For myself, owing to the largeness of my subject, I can but express my regret at the imperfection of what I now urge. Without hoping to do justice even to my own belief, I have attempted to record some of my convictions, and can only apologise that they are not more worthy of the subject.

I look upon the poet as one who wrote, believing himself immortal; as one who, in first conceiving the most perfect aspect of feminine loveliness, taught virtue. For to create an image of purity is to teach purity. As one who worked in his master's eye; as the best translator of the Christian doctrine,-the noblest interpreter of its law, scattering its spirit without reference to sect or party. Offending no scruples, he appealed to all, on the merits of those truths which all men equally agree to hold and honour. On the subjects of Authority, Mercy, Beneficence, Female Virtue, Purity, Chastity, Selfishness combined with Intellect, the Spirit and the Letter of the Law, Self-denial, Ambition,-on all these texts his sermons are the best extant.

He shot the clear light of his intellect into those mysterious depths of gloom and melancholy that most try the philosophy of the thinker, and shew that increase of wisdom is indeed increase of sorrow. He was the light of the new reformation, rising resplendent on that old horizon of prelatism and feudal law. He lit all that was excellent in the old chivalry, its splendour and picturesqueness, its love of poetry, and of nature, into new beauty by his beams. The old rule of might was at an end; and though the progress of the truth was to be slow, its sun had not less arisen. Its light, borrowed from another sphere, was radiated with a warmth and glow suited to the race it was to cheer and cherish. As we feel the glory of the sun, not by looking at the great orb itself, but by the splendour it sheds abroad, the lands it

illumines, the wealth it diffuses, the forces it generates,
the vitality it quickens, the colour it imparts, we perceive
more the value of what he taught, in his teaching, than in
its direct manifestation and simplicity. That as the sun
veiled, the sun reflected, refracted, broken into dazzling
rays, shed abroad in polarized effulgence, scattered and
diffused in mellow and subtle tints, is most beautiful to
the eye and to the heart of man; the doctrines which
Shakspere teaches and illustrates are best seen in their
beauty, their delicacy, gradation, and tint, in his exposi-
tion; and of Him, finally, I would say, with the poet :-
"In my mind's eye a temple like a cloud,
Slowly surmounting some invidious hill,

Rose out of darkness. The bright work stood still,
And might of its own beauty have been proud.
But it was fashioned, and to God was vowed
By virtues that diffused in every part,

Spirit divine, through forms of human art."

In an animated discussion which followed, it was remarked by Mr. BROOKE, that the most beautiful touches of truth and morality pervaded Shakspere's works from one end to the other. They contained, certainly, expressions which would not be tolerated in any writer of the present day; but allowance must be made for the language of the age, and the usages of society in the reign of Elizabeth. They must also recollect another thing-there were no insidious recommendations of vice in Shakspere. It was seen in its naked deformity; no voluptuousness of language was visible. Shakspere's originality and knowledge of human nature were the admiration of all readers. Two illustrations might be given in "King Lear," while the pretended madman, Edgar, rambled on, the real madman, Lear, was always recurring to his cause of grief. The other was the admirable introduction of a pause. A writer it was remarked,

who did not know so much as Shakspere did, would most probably have introduced some bombastic speech instead; but the poet left it, by this pause, to the imagination to fill up what was passing in the speaker's mind: War. See, how the pangs of death do make him grin.

Sal. Disturb him not, let him pass peaceably.

[Pause.]

King Henry. Peace to his soul, if God's good pleasure be !
Lord Cardinal, if thou think'st on Heaven's bliss,
Hold up thy hand, make signal of thy hope.-
He dies and makes no sign; O God forgive him!
War. So bad a death argues a monstrous life.
King Henry. Forbear to judge, for we are sinners all.
Close up his eyes, and draw the curtains close;
And let us all to meditation.

Henry VI. act iii. sc. 3.

The Rev. H. H. HIGGINS took the natural view of Shakspere's defects, as resembling those which were found in the works of other great men. They must be content to see something of inconsistency in those whom they most ardently admired. He could not but think that there were blemishes in Shakspere, in the shape of yielding too much to the prevailing taste of the times; but there was also an undercurrent of high and even religious feeling, something more than mere natural religion-something higher and truer-something of the religion that had come from heaven itself—that imbued a large portion of his works, and was not less true because not obtrusively placed before the reader.

EIGHTH ORDINARY MEETING.

ROYAL INSTITUTION, 8th February, 1858.

DR. INMAN, PRESIDENT, in the Chair.

The following gentlemen were elected Ordinary Members :

Mr. ANDREW Communicated some personal observations on the recent eruption of Vesuvius, in support of the chymical theory of volcanic action.

In consequence of a public meeting, held in the same building, for the formation of the Liverpool Society of Fine Arts, on the motion of Dr. IHNE, the Society adjourned till the 15th inst.

On that night a paper was read to the Society, of which the following is an abstract:

ON INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION.

BY WILLIAM IHNE, Esq., PH.D., V.P.

THE rapid development of the means of intercommunication has changed the relations of the nations of the world to such an extent, that the old forms of diplomatic intercourse between one people and another are no longer sufficient. Europe is fast tending to become commercially, economically, intellectually, and morally one uniform community which requires a system of law and government based upon generally acknowledged principles, and administered by a generally acknowledged authority; not to absorb or obliterate the individual notionalities, but to regulate and facilitate their intercourse and to

settle the differences which must necessarily result from the wonderful activity of that intercourse. Treaties for special purposes, congresses for the settlement of occasional disputes must give way to general laws and some permanent authority. What has been accomplished to a certain extent by the several systems of confederation among different branches of the Teutonic stock, must be perfected and extended all over the world.

The greatest difficulty lies in the inequality of the different states. It would be absurd to organize a federal authority in which a powerful state like England, or Russia, should have no more influence than Sweden, or Belgium. A certain scale must be fixed upon analagous to the real strength of each state. England, France, Russia, Austria, and America, might rank equally high; states like Prussia and Turkey in the second line; Spain, Sweden, Naples, Sardinia, in the third, and so on; and the number of votes of each state should be regulated so as to ensure an equitable balance of influence. Mathematical precision is unattainable, but a workable approximation to the real nature of things may be hoped for.

A permanent court, composed of ambassadors of all states who voluntarily join such a confederation should regulate all international relations, subject, in the last instance, to the consent of the legislature of each state.

In cases of differences or dispute, the court should give its decision on the question of right. The moral force would be great, and in all but extreme cases sufficient to ensure compliance. The appeal to force would become less and less frequent; and though it would perhaps be impossible to organize an international executive, the confederated powers would stand pledged to see the decision of the court carried out.

The effect would not be the immediate abolition of all wars, but a prevention of the frequent collisions and