Cha Sherwin sculp. CHARLES BONNET, F.R.S. Publish'd as the Act directs, Oct. 1, 1787, by I. Stockdale Piccadilly. MEMBER OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF PARIS, &c. &c. TRANSLATED JOHN LEWIS BOISSIER, Esq. LONDON: PRINTED FOR JOHN STOCKDALE, PICCADILLY; AND WILLIAM CREECH, EDINBURGH. M.DCC.LXXXVII. PUBLE PREFACE OF THE TRANSLATOR. R. Charles Bonnet, of Geneva, from MR. whofe works I have felected and tranflated this volume, is not of the Clerical profeffion, but is a gentleman of independant fortune. He is held in the highest esteem, in the literary world, as a metaphyfician, philofopher, and explorer of nature. His deep views, and the lights he has thrown on various fubjects, give him an undoubted claim to the reputation be enjoys (a). The (a) A complete and new edition of Mr. Bonnet's works was published in 1779, at Neufchatel, in LỌ vols. 4to. and 18 vols. 8vo.-The contents of the 8vo. edition are as follows: Treatife of Infectology Various Obfervations on Infects Memoirs of Natural History A 2 I vol. Inquiries The prefent work reprefents Christianity in a philofophical point of view, which cannot but deeply impress every mind difpofed to medita tion. In this fceptical and paradoxical age;` an oftentatious difplay of erudition-every allur ing and fafcinating grace of ftyle-every Specious argument, calculated to misguide the unwary—have been employed to undermine our holy religion. It must therefore be a fource of infinite fatisfaction, to those who fincerely fearch after truth, to fee the man of genius, the man of learning and deep reflection, ftand forth to |