Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 61, No. 379, May, 1847

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

23572

Title

Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 61, No. 379, May, 1847

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

This 1847 issue of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine features a scathing critique of proposed Scottish marriage reforms, arguing they destroy marital sanctity and encourage hasty unions. It also includes a philosophical defense of common sense against German idealism and a review of Tocqueville's historical work.

Summary up to 500 words

The May 1847 issue of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine presents a rigorous defense of traditional social structures against modernizing legal and philosophical trends. The publication opens with a severe critique of a proposed Scottish Marriage Bill, arguing that removing legal and social restraints against irregular marriages will precipitate widespread unhappiness, infidelity, and the neglect of children. Unlike the English system, which encourages religious solemnity and requires publicity, the Scottish proposal allows registration at any time by any registrar. The author contends that while current laws make such unions difficult due to social stigma, removing these barriers creates a 'mechanism' for evil that undermines family peace. The text warns that designing individuals and fortune-hunters will exploit this new facility, leading to precipitate matches by intoxicated or giddy individuals. The author suggests specific amendments, such as requiring public cohabitation to presume marriage and restricting marriages of minors, urging the legislature to reject the bill's dangerous principles. The issue also features a substantial philosophical essay defending the objective existence of matter against the subjective idealism of Kant, Fichte, and Schelling. The author argues that subject and object are known simultaneously and cannot be separated, labeling German metaphysical systems as arbitrary dogmatism that contradicts fundamental human belief. The text asserts that we cannot conceive of space or matter without existing reality around us, and that the German philosophers' attempts to reduce the material world to mere projections of the mind are unfounded. Finally, the magazine reviews M. de Tocqueville's 'Philosophic History of the Reign of Louis XV.' The review praises Tocqueville's calm judgment and moral principles, comparing him favorably to Machiavelli and Bacon. However, the author criticizes the title 'Philosophic History,' noting that true history should prioritize narrative over abstract conclusions. While the work is valued as a picture of moral causes working in society, the reviewer finds it lacking in dramatic power and poetic imagination compared to the masterpieces of Livy or Gibbon. The collection effectively balances political caution regarding social reform with rigorous philosophical inquiry into the nature of reality.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• History
• Periodicals