ing every prejudice in favour of celebrated names or ancient sects, makes reason his sole guide, and diligently investigates the nature and properties of the objects which come under his observation, that he may from these deduce clear principles, and arrive at certain knowledge. He esteems nothing so disgraceful in philosophy, as jurare in verba magistri, implicitly to acknowledge the authority of a master, and says, with respect to all the different sects and their leaders, Tros Rutulusve fuat, nullo discrimine habebo.1 It is wholly unnecessary to expatiate upon the superior dignity and usefulness of this method of philosophizing above all others; and it is foreign from our purpose to lay down the principles and rules by which it should be con ducted. But it may not be improper, in a few words, to explain the reasons why this method of prosecuting phílosophical inquiries, so obvious as well as reasonable, was not sooner adopted. The history of the restoration of learning will itself suggest one cause of this faet. Those learned men on whom the charge of reforming philosophy, as well as reviving letters, devolved, were chiefly employed in the study of the ancients, and were more desirous of excelling in erudition than of improving science. The Greek philoso phy, preserved in those ancient writings which principally engaged their attention, came recommended to them un der the seducing form of ancient lore; and they easily persuaded themselves, that it was wholly unnecessary to at tempt improvements upon the wisdom of Plato and Aris totle. Occupied in grammatical and critical inquiries, they had neither leisure nor inclination to exercise their talents in original researches into nature. Add to this, that indolence probably prevented some, and ignorance of the true nature of philosophy, and of the value of the Eclectic method of philosophizing, hindered others, from attempting new' discoveries; whilst the more enterprising geniuses, from whom such improvements might have been expected, such for example as Martin Luther, were de9251 6 bros „meii9j6quisÏ to man No blind respect to naines alone I paying and voted to higher pursuits. Philip Melancthon, though possessed of abilities equal to the task, was of too timid a disposition to shake off the Sectarian yoke, and contributed, more than became a reformer in religion, to rivet the chains of authority in philosophy. And, among the Roman Catholics, such a blind respect for ancicht names was still predominant, and so strong was the attachment to those established forms with which ecclesiastical ho nours and emoluments were inseparably connected, that philosophical innovations were not to be expected, from this quarter. The rigour with which every attempt towards the introduction of new opinions was at this time suppressed by the heads of the Romish church, doubtless confirmed the general prejudice against alterations of every kind, and deterred those, who were capable of penetrating through the surrounding mist of superstition and error, from yielding to the impulse of nature and genius. These difficulties long retarded the progress of science; but at length certain philosophers of the first order, conscious of internal strength sufficient for the undertaking, ventured to burst the enclosure of authority, and, by the aid of deep reflection and persevering industry, enlarged the boundaries of human knowledge. Clearly perceiving the defects and errors of the several Grecian sects, they deplored the abject state to which the human mind had been reduced by indolence, superstition, and blind submission, and with generous indignation threw off the yoke. The first successful attempt for this purpose was made by that great man, Lord Bacon, who may therefore justly be called the parent of modern Eclectic philosophy. In his Novum Organum, a work richly fraught with true and libe-" ral philosophy, his first object was to cast down the idol, which the philosophical world had so long worshipped, and recal their homage to the divinity of truth. Although some eminent men, who have philosophized after the Eclectic method, have had the vanity to exhibit themselves as the founders of new sects, it is inconsistent with the nature of Eclectic philosophy to admit of Sectarian subdivisions. Instead therefore of attempting, as some writers have done, to divide modern philosophy into distinct schools, we shall content ourselves with a more simple arrangement, and shall first treat of those philosophers who have, more or less successfully, endeavoured to improve philosophy in general; and secondly, of those who have applied themselves to the improvement of cer tain branches of philosophy. Of the history and doctrines of each we shall give such a sketch as the nature of our plan requires, without attempting those details, which it would be impossible to bring within the limits we have as signed to the present work. OF MODERN ECLECTIC PHILOSOPHERS, WHO HAVE AT TEMPTED TO IMPROVE PHILOSOPHY IN GENERALOG THE first person among the moderns who attempted any material innovation in philosophy, was Jordano Bruno, born at Nola, in the kingdom of Naples. He flourished at the latter end of the sixteenth century, but the exact time of his birth is unknown. To excellent talents, he added a lofty spirit, which rose superior to prejudice, and would admit nothing as true without examination; whence it is easy to conceive, that, in the system of philosophy and theology then taught in the schools of Italy, he met with many things which he could not digest. Fond of retirement and study, he entered into a monastery of Dominicans. But the freedom of his opinions, and the boldness of the censure which he passed upon the irregularities of the fraternity, soon created him enemies, and subjected him to persecutions, which obliged him to quit his order and his country, leaving behind him all his property Vidend. Arnold. Wesenfeld. Diss. iv. de Phil. Sect. et Eclect. Moshem. Hist. Christ. recent. Sec. 17. p. 403. UGIT 4 Epist. Scioppii in Struvii Act. Lit. t. v. p. 64. · La Croze Entretiens, ': p. 187 StephaJordan Disq. Hist. Lit. de J, Bruno. - Bayle, In the year 1582, he withdrew to Geneva, where his heretical opinions gave offence to Calvin and Beza, and he was soon obliged to provide for his safety by flight. After a short stay at Lyons he came to Paris. Here, his innovating spirit recommended him to the notice of multitudes, who at this time declared open hostilities against the authority of Aristotle. In a public disputation, held in the Royal Academy, in 1586, he defended, three days successively, certain propositions concerning nature and the world, which, together with brief heads of the arguments, he afterwards published in Saxony, under the title of Acrotismus, or" Reasons of the Physical Articles proposed against the Peripatetics at Paris." The contempt with which Bruno, in the course of these debates, treated Aristotle, exposed him to the resentment of the academic professors, who were zealous advocates for the old system; and he found it expedient to leave the kingdom of France. According to some writers,' he now visited England, in the train of the French ambassador Castelneau, where he was hospitably received by Sir Philip Sydney and Sir Fulke Greville, and was introduced to Queen Elizabeth. But, though it is certain from his writings that he was in England, he probably made this visit in some other part of his life. For, about the middle of the same year in which he was at Paris, we find him at Wittemburg, a zealous adherent of Luther. In this city he met with a liberal reception, and full permission to propagate his doctrines: but the severity with which he inveighed against Aristotle, the latitude of his opinions in religion as well as philosophy, and the contempt with which he treated the masters of the public schools, excited new jealousies; and complaints were lodged against him before the senate of the university. To escape the disgrace which threatened him, Bruno, after two years' residence in Wittemburg, left that place, and took refuge in Helmstadt, where the known liberality of the Duke of Brunswick encouraged him to hope for a secure asylum. But, either through the restlessness of his disposition, or through unexpected opposition, he left this place the next year, and went to Frankfort to Sciopp. and Bayle.. • Witteberg. 1588. superintend an edition of his works, which were now ber come {numerous, at the press of the celebrated printer, John Wechel. But before this design was completed he was obliged on a sudden, probably from an apprehension of persecution, to quit that city. His next residence (unt less it was at this time that he visited England) was at Padua, there, the boldness with which he taught his new doctrines, and inyeighed against the court of Rome and the clergy, soon brought him under the censure of the court of inquisition at Venice, as an apostate from the faith; in consequence of which he was conveyed as a pri soner to Rome, and, after two years' confinement, was con demned to the flames. This sentence was executed in the year 1600. A severe fate, which, though it has been as cribed to the impiety of his tenets, was more probably the effect of his desertion from the Romish church, and of his daring attacks upon the majesty of the pontificate, od L The character of this philosopher was certainly singular and paradoxical. A luxuriant imagination supplied him with wonderful conceptions, intelligible only to a few which were never formed into a system. Not possessing that cool and solid judgment, and that habit of patient attention, which are necessary to a thorough investigation of subjects, he frequently embraced trifling and doubtful propositions as certain truths. His ideas were for the most part wild and fantastic, and he indulged himself in a most unbounded liberty of speech. Some of his original conceptions are indeed more luminous and satisfactory, and nearly, coincide with the principles of philosophy after wards received by Des Cartes, Leibnitz, and others. But these sparks of truth are buried in a confused mass of extravagant and trifling dogmas, expressed in a metaphorical and intricate style, and immethodically arranged. In brief, though Bruno was not destitute of a vigorous and original genius, he wanted that good sense and that steady temper, without which no great reformation, either in philosophy or religion, can be effected. can be effected.in ̧nd His Brung was luminous writers most celebrated philosophical pieces are the following: De Umbris Idearum,3 3 On Shadows of Ideas;" De l'Infinito, Universo, otzea bur qepi- ¿ Par. 1582. 30 VOL. II. |