gence. By enlightening the truly intelligent, physicians may exert an influence on the whole community, for such have much to do with moulding the opinions of their fellow men.

In endeavoring to correct the errors of the community in regard to practical medicine, it must be always kept in mind that the cause of these errors is to be found, as we have stated, in a misapplication of the rules of evidence. And it is to be distinctly understood, that all remedies and modes of practice are to be tested by actual experience, and are not to be estimated doctrines or theories which we may please to apply to

by any them.

The taunt is often thrown out by the advocates of the new systems of the present time, that the medical profession shrink from the test of actual experience, and will not receive new facts because they do not correspond with a set of time-worn and musty principles or doctrines, to which they are charged with being obstinately attached. We have not time, nor is it necessary, to refute this slander. Suffice it to say, that all physicians who have no alliance with quackery, and who desire a reputation based upon merit, wish to have every thing tried by the strict rules of evidence, irrespective of doctrines or theories. But they desire that the evidence should be sufficient in amount, and that it should be properly investigated. They are utterly opposed to forming hasty conclusions from limited, loosely gathered, and ill-digested evidence, whether it be done in the profession or out of it.

The general attitude of the community in relation to medicine holds out inducements to tempt the physician to neglect the strict investigation of evidence, and to rely upon false issues in acquiring a reputation for success. It is therefore only by a virtuous struggle against temptation that he gives himself to the work of an honest and thorough study of disease and its treatment, in place of practicing arts to gain favor and patronage. And this untoward popular influence does not come merely from the masses, but also to a great extent from the intelligent and the influential. In proof of this we will allude to a single fact among many that might be cited. We refer to the fact that those followers of specialities who ply all the arts of quackery to gain celebrity, so uniformly succeed in obtaining patronage from the best classes of society. Such being the state of things, it becomes thinking men to look at this subject, and to inquire whether some better means and rules of judg ment cannot be adopted by them, in estimating the merits of physicians, as well as of remedies and modes and systems.

There are some subjects somewhat allied to medicine that

have from time to time excited much interest in the community, in relation to which there has been a similar disregard of the strict rules of evidence. It would be interesting to remark on them in this connection, did our limits permit. But this article is already too long, and we will only cite one example of the loose application of the rules of evidence, which has characterized the investigation on the part of the community of the class of subjects referred to. It is a case of which a great parade was made at the time it was published. Colonel Stone gave a clairvoyant in Providence a sealed packet with a very odd sentence enclosed in it, and then left for New York. A day or two after the packet was sent to him with the seals apparently just as they were, and with it the reading of a part of the sentence. The colonel inferred that the clairvoyant read the sentence without opening the packet. The inference was an unwarrantable one. The true test evidence in the case was lost sight of. If she could read the packet without opening it, why did she not do it in Col. Stone's presence? There is not a particle of evidence offered to show that any one saw her do it. The true test was an easy one, but it was not applied. There is such a thing as skill in opening seals and replacing them, so that it is not easy to detect it; and until we have proof that this was not done, we are not called upon to believe that the clairvoyant read through the envelopes. The failure to read a part of the sentence was undoubtedly a mere feint to make a show of honesty. It was successful, for even so shrewd a man as Col. Stone was most effectually cheated.

We might go on to show how in like manner the defects in all the evidence in favor of animal magnetism, and other kindred delusions, have failed to be appreciated even by intelligent men. But it would occupy too much time and space. We would simply remark in passing, that no one of these wonders seems to occupy the public attention for any great length of time. Animal magnetism, although it made a great stir, and although prominent men in the community, even lawyers and clergymen and physicians, gave it their credence, and sometimes even with the formality of acting as a committee, has passed away, and has given place to spiritual rappings and table movings. If it ever comes up again, it will probably be with a different name and in a different form. It has already assumed at least six different names, varying its phases somewhat to suit each name; and so we have had successively Mesmerism, Pathetism, Electro-Biology, Hypnotism, and Psychol

ogy.

In conclusion we remark, that it is of great importance to

the cause of truth in general, that the principles of evidence should be well understood in their practical application to the various subjects that interest the community. A loose application of them on one subject leads to a similar application of them on other subjects. All varieties of truth therefore have a common bond of interest. Religious truth is thus linked to all other truth. And we accordingly find that the loose habits, which have been allowed in the investigation of certain exciting subjects of late years, has undermined the foundations of religious truth to a great extent in the community. A belief in specious falsehood always tends to weaken belief in solid truth. Credulity is very apt to engender scepticism. And we therefore see that those who have run the most readily after the pseudo-scientific novelties, that have appeared so abundantly in the last twenty-five years, have lost to a greater or less degree all steady and rational beliefs, and some have made shipwreck of all religious faith of a scriptural character. A certain mental condition, making the mind incapable of appreciating the strict rules of evidence, and disposing it to seek for the fanciful and the wonderful, seems to be induced. We accordingly find that persons thus affected are not the subjects of one delusion alone, but are commonly ready to welcome the various novelties that may be presented, whether they belong to medicine, or theology, or mental science.

The evil of which we have just spoken is a great one, and it behooves the good men who have unwittingly contributed to this state of things, by the easy credence which they have given to fanciful novelties, to consider well the bearings of this subject. If they will do so, they will find that the remedy for the evil is in an appeal to the strict rules of evidence. The community are largely at fault just at this point in relation to all subjects in which they are interested. The plausible and the true are not carefully distinguished. Absolute proof is not the thing sought after. Defective evidence glossed over by ingenious speculation is too often satisfactory. A reform is needed in this particular, and the intelligent lovers of truth must lead in this reform.

ART. V.-THE "NEW THEMES" CONTROVERSY-THE RELATION OF CHRISTIANITY TO POVERTY.

New Themes for the Protestant Clergy: Creeds without Charity, Theology without Humanity, and Protestantism without Christianity: with Notes on the Literature of Charity, Population, Pauperism, Political Economy, and Protestantism. By STEPHEN COLWELL. Second Edition, revised. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo & Co., 1853.

A Review, by a Layman, of a work entitled, "New Themes for the Protestant Clergy: Creeds without Charity, Theology without Humanity, and Protestantism without Christianity.' Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo & Co., 1852.

New Themes Condemned: or Thirty Opinions upon "New Themes," and its "Reviewer." Reviewer." With Answers to, 1, "Some notice of a Review by a Layman';" 2, "Hints to a Lay-· man ;" 3, "Charity and the Clergy." Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo & Co., 1853.

THE noise of this "New Themes" conflict has been quite audible to us, though at some distance from its arena, and has induced us to attempt an acquaintance with its merits. We have not had the privilege of reading the three publications to which the third of the volumes ("New Themes Condemned") is in part an answer, viz, "Some notice of A Review by a Layman,' "Hints to a Layman," and "Charity and the Clergy. But we have carefully read and digested the three volumes whose title pages are quoted above; and these give us the substance of the discussion.

·

The first of these volumes, " New Themes for the Protestant Clergy," which has originated this warm controversy, has great merits and great demerits. Its merits are that it declares and earnestly calls public attention to serious defects in our modern Christianity-not in Christianity as it is in the Bible, especially as it is in the life and teachings of Christ, (for this the author expresses and evidently feels great reverence and affection: he deems it perfect,) but in Christianity as taught and exemplified by all modern Christian churches or denominations, viz, the comparative neglect of the great law of Christian charity, or love, particularly of the "new commandment" given by Christ

to his disciples, "Love one another, as I have loved you," and of the "second great commandment," "Love thy neighbor as thyself;" the disproportionate attention which is paid to faith as compared with practice, to scriptural doctrine or orthodoxy as compared with the scriptural precepts, especially the precepts of Christ and their illustration in his example; and above all the very limited and inadequate obedience to the precepts and imitation of the example of Christ in the obvious work and duty of removing or mitigating the poverty and miseries of men in this world. To call public attention to these defects in the religion of these times is a great merit, for which we cordially thank the author of New Themes. For "these things are so." These alleged defects are real. We do not see how any candid and observing man can deny it. And it requires much courage and self-denial to declare these defects boldly and audibly in the face of the proud and self-gratulating Christianity of these days.

It is another merit of the work that it calls the attention of its readers to the discussions which are extant upon many important topics, particularly those connected with charity to the poor, and the prevention and relief of human misery. This is best done in the Notes; which constitute the larger part of the matter, though being in fine print they do not occupy the larger part of the pages, of the book. Indeed, we regard the Notes as the most valuable portion of the work. They evince an extensive reading on the topics which are treated, and call the attention of the reader to a wide range of authors and to many able discussions. They express, also, with much that needs abatement and qualification, much that is just and valuable in sentiment. And this may be truly said of the work itself. We agree heartily in the greater part of what the author says respecting the theory of Malthus on Population, and of those who have accorded with it. After speaking of " the English feeling in regard to the poor," [it would have been more just to have said the feeling of many in England with regard to the poor,] he says:

"It was reserved for a clergyman of the established church to work up this feeling and these views into a system of philosophy. The sum of the Rev. Mr. Malthus's work on population is thus given in his own words:- A man who is born into a world already possessed, if he cannot get subsistence from his parents, on whom he has a just demand, and if the society does not want his labor, has no claim of right to the smallest portion of food, and, in fact, has no business to be where he is. At nature's mighty feast there is no cover for him. She tells him to be gone, and will quickly execute her own orders, if he do not work upon the compassion of some of her guests. If these guests get up and make room for him, other intruders immediately appear, demanding the same favor. The report of a provision for all that come fills the hall with numerous claimants. The order and harmony