Where slaves once more their native land behold, No fiends torment, no Christians thirst for gold. G. J. H.

be; and inasmuch as some conditions of matter are injurious to animal and vegetable life, all conditions must be. Oh, no, they will say, this is not fair argument, our experience teaches the contrary; if, then, they are willing to take experience as their guide in this particular, why not in all others; and where, we

NO. VIII.

The whole mass of material existence is to us infinite, or at least incomprehensible. To its extent in the regions of space no limits can be assigned; and to its duration, anterior or subsequent, we can fix no period."-PRINCIPLES OF NATURE.

Is conformity with the pledge given in our last number, we shall proceed to consider another of the objections opposed to our theory of the all-sufficiency of matter to produce and ustain the various modes of existence, or what generally called the natural phenomena, of the universe. This objection consists in the supposed possession by man (according to Home), and of all forms of animated nature (according to others), of a spirit, a soul, the power of reasoning or abstraction-a something, and yet not a something, and believed in, because not understandable, which controls the material residence in which it is located, and determines its position and condition in reIstion to other objects and things. This, whatever it may be, is not material, we are told, but the opposite; matter is something, its opposite nothing-a word without a type; and this opposite of something is said to be superior to it and inseparable from it during life, though not partaking of its nature. All attempts to elucidate this immaterial problem involves a string of absurdities, the length of which is proportioned to the time wasted upon it, a dilemma the cleverest of its advocates have never escaped from. And, regardless of the charge of egotism, we will venture to say, that it is painful to a reflecting mind to think that it is necessary to offer objections to, and show the absurdity of, such notions, when it requires so mall an amount of real knowledge to detect the glaring fallacy.

There are at least three great divisions of believers in this indefinability :

Those who confine its possession to man; Those who confine it to animated existences alon;

Thee who believe every particle of matter

possessed of it.

We wil begin with the first, as the most numerous, omprising the great bulk of the Christian wold. "How, say some of them, can matter fees and think? All matter does not feel and thin, therefore no matter can do 80." There is ju as much reason in this argument as there wuld be in asserting, that because matter in cervin conditions, as stones

principle demonstrated, or where can they refer to similarly clear and conclusive reasons to those which are presented to us in the operation of matter upon matter for the sustainment of life? But, again, in contending for the exclusive possession by man of this immaterial, immortal principle, simply because he feels, thinks, and possesses the power of abstraction, these followers of blind guides overlook a fact, which like a wall of adamant, protects the philosopher from the fooleries of faiths. If the possession of sensation, reflection, and a power of subsequent action, or a will, be evidences of the presence of aught not matter, but above matter, not subject to matter's modes of progress and decay, in connection with form; but moreover capable of existing when matter is no more-feeling, thinking, and acting eternally-then must all animals be possessed of this never dying, unchanging, eternal principle.

For, that the inferior animals (as they are called) have their perceptions, reflections, and determinations as well as man, the "paragon,' is easily proved; but the following extract from Hume will, for the present, suit our purpose: "It seems evident, that animals as well as men learn many things from experience, and infer that the same events will follow from the same causes. By this principle they become acquainted with the more obvious properties of external objects, and gradually, from their birth, treasure up a knowledge of the nature of fire, water, earth, stones, heights, depths, &c. and of the effects which result from their operation. The ignorance and inexperience of the young are here plainly distinguishable from the cunning and sagacity of the old, who have learned, by long observation, to avoid what hurts them, and to pursue what gives ease and pleasure. A horse accustomed to the field will not attempt what exceeds his force or ability. An old greyhound will trust the more fatiguing part of the chace to the younger, and will place himself so as to meet the hare in her doubles; this sagacity is founded on observation and experi ence. This is still more evident from the effects of discipline and education on animals; who, by the proper application of rewards and punishments, may be taught any course of action most contrary to their natural instincts and propensities. Is it not experience which renders a dog apprehensive of pain, when you

Is it not experience which makes him answer to his name? It is custom alone which engages animals, from every object that strikes their senses, to infer its usual attendant, and carries their imagination from the appearance of one to expect the other. But though animals learn much of their knowledge from observation, they derive also much from the original hand of nature; which greatly exceeds their share of capacity on ordinary occasions, and in which they improve little or nothing by the longest practice and experience. These we call instincts."

If then feeling, thinking, &c. be evidence of immateriality, and immateriality of immortality, the souls of animals will exist in a future state with the good Christians, uninterrupted by the wicked, who will then have ceased to trouble; for the "Jew Book," as our beloved friend CHARLES SOUTHWELL called the Christians' hobby, says "where much is given much will be required," evidently intending the converse to be supplied by the reader, which in our opinion is confirmation strong, that "brute beasts" will go to glory, and the "yahoos" only to the devil, notwith standing a totally opposite conclusion in another part of the same veracious authority, that the brutes shall perish, but which it does not suit us to take into consideration. Again, if the thinking principle be an emanation from a god, pure and undefiled, which is asserted; how is it we have no evidence or experience of the fact, derived from our observation of the uniformity of conduct of the beings possess ing it, and their agreement respecting the source from where they have derived it, its nature and properties? On the contrary, every one of the supposed possessors have different ideas respecting it, some believing it to be one thing and some another, some saying it resides in this place and some in that, and some denying its existence altogether. If it be said that this may result from the differences in the medium through which it is made manifest; we answer, such a reason is not valid, seeing it is contended that the immaterial principle is superior to matter. That varieties in the organizations which it inhabits cannot affect it, must be clear, because it forms no part of them. But we cannot spare more time and space in exposing this folly, and must leave our readers to look elsewhere if we have not given them sufficient.

Next in order come the advocates for the immaterial principle in all animated organisms, who are for extending the benefits of hereafter to all fleshly houses without distinction. To this class, mostly Deists, belongs Sir W. Drummond, who says that god is a spirit or intelligence, which, however is not material,

*See Oracle of Reason, No, 1,

mysterious manner enters into all bodies, hav. ing no liking for dead ones. So that, according to these philosophers, god is in every living thing, he being the eternal and infinite mind, and of course out of every dead thing, intelligent matter only being the residence of deity. But as these reasoners admit that all matter is not living, per consequence somes must be dead and without god; which may account for the singular inconsistencies of the parts of matter inhabited by this intelligen god. In one quarter of the globe we find men fighting for one notion of morality and un another for quite the contrary notion; there they are in arms for a president and here for a king, there for Mohamed and here for Christ: they meet, blow out each other's brains and cut each other's throat, allowing the little bits of god to escape by thousands, and to roam about, ready to pop in, at a moment's notice, to the quarters preparing for them in the organisms in embryo. And unless we suppos there are always plenty out of employment, we can readily account for what are called still-births, being caused by the emptiness of the immaterial market at the proper time; or perhaps by its coming too late, for dame nature never hurries nor waits, and a mo ment lost can never be recalled. This idea is equally absurd and devoid of proof as the first; and all that may be urged against it applies equally to the other. It is the result of an attempt, on the part of certain clever men, without subjecting themselves to the odium attaching to Atheism to escape from the imputation of stupidity or dishonesty in adopting Christianity.

The third and last opinion-that every par ticle of matter is possessed of the cogitating, immaterial principle is very similar to that of Zeno, the founder of the Stoics, who believed in one god, the soul of the universe, the matter of which was the body; and that the two united formed one perfect animal. Now to our minds this conclusion, granting the souland-body-principle to be correct, is perfectly rational and legitimate. For if the universe be composed of particles of matter each of which possesses properties or principles, an aggregation of which, under certain forms, we call animal life, intelligence, &c., then must the whole be one great intelligent animal; inasmuch as it is all life and all intelligence, combined with all body. With this view, we must consider man, and in fact all animals not parasitical, as vermin infesting the carcass of the great beast. But this notion will be repudiated by our modern hair-splitte, who, while they reject as ridiculous th divine-animal theory, and still contend for he principle laid down, have to explain aparent absurdities equally as great. For f every particle of matter be associated win, or possessed of, an

telligent principle, and yet the whole does at form one great body of intelligence, or nimal, we should say, the larger the parts 16 greater the wisdom. In proportion then to e number of cubic inches in a tree, over ad above those in a man, must be the intellience of the former to the latter; and the one andred and twenty gun ship, requiring some housands of trees for its construction, must e superior in intelligence in the same ratio. his process carried on ad infinitum, would ring us to the "divine animal" as a certain nclusion; for if every particle be possessed of Pelligence then must the whole be intelligent, nd we know nothing of intelligence apart om anímation. Now this doctrine, which stinetly involves the being of a god, that is something superior to matter, is held by Lane parties calling themselves Atheists, who ontend that Atheism does not necessarily spend upon materialism; and who, desiring account for final causes, for what reason it difficult to say, assert the universality of elligence, and think, to build up a fabric of theism upon a foundation of godism. For something superior to matter, call it by what ame you may, includes most of the notions especting a deity, or ruling providence, and , in reality a god.

But, supposing this asserted principle to be o intimately connected with matter as not to imit of separate consideration, and only to epend upon favourable circumstances for its development; then is it not immaterial but naterial-being in fact, matter considered as whole, and is the principle for which we are contending.

To those who may not see the immediate onnexion between immateriality and regular radation, we would briefly remark. Immateality, or a principle of intelligence separate From matter involves a governing mind in the niverse, from whose will all forms and contions of matter are derived, and which are E-pendant upon the laws he is said to have mpressed upon or assigned to matter at some eriod subsequent to his own existence. To his we oppose the theory of the eternity of mater, and its all-sufficiency to produce the results attributed to intelligence. The latter opinion sts upon facts, the former upon faith; it beng a question, we maintain, of folly versus W. C.

A VOCE FROM BRISTOL GAOL. Satu day afternoon, 18th February.

DEAR FRIENDS,

Governor of to prison has just informed ne that he felt it auty to seize certain papers sent with cake-the Oracle of Reason, and "eport of "Trial," I bieve; they are not admissible at present, all write respecting

the matter to the magistrates. Should like to hear from you, and receive newspapers as often as convenient. Yours, in haste,

DEAR FRIENDS,

C. SOUTHWELL.

Tuesday, February 15, 1842.

· A little, or rather a big, month is passedone of the "calendars" awarded by Sir C. Wetherall. I have just returned from chapel, where I heard a most respectable sermon, which reminded me of a certain village preacher, who having delivered one sermon three times over, a wag of his congregation got up, and said, "Rev. sir, the bill has been read a third time, and I move that it do now pass." Of course such waggery can only be indulged in under the voluntary system; birds in cages are just as little able to fly, as though their wings were clipped. In this dull place even sermons, the most stupid and poor, are a relief, no art being so difficult to a prisoner as that of killing time. How I envy the buxom wench who so bitterly complained that she never knew the comfort of a bed: "The moment I go to bed," said she, "I fall asleep; and the instant I awake, I am obliged to get up." Philosophers have written fine disquisítions upon time; some have said time is the most valuable of all things; others, more profound or captious, say time is nothing at all; some say time passes, others declare that it is we who pass; but whether it is time passes, or we who pass, I often wish that it were gone, or that those, who "help the Lord," would let me go. Had I faith, as a grain of mustard seed, in holy legends and ghostly tales, there would be many crumbs of comfort for me and all the miserables; for the impoverished in spirit are to inherit the kingdom of heaven, the mourners are to be comforted; besides, affliction is the badge or mark of divine grace, as it is said, whom god loveth he chasteneth, &c. I am also informed, by those who are in the secret, that it is a part of god's plan to make the rich richer and the poor poorer, which, it must be confessed, priests, who are servants of the most high, do all they can to carry out. To them it is given to know "the mysteries of heaven," and they teach, in the name of god, that "whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance;" to which is added, what is even more surprising, that "whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath." All things are possible with god, but, humanly speaking, it is quite incredible, that something should be taken away from those poor devils who haven't anything. All this is solid comfort for poor believers, but for poor Atheists, it is lighter than vanity. Blessed people are those, who can be so occupied for the care of the soul, as

Can hold a fire in his hand,

By thinking on the frosty Caucasus; Or wallow, naked, in December's snow, By bare remembrance of the summer's heat? I answer, at once, that I can't. I have tried, several times, to fancy myself at liberty, and enjoying the society of my friends, but can't for the life of me; the prison's gloom is not mistaken by me for the full blaze of sunshine, nor can I, by any effort of my imagination, fancy myself very comfortable while wallowing in misery. The romantic Octavian, in Colman's play of the "Mountaineers," when straining his mistress to his breast, exclaims, 'Oh, plunge me deep in Etna's smoky gulph, and I could wallow calmly in her fires, like lazy shepherds basking in the sun, to hold thee thus at last." A great deal must be allowed for the enthusiasm of lovers, but if the majority of them were thrust into a cold gaol for a year or two, it would cool their courage. In Yorkshire, the unwashed have a saying, that though their masters may make them work, they can't make them like it; and this kind of spirit, so antagonistic to the Christian, is strong in me; for though the Bristol worthies have succeeded, to admiration, in punishing me, they can't make me like Nothing but working a miracle would enable them to do that; and, as the days of miracle-working, like those of chivalry, are gone, why, there is no sort of likelihood that they will convince me, either that all is for the best, or even for my own good. When the apostles worked miracles, and showed so many signs and wonders to the Jews, who would not see them, "gold and silver they had none." But things have greatly altered since the times of Peter and his colleagues, for their successors have abundance of gold and silver, but can neither open the eyes of the blind, cure the sick, or cleanse, by heavenly magic, any kind of leprosy. My paper is exhausted with this infinite deal of nothing, so good-bye, but neglect not this advice, don't be quite so "rash as fire," and we shall meet again, some time, doubt not. May it be shortly, for "mine eyes desire thee above all things."

it.

C. SOUTHWELL.

The Oracle, No. 8, is before me, and really it is a good pennyworth. Real information for the twelfth part of a shilling; how unlike, in quality and charge, the utterances of the Oracles with which priests have had to do! If this be a specimen of what the work will be under the new management, the persecutors

Nothing, in my opinion, is more calculated to put a stop to these prosecutions, which tes tify the malignant tendency of religion, even under its best forms, than to give the clergy and magistracy to understand that they can' kill us. Let us tell them, and show them, that we won't die; or, rather, that if we can. not achieve immortality for ourselves, we will for our cause. If, when they chop off on head, a hundred appear in its place, they will soon find it a losing game. The more I think of the "don't-hurt-their-feelings" advice of some good sort of people, the put-up-withit, lie-down-und-die policy of men who assume the name, without having the spirit, of reformers, the more convinced do I become of its inexpediency as well as dishonesty. We are certainly not to go to Rome to pull the pope's nose; nor would it be justifiable for us to exhibit the ferocity of John Knox, who, with his followers, entered the sanctuaries of the Roman Catholics, by force tore down their altars, destroyed their magnificent edifices, and trampled on what they esteemed most sacred. But, if the pope of Rome strive to make me a slave to his spiritual despotism, it is my duty to resist, and that right vigor. ously; if any religionist speak or write in favour of certain doctrines, it is my duty as & non-religionist to insist upon the right of speaking and writing in opposition. And who. ever shrinks from this his duty, ought to go to heaven at once, because he is not good enough for this world, and because he falls short of the dignity of manhood. Latitude of lan guage in general is, doubtless, convenient to shirkers, inasmuch as they would hide their cowardice by calling it prudence, and conceal their want of public spirit, by pretending to extraordinary charity. That course of conduct is the most charitable which will do most good.

THE EVIDENCES OF CHRISTIANITY DISPLAYED;

OR THE PENALTY OF HONESTY IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.

OFTEN has religion, with appalling grin, be, stridden the murdered form of humanity, and too fondly has the hope been entertained that knowledge and civilisation had diven it to the regions of blackest night, its oirthplace and most congenial home; but has again ventured forth, strangling trut with fierce hands, and, in the name of a god, chasing honesty from the world. Startid corruption has cried havoc, the Bonners f christianity have let