"Suffering, and the perpetual goading of calamity, will never diminish, till men, raising their eyes from their own miseries, turn them towards God, reverencing him, and looking to him alone for peace, strength, and glory With religion will arise men thinking and saying and doing great things; with religion will arise new principles, and means of easy and perfect government." * * * * We do not profess to understand all or much of the following; but it shows the writer earnest and honest, however enthusiastic and mistaken. "Future pontiffs will find, or will assist to form religions, not material and full of show, decked in gold and silver, but full of the adoration of the spirit; this will be truly the Catholic religion, living and giving life, an expansive not a compressing power; a thing unimaginable to us, degraded and become impotent to understand, not only the future but the past. Rather than extend our hand to the veil which covers the future, and rend it with the weak points of our systems, it becomes us to reverence this mystery as a provident law, a source of virtue and of enjoyment. This undefined atmosphere, in which float the germs of so many things yet unknown, has something of the awfulness of infinity; it allows the mind to breathe more at large, and leaves a wider field of human creation, for truly desire is creation. Sure am I that the Catholic religion, in its essence, will never be destructive of the new liberty of nations; it will, on the contrary, assist to establish them. "Propose to yourselves as examples, the new things attempted in the time of the apostles, of the early popes and bishops, and wise men ; bring back some things to their pristine simplicity; add other and ever new ones, which shall answer to the ever-pressing wants of innovation, of the age; turn and direct them to good ends. Endeavour not reformsreform is a poor word- but the renovation of the intimate essence of existence, and a daily and uninterrupted renewal of life. New truth, if we consider rightly, is a truly Catholic thing; error on the other hand is a thing ever old, and heresy ever mouldy: error is the rind of new truths, but the rind does not itself yield fruit: truth is an eternal root, ever fruitful, ever bringing forth new flowers and new fruits. Variety in unity affords both truth and beauty; variety without unity is rottenness and death; take away unity, and not only ten, but even four, elements, cannot hold together. Before the existence of the Christian religion, and after the birth of the sects which have divided it, human nature has been capable of great efforts in proportion as it has had strength of belief, and accordance in faith. Sects, even though not Catholic, have lasted, insomuch as they have had something of a Catholic principle in them. Something of a Catholic principle made the grandeur of the East, of Etruria, of Greece, of the Roman republic. "Union of faith in things human and divine is a necessary condition for erecting or understanding great things; this is the germ enfolding all human destinies. "The stream of ages will not roll back; the world wants a new state of things, and seeks for it; and never have the yearnings of all humanity been vain, nor ever will they be. The world wants a new state of things, but not a new faith." We must conclude by turning from these flimsy speculations, and taking a single extract from a humbler subject, on which it will be seen, as in most others we have selected, that the writer's ignorance is at least equalled by his presumption. The "sacred science" of diplomacy is thus unceremoniously handled and begins with this auspicious eulogy: "Mercury was the god of ambassadors and thieves; that which bears the barbarian name of diplomacy was an invention of the stupid times of tyrannical cunning. It commenced with the 17th century, when ardent injustice destroyed shame; when the last images and memories of liberty perished from the face of Europe. "The diplomacy of feeble governments is composed of boasts and intreaties; the diplomacy of the strong is composed of complaints and counsels; effectuation by threats, or else spontaneous confessions of weakness. "The diplomacy of Italian revolutions, if it is desirable to avoid appearing abject imitators of the acts of princes, must be boasts: and the boasts of the powerless are ridiculous. Hence the revolutionists must have no diplomacy, for theirs cannot be held in honour." This profound remark of the new race of Italian statesmen, is illustrated further by the following example; rather singular, we would observe, as cases in point: "France, when she effected any thing, had no diplomacy; and Napoleon sunk down to diplomacy only when his power was on the wane." We need not, probably, pursue further a topic so utterly misunderstood and consequently so ill-treated: if relations are not to be maintained, nor a medium of authentic explanations and concert in action preserved, war and despotism must be even more than now the lot of humanity. Our readers will probably agree with us, that the writer of these volumes has done wisely to hide his name, if he has any regard for rational reputation. It is not the mere talent of fluent declamation that can make a patriot into a statesman; and the Italian states will have little to fear from reasoners so feeble, so verbose, and extravagant. Yet such in every country are the men who would fain overturn establishments, to set up theories, without bestowing a thought upon their practicability! The Author's style is good; we wish we could say as much of his work; but he is evidently very young. ART. VI.-Schiller's Flucht von Stuttgart und Aufenthalt in Manheim von 1782 bis 1785. (Schiller's Flight from Stuttgard and Residence at Manheim from 1782 to 1785.) Stuttgard and Augsburg. J. G. Cotta. 12mo. 1836. UNTIL lately the biography of Schiller has been written with a disregard to facts, remarkable even in Germany, where this department of literature is singularly barren. The learned of that country, who have searched with great success into the records of the earliest and remotest nations, and who also with equal diligence and acuteness develope in their works on abstract subjects the hidden springs of human actions, yet strangely disregard the lives and characters of illustrious men of all classes, although the career of these rarely fails to furnish philosophical history with some of its best analogies and surest lights. The memoirs of the French have no parallel among their neighbours beyond the Rhine; and the biographies published in the United States of North America, which are already numerous, and highly interesting, suggest, perhaps, the true reason of the deficiency we are remarking. It probably springs from the political inactivity of the Germans. The spirit of conquest in France and the spirit of freedom in America, have called into action a vast variety of individuals; and the public of both countries find in their history materials of the greatest interest. In Germany, with the stimulus of active life absolutely wanting, it is not surprising then that the same interest should not be felt, and consequently that the materials of their history should be less regarded. In the case of Schiller, the paucity of true details published concerning his life has led to capital errors upon its most remarkable periods; and although the noble character and fine genius of this eminent man have long been well appreciated by both his own countrymen and foreigners, it is only now that many particulars regarding him are beginning to be correctly known, and they are such as must necessarily elevate him still higher in public estimation. A few extracts, to be taken presently, from Mr. Carlyle's able memoir of Schiller, will show the extraordinary inaccuracy of all the former narratives which that zealous and enlightened biographer consulted. Although the first years of Schiller's childhood were passed without much instruction, for he was delicate, and his mother devoted herself exclusively to the care of his health, he soon made up for this small portion of lost time. In his sixth year he began to learn reading, writing, Latin and Greek; and at this period he is known to have exhibited poetical and oratorical talents, even in his amusements. In his ninth year (1768), He brew was added to his studies, to qualify him for the Church, which he had chosen as a profession: and in the period from 1769 to 1772 he passed three examinations in theology exceedingly well. His studies were somewhat interrupted by the effects of a too rapid growth upon a feeble constitution; but as his health improved he applied again so earnestly to his books, that his masters were obliged to admonish him to moderate his labour, lest body and mind should alike suffer from the exertion. At this time he was a distinguished boy, remarkable for his indifference to boyish sports, but joining in them cheerfully and vigorously to please his schoolfellows. The proof of his early proficiency is complete. The Grand Duke of Wurtemberg had founded a military school, and its success was so great that the courses of study, limited at first to the fine arts with a few pupils only, was extended to all the sciences, and with numerous classes. In order to fill this school respectably, special inquiries used to be made of the masters through the whole country, to ascertain what boys possessed the best abilities; and upon one of these occasions Schiller was reported as the most remarkable of them for talents of every kind. The youth's family and himself had strong objections to his entering the duke's military academy, inasmuch as it completely deranged his destination for the Church: but, as his father was in the public service, his highness's offer of a free choice of studies, without expense, and accompanied by a promise of a better provision than the ecclesiastical profession would afford, was, after some resistance, finally accepted, from apprehension that a refusal might expose the family to the prince's resentment. The details, which follow in the memoir, are very remarkable; and disprove completely the imputation of idleness often cast upon him. "It was with a heavy heart," says the writer, "that Schiller, now only fourteen years of age, quitted the parental roof, to be received into the military academy; and he chose the law for his profession, because this alone afforded a prospect of providing suitably for the wants of his parents. But the dry details of this study so little harmonized with his enthusiastic nature, that in the annual confession required from the pupils as to their character, inclinations, and bad or good qualities, be could not refrain from annexing the following passage to his first declaration: I should think myself happier if I could serve my country as a spiritual teacher. No attention was paid to this wish, decidedly as it was expressed, and much as it redounded to his honour; he had therefore no choice but to pursue the law; and he did so with exemplary diligence. But a new trial awaited him. At the end of a year the duke informed his father that, as there were too many law-students in the academy, his son could not, on quitting it, have so good a post in that branch of avocation as he could wish: if, however, the young man would turn to medicine, he would in the course of time provide for him advantageously. A new struggle for Schiller! and new troubles for his parents! The conciliating temper, however, which never left the former in any of the changing scenes of his life, bore him through this trial also, and he submitted to the proposal. "When Schiller began this medical course he was in his sixteenth year. His application was as usual, vigorous and discriminating; and hopelessly repulsive as he had anticipated the new study to be, a short trial disclosed many attractions. Its several parts were at first uninteresting, but he soon perceived they had a close connection with the great circle of Nature's works, and that they promised one day to unfold to him in man the mutual influences of matter and mind. From his earliest youth, his reflective and deeply inquiring habits had been stimulated by the hope of making great discoveries in science, and working out some few grand results from the multitudinous details of nature presented to observing eyes. "Attracted by such brilliant anticipations, and defying the prescribed rules, which however could not be entirely evaded, Schiller took advantage of every leisure hour to indulge his taste for history and poetry. Klopstock was one of his favourite writers, and the most congenial to his feelings, which ever fervently clung to the sublime objects of religious faith. Unconscious, however, in the simplicity of his youth, of the high position awaiting him, and equally unconscious then of the divine gifts so abundantly lavished upon him, he would often call his decided taste for poetry an idle indulgence of imagination, and in this temper of mind would reproach himself for taking many an hour unprofitably from his profession. In fact, his poetical distractions were for a time indulged to the disadvantage of his medical studies, and brought upon him some reproofs from his professors. Still, in order to gratify his parents, whom he so dearly loved, and actuated also by a just pride, be was in reality more diligent and zealous than any of his class-fellows. "Sometimes, indeed, poetic images would present themselves to his not unwilling mind, without being in the smallest degree connected with his graver studies: but was it a fault in him to be unable even to behold anatomical drawings and subjects on a limited scale, without being at once led by his active fancy to call up before him the whole vast round of Nature? or, when listening to his professors, even with close attention, how could be prevent his devoted muse pouring seductive whispers into his apt ear, and, despite his sincere resolves, leading his mind astray in the fields of poesy? Both were impossible: the involuntary workings of his genius were too strong for control; as if introduced by some magic power, images and thoughts fermented in his inward soul, multiplying more and more with the growth of his reason, and acquiring overwhelming influence with the enlargement of his ideas."-p. 16-23. Schiller, nevertheless, had strength of mind to govern these inclinations of his taste "He was not slow," adds the memoir, "to perceive that with his attention thus diverted from professional studies, professional success, his great object, would never be obtained. Although his masters were struck by his originality, and by his marked superiority over his fellow-students, |