suspects the Divinity of having created men, the passions and the materials of industry without having fixed upon any plan for their Organization. To suppose it is to attribute to the Creator a want of reason at which men would blush; it is falling into an irreligion worse than atheism; for the atheist does not dishonour God in denying His existence, he only dishonours himself by entertaining an opinion bordering upon madness; but our legislators and philosophers in condemning the Passions as depraved and vicious pretend that God has not destined us to happiness and to social harmony and unity, and that He has not pre-calculated a society which would lead to those results. They strip the Supreme Being of His highest prerogative,-that of regulating the Passions and the Social world with the same beautiful order and harmony with which He regulates the Material world."

"Until mankind discover their social Destiny, they vegetate in a state of political imbecility. Their progress in some of the positive sciences, such as mathematics, chemistry and natural philosophy, are useless trophies, as they afford no remedy for human miseries. The greater the honour which is due to the exact sciences for their success, the greater the reproach which is due to our political and philosophical sciences for having done nothing for the Happiness of mankind, and for having, after thirty centuries of correctives and reforms, left all the scourges and miseries of our false societies as deeply rooted as before."

CHARLES FOURIER to whom is due the discovery of the systemsome slight idea only of which we have been able to give in the present article-w e-was born at Besancon, in France, in 1772, and died at

Paris, in 1837.

"The profound originality of Fourier's conceptions," says Mr. Brisbane, in his preface," the newness, or rather neglect on the part of the scientific world, of the subjects treated, were great obstacles to the comprehension of his theory; so much so that, although his first work was published in 1808, it is only at present that his views are beginning to attract the attention and receive the admiration of minds, which are not satisfied with the superficial science and politics of the day.

Fourier devoted nearly forty years of untiring and patient labour to the discovery of the laws of a true system of society, which would put an end to the miseries of mankind; but he was not comprehended; and during his life he received neither reward nor approbation for his efforts, save the profound admiration of a limited number of persons, who had become initiated into his theory, and who knew how to appreciate the genius, whose conceptions are destined to exercise an important influence on the social destiny of the human race. It is therefore left for future generations to render due homage to his labours; they will do it; and if the applause of succeeding ages can reward the spirit that has departed, then will he receive a full reward.

Fourier published his first work in 1808, which he entitled "Theory of the Four Movements." (See page 161 of the work for an explanation of this title) In 1822, he

published two large volumes, in which under the modest title of "Treatise on Domestic and Agricultural Association,” he treats and solves the most profound problems of science. In 1829, he published his third work in one volume, entitled "The new Industrial World," which he intended as a concise practical guide in the Art of Associating. In 1835 and 6, he published two additional volumes, entitled "False Industry, and its Antidote Natural, Attractive Industry." In these two volumes he makes a strong appeal for a practical trial of Association and of his System, and proves in the clearest manner, and by the most positive calculations, that Association would increase immensely national wealth and prosperity, and aid efficaciously the cause of mankind, for which our political reforms and controversies can do nothing. But he was not understood by men whose prejudices, personal interests and ambition were interwoven with the false society which he denounced; and he died, less fortunate than Columbus, who, in announcing a new Continental World, had fewer difficulties to overcome in the darker age in which he lived, than had Fourier, in the present one, in announcing a new Social World.

Since Fourier's death, his doctrine has been propagated with great activity, and it is now spreading to all parts of the civilized world; it has gained warm advocates in France, the United States, Germany, Italy, Spain and South America. There are in France three or four newspapers devoted exclusively to the cause, besides a large number of independant papers which advocate Association and a re-organization of industry, without declaring for any definite system.

The principal paper in France is published at Paris; it is called "La Phalange," and is issued three times a week. It is edited with great talent, and is under the direction of V. Considerant, one of the first disciples of Fourier.

We will take occasion to state that a paper will soon be established in the City of New-York, devoted to this great and important subject. We recommend it to the friends of social progress, and to all those who take an interest in the social improvement of Man. It will appear weekly, and is to be called "THE FUTURE." A Prospectus has probably by this time been issued explaining its object and character.

The system of Fourier has found advocates or disciples only among the intelligent and scientific. It appeals to no fanaticism; on the contrary it requires patient and unprejudiced study and examination to comprehend it. It is not a doctrine which can delude the mass by enlisting from interested motives men of ambition in its cause, which is the case with our political parties; nor can it delude them by working upon that rude fanaticism which is found in ignorant minds, and which is so often resorted to by fanatical sectarianism. Its propogation, therefore, will be hailed with pleasure by those who wish cordially that something may be done for the cause of suffering and oppressed Fumanity. In terminating onr article, we will recommend strongly the work of Mr. Brisbane; those who do not accept the Doctrine, will gain at least some valuable information on other points.

MARIUS.

By the Author of Fragments of Unpublished Reminiscences of the late Edward Livingston.

The contest which the labouring class, both in Europe and in the United States, maintain against the privileged orders—(a denomination in which we embrace alike the nobility in monarchical governments, abroad, and the American monopolists, at home)—is but the continuation of that long struggle between the high-born, the wealthy, (whether by inheritance or by the acquisition of opulence through unrighteous privileges,) the men of talents, deserters from the popular ranks, who have sold their abilities to the aristocracy either for gold, or those distinctions they unblushingly term honours, on the one side, and, on the other, the honest toilsome producers of all which constitutes the wealth, the power, the means of action, made to bear against themselves by their adversaries. These press on with the relentless cupidity which the possession of power, however great and undefined, of wealth, no matter how boundless, ever stimulates instead of satiating; still coveting the more, in proportion as they succeed in their unholy task, what remains to the people of legitimate influence in the government; begrudging, the more they diminish it, the wretched pittance allowed by them to the labourer in requital of incessant toil, while the others defend, with the courage of despair, the only rampart not yet demolished, though battered, shaken and undermined, between them and the most degrading of servitudes-that of the many to the few-the purity of the ballot-box!

The chronicles of Egypt, which the philosopher reads in the pyramids, those colossal granite characters in which kings and priests have written the whole history of enslaved generations—the rude fragments of the early history of Chinese and Persians that have come down to us— and, above all, the annals of Greece-abound with illustrations of that dread antagonism, when we study them, not to impress on the memory battles, sieges, and revolutions so frequent as to pall even on the mind that seeks the sort of excitement induced by such recitals, but to discover, in those records of ancient days, what societies were in those republics which still live in the remembrance of mankind, after power and genius have alike departed from that land of valour, of beauty and of song, in order that, by comparing the past with the present, we may draw useful lessons from the one to controul the other.

Unfortunately for such meditating readers, education, among the nations of antiquity, was embraced within the ever widening circle of aristocratic usurpation. They allowed, but at rare intervals, some streamlets to flow from the fount of learning, to irrigate the land, and moisten the parched lips of the young proletaries who, in exchange for knowledge, had no gold to offer. Not satisfied with having oppressed the labouring classes, the nobles, using the advantage of their monopoly of all mental culture, became the only chroniclers of their own misdeeds, calumniating, when dead, to after ages, those upon whom living they had trampled. Hence the obstacles thrown, by these mendacious annalists, in the way of him who endeavours to trace the eventful history of that great Social War. He must deal with them as the experienced advocate who examines an unwilling or perjured witness; and draw evidence of the concealment of truth from the very silence of him who perversely forgets that which it is impossible he should not have remembered. Aware too, that though no man be altogether corrupt and wicked, yet the same individual is not wont to be, at the same time, disinterested and sordid, capable of the noblest sacrifice of high resentments, and immediately after, of totally disregarding the ties that link man to God and to his fellow being, while he gives faith to the reluctant praise of an enemy, he will not admit his accusations against an adversary unless sustained by disinterested testimony.

This task of posthumous justice towards the illustrious democrats of Greece, Bulwer has accomplished in spite of the difficulty of its execution. Through the toils, the researches, the patient investigation of that gifted writer, who saw his path clearly, with the aid of lights so faint, so vacillating, as to have perplexed rather than guided eyes of vision less keen, we have, at last, a philosophical and true history of the Athenian Democracy! The sophistry of Mitford can no longer lead astray, nor the absurd credulity of Rollin stultify the judgment of youth. In his noble pages Athens appears again to admiring nations lovely and lustrous through the woes of age! A work, as regards Rome, similar to that of Bulwer on Athenian Democracy, cannot, we are aware, be compressed within the limits assigned to a paper in a Review. We much question, indeed, whether Montesquieu, who in a small volume has given the best and perhaps— (nor is this assertion a paradox,)—the fullest history of the Roman Republic, could have condensed in the same narrow bounds, with like success, both the refutation of all the misrepresentation of motives, the studied distortions of facts, strewed by patrician authors in their works, whenever they speak of the secular oppression of the proletary class, both by the patrician and plebeian orders, and a vindication of those illustrious champions of real freedom, in Rome, so long held up, by

empty sophists and declaimers, to the scorn and hatred of unreflecting minds.

The name that I have inscribed as the title of this article, makes it unnecessary to add, that in the following pages, apportioning my task to the measure of my strenght, instead of a defence of the Roman Democracy, I have attempted only the rehabilitation of one-the most illustrious of Roman Proletaries!

This examination of the character of Marius, both as a General and as a Civil Magistrate, though it may appear to look to passing events, was, nevertheless, written many years since. It was hastily thrown on paper after an hour passed in thoughtful admiration before a noble painting of Vanderlyn, "Marius on the Ruins of Carthage." Having shown me a gold medal given him by Napoleon in token of the esteem in which he held this early production of his genius, Vanderlyn, in answer to some questions I put to him, as to the manner in which the Emperor came to notice this work, spoke as follows: "My picture having been deemed worthy of exposition in the Gallery of the Louvres, I loitered among the crowd of visitors, not far, however from this earliest of my works. Many had passed without even looking at it; some had expressed approbation; but none, as yet, seemed to have seen what I had intended to express-not the mere high bearing of a master spirit wrestling with adversity, but the impress on the warrior's brow of visions of days of happier auspices!!-the sheering presentiment of a seventh consulate in lustration of the defilement of Minturna! I already began to fear lest the thoughts I had felt burning within me, had not worked their way through my brush to the canvass. But, lo! the waves of the multitude suddenly recede before the footsteps of One. It was He, the young conqueror of Italy and of Egypt! As he passed before my painting, he rivetted his eagle eye, of deep azure blue, on the Marius-remained for a minute, in deep meditation—then, turning abruptly to Denon, who stood by his side, 'Where is the painter of this picture?'-'He is here, Sire; he is a pupil of David, Monsieur Vanderlyn, who has come to Paris to study his art.' Young man, there is the evidence of a future in your work. Denon! present a medal to Monsieur Vanderlyn. It will tell his country that his talents have been appreciated here.'"

While Vanderlyn spoke, the scene he described was brought before my eyes. Methought, I saw the victorious chief, as yet a stranger to the waywardness of fortune, arrested and held motionless before the living canvass, as if fixed there by some weird power,-events still distant bursting on his mind in prophetic succession-Elba, the lonely isle, perhaps rose before him indistinetly seen through misty futurity; then a brighter streak of light revealing a second reign-to