CHAPTER XIV.

THE STATE OF MENTAL PHILOSOPHY IN ITALY AND SPAIN DURING THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.

THE brilliant anticipations which were entertained of the successful prosecution of philosophy in Italy in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, were not realized in the eighteenth. The national mind lapsed into a state of apathy and torpor, and nothing fell from the Italian pen, on mental science, which bore the imprint of original or profound thought. What philosophic literature there was, during nearly the whole of the last century, was chiefly confined to commonplace compilations, or academical elements of scholastic instruction. The bold speculations of Ficinus, Bruno, Cardan, and Campanella, were nearly forgotten; and the general tone of intellectual vigour and enterprise sank far below the average standard of surrounding nations.

This state of things may perhaps be readily accounted for from the circumstance that in Italy

and the same remark may apply to Spain-there were no great and stirring movements, in the general frame of society, such as prevailed in England, France, Holland, and Germany. The religious and political institutions of the South of Europe were of such a character, as to exile a liberal and independent philosophy from the ordinary course of academical instruction; and the public mind being little excited with topics nearly allied to mental philosophy, there was no adequate incentive to speculative inquiries among the general mass of literary and professional citizens. Both in Italy and Spain the religious orders, schools, and monastic institutions, engrossed almost every thing in the shape of science and public instruction. Here all speculative novelties were viewed with suspicion, and the aspirations of genius were chilled into torpor by a tame and inexcusable attachment to settled rules and prescriptive privileges. Nothing which bore the imprint of independent thought was held in much estimation. And the same causes which repressed the inventive and reasoning faculties at home, tended to exclude a knowledge of the mental movements of neighbouring countries. And hence it is that we find, that long after Descartes had penetrated into every university and every town in the North of Europe, and had roused the slumbering energies of the people into active speculation, by the novelty and scientific excellence of his philosophic method, he was almost unknown, even by name, among the inhabitants of the South, who had, a century before, been the active and

intelligent revivers of Grecian and Roman philosophy and literature.

The paucity of speculative habits among the modern inhabitants of Italy and Spain is the more to be regretted, inasmuch as both nations possess intellectual gifts of a high order. The Italian mind is a clear, argumentative, and commonsense mind. It has little constitutional sympathy with mysticism and paradox. In all its contributions to mental philosophy we recognise a healthy tone of rational thought, a contemplative sobriety, a sincere love and veneration of truth, and a constant desire manifested to make speculative inquiries subservient to some useful purpose. And on the other hand, we have no right to consider the Spanish mind as a barren or stupid one. On the contrary, it is full to overflowing with rare and rich materials. In light and satirical productions the Spanish people are beyond all praise and imitation; and their Romances have never been equalled by any nation. In poetry, history, theology, and jurisprudence, the Spanish labours are of more than an average respectability. The barrenness of speculative and abstract knowledge of human nature is certainly conspicuous in Spain; but this arises from no radical or constitutional imperfections in the minds of its people, to take a part in philosophical disquisitions of this kind; but is chiefly to be attributed to the religious, social, and political institutions of the country.

VICO.

Vico is unquestionably one of the brightest ornaments in modern Italian literature and philosophy. He was a man of consummate genius and vast erudition. His great forte did not precisely lie in metaphysics; but in moral and political philosophy, and the kindred science of jurisprudence.

His knowledge, however, of mental speculations, both ancient and modern, was very accurate and extensive. He has given us in his own life, a minute account of the progress of his knowledge in speculative doctrines; and of the changes of opinion he experienced in roaming from one system to another.

He was placed, when young, under the care of two distinguished Jesuits, Father Del Balzo and Father Ricci, both of whom were profound metaphysicians, and the latter a most enthusiastic admirer of the doctrines of Zeno. The writings of Suarez occupied the attention of young Vico; and from them he became acquainted with the most comprehensive and well digested rules and maxims, not only connected with the science of legislation, but with the more profound philosophy of mind. Plato, however, was his grand object of admiration, the centre of all his speculations, the point from which he intended to take his departure in every thing connected with the science of human nature. There was a spirituality in Plato's system, which took a firm hold of the mind of the young philoso

pher; a spirituality, in fact, which he could find no where else; and which he conceived, if steadily kept in view, and brought within the rules and maxims of a sound philosophy, was sufficient to reconcile all conflicting opinions among men; and enable them at once, not only to correct every speculative error, but to place the science of government itself in all countries, upon such a firm basis, as would produce the most happy results to the human race. Such were the youthful thoughts and aspirations of Vico.

Panting after speculative novelties, he visited Naples, and commenced the study of the Epicurean philosophy, as interpreted and expounded by Gassendi. This afforded gratification for a season. Lucretius became next the object of attraction; but there was too much material mechanism in his system for the taste of Vico. These perambulations among the ancient sages tended but to rivet him more firmly to the doctrines of the "divine" Plato, which he now clearly saw formed the only foundation on which any solid and enlightened philosophy of man could possibly be reared..

The speculations of Descartes were now becoming prevalent in every university in his native country, and he commenced the study of his system with all the ardour of his mind, and the deep veneration he entertained for its distinguished founder. While he agreed with many of its leading principles, he yet saw it was not without defects; and these related chiefly to the want of that lofty