were funk in the moft abject fuperftition, and difgraced by the groffeft idolatry.

The writers of GREECE and ROME have recorded fuch numerous and fuch eminent inftances of the genius, valour, and wifdom of their countrymen,. as have been the just subjects of the admiration of all fucceeding ages; for which reafon the accounts of their memorable tranfactions ought to be carefully infpected before we proceed to furvey the HISTORY OF MODERN EUROPE, and oF OUR

NATIVE COUNTRY.

As Reafon is the nobleft faculty of the human mind, it is of the highest importance to confider its proper employment, more efpecially as upon its co-operation with Religion in controlling the flights of the imagination, and abating the violence of the paffions, depends the happiness of life. That fyftem of LOGIC, therefore, which confifts not in abftrufe terms, or argumentative fubtlety, but in the manly exercife of the rational powers, juftly clains an important place in every fyftem of education.

The various difcoveries and improvements in SCIENCE and PHILOSOPHY conftitute a peculiar diftinction between ancient and modern times. Problems of fcience, like the arguments of Logic, employ the mind in the vigorous exercife of its powers, and confirm the habits of clofe application, which are effentially neceffary in the profecution

of

of every kind of ftudy.

Such are the reafons

for introducing and recommending due attention to the principles of the MATHEMATICS.

The human mind, not content with fpeculations upon the properties of matter alone, delights to furvey the wonderful works of the GREAT CREATOR, as difplayed in the various parts of the universe. This employment is a fource of never-failing fatisfaction to perfons of every age. The productions of the animal, the vegetable and the mineral kingdoms are clofely connected with the well-being, and are conducive to the fubfiftence of man; fo that NATURAL HISTORY claims his particular attention.

And as the elegant Arts poffefs a pleafing influence over the imagination, and furnifh a conftant variety of amufement and pleasure, it is highly defirable to examine the principles, and confider the application of a correct tafte to the beauties of PAINTING, POETRY, and MUSIC.

In the welfare and profperity of his native country every Briton is deeply interefted. The two great fources of its fupport, its opulence, and its glory, are AGRICULTURE and COMMERCE; to have a knowledge of their leading principles must be allowed to be highly ufeful and important to every English Gentleman.

Since it is a prevailing fashion, particularly among the higher ranks of fociety, to complete the courfe of education by vifiting foreign countries, it is useful to ascertain the advantages, which may be derived from the practice of TRAVELLING.

As attainments derive their greatest value from being directed to the purposes of active life, the qualifications requifite for a right conduct in the learned profeffions of LAW, PHYSIC, and DIVINITY, are taken into confideration.

And lastly, to point out the fources, from which the reader may draw more complete information upon all the preceding fubjects, the work is clofed with lifts of THE MOST APPROVED AND INSTRUCTIVE BOOKS.

The Order, in which my Chapters are difpofed, is adapted to the progrefs of the faculties of the mind, -the memory, the imagination, and the judgment. The principles of Religion, of Language, and of Hiftory, are first prefented to my Readers; and the elements of Science, Natural History, and Tafte, together with the various ftudies, which relate to the active scenes of life, clofe the volumes of inftruction. The foundations of knowledge are deeply laid, and are compofed of the moft folid materials; the fuperftructure, raised to a proper elevation, difplays ornament, while it is adapted to con

venience.

9

Such

Such is the sketch of my defign, in which it is intended to trace the regular progrefs of application, from puerile to manly ftudies-from elementary knowledge to profeffional duties. It is fufficiently finished to fhew, that the fields of inftruction are not only fertile, but the moft various in their productions. Some spots bring forth the immortal fruits of Religion, fome the hardy plants of Science, and fome the delicate flowers of Tafte. Here then the active temper of youth, and their fondness for change, may find ample means of gratification, wherever they choose to wander and expatiate. Light purfuits may divert, after severe ftudies have fatigued the mind; and he who has been diligent to perufe the records of hiftory, to folve the problems of science, or afcertain the diftinctions of logic, may find an agreeable relaxation in furveying the beauties of nature, in charming his ear with the delightful strains of mufic, pleafing his eye with the fair creations of the pencil, or delighting his fancy with the fictions of poetry.

With respect to my choice of Books, I wish it not to escape the obfervation of the reader, that I have rejected fome works with as much readiness as I have adopted others. Very few Novels will appear in my lifts, as I am well convinced of their pernicious tendency. If we take the most fuperficial furvey of the Circulating Libraries, we may observe, that the ingenuity of our own authors is fufficiently fertile in these flimfy and short-lived publications; and yet Germany and France contribute their aid

to

to fatisfy the craving appetite of the British public, with fuch fuccefs, that fome of their productions are as popular as our own. It is to be lamented, that most Novels do no fmall injury to the caufe of found and wholesome literature, as well as to that of morality. They vitiate the tafte of their readers, deftroy their relish for ufeful books, and make the facts of history, and even the defcriptions of poetry, appear dull and infipid. It were well if their bad effects terminated at this point: but as they are generally filled with licentious defcriptions, improbable incidents, falfe fentiments, and fuch fophiftical arguments, as may ferve to juftify the most improper actions; they tend to excite a romantic fenfibility, pervert the judgment of the young and inexperienced, inflame the paffions, and corrupt the heart,

Let it likewife be carefully remarked, that I am under very few obligations to the founders of the new school of Philofophifm in France. So far indeed from withing to direct the attention of my readers to their works, it is my anxious defire to caution them against the infidious arts, the flimfy fophiftry, and the exceffive arrogance of the modern French writers, particularly Voltaire, Rousseau, D'Alembert, Diderot, Helvetius, and Volney; and their imitators and admirers, whoever they may be in our own, or any other country. In direct and decided oppofition to their fpurious philofophy, their abuse of the powers of reafon, their profligate and delufive fpeculations upon the fubjects of Re

ligion,