a work entitled, An Essay towards a system of speculative Philosophy, by G. Fr. Daumer, Nuremburg. "If the German mind has engaged with ardour in the philosophic career, it is because it expects from philosophy solutions that will lead to the regeneration and salvation of the human race. Our hope, our perseverance, our painful researches will not be disappointed. The German philosophy, far as it seems from the earth, has not only its commission to produce a new theory for practical life-for the organization of society; it has also the sublime destiny to produce, what for man is most sacred and important, that which embraces every thing—a new religion. The philosophical system of M. Krauze laid its foundation in 1807; but this great attempt could not be appreciated at once; and, although the author has laboured incessantly to induce his fellow countrymen to establish a [new] religion and society, he has been encouraged by only a few, who have followed him with zeal, devoting their lives to the establishment and propagation of his doctrine. At a later period, the political and religious views of the St. Simonians reached Germany, and then it was recollected that M. Krauze had already promulgated a doctrine (system) that had numerous points of resemblance with that of the St. Simonians. This approximation (of each other's views) promises much fruit; the example given by France will draw the attention of the Germans to a system of religious philosophy born among themselves, and which seems the final result of all the philosophic and scientific labours, which have been the mission and glory of Germany. Thus we see the germs of the future show themselves at the same time in the two most advanced nations of the world; we can unite the philosophic labours of France and Germany; we anticipate the day when these nations will be united in regard to a similar social organization and common religion, which will have given the most complete solution of all the vital questions of humanity. "It is the duty of all generous men, of all who feel the new wants, so clearly expressed in so many political commotions, to carefully examine all that comes from men who announce a new religion, whether they only prophecy or announce a system of doctrine more or less complete. Let the Germans do this for France, the French for Germany; this reciprocal examination made in sincerity, and with a single desire to conduct humanity towards its destination, will hasten the day of knowledge and general association among men. On this account, we shall now give particular attention to the work of M. Daumer; for he also seriously thinks, that a new religion is the result to which all the modern philosophy of Germany tends, and must finally come. From the title of his book we did not suspect this religious tendency, but it is clearly stated. The author commences thus: "This system recognises God as a spirit, which determines itself in itself and by itself as personality, and has freely conceived in itself the idea of the world and plan of its realization.' Knowing that M. Daumer is a partizan of the modern philosophy, which is called Pantheism by its adversaries, I supposed he would attempt to fill a great blank in this philosophy, one that the system of Krauze seemed only to enlarge to its greatest extent. It is known that Schelling, the renovator of the philosophy called Pantheism, placed, as did Spinosa, for the foundation of the science, the absolute existence (l'étre absolu), from which every thing must be derived. He attributed to this being several properties, but his expressions were neither simple axioms nor legitimate deductions of reason. Besides, his object, in seeking for these highest attributes of God, or the absolute existence, seemed only that he might reach nature, and a new construction of nature, made according to the highest attributes of God, who was, in his estimation, the constituent principle of all existence. The highest part of philosophy, that in which the complex attributes of God ought to be explained, such as the divine personality, the absolute self-intelligence (la conscience absolue), the sentiment of infinite (le sentiment infini), as well as love, wisdom, justice, &c. this part of philosophy in the work of Schelling was a blank, a desideratum. We might even demand if his system could reach these questions, if it possessed the necessary scientific instrument, the principal ideas, (the categories, as Aristotle calls them). This part, together with the spiritual world, was neglected for the natural world. Nature, so long viewed with the eyes of materialism and atomism, as abandoned of God, of soul, of life, was to be re-established. It was, in a glorious manner. The grand movement, necessary to produce so many men distinguished by their knowledge of nature, as Oken, Steffens, &c. &c. took place. By a necessary re-action, it happened that this philosophy, thus incomplete, and giving no satisfaction to the sentiments of the heart, especially to the religious feelings, called forth men to protest against it, accusing it of atheism and ir religion. Jacobi became the rallying point of all those, who, not having strength enough to follow the new movement, despaired of gaining absolute truth and sound philosophy, or who pretended to found philosophy not upon science, but upon the feeling (le sentiment) which manifests itself in another way, in all men; a feeling often vague and sombre, and easily leading to fanaticism, if not enlightened by science. But the principal reproach which Jacobi and his partizans brought upon the new philosophy, was its inability to present God as a personal being, having consciousness, feeling, love of self; that it confounded God with nature and thus destroyed all religion. They went farther, and contended that no philosophy could arrive at such a demonstration, because the system of Spinosa, which they, without reason, regarded as the principal effort of the philosophic spirit, did not reach it. This leaning (penchement) of Jacobi and many distinguished men, who rallied round him, had a real, though indirect influence. They added nothing to the stock of human knowledge, but contributed, in spite of themselves, to the developement of philosophy, by pointing out and constantly referring to it, all the great questions, which, for the interest of truth, for the satisfaction of the heart, demanded from it a solution. "Some philosophers who followed the direction given by Schelling, and who had undertaken to fill up the blank in this system, viz: the soul and the spiritual world-attempted the questions, but failed of their solution. Hegel, who rebuilt the entire system of Schelling, and who, in logic and phenomenology of the soul, undertook principally the analysis and construction of the spiritual world, concealed his inability to give solutions on many points under the language of Christians, to which nevertheless he gave an altogether different meaning. Upon the whole, the labours of Hegel and his school advanced the state of many questions. But their true solution, as we think, is found in the philosophical system of Krauze, who, while admitting that God is in nature (le monde) and nature in him, proves in him a superiority, a domination over the world, consciousness, feelings, a distinct will, all these distinct from the same faculties amongst men, as well as connected with them consciousness, feeling, will, which constitute the infinite personality of God, and in virtue of which a mutual connexion between man and God can take place, in the relation commonly called religion. It is thus that having reach ed its last developement the German philosophy appears to us to have celebrated its union with religion. "All these thoughts passed our mind, when we read the first words of the work of M. Daumer, seeming to indicate that the author having perceived the blank in this part of modern philosophy, had taken for his principal task a new solution of the great question of the personality of God. We continued the perusal of the work with great attention, but soon found ourselves disappointed. The idea of M. Daumer in regard to the personality of God, is that of Hegel, combined with some secondary ideas of Schelling, especially that which Schelling put at the foundation in God, upon which he displays his absolute existence, his activity, and also manifests himself in the forms of individual creatures. We shall not here attempt an exact account of the views of M. Daumer. We need only remark, that he has presented the idea of Hegel in a more precise form, and deduced the natural consequences without fear of offending Christians. Thus he says distinctly, that God has no consciousness of himself, except in the individual consciousness of men; that men at death enter into the bosom of the absolute existence, without individuality, without personal consciousness, &c. We commend this freedom, although we entertain opposite opinions in regard to these points. Especially do we give our entire approbation. to the noble courage with which the author scouts the absurdity of the vulgar faith in rewards and punishments after death, an opinion which defiles human morality by giving it impure motives, and those incompatible with the first principle of morality, viz. to do good, above all, because it is good, because it is, if I may so express myself, the divinity of the life of humanity. "We come now to the views of M. Daumer upon the philosophy of history. Here he is sufficiently new, and expresses his faith in a new religion. See the scheme of the developement of humanity according to his conception. We quote his own words: I. The man of the primitive world; pantheism of nature. II. Transition to the second era of humanity, and passage to historical times: separation of the people. III. Paganism and Judaism. 1. Paganism. a. Religions of Nature. b. Religions of art; Hellenism. c. Universality: Romanism. 2. Judaism. IV. Christianity. a. Primitive Christianity; before Catholicism. c. Protestantism and the modern Spirit. V. Absolute religion, and the universal kingdom; or the last era of the world. VI. Transition to the absolute world (le monde absolu:) grand cosmic, catastrophe; transformation of the world. The absolute world, (le monde absolu.) "We share the opinion of M. Daumer in regard to a state of humanity anterior to the state of opposition, of separation antagonism, a state in which man and humanity were absorbed in the external world, in nature. We approve of his making the second era of the world commence with the separation of the people, and its result in opposition, antagonism. That which he calls the world absolute, the world of unity and harmony, appears to us, as to him, in advance of humanity and the end of its progress. * It "We shall now select some passages from the work, such as appear remarkable and suitable to represent the sentiments of M. Daumer with many other German writers. See what he says of the Christian religion in general: Christianity, long since, so great, so powerful, so mingled with all human affairs, is no longer any thing but subjectivity. A little consolation, a little support, a little factitious exaltation, this is all it offers to the individual in the crosses and miseries of life. is a plaster for the wounds of the heart, it mitigates also the bad temper of the soul, and operates as a curb and spur for the vulgar. But although it has been a universal principle of history, it is so no longer; it no longer produces events of general interest; it no longer determines the march of the human race.......... Prostestantism is the negative form under which is conceived the new principle. As long as the positive new principle, which we need, and which protestantism unconsciously prepares, is not developed, protestantism will afford a relative good, a relative truth, a superiority relative to catholicism. This latter, good, and necessary as it was for the middle ages, is now only the wreck of a great life finished ages ago, without soul, and without value......... Protestantism is the spirit of Christianity, weakened indeed, but still the spirit; catholicism is only a shade of the past. A thing has only. |