ings," move we take a stare at the Stranger," says Nestor. Here follows the reading of a description of a June evening, protestations against being thought sentimental, assurances that this is a true story, &c. &c Move this be put under the table for a bore," says the chairman. "Move the chairinan accompany it for a like reason," says Samson. "It should be condemned for being such a scrawl," growls the laboring reader. "It will be condemned, if it don't improve, for the less fault of being nothing whatever," says another. "Don't you think there is evidence of the author's being smitten," says Quilp. By common consent solemn reference is made to Mr. Brass. With an ejaculatory " Thunder," that gentleman thinks there may be slight indication of an incipient stage, though he does not remember much about that, thinks the author exhibits good genius in pushing his hero off the stage early in life, and in the first chapter, and that the only decent act of the hero's life is his death. Here the breakfast bell relieves you, my fatigued guest. Ichabod then proposes we each read the beginning of a piece and vote. Nestor that we dispense with this unnecessary trouble, and accept all, “unsight unseen" as the Wolverines swap ponies. "Hands up, 'tis a vote," says the chair(Exeunt omnes, to employments more suited to their tastes, if breakfast be not

man.

cold.)

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

The "Death of Harrison," "The Early Dead," and the "Man of Uz," were received too late and have not yet been examined.

"New A." is accepted, but has been crowded out of the present number. Though hospitality is enjoined by holy writ, "The Stranger" can't come in. The review of" Campbell's Rhetoric," by some very facetious senior will be published, if the writer will send us notes and annotations explaining his jokes.

The author of "Lines Suggested by Ascending Norwottuck," is advised to examine his Pegasus before he attempts such an elevation again: we think him lame.

Some other rejected pieces would be noticed here but for private notes requesting the Editors to say "de mortuis nil nisi bonum."

The tardiness of some of the pieces promised for this number has caused the delay, though we have since had the advantage of selection from a considerable amount of matter in which there was not much choice. The next number cannot be published before the close of the term, but will be ready on the beginning of the next. Matter intended for it must be sent in immediately.

VOL. I.

THE INDICATOR.

JANUARY 1849.

No. 6.

MERITS OF ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY.

When we look back upon the pages of history two thousand years, we cannot but be conscious of a radical change in the moral and intellectual circumstances of man: a change for which we cannot account by the mere progress of mind or the discoveries of wisdom. It is evident, that there has been a new element infused into mental science one which has not only modified, but supplanted the ancient principles of divine and human right. To find the source of this, is no hard task for history points it out in the stupendous miracle of God manifest in the flesh, and no consequences are too immense to flow from such an event, followed by the publishment of a revelation. to all mankind.

But the question may not unreasonably be asked, whether we are not too often led, in the plenitude of revealed light, to look with unmerited contempt upon the unaided efforts of the human mind, and underrate the amount both of truth and genius displayed in them. Let us first consider some of the causes that naturally lead to this.

When Christianity first came into contact with these efforts, as embodied in the Grecian schools of philosophy, the various champions. of either side rushed into two opposite, but equally pernicious errors. On the one hand, looking upon them as necessarily hostile, they armed themselves for a conflict, and were soon involved in a violent warfare. The Pagan saw not that in this "day-spring from on high" had come the light for which his masters had so earnestly prayed and striven, and to which their hard-wrought systems were a fitting dawn, and the Christian sought to destroy, what, if rightly used, had been the most effectual preparation for the gospel's spread,-the majestic

porch to his divinely built temple. On the other hand, the mistaken zeal of peaceful supporters worked more insidious mischief. They would have harmonized the two systems, without regard to their relative merits, and distinguishing features; and effected a very convenient compromise, by introducing the subtleties of the schools into the religion of the New Testament, and placing the founder of Christianity by the side of the Grecian sage.

Thus was philosophy prevented from filling its appropriate station as the handmaiden and faithful forerunner of religion; and forced to meet it in dangerous enmity, or an equally dangerous union. As a foe, it could bide but for a short time the unequal contest: and in union, the evil influence that it exerted on its ally, recoiled, fearfully augmented, on its own head. Hated as an enemy, or mistrusted as a friend, the ruin of philosophy was complete; and they who accom plished it, laid on her shoulders the mischief that their own folly had wrought. It is indeed true, that among the Christian fathers there were many who viewed the matter in a truer aspect, and were indebted to the mighty men of old for much of the power that stamps immortality on their own pages. But to the mass, they were known only as the upholders of a defunct superstition, whose contamination must be avoided by utter rejection of all that human wisdom had accomplished.

For centuries, the whole fabric stood like a deserted temple, untenanted save by some hermit, who sought there the congenial spirit for which he looked in vain to an age of darkness and violence. Even when the revival of learning rendered their stores accessible to the world, many years passed before men could get beyond the rigid logic, and plain matter of fact of Aristotle. We can scarce yet explore their treasures, without fear of heresy. Still, we may rejoice that the illusion is fast dying away; men are beginning to study them, not as the vagaries of sinful fancy, and abominable error, but as the heaven-seeking efforts of earnest men. Let us then proceed to estimate their

true value, so far as in us lies.

To do this fairly, we must remove from about us, as much as we can, the prejudices of our age and situation. We cannot judge an

cient philosophy aright, until we lay aside, for the time, our divine revelation, and place ourselves in the same situation with the ancient philosophers themselves; deprived of light, save what we could gather from nature and our own souls:--lost wanderers on the waste of life, ignorant of our road, and our very destination.