It follows the system of Dr. Combe, on the Physiology of Digestion, the Principles of Dietetics, &c; a system standing, it is believed, on the soundest views of temperance, but avoiding the excesses of those who would take from us the most common aliment which God has provided. Mrs. Hale does not forbid or dissuade from the use of meat, tea, and coffee; but shows how they should be prepared, and how injurious they may be made, and often are made, by ignorance, error, and excess. This lady writes not from books, any farther than they agree with her own experience, which has been various and long. She offers counsel too, in a very unpretending and sensible way, on the whole subject of Household Economy, gives Hints to Housekeepers, Hints to Help, and a Word to Mothers. Some of these are invaluable, and cannot be read by any one, man or woman, maid or mistress, without advantage. Most of all, the book, without making a formal business of it at all, is pervaded by a clear moral influence; having regard to something higher than animal enjoyment, or mere housekeeping comfort. We respect the author, who can say at the end of such a book,—“I have not permitted the name of rum or brandy to sully a receipt in this book. There is no need of these as condiments."

The Theatre, in its influence upon Literature, Morals, and Religion. By ROBERT TURNBULL. 2d Edition. 18mo. pp. 110. We cannot doubt that this is a true case made out against one of the worst institutions of our times, and of all times; and we commend it accordingly. Yet would we not lay a rude or violent hand even upon the Theatre; nor, if we could, destroy it at once. It is, we believe, in the course of a gradual decay, and gradual changes are ever best,- before the superior influences of Literature, Science, and Religion. We look with great hope also to the counteracting effects of popular Lectures, and the fine arts, especially music. With

good books, good lectures, good music, and we believe the Theatre would possess but few attractions.

THE

CHRISTIAN EXAMINER.

JANUARY, 1840.

ART. I. The True Intellectual System of the Universe: wherein all the Reason and Philosophy of Atheism is confuted, and its Impossibility demonstrated. A Treatise on Immutable Morality; with a Discourse concerning the True Notion of the Lord's Supper; and two Sermons on 1 John ii. 3, 4, and 1 Cor. xv. 57. By RALPH CUDWORTH, D. D. First American Edition; with References to the several Quotations in the Intellectual System; and an Account of the Life and Writings of the Author: by THOMAS BIRCH, M. A., F. R. S. 2 vols. 8vo. 1838. Andover: published by Gould & Newman.

RALPH CUDWORTH, the son of Dr. Ralph Cudworth, was born at Aller in Somersetshire, in 1617. The father died while the son was a small boy. The mother married Dr. Stoughton, who educated young Ralph with great care. In youth, he was remarkable for the same qualities which distinguished his riper years. Is it not always true " the child is father of the man?" The Oak and the Fern are oaks and ferns as soon as they leave the parent seed. At thirteen he was admitted a pensioner at Emanuel College, Cambridge; six years after, was created Master of Arts," with great applause." Soon after he became an eminent tutor at Cambridge, and at one time had twentyeight scholars under his charge, a great number even for the largest colleges. After a short time he was presented with a rectory that was worth about £300 a year. In 1644, he became Master of Clare-Hall, and the next year, Professor of Hebrew. In 1651, the degree of Doctor of Divinity was conVOL. XXVII. 3D S. VOL. IX. NO. III.

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ferred on him; three years later, one of his friends writes, "after many tossings, Dr. Cudworth is returned to Cambridge, and settled in Christ's College, and by his marriage, more settled than fixed." He became master of that college the same year, and continued in that office during the rest of his life. A few years later, he was consulted by a committee, appointed by Parliament, "to consider of the translations and impressions of the Bible, and to offer their opinions thereon." In 1662, he was presented to the vicarage of Ashwell; sixteen years after, he was installed prebendary of Gloucester. These later appointments brought him, we trust, rather money than care. He died at Cambridge, June 26th, 1688, leaving one daughter behind him, the wife of Sir Francis Masham.

His first recorded publication was a discourse concerning the true notion of the Lord's Supper, issued in 1642. The next, fifteen years later, a sermon preached before the House of Commons. In 1658, he designed to publish some Latin' discourses in defence of Christianity against the Jews; but we know not what prevented him. In 1678, he published the True Intellectual System in folio. As might be expected, the book met with great opposition from the courtiers of Charles the Second. But the first publication against it proceeded from a Catholic, the year after its appearance. Many of the less liberal clergy abused him. Mr. Turner called him a Tritheist; others denounced him as an Atheist! a name easily uttered by the impure mouth, and which has sometimes been bestowed on the devoutest of men, as all histories bear witness. We cannot forbear quoting the words of Bishop Warburton, since they contain hints applicable to all times, we fear; certainly to these days.

"The philosopher of Malmesbury was the terror of the last age. . The press sweats with controversy, and every young clergyman militant would needs try his arms in thundering upon Hobbes's steel cap. The mischief his writings had done to religion set Cudworth upon projecting its defence. Of this he published one immortal volume; of a boldness very uncommon indeed, but well-becoming a man conscious of his own integrity and strength. For instead of amusing himself with Hobbes's peculiar whimsies, which in a little time were to vanish of themselves, and their answers with them, which are all now forgotten, from the curates to the archbishops, he launched out into the immensity of the Intellectual System: and at his first essay,

penetrated the very darkest recesses of antiquity to strip Atheism of its disguises, and drag up the lurking monster into day, where, though few readers could follow him, yet the very slowest were able to overtake his purpose. And there wanted not country clergymen to lead the cry, and tell the world, that under pretence of defending revelation, he wrote in the very manner that an artful infidel might naturally be supposed to use in writing against it; that he had given us all the filthy stuff that he could scrape together out of the sink of Atheism, as a natural introduction to a demonstration of the truth of revelation; that with incredible industry and reading he had rummaged all antiquity for Atheistical arguments, which he neither knew nor intended to answer. In a word, that he was an Atheist in his heart, and an Arian in his book. But the worst is behind. These silly calumnies were believed. The much injured author grew disgusted. His ardor slackened; and the rest, and far greatest part of the defence never appeared, · a defence that would have left nothing to do for such as our author, but to read it; and for such as our author's adversaries, but to rail at it." - Divine Legation, &c. Preface to the First Edition of Books IV. V. and VI. Vol. I. p. 650. London, 1837.

In the beginning of the eighteenth century, M. Le Clerc published copious extracts from the Intellectual System in his Bibliotheque Choisie, at that time the most popular periodical in Europe. He commented upon it with singular felicity, in general, though not without mistakes; and the extracts he made found favor with his readers, it seems, to judge from the prefaces to several volumes of the Bibliotheque. But he was involved in a controversy with Mr. Bayle, touching the doctrine of a plastic nature, taught by Dr. C., and which Bayle thought savored of atheism. We have no desire to speak of this controversy. Cudworth's views of the Trinity drew on him the invectives of some of the rigid orthodox party.

It is to be regretted that so little is known of the personal history of this great man. How gladly would we lift the curtain from his mind, and see how the grief and gladness of this many-colored life acted upon him, and how he reacted upon them. Would that some friend had done for him, even the feeble service which Mr. Ward has rendered his contemporary, Dr. Henry More. We wish to see how much of his lofty Ideal was made actual in his life. But we are merely told when this star rose, and when it set; of its hourly lustre, as it sailed on through clearness and cloud, we can only learn

from its dim reflection in his printed works. These afford but an inadequate idea of the man, under the most favorable circumstances; for the best thoughts are rarely uttered in books; and the book itself is never fully understood without the life of its author. The artist's words are only the cinders of the fire with which he wrought.

Dr. Cudworth was one of that circle of illustrious men, who contributed so much, in the latter part of the seventeenth century, to redeem the character of the clergy in England, and sustain true religion there. The celebrated act of conformity, requiring clergymen of the church to subscribe to the book of common prayer, with all its doctrines, deprived the church of about two thousand of its worthiest servants; "who," as Bishop Burnet says, "were cast out ignominiously, reduced to great poverty, and provoked by much spiteful usage." This circumstance with the fines and forfeitures, which fell into the lap of the Church, brought great wealth into the hands of the conforming portion of the clergy, - the successors of those who had been deprived of their livings. "With this great accession of wealth," says the same author, "there broke in upon the church a great deal of luxury and high living; and with this overset of wealth and pomp, that came on men in the decline of their parts and age, they, who were now growing into old age, became lazy, and negligent in all the true concerns of the church. They left preaching and writing to others, while they gave themselves up to ease and sloth. In which sad representations, some few exceptions are to be made; but so few, that, if a new set of men had not arisen, of another stamp, the church had quite lost her esteem over the nation."* The chief of these men were Drs. Whitchcot, Cudworth, Wilkins, More, and Worthington; all men of great natural powers, surprising learning, and deep, living piety. They studied to awaken a deeper spirit in young students, than was usually found in those times. So they abandoned the set forms of the schools, and directed their pupils to such old writers as Plato, Tully, and Plotinus. "Cudworth carried this on with a great strength of genius, and a vast compass of learning. He was a man of great conduct and prudence; upon which, his enemies did very falsely accuse him of craft and dissimulation." These

* Burnet's History of his own Time. Vol. I. p. 105, fol. edition. Dublin, 1724.