296

FRENCH PHILOSOPHERS.

Ordinary readers experience a feeling of repulsion, if not of horror, when French philosophers are spoken of. Their thoughts are prone to recur to Voltaire-once the great master of French philosophers-and to his infidel doctrines. When thinking of Voltaire and his associates, we ought always to temper our abhorrence by the recollection that they were really engaged in a conflict with a corrupted and tyrannical church, and that their opposition to Christianity was more incidental than direct, and carried on under an almost total ignorance of the Gospel of Christ, and the writings of his apostles. But it is true that there has been a great deal of false and dangerous philosophy in France.

M. Cousin belongs to a very different school from the old French philosophers. He has arrayed himself on the side of Christianity and morality.

This is not the place for philosophical criticism, a thing that can be well done only when fully and thoroughly done. But the spirit of this man is genial to the system he has cultivated. He is eclectic; he proposes to examine all philosophies, to disintegrate the truths, to eliminate the errors, and to bring together all truth, wherever found, into one harmonious. system. He is not, therefore, to be awed by authority, nor to be swayed by bigotry. Of course, he must find some standard of criticism, or he cannot carry on his process of eclecticism. And it is just here that his philosophy puts on a positive aspect. The last authority is the reason itself in its spontaneous, necessary, absolute development. He, therefore, separates himself from the sensual school of the former French philosophers utterly, and takes his resting-place in the region of the spiritual-the Divine,

COUSIN'S PHILOSOPHY.

297

At the close of the first lecture of his Introduction to the History of Philosophy, delivered nearly a quarter of a century ago, there is the following beautiful passage, which expresses very decisively the character of his aims and researches:

"Young men, you who propose to attend these lectures, love every thing that is good, every thing that is beautiful, every thing that is honest; for this is the foundation of all philosophy. Adding itself to every thing, philosophy communicates to every thing its own form; it destroys nothing. Follow the general movement of physical sciences and the arts; contemplate the instructive spectacle of human intelligence and freedom advancing day by day, to the conquest and dominion of the sensible world; study the laws of our great country; drink in, at the source of arts and letters, enthusiasm for all that is beautiful; nourished at the bosom of Christianity, prepared by her noble instructions for philosophy, and having thus reached the full accomplishment of your earlier studies, you will find, in true philosophy, together with the understanding and explanation of all things, a peace elevated and unchangeable."

From Paris to Havre-Homeward

Bound.

E route from Paris to Havre-a distance of about

THE

one hundred and thirty miles--embraces a very in teresting country. Taking it leisurely in a private carriage, a traveller might find great entertainment in examining the remains of old ecclesiastical edifices in Normandy. At Rouen one ought to stop, if it were only for the purpose of examining the cathedral. We had laid our plans to spend two or three days there; but, at the last, circumstances made it necessary for us to hasten on. We, however, caught a very good view of the old city and the cathedral with its beautiful spires.

Many parts of the country through which we passed were very pleasing and even picturesque. Sometimes we were on the bank of the Seine, and then we shot away again, for no railroad will consent to follow its sinuosities.

AT HAVRE-SOUNDS FROM HOME. 299

The night had set in when we arrived at Havre. An omnibus took us up with our luggage. We ordered the coachman to set us down at the Frascati. It appeared an interminable drive. We soon perceived there was a contrivance on foot to divert us from the Frascati. There was an excuse made for stopping at several other hotels, and we were assured again and again that the Frascati was shut up for the season, inasmuch as it was a mere watering-place. The courtesies were overacted, and we persisted in our first determination. Finally we arrived at the Frascati, and the summer visitors being gone we had our choice of rooms.

From the windows we caught a dim view of the Atlantic, and all night we heard the murmurs of its waves, which seemed to us like "sounds from home." There our path lay, and we had only to step on board the steamer, put out from the shore, and endure or enjoy a few days, as the case might be, and then we would be sailing up the harbor of NewYork, and see again the old familiar objects. A few months before, we were dreaming of the Old World, now, we were dreaming of the New: we had taken our step one way, now we were about to step back again.

We

Our emotions were naturally of a mixed character. had not been long enough absent to grow tired of travelling. On the contrary, we had only increased our taste for it. Many beautiful parts of Europe remained to be seen. And we said to ourselves, When shall we come back again? Then, on the other hand, it was pleasant to anticipate meeting with those from whom we had parted months ago, and sitting down in our own home, to collect our thoughts quietly,

300

CONFLICTING FEELINGS.

and live over again, in happy talk, the scenes we had gone through. We felt deeply grateful, too, to that kind Providence which had protected and blessed us; and we looked forward with hope to a prosperous voyage home.

That we should at this very moment be calculating upon future travels through Europe will not appear strange to those who have been abroad; for Europe embraces the most beautiful parts of the world, is full of every thing to gratify taste, to nourish thought, and to revive one's interest in all that he has been reading about from his first reading years; and, therefore, those who like ourselves have as yet only made a step there and back again, will hardly rest content until they have returned to complete what is both a rational study, and an exquisite enjoyment.

In the morning the town of Havre was revealed to us, our own locality outside of the town upon the sea-shore, and the good steamer Franklin in which we were to sail home. It was Sunday. We attended church in the Americans' Seaman's Chapel, where we heard a good sermon from an American preacher, in tones that sounded like echoes from the hills of New-England.

The two following days were employed in making those little arrangements which all are familiar with who have made a sea voyage, and in seeing what was to be seen in Havre.

In general, not much is to be seen in Havre. There occurred, however, while we were there, an Annual Fair, like those which once were common in Europe, but which now have almost passed away. It appeared to me like a waif of the past, like an old tale acted out, and interested me exceedingly.