because, to abstain from inculcating any religious principle, by no means infers the preaching of infidelity, any more than the absence of a professor of mathematics or philosophy from our great schools would prove that both were denounced as worthless and injurious. But, the clamour is wicked, for, it virtually asserts that the interests of religion are inconsistent with the advancement of knowledge, and libels Christianity by asserting, that it must have its foundations based on ignorance. There are some, who would have the body politic, like the prince in the Arabian tale, the upper part a living man, the lower black marble; there are others who would wish to see vitality diffused through the system; convinced that the happiness of each part would be materially increased by the happiness of the whole : "What from this barren being do we reap? Our senses narrow, and our reason frail, Life short, and truth a gem, which loves the deep, Mantles the earth with darkness, until right And wrong are accidents, and men grow pale Lest their own judgments should become too bright, And their free thoughts be crimes, and earth have too much light." If the advancement of happiness be aided by the diffusion of knowledge, then, to spread information is a part of religion, for, to give happiness to the human race was the object of Christ's mission, and the end of his coming. Another defect in periodical literature appears to result from the total removal of scientific articles from the more popular publications. Every profession has now its own periodical, and, the circulation of each is confined to the particular profession. This arrangement has some advantages, but, it is, also, attended with many evils; for, the diffusion of some portions of scientific knowledge, in a popular form, would be an object every way desirable, and, the information which Magazines might thus spread, might, in many cases, be of the most essential service. We have been often told, that "a little learning is a dangerous thing," and, we may be just as well assured that a little bread is not the safest of all things; it would be far better to have plenty of both: but, the sophism of those, who use this argument, is, that they represent the choice between little and much, whereas our election must be made between little and none at all; if the choice is to be between a small portion of information or of food, and absolute ignorance, or starvation, common sense gives its decision in the homely proverb,- "half a loaf is better than no bread." If optimism be unattainable, every thing that is good, should not be immediately laid aside. We, therefore, intend to devote a portion of our pages to the discussion of such legal and medical topics, as would be likely to interest the general reader, and yet not be wholly unworthy of the professional practitioner ; it would not serve any purpose to enumerate these topics here, but, we shall just mention one or two instances. The system of phrenology has attracted a great share of the public attention; it has been attacked or defended by almost every periodical of the day, and yet there has scarcely ever been a subject, on which both friends and foes have shown so much lamentable ignorance. Our own opinion is, that there are some undeniable truths in the system, but that they are overwhelmed with a mass of conjectural absurdities which greatly depreciate their value. If the system be true, it must have its foundation in experience, it must be formed by a copious induction from numerous examples; but, the phrenologists have proceeded in the reverse order— they first formed a theory, and then looked out for facts to support it. Their assailants acted still worse, they attacked it with metaphysical ingenuities, and started a priori difficulties, which, in matters that appealed to experience, were utterly absurd; they also made an unsparing use of ridicule, which, in many instances, reverted with ten-fold violence on themselves. Now, the only fair and feasible mode of proceeding would have been to supply the means by which persons could have conducted the experiments for themselves, to have given a method by which accurate measurements of the cranium might have been obtained, and to have explicitly stated the difficulties that impede the formation of an accurate estimate of the shape and volume of the brain, from the external appearance of the skull. On this subject we have procured a series of papers which will, we trust, be found to contain ample directions for the acquiring of such experience, and the conducting of such experiments as may enable every man to satisfy himself on the subject, as will lead to its refutation, if it be false, to its correction and enlargement if it be true. The exhibition of scientific matters in a TABULAR FORM has been, hitherto, greatly neglected, and yet in no other way can descriptions, equally accurate and affording every facility for detecting error, be given. To the construction of such tables we shall direct our attention, and we are confident · that the result will be found highly advantageous. In conclusion, we think it right to state, that though we have taken the name of the London University Magazine, we are not in any way subjected to the controul of the Council of the University, who have, neither directly, nor indirectly, sanctioned this publication, and, consequently, for its merits and defects the proprietors are alone responsible. We shall, however, devote a portion of our Magazine to the recording of the proceedings in that valuable institution; we shall hail its triumphs with pleasure, and record its errors with sorrow: but, in both cases, we shall proceed with the strictest impartiality; for, though we feel a warm attachment to the institution, of which we are students, our love of truth is still stronger. To commence a new publication, amid so much competition as exists at present, is, we know, a hazardous enterprize; but, we are prepared for either event; we shall rejoice if we succeed, because we shall have done good in our generation; we shall rejoice if we fail, because it will prove that England possesses many sons worthier than ourselves, Unhacknied in literature, we commence our career, devoid of the technical skill, which long practice can alone confer, but, also, free from the trammels, by which habits enthral the mind. Our first design was merely to record the proceedings of the University, we have stated the reasons why our plan has been enlarged. We are bound to no party, slaves to no sect; our simple design is to do good to all, and justice to all, and; if the minds of all the proprietors were concentrated into one head, the motto pronounced to announce our determination would be "Tros, Rutulusve fuat, nullo discrimine habebo." 6 A TALE OF THE IRISH REBELLION. To spare the feelings of some very estimable individuals, the names of places and of persons in the following narrative have been disguised; but, in all the main particulars, it is strictly true. The original narrator was no unconcerned spectator of the occurrences in that calamitous period, in which the story is laid; some of his most intimate friends were engaged on both sides; and his affections were equally shared between the victors and the vanquished. He has been long since "gathered to his fathers," but as the following tale is related in his peculiar style, some slight sketch of his character may be necessary, as an introduction. H. B. was, in early life, highly distinguished in the Dublin University by his literary attainments, and still more by his generous and noble disposition; a series of calamities, originating in his having gone security for a false friend, disgusted him with the world, he adopted the profession of a physician, and retired to a remote village, where he spent the remainder of his life. With a heart overflowing with the milk of human kindness, he endeavoured to persuade the world, and himself, that he was a misantrope; the benevolence which he hourly practised, he as incessantly ridiculed; the tear of pity in his eye contradicted the smile that wreathed on his lips. He acted as if his mind had been compounded from Democritus and Heraclitus, as if combining both, he thought that Res sunt humanæ flebile ludibrium; hence the narratives, which he frequently told some of his young favourites, respecting the scenes he had witnessed, ere he had retired from the capital, and which were principally connected with the memorable 1798, were a strange mixture of the ludicrous and the terrible. His lively perception of the ridiculous, had ample room for indulgence, in describing the numerous blunders of the citizens turned soldiers, while busy memory recalled the picture of those friends, who had fallen in the struggle, and quenched the rising laugh in tears. I never believe any thing that a Frenchman says; Voltaire asserts that, "Love must be a man's master some time or other;" I am a living proof to the contrary; in youth I felt it not, my middle age was free from its vexations; and now, that "my way of life has fallen into the sear and yellow leaf," it is probable that love will form no part of the drama of my life. I hate the very name of love and courtship; such follies destroyed the finest fellow I ever knew-poor Conway!-but I will tell you the story. I first met Conway at school; we were play-fellows, class-fellows, and odd-fellows. I was a proser, he, a poet. School is the Eden of memory to all old people, because the pains of second childhood remind them of the pleasures of the first. Our's, certainly, had no very striking resemblance to Paradise, unless to Paradise on Vatablond's theory; the wise Dutchman, you know, says, that after the expulsion of Adam, it was given to the devils for a summer residence— When it is the month of August, And the weather is hot below. The principal of the school was cross, the mistress stingy, the assistants spies, the servants thieves, the boys quarrelsome. In self-defence I took to hard-reading-Conway fell in love. We had a boy at school named O'Brien, the son of a Roman Catholic gentlemen, whose whole life had been darkened by one mistake. Like Rienzi, he had mistaken memory for hope. Incessantly brooding over the ancient dignity of his family, before their attachment to Irish independence had been rewarded by attainder and forfeiture; he insensibly changed retrospection into prophetic vision; he first wished, then hoped, and at length firmly expected, that a time would come when the honours and dignities, so long absent, would again circle round his family tree. The son had adopted all the feelings of the father; but with him they were not confined to mere speculation the character of his mind was such as we rarely witness;violent enthusiast, yet ever preserving the appearance of coldness and placidity; a bigot in religion, yet a scoffer at every religious ordinance; a sincere, yet a selfish patriot, because he believed that the cause of his country, was bound up with his own. : -a Some people imagine that character is formed in manhood.-I have had much experience, and am persuaded that from the age of one to seventeen, the apprenticeship of the mind is served, and the process of forming character completed. There were some circumstances, which contributed to darken the shades in the picture of O'Brien's mind; he was one of the oldest boys in the school, but his pocket money was less than that of the youngest; his father, either from parsimony or inability, did not supply him with articles of dress suitable to his station; he was also the only Roman Catholic in the school, and at that time (1791) the feuds, which terminated in a civil war, were so far developed, that even beardless boys prated about politics. These circumstances deepened the dark shades of O'Brien's character; he thought that the strangers, who had plundered his forefathers, renewed their crime in the insults of their sons. Silently and secretly he brooded over vengeance; the bitter taunt, the haughty look, the oppressor's wrong, and the proud boy's contumely, seemed to fall on him unheeded; but they were graven deeply in his soul; his breast was a smouldering volcano ;-there was calm on the surface, but fire raged within; and the materials for future conflagration were daily and hourly aggregated. And yet O'Brien was not destitute of some noble qualities; malignant and sulky, but not treacherous and base, he sought no intercourse with his school-fellows; but, if by chance he discovered any of their little secrets, the crime of his worst enemy was as safe in his keeping, as if it had been in the custody of Harpocrates himself. With the sister of this repulsive individual, Conway fell in love. If any thing could excuse such a piece of folly, the beauty and talents of Emma O'Brien would go far as a plea in justification-but you know what Sterne says,-"the very phrase "falling in love,' proves, that love is beneath a man.' Conway did not think so, however, and he went to work in downright earnest. I was his confidant at the time; and, truly, the quantity of nonsense, which I was daily doomed to hear, about hopes and fears, little jealousies, bickerings, reconciliations, &c., would have steeled me for ever against the tender passion, even supposing that I felt any tendency towards it. The young lovers soon felt a mutual at tachment, and made some kind of promise to each other, breaking a sixpence, interchanging lockets, or some such trash. But as all young people in these times have taken it into their heads, that some affair of the heart is necessary to their existence, and, thanks to circulating libraries, are in possession of all the science of the tender passion,-I shall leave it to your imaginations to fill up this part of the story. For my own part, I know nothing about the science ;-I did once attempt to study love by Algebra, but after setting down x for the unknown quantity, I found the equation so indeterminate, that I gave up the investigation in despair. The time when all this company should part, soon arrived.—The friends of Conway procured him a cornetcy in some dragoon regiment; O'Brien and I were sent to the University; and the school at Kilmiggan was broken up. Before quitting us to join his regiment, Conway sent several epistles, sonnets, odes, &c., to his beloved Emma-here is one of them Hark! 'tis the bugle-call, love, From thee, from joy, from all, love, That's dearest to my heart. To honour's call I yield, love, And tear me from thy breast, But should the battle-field, love, Shed thou one pitying tear, love, Thy fond regrets to tell; And now my ever dear, love, Farewell, farewell, farewell! Every young man is, for a time, a flaming patriot. When I entered College, republicanism was the order of the day; of course I was as great a fool as the rest, met at clubs, toasted "the majesty of the people," in bad port, which injured my constitution, without serving that of the country; made a speech on parliamentary reform, distinguished by the multitude of its figures and tropes, the originality of its metaphors, and its perfect freedom from those great impediments to the success of a popular orator, truth, reason, and common sense; and, finally, I wrote an essay to prove universal suffrage was an universal right, and which really did prove, that I was a consummate blockhead. However, I was a proser, as I told you before; enthusiasm was not natural to me; and soon becoming tired of the violence and rant, which I witnessed, I abjured politics, and in the mazes of mathematics lost all recollection of parties and their struggles. It was not so with O'Brien; means by which the renovation of his country, and the restoration of his family might be effected, seemed placed within his grasp; he embraced them with avidity. His whole soul was engaged; and never did a more determined mind resolve on supporting a conspiracy. In the latter end of 1797, the certainty of an appoaching struggle became evident to the most careless observer. O'Brien had been expelled the University, for some unguarded display of his principles; but when I sometimes met him in Dublin, it was manifest that partial suffering had only tended to root them deeper. The regiment of cavalry to which Conway belonged about this time arrived in |