Contemporary Literature [pp. 549-569]

1875.] CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE. 563
Prof. Gregory's book very strongly exemplifies both sorts of excellencies.
While it takes note of the views of others, and incorporates the marrow of
them, it combines with all this a vein of original thinking, which brings the
whole out as it has been fused and recast in the alembic of his own mind. It
is no mere compilation or rehash. It is a construction of his own, which,
illuminating with whatever light it can borrow from the great masters, gives
many cross and side lights of its own which are new.
While it has value so far, as an original work, it has still greater value in its
plan and method as a text-book. In its general outline and its minor divisions and sub-divisions, as well as its special detailed arrangements, it is admirably fitted for the work of instruction. The general order of topics is
obviously suggested by that of Fleming's Students' Manual of Moral Philosophy, with variations, however, which are, on the whole, a great advance
upon it. It is more compact-a great desideratum. It takes due account of
our chief American writers on the subject-a valuable feature. It is more
complete anu logical in its analysis and details, and avoids a certain looseness and tameness of thought and expression to which the former is prone
But more than all, the author brings to his aid not only the needful divisions and subdivisions, but the different kinds of type, thus indicating and
emphasizing salient points and cardinal propositions, while the finer type
contains what, though important, may be passed over by the teacher, whether
from necessity, if straightened for time, or from choice, if he prefer to
put his own expositions and prelections in their place.
Of course we meet with occasional passages and statements which would
bear amendment; nothing, however, which we see cause to signalize as detracting from the great and substantial merit of the book.
It is hardly necessary to add that Dr. Gregory espouses the intrinsic as
against the utilitarian or happiness doctrine, and other opposing theories
of the nature of virtue. The ultimate rule of right he finds to be the will of
God, and his word the supreme ethical law. This is not done as finding the
ultimate principle of right in mere will, or as implying that any mere liberum
arbitrurn could, perse, make or unmake right or wrong; but on the principle
that the will of God is a holy will, itself evermore conformed in all its actings to that immutable rectitude of the divine nature, which is in itself the
original norm and standard of moral excellence. This has been a common,
and, in our opinion, true view of many great divines. While it avoids founding moral goodness in any decision of mere will as such; on the other hand,
it avoids placing the standard to which God's will conforms outside of and
above himself, who, since he could swear by no greater, sware by himself.
It is a merit of this volume that, while it includes natural, it does not stop
short of Christian ethics.
It is evidence of the tastes and aptitudes for studies and discussions of this
kind among ourselves, that the most important works lately brought out on
these subjects are from two such staunch Presbyterians as Drs. Gregory and
Gillett. The God in History, and The ~~ora1 System of the latter, our
readers will remember, were noticed in our last number.