come within the scope of our intended observations. We desire strictly to confine our present paper, as we have said before, to the "Communion of Thought: or, the Means of Literary Culture," which are capable of being made available for that purpose. Of these we shall at this time mention and discuss three only; viz., 3rd, the British Literary Society, and its descendants; 2nd, Manuscript Magazines; 1st, The British Controversialist. 1st, The British Controversialist. Of this department of our subject we shall say little, as our readers must be well aware that the marked characteristic of this serial is that it is the only existant medium for the communion of thought on debateable topics, or matters of primal interest to thinking young men of the age. Not until after it was established, did "Notes and Queries” -that most valuable and precious confabularian repertory of literary small talk, and antiquarian nick-nackeries about books and bookish men-take the field. Nor was the value of true and honest controversy fully recognized, felt, acknowledged, and appreciated, till it had hewn its way into a considerably wide circulation. In it the freedom of expressing thought, which theoretically belongs to every man, was first made practically possible; and the beneficial influences, which have resulted from its projection, may best be seen in the readiness with which communications on either side of a vexed question are now admitted into the columns of the public prints, compared to that shown about nine years ago. Not only, therefore, as the public promoter, defender, and medium of the communion of thought, but as the embodiment and realization of that much dissiderated want-"a free press,"66 a fair field and no favour"-for thinking men, the one public organ for the communion of thought,-it deserves the notice of those in whom mind is labouring for expression, or whose faculties Teem With too much life, and that vitality Which eats into itself." The present writer has not now, for a long time, taken any part in the controversies of the times, but he has often felt gratified at perceiving the fine, rich, healthy vein of thought which, through the agency of this Magazine, has been opened up to the public; and he has marked, with more pleasure than can be told, the gradual yet steady development of the might of thought in many of those contributors who first "hoisted sail" in the private exercises of "The Young Writer and Students' Assistant," of which he had the honour of being the projector, and, for some time, the conductor. It is no utterance of mere theory, therefore, which we now venture to make, when we say that The British Controversialist is one of the best existing agencies for Literary Culture, and the Communion of Thought." We say this not in boastful terms, in the interest of the editors, but of our own free and spontaneous desire to call the attention of any one of our readers who has not yet as one 66 "Whose armour is his honest thought; entered his name upon the lists as a combatant for what he conceives to be-truth. Having made this asseveration, in justice to the editors, more than from fear of being misjudged ourselves, we change the subject. 2nd, Manuscript Magazines.-It is seldom advisable, even if it were possible, to place our earliest crude thoughts before the public, to rush, as the saying is, into print. Not only is maturity of thought desirable, maturity of style is almost as requisite. Any agency by which a due excitement of the literary faculty may be kept up, any means by which practice in composition may be attained, by which the pleasure arising from communion of thought may be enjoyed, by which interest in improvement may be maintained by fear of criticism, as well as love of bearing a good repute among our fellows; by which the delight of production is enhanced by the hope or the certainty of appreciation, must be beneficial. This has already been felt and acknowledged in the wide diffusion of literary associations. There are many circumstances in life, however, which prevent attendance upon such societies or unions, as well as many conditions in the lot which may fall to a man which render these an unsuitable medium for the exercise of his literary talent therein. Obviously, there lies against such congresses of thinking men, in most cases, the objection of localness, which necessitates a greater degree of confinedness than may be compatible with the designs of many persons who are yet ardently longing for some medium through which a definite and useful curriculum of literary culture may possible, practical, useful, pleasant, and exciting. Still more obviously these societies require personal attendance, necessitate personal contact, and are liable to be contracted in their range and efficacy by the accidents of their constitution, place of meeting, or the chief demand of the district in which they are held. In many cases these, instead of being objections, are the very elements of life and energy. It cannot be doubted, however, that there are not only many individuals, but also many classes of men who are, by a great variety of considerations, shut out from the enjoyment of the progress and the suggestiveness to which these unions contribute in so high a degree. be Such wants have called into existence a notable invention-of the originator, or the period of origination of which we confess ourselves ignorant-but the utilities of which are sufficiently clear, viz., manuscript magazines. Persons whose occupations prevent their attendance upon literary institutions at the times usually fixed for their meetings, whose residences are inconveniently situated, or the nature of whose employment make their attendance matters of uncertainty, will find this agency highly useful, as well as highly agreeable. Others, whose domestic circumstances or business requirements make it inadvisable to be regularly or continuously absent during the evening hours, may feel the stirrings of thought sufficiently strong within them as to make them yearn for such intellectual companionship as might be enjoyed, without demanding the sacrifice of other duties, or of such a kind as might be engaged in by the home hearth. For such as these, manuscript magazines are specially valuable, and to them they cannot be too strongly recommended. Again, there are peculiar studies for which congenial minds may not be readily found in the particular locality in which a man may find himself placed, or which require for their effective prosecution a wider induction than the limited experience or knowledge of an individual, or the immediate circle in which he moves, affords. Manuscript magazines seem to find their true sphere of action in furthering such efforts as these parties make. Although, however, manuscript magazines appear to be more peculiarly fitted for carrying out special studies, or for supplying the intellectual wants of people who occupy exceptional or marked positions in life, their whole utility is by no means bounded within such narrow limits, or hedged in by such strict and unyielding requirements as these remarks might at first lead one to infer. Wherever effort is truly and earnestly seeking an outlet, these ageneies offer themselves, and especially where it is engaged in a single-handed combat with the difficulties which environ the selfculturist. A pretty full account of their objects, methods, and advantages, has been already given in the first series of The British Controversialist, and need not here be repeated, except in briefest characterisation. * Any number of persons feeling within themselves either the Juvenalic cacoethes scribendi, or the more resistless promptings of literary aspiration, and mutually desirous of subjecting themselves to training and criticism, agree together to place their productions in the hands of an editor, who decides on their admissibility, arranges the modes and times of its issue, corresponds with the writers, and generally manages the business affairs of the brotherhood. In other cases, the Magazine is a mere circulating packet, into which each contributor stitches a new paper as he extracts the old, and there is little or no editorial oversight or trouble. In general, we believe, pages are attached on which the critical decisions of the readers may be written. We believe that these agencies are very valuable, in affording opportunities of, and encouragement to, literary effort; delight the mind with the thought of being read, and, in many cases, appreciated, without the loss of privacy, of individuality, or of peace of soul, which are too apt to be withdrawn after one makes his advent in printer's ink. They are excellent stimulants, admirable substi * Vol. IV., 1853, pp. 235-237. tutes, and for the patient, invaluable practical aids towards knowing what to write and what to avoid. In this In instances where money is of little consequence, or where the judgment of a critic is wanted, we cannot help thinking that this same agency might be beneficially used for the private spread of works of interest or art, of which the authors are afraid to venture on publication, as tentatives and experiments. wise would the modus operandi proceed:- -an editor being appointed as before, the contributions being received, let the manuscript be submitted to a printer, who would give an estimate of the cost of supply,-say twenty copies to each of the contributors -thereupon let a subscription be raised among the writers to make up the estimated sum, which, being placed in the printer's hands, the work might be proceeded with. This joint stock system of printing, not publishing, would afford a gratifying means of making our capabilities known to friends or to critics, and be a pleasing memorial-after the great change. III. The British Literary Society.-Towards the latter part of 1850, the present writer's papers on "The Art of Reasoning," then published in The British Controversialist, were honoured with much attention, as they were the first attempt made to make a knowledge of that science available to the struggling classes of the community, whether in books or collegiate halls. They were widely read, and deeply studied. This interest awakened the writer's zeal in his anxiety to make himself useful to those who had favoured him, then an unknown author, so kindly and readily, caused him to run over in his thoughts several means by which the said papers might be made more effectual in working out the design with which they were written. At last he determined upon commencing "The Young Writer's and Student's Assistant." On reference to the editors, permission was readily granted, and in January, 1851, the first lesson for examination was announced. The success of the scheme was immediate. By the month of March, the exercises sent in outnumbered a hundred. These were carefully read, criticised, and classified. Much private correspondence ensued. Amongst many congratulatory letters received, those of the late Mr. L. R. Gerrie, of Aberdeen, were much valued. In one of these he proposed the extension of the scheme, and gave a sketch of the plan subsequently set in operation under the designation of The Neophyte Writers' Society. The then editors of this Magazine were also corresponded with, and requested to homologate the proposed association. matter was finally referred by them to the decision of the present writer, who had the privilege of speaking the first public word of approbation of the young guild. The presidency of the association was offered to and accepted by the conductor of the Logic Class, and the society was inaugurated in October, 1852. The first reunion of any of the members took place in the house, and The |