At this time, the author was attending the theological course at Lancashire Independent College, of which his father was the president. Having completed his term of residence there, he went over to Halle in order to spend a year in a German University, before entering upon any fixed pastoral work. There he had a good opportunity of studying the state of German religious thought. The following extract from his journal shows the effect produced on his mind:—‘If I am spared to return, I will preach more of what is called the Gospel than I did before. _The talk about adapting religion to the times which is prevalent here, even among the religious, appears to me a miserable mistake. It never needed adapting so much as when the apostles preached it, but they made no such effort._’ It was, too, while studying German speculations that the author adopted the system of philosophy, distinct alike from sceptical and mystical, which is apparent in this his chief work. It is, we believe, impossible for an earnest mind to go through life without periods of sad and painful doubt. The author was no exception to this rule, and while at Halle he seems to have suffered bitterly. But he knew the one refuge for the doubting heart, and turned to it. In the ‘Dream of Philo,’ written at this time and published in the volumes of ‘Essays and Remains,’ we see some reflection of his own feelings, and the following verses which we venture to quote must, we think, strike a responsive chord in many a heart yearning for peace amidst the turmoil of the world:— Not a pathway in life’s forest, Not a pathway on life’s sea; Who doth heed me, who doth lead me, Ah, woe is me! Vain the planting and the training, For life’s tree on every side Ever launches useless branches, Springs not high but spreadeth wide. Ah, my days go not together In an earnest solemn train, But go straying for their playing, Or are by each other slain. Listen, listen, thou forgettest Thou art one of many more; All this ranging and this changing Has been law to man of yore. And thou canst not in life’s city Rule thy course as in a cell There are others, all thy brothers, Who have work to do as well. Some events that mar thy purpose May light _them_ upon their way; Our sun-shining in declining Gives earth’s other side the day. Every star is drawn and draweth Mid the orbits of its peers; And the blending thus unending Makes the music of the spheres.