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THE

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

To feparate fome of the moft ufeful and the most beautiful parts from the great mass of human knowledge; to arrange them in fuch regular order, that they may be infpected with ease, and varied at pleafure; and to recommend them to the careful examination of young men who are ftudiously difpofed, conftitute the defign of the Author of this work.

It is likewife his object to make the most useful topics of literature familiar and eafy to general Readers, who have not had the advantage of a learned education.

The more he reflects upon the PRESENT STATE OF SOCIETY, the VARIOUS FACULTIES of the mind, and the GREAT ADVANTAGES which arife from acquiring an AMPLE FUND OF VALUABLE IDEAS, the more he is convinced of the utility of engaging in the pursuit of general knowledge, as far as may

VOL. I.

B

be

be confiftent with profeffional views, and particular fituations in life.

The cuftom has prevailed of late years, much more than it did formerly, of introducing young men at an early age into the mixed company of perfons older than themselves. As fuch is the reigning mode, they ought to be prepared in fome degree at leaft to blend manly and ferious topics with the fallies of light and gay converfation. And, in order to be qualified for the introduction of fuch fubjects, it feems requifite to unite to the study of the learned languages, other attainments, which have a reference to the fciences, the works of nature, and the affairs of active life.

The improvements of the times have turned the attention of the learned to new purfuits, and given their conduct a new direction. The Scholar, no longer confined within the walls of a College, as was formerly the cafe, now mixes in general fociety, and adapts his ftudies to an enlarged fphere of obfervation he does not limit his reading to the works of the ancients, or to his profeffional refearches alone; but fhows his proficiency in the various parts of literature, which are interefting to the world at large.

The condition of focial intercourfe among thofe, who have had the advantages of a liberal education, is at prefent fo happily improved, that a free communication fubfifts between all intelligent

and

and well-informed men. The Divine, the Phyfician, the Barrifter, the Artift, and the Merchant, affociate without referve, and augment the pleafure they derive from converfation, in proportion as they obtain an infight into various purfuits and occupations. The more ideas they acquire in common, the fooner their prejudices are removed, a more perfect congeniality of opinion prevails, they rife higher in each other's eftimation, and the pleafure of fociety is ripened into the fentiments of attachment and friendship. In fuch parties, where "the feaft of reafon and the flow of foul" prevail with the happiest effect, he who unites to knowledge of the world the leading ideas and rationał principles, which well-chofen books can fupply, will render himfelf the moft acceptable, and the moft valuable companion.

Such are now the abundant productions of the prefs, that books written in our own language upon all fubjects whatever are conftantly published, and quickly circulate through the whole kingdom. This circumstance has leffened that wide and very evident diftinction, which in former times prevailed between the learned and the unlearned claffes of the community. At prefent, they who have not enjoyed the benefit of a claffical education may reap many of the fruits of learning without the labour of cultivation, as tranflations furnish them with conve nient and eafy expedients, which can in fome measure, although an incomplete one, make amends for their ignorance of the original authors. And

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upon all fubjects of general Literature, Science, and Tafte, in their actual and moft highly improved state, they have the fame means of information in their power with those who have been regularly educated in the Universities, and the public fchools.

Thus favourable are the temper and the circumftances of the Times to the diffufion of knowledge. And if the moft mature and deliberate decifions of reflection and experience be required to give weight to the opinion, that comprehenfive views of learning and fcience are calculated to produce the beft effects upon the mind, reference can be made to both ancient and modern authorities to writers of no lefs eminence than Quintilian, Milton, and Locke. Their obfervations tend to prove, that clofe attention to a profeffional study, is an affair of the firft importance, but that invariable and exclufive application to any one purfuit is the certain mark of a contracted education. For hence the ftudent is led to form a diflike to occupations diffimilar to his own, and to entertain prejudices against thofe who exercise them. He is liable to view mankind and their employments through a wrong and a difcoloured medium, and to make imperfect, if not falfe eftiinates of their ufe and value. In order to prevent fuch contractedness of difpofition, and fuch errors of judgment, what method can be more efficacious, than to open fome of the gates of general knowledge, and difplay its moft beautiful profpects to his view ?

Such

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