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ples that pervade them, or the perpetual and absurd allegories with which he interprets Moses and the prophets, in order to make them teach his Platonism. We wish only to have it observed, that, as they are the productions of a Jew, who was cotemporary, and who wrote in Greek, they naturally offer important advantages in illustrating the language in which the New Testament was composed; though it must be confessed that, had the author been a Jew of Palestine, like Josephus, the advantages for this purpose would have been still greater.

In a former periodical work, we gave a pretty full, if not complete, collection of the passages in which Josephus uses the word aidovios. We now select a few examples of the use of that adjective by Philo, thinking that they may serve as a slight contribution towards illustrating, from original sources, the sense in which it was employed and underWe have not read all of Philo's works; but from a perusal, of considerable extent, which we gave them, several years since, we gathered the following as the general conclusion; namely, that his favorite epithet for eternal, or endless, is didios; and that he commonly employs aldovios either in an indefinite sense as to duration, or else in the sense of continual, unintermitting, though he may sometimes use it, in a loose manner, to denote eternal. The examples, however, which we subjoin, may be taken as a fair specimen of his prevailing usage of it.

Concerning those who make promises, he says: "It is "better not to promise at all, than not to give prompt assist66 ance. For no blame follows, in the former case; but in "the latter, there is dissatisfaction from the weaker class, and "a deep hatred and lasting punishment (xóλarıç ailovios,) "from such as are more powerful."-(Fragmenta, Tom. ii. p. 667. Edit. Mangey, 1742.)

Enjoining the practice of humanity towards brutes, he says: "Grant the dam the gratification of suckling her “ young, if not always, (εἰ καὶ μὴ τὸν σύμπαντα χρόνον,) "at least for the first seven days; and do not render use"less those fountains of milk which nature has made to "flow in the breasts; nor thus take away nature's second "favor [namely the supply of milk, — birth being the first,] "which she with much forethought has prepared, per

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ceiving from afar, with a long-reaching and perfect "sagacity, (alwvíą nai Telɛía Dgovce,) what things are "suitable."-(De Humanitate. Tom. ii. pp. 396, 397.)

Of real slavery and true freedom, both of which he places in the mind, he says: "He who, with an abject and servile "disposition, applies himself, against his own reason, to "abject and servile things, is a slave indeed. But he who "adapts his concerns to the present state of things; who "voluntarily and patiently endures the allotments of fortune; who regards nothing pertaining to men as extraor"dinary; but sees, after careful examination, that the "divine allotments are distinguished by a constant order "and enjoyment, (aiwvíw rážɛi naì evdarpovía,) while every "thing mortal is borne about with the tossings and fluctua"tions of human affairs, and vibrates to unequal impulses; "he who nobly endures whatsoever comes to pass "true philosopher and free."-(Quisquis virtuti studet. Tom. ii. p. 449.)

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Commenting, in his allegorical way, on the passage in Gen. xxi. 33," And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God," he says: "What, therefore, the fruit of it "was, he himself shall inform us. For, he called on him "by the names Lord, the everlasting (aivios) God. Now, "the names here selected denote the perfections that belong "to the [Divine] Essence: the name Lord implying the "relation in which he rules; the name God, that in which "he blesses. On which account it is, that according to the "sacred words of Moses, he assumed the name God "during all the work of creating the world. For it was "proper that the Creator should be recognised, throughout "this work, by that attribute by which he was founding "and arranging the creation. As he is a Sovereign Ruler, "therefore, he can both do good and do harm, adopting "either course as it may be necessary for recompensing "the conduct of his creature. But as he is a Benefactor, "he chooses only one of these courses, namely, to bless. "It would, however, be the highest good of the soul "ux.) never to stand in distrust of the power of the "King in relation to either course; but confidently to free "itself from the fear that oppresses it on account of the power of the Sovereign, and to cherish the most con"firmed hope of obtaining and enjoying good, because he

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"is spontaneously bountiful. Moreover, the name Ever"lasting (ailovios) God, is tantamount to this, namely, He "who is merciful, not now and then, but always and con"tinually; who is uninterruptedly doing good; who is "incessantly adding favor upon favor; whose mercies "revolve as in a constant circle, being united and con"joined with each other by his perfections; who_neglects "no occasion of doing good;-though he is Lord, so "that he has the power also to injure. To d9eds ailovios, θεὸς ἴσον ἐστὶ τῷ· ὁ χαριζόμενος οὔ ποτε μέν, ποτὲ δε οὔ, ἀεὶ δὲ καὶ συνεχῶς· ὁ ἀδιαστάτως εὐεργετῶν, ὁ τὴν τῶν δωρεῶν ἐπάλληλον Φορὰν ἀπαύστως συνείρων, ὁ τὰς χάριτας ἐχομένας ἀλλήλων ἀνακυκλῶν, καὶ δυνάμεσιν ἑνωτικαῖς καθαρμοζόμενος· ὁ μηδένα καιρὸν τοῦ ποιεῖν εὖ παραλείπων, ὁ κύριος ὢν, ὡς καὶ βλάπτειν Suvárdai.”—(De Plantatione Noe. Tom. i. p. 342.)

In this last example, it is plain that Philo means to define, 1, the name God as signifying the Supreme Benefactor, He who blesses; and, 2, the word everlasting as meaning continual, without intermission, constant. And this, let it be observed, is strictly the etymological definition of the epithet:-always being.

H. B. 2d.

ART. XII.

The Idea of a Social Reform.

"The ideas upon which Human Society is based, are but partially and imperfectly imbued with the divine and eternal essence from which they emanate; for a time they are beneficent and vivifying, and new creations spring up under their breath. But on earth nothing attains to a pure and perfect existence, and therefore nothing is immortal. When the times are accomplished, higher aspirations and more enlightened schemes spring out of the tottering remains of former institutions, which they utterly overthrow and efface; for so has God ordered the world."-RANKE, Hist. Reformation in Germany, B. I.

"But it was a Social evil; and its source was not to be dried up by less than an entire renovation of the Social System."-MICHELET, Hist. France, chap. 3.

To the Editor of the Universalist Quarterly and General Review :

DEAR SIR, The extended and caustic notice given in your last number (Art. V.) to "Fourierism and similar

Schemes" seems calculated to provoke the advocates of those 'schemes' to claim, though it may not impel or even incline you to grant, that they be allowed a brief hearing before the readers of the Review. Aware, however, that your work is not intended as an arena of controversy, and that its inculcations are set forth as of authority, I shall endeavor in the following pages to touch as seldom and as sparingly as possible on any thing advanced in that article. What I mainly desire is that intelligent, inquiring, and benevolent minds may not imbibe their ideas and impressions of the Association movement and its aims wholly from the conceptions and representations of the adversaries of that movement, however learned and candid they may be. I think no new scheme,' contemplating vast and radical changes, is likely to be fairly appreciated when exhibited under such auspices. With your permission, then, I will proceed to state, as briefly as I can, some of the leading positions of those termed 'Fourierists'-a designation condemned in advance by Fourier and disclaimed by ourselves. For the sake of convenience, however, and of distinctness in speaking of different schools of Social Reformers, we tolerate its use by others.

Let me explain in the outset the relation wherein we stand to Fourier; for if we are to be known to the world as Fourierists,' it is important that the term should be so defined as not to mislead. The idea of a radical reform in the structure of Society has already attracted very extensive regard, and is daily gaining on the public attention. To those who consider earnestly, untiringly, and contemplate with a profound sympathy, the Destitution which is and has long been the inevitable destiny of the mass of mankind -their want of Knowledge, of Opportunity, and of Food as well as of Virtue-it can hardly be matter of surprise that a large and rapidly increasing class has been driven to conclude that the relations of man with man which constitute Society, the laws, written and unwritten, which govern the applications of Labor, and the production, distribution and consumption or augmentation of Wealth, must undergo some vital change before happiness, or even a reasonable share of knowledge and comfort, can be secured to the greater portion of the Human Race. Now whoever has been led to this conclusion, and is ready to act

upon it as the good of his brethren requires, is a Social Reformer, and will often be termed a Socialist: but widely different are the suggestions of Reform to which this conviction has given rise. One class of Social Reformers advocate the division or apportionment of lands- some on the death of the owner; some a general division at once; others of the yet unappropriated public lands, so as to give every one who needs it (for his use, not in fee) a tract for a farm; while some have even advocated a general and equal division of Property. All these are distinctively Agrarians. Another class protest against the monopolization by individuals of God's earth and the fruits of past industry, and claim that every thing—at least every thing derived from Divine bounty-shall be and remain free and common to all men, and that each shall labor and produce for the good of all. These are Communists, though often termed distinctively Socialists. The third class, rejecting what is peculiar to each of the above, maintain that each child has a right to claim at the hands of the Race a thorough Physical, Moral and Intellectual Development, or Education, and that to every individual a complete Opportunity to exert his faculties and energies, developed and perfected as above, is rightfully due. To this end they propose that a more intimate and systematic Association of Labor with Capital, and both with Art, Science or Skill, shall be effected, so that all Wealth, as nearly as may be, shall be employed in giving occupation and efficiency to Industry, and all Industry, to an extent not now popularly conceivable, shall be devoted to the production and increase of Wealth. They hold that the entire Wealth of the world may thus be made to minister directly and signally to the advantage and comfort of the comparatively Poor, without despoiling its present possessors, but while securing to them a fair and equitable proportion of the proceeds of its union with Labor. Thus preserving all the existing Rights of Property, but securing to those who are now destitute the fullest opportunities to earn and enjoy, they confidently hope to render useful labor Attractive, by the influence of that more healthful Public Sentiment which cannot fail to result from a Social, Order in which Industry, undegraded by slavish constraint, justly rewarded and wisely directed, shall not only be but appear the imme

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