the event is doubtful; when every moment brings us nearer and nearer to the critical period which feals our doom; and the mind fhrinks from a decifion which may be unfortunate; hope and fear predominate by turns: hope, with the idea of approaching fuccefs; fear with the idea of approaching trial or disappointment. When the decifion of our fate is at a diftance, the notions of difficulty and uncertain fuccefs do not prefs upon the attention; we indulge our hopes without the intrufion of any painful emotion; and can enjoy the pleasures which arise from them, undisturbed by the disagreeable idea of subsequent mifery. I fhall now make a few remarks upon the influence of hope in promoting human happiness. Hope, fo far as it is fupported by reafon, and not merely by inclination, is founded on a fpecies of inveftiga. tion which is rarely fallacious; and almost all its pleasures are anticipa tions of what is afterwards enjoyed. I fhall, therefore, confine my remarks to that hope which is the child of inclination, and productive of pleasure peculiarly her own. That mifery is the lot of man, has, from the earlieft ages, been the un wearied complaint of human nature. This mifery is often accompanied with fuch circumftances as to require conftant occupation; and when this is the cafe, habit foon reconciles us to it; we have not leifure to feel the influence, either of difcontent, or of hope. But when mifery is united with leifure, and inflamed by reflection; when attention ponders on the circumstances of our affliction, and memory gazes with regret on the joys that are paft; when the mind yields to the torrent of forrow, and derives a fting from the most indifferent circumftances of our fituation; what comfort but hope can fupport the downcaft foul, and fuftain the fainting heart. In all the circumstances of the greatest affliction, hope is the only fource of relief. When the clouds of affliction thicken on every fide, and the anxious hand of tenderness is withdrawn; when we are pierced by the fcorn of the cruel and unthinking, and infulted by the coward who trufts for fecurity in the neceffity of our condition; when the benevolent affections teem with anguish before unknown, and the friends of our profperity, whom we imagined to be fincere, fhun the imploring eye that feeks for confolation,-hope ftands by the afflicted fufferer, and fpeaks peace to his foul. From the cheek which forrow has made facred, the gently wipes the falling tear, and whispers in the ear which feeks in vain the voice of confolation, that every pang brings him nearer to he period of returning happiness. The only pain which hope ever produces, is the pain of disappointment. This is feldom felt in its full force, except by fedentary, contemplative, fentimental characters. Those whofe fituation or temper engages them in habits of activity, derive less pain from difappointment than plea. fure, from a new object of defire and hope. Their feelings are blunted by continual occupation. Their life rolls on in a continual viciffitude of defire of hope, and of purfuit, and they are little difcouraged in their progrefs by cafual difappointments. It is when difappointment fails to remove the defire which we despair of fatisfying, that difappointment inflicts the fharpeft uneafinefs. If these remarks are juft, the mi series of hope, leave no feeling in the mind but an admiration of that tender benignity which has given to man an antidote against the wounds of affliction of fuch potent and univerfal efficacy. Hope, that ever accompanies the misery of innocence, is a pledge that the author of that misery is gracious even in his chastisements; that that happiness will one day return to his afflicted children, and that impenitence alone will provoke his final indignation. And furely it must be a pleafing employment to the pious ob ferver of the works of Deity, to trace plain indications of goodness in the fevereft difpenfations of provi dence; to obferve the hand of a father in fituations where all appears to be myfterious and gloomy; and to b hold the effects of one uniform plan of benignity and moral improvement, in every production of nature, and in every event of life. For the Edinburgh Magazine. J M. A DISCOURSE ON THE DISCOVERIES AND CHARACTER OF SIR ISAAC NEWTON; READ AT A MEETING OF GENTLEMEN IN EDINBURGH, ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF HIS BIRTH-DAY, JANUARY 5th, 1802. By David Brewster, A. M. MONG thofe celebrated cha- comparifon, without making allowracters whofe labours have en- ance for the character of their con lightened the world, Sir Ifaac New- temporaries, or the age when they lived. ton is entitled to the most diftinguifh- Let us then tranfport ourselves in ed rank, both on account of his dif- imagination to the 17th century; coveries as a philofopher, and his let us contemplate the ftate of fcicharacter as a man. The improve- ence at that period, the manner of ments of fome, indeed, may at first philofophizing which was then in have appeared more brilliant and un- vogue, the prejudices that were to be common; and the inventions of others encountered n the perfons of others, may have had a more immediate in- and the errors that were to be eradi fluence upon the arts of life The cated from the philofopher himself, field in which the genius of fome that we may eftimate with precifion has been exerted, may have been the value of Newton's discoveries. more replete with amusement; and the labours of others more calculated to gain the applause of the multi tude: but when all thefe are compared with the difcoveries of Newton, with the nature and extent of his improvements, with the utility of his inventions, and that depth of understanding from which they muft have refulted, they will all be comparatively low in the fcale of our eftimation; and though they cannot fail to extort our admiration and applaufe, a higher degree of praise will be referved for the author of the Principia. In this enlightened age, indeed, it is difficult to appreciate, with accuracy, the merits of our ancestors. Acquainted with the attainments of our own times, we are too apt to make these the standard of About the middle of the seventeenth century, Philofophers were but little acquainted with the true fyftem of the universe, and the laws by which that fyftem was regulated were involved in darkness. Copernicus, it is true, had pointed out the proper or der of the planets, and explained the phenomena that they exhibit, by reviving the Pythagorean System; but the church of Rome eagerly repreffed an opinion fo contrary to her own, and hufhed in the lap of fuperftition the firft fymptoms of dawning fcience. Notwithtanding this check, however, truth fprung into notice, and the Copernican Syftem was adopted and diffused by fome daring men who laughed at the restraints of fuperftition, and defpifed the controul of human authority. But it was was not from religious motives alone that the true fyftem of the univerfe was overlooked and rejected: the fyf. tems of Ptolemy and of Tycho were capable of explaining the chief phe nomena of the heavens, and the philofophers of that age were but little difpofed to give their affent to an -up ftart opinion which warred against the information of their fenfes It feems natural to the human mind, in the firft ages of fcience, to put impli. cit confidence in thofe organs by which it has a communication with external objects, and it is only in more enlightened times that the errors of fuch a conduct are corrected by the application of judgment, that fcience is freed from the abfurdities of the vulgar, and philofophy purified from the prejudices of the ancients. Thefe feem to be the causes why the fyftem of Copernicus had fo few abettors about the middle of the feventeenth century The opinion of philofophers concerning the cause of the celeftial motions was equally obfcure and u fatisfactory. Defcartes had endeavoured to account for the revolutions of the planets, by fuppofing them to circulate round the Sun in fluid orbits, and Kepler had endowed them with living fouls, that he might account for that aftonifhing regularity which is obferved in all their motions. The first of thefe opinions has frequently been proved incapable of explaining the phenomena of the heavens, and the fecond is evidently the offspring of a mind fond of the marvellous, and deeply impreffed with that order and defign which are fo confpicuoufly difplayed in the movements of the planetary world. Amidft fuch prevailing darknefs, the philofophy of Newton was given to the world. A blaze of light was immediately diffufed over the most obfcure parts of phyfical fcience; and while the theory of uni verfal gravitation explained, in the most fatisfactory manner, the revolu tions of the heavenly bodies, it established, upon the firmeft foundation, alfo the fyftem of Copernicus. This important difcovery, was not the production of chance, nor the result of an accidental fuppofition, confirmed and demonftrated by future obfervation; but it feems to have been gradually formed in the mind of Newton, and philofophically deduced from the phenomena of nature. When contemplating the fall of heavy_bodies, it immediately occurred to Newton, that the cause by which they tended to the earth, might continue to operate at the distance of the Moon, and by comparing the effect produced upon bodies at the furface of the earth, with the effect produced upon the Moon; he found that this planet was drawn from the tangent of her orbit, by the very fame force with which bodies approached the center of the earth By transferring the fame opinion to the other bodies of the folar fyftem, this philofopher concluded, that all the primary planets were retained in their orbits by a force directed to the Sun; that all the fecondaries were kept in their orbits by a force directed to their pri mary; and, in short, that all material bodies tended to each other with a force proportional to the quantity of matter that they contained, and the diftance at which they are placed. This is the difcovery, by which the boundaries of fcience have been fo widely extended. This is the difcovery, that has raised its author to that pitch of glory to which he has attained, that has gained him the efteem and the applaufe of the world. It is not a mere barren fpeculation, calculated only to excite the atten tion of the philofopher, or stimulate the curiofity of an amateur:-It has produced the most beneficial effects upon the arts of life:-It has ex. tended the empire of man over the works of nature, and added wisdom and and happiness to the lot of mortality. If, amidst the ragings of the unfettled ocean, fcience has ever relieved the diftreffes of the mariner,-if. fhe has ever delivered him from the gulph of destruction, or the jaws of famine, by pointing out his courfe and restoring him to the place of his deftination, the deliverance was ow. ing to Newton, as it refulted from the difcoveries that he had made. But though the theory of univerfal gravitation has produced fuch in portant effects upon philofophy; the other difcoveries of Newton are entitled to equal approbation and applaufe. The invention of the method of fluxions, though the rapacity of foreign philofophers has endeavoured to deprive him of the honour, will ever be remembered by mathematicians with gratitude and triumph. His difcoveries concerning the cause of colours, and the different refrangibility of the rays of light, formed a new epoch in optical fcience. Before that time, philofophers were on: ly acquainted with fome of the chief properties of light; and the artifts of Europe had exerted themselves in vain, to rectify the errors of the refracting telescope, by giving their lenfes the form of fome of the conic fections. But Newton clearly pointed out the vanity of their purfuits, he fhewed them that these inftruments were liable to errors of which they were not aware, and which had not the appearance of being eafily removed. It has now fallen to the lot of the celebrated Dollond to perfect that discovery which Newton had begun; and, by the invention of the achromatic telescope, to make a moft important addition to the ufeful inftruments of life. But it was not merely in difcovery that the genius of Newton was difplayed. His invention of the reflecting telescope and microfcope will ever be regarded as the marks of a mechanical genius; and they who admire the wonderful difcoveries of Herfchel, will beftow no fmall portion of applause upon the inventor of the inftrument by which thefe discoveries were made. The change which the difcoveries of Newton brought about in the method of philofophifing, was no lefs important than the change which they effected upon philofophy itfelf. Before his time the method of philofophifing was abfurd in the extreme: the filly quibbles of fophiftry were equivalent to the evidences of demonftration:→→→ the random fayings of antiquity were perfectly incontrovertible:-and the dogmas of a master were the dictates of truth. Imagination, in fhort, had confounded the whole of their opiaions. Their philosophy was foolishnefs,-their science was ignorance,and their difcoveries were dreams, The philofophy of Bacon, it is true, was then in exiftence, fitted to cor rect their errors, and purify their judgments. But it had the misfortune to be neglected or unknown; and thofe few who admired the genius of Bacon, wanted the fortitude to put his precepts in practice. It was referved for Newton to recommend this philofophy to the world, not by the weak inftruments of authority and argument, but by the more pow erful energy of example. It was referved for Newton to fhew to fucceeding ages, and fucceeding ages have believed it, that experiment and obfervation form the only bafis of genuine philofophy. Such are fome of the chief difcoveries of Newton; and fuck the effects which they have already produced. From them we may judge of that extent of capacity ftrength of understanding,-that patience in refearch,-and that talent for difcovery, which formed and perfected his character as a philofopher. that Let us now contemplate him in the more endearing relation of a man and a Chriftian. Wherever genius appears appears, it never fails to excite refpect, even when it is connected with an immoral conduct, and a bad heart. But when genius is connected with virtue, and a found understanding with a feeling heart, their united force is irrefiftible,-our respect is changed into admiration, and our admiration rifes to love. Such an uncommon union, however, was exhibited in the character of Newton. His love of virtue and truth have never been called in queftion. His conduct towards his friends was warm and affectionate, and his behaviour to his enemies was fuch as might have been expected from the greatnefs of his mind. When his doc trines were oppofed by those who differed from him in opinion, he defended them with a calmnefs and modefty feldom to be met with in controverfial writings, and, at the fame time, with an independent firmnefs which evinced that he thought for himself. When the rapacity of foreigners had endeavoured to fnatch from him the well earned honour of his difcoveries, he conducted himself in a fimilar manner, and never harboured in his bofom that malice and revenge nor difplayed in his writings that virulence and invective, which are too often the attendants of genius mifapplied. But to the formation of a perfect character, as far as a man can be called fo, fomething more than virtue is required. A fenfe of propriety is of the utmost importance; and in men of a good heart, and a found judgement, it is too frequently a wanting. From the part which they act in life, philofophers are too much expofed to whimsical fingularities; and from the retired life which many of them lead, that eccentricity of character arifes which is always forgiven, and even fometimes improperly applauded in literary men. From all fuch extremes of character Newton was exempted. He did not, like fome, withdraw himself from the world, to profecute, without moleitation, the favourite objects of his study, or to lament with fecret, but unavailing tears, the deviations of human frailty. He, on the other hand, filled with fuccefs an arduous office in public life. He mingled with focie, ty, and tafted of its cares, as well as its joys. He would be incident, no doubt, to many of the failings that attend upon humanity; but these failings have never reached our cars. They have been loft in that blaze of virtue with which he was furrounded; and malice itself has not dared to draw them from oblivion, In the character of a Chriftian, Newton was equally amiable There is in the Chriftian religion fomething that is oppofite to human arrogance, fomething that diminishes the boafted attainments of reafon,-something that humbles the pride of philofophy, and whifpers to man that he is the child of imperfection. At fuch fayings the conceited philofophy of modern times has taken the alarm, and rejected with difdain the religion that contains them. They have attempt ed to diffufe their cold and unfatisfying tenets by pillaging with facrilegious hands the temple of our hap pinefs, - by fnatching from the bed of forrow the only pillow of its hopes, and wrefting from enfeebled age the only ftaff that supports it. Such opinions as thefe, refult only from a fuperficial acquaintance with fcience, and not from that extenfive information, and depth of thought, which were fo confpicuous in Newton's character. He who in perplexing research had felt the littleness of human capacity, did not find himfelf degraded by adopting the Chriftian religion, but faw that it was adapted to the wants and neceffities of tranfitory beings. Nor was he merely a Chriftian in profeffion; he obeyed its precepts, he experien ced its confolations, and employed a portion |