has been intended, that cenfure may not be incurred by the omiffion of that which the original plan did not comprehend; to declare more particularly who they are to whofe inftructions thefe treatifes pretend, that a charge of arrogance and prefumption may be obviated; to lay down the reafons which directed the choice of the feveral fubjects; and to explain more minutely the manner in which each particular part of thefe volumes is to be ufed.

The title has already declared, that thefe volumes are particularly intended for the ufe of fchools, and therefore it has been the care of the authors to explain the several sciences, of which they have treated, in the moft familiar manner; for the mind used only to common expreffions, and inaccurate ideas, does not fuddenly conform itself to fcholaftick modes of reafoning, or conceive the nice diftinctions of a fubtile philofophy, and may be properly initiated in fpeculative studies by an introduction like this, in which the groffnefs of vulgar conception is avoided, without the obfervation of metaphyfical exactnefs. It is obferved, that in the course of the natural world no change is inftantaneous, but all its viciffitudes are gradual and flow; the motions of intellect proceed in the like imperceptible progreffion, and proper degrees of tranfition from one ftudy to another are therefore neceffary; but let it not be charged upon the writers of this book, that they intended to exhibit more than the dawn of knowledge, or pretended to raise in the mind any nobler product than the bloffoms of science, which more powerful inftitutions may ripen into fruit.

For

For this reafon it must not be expected, that in the following pages fhould be found a complete circle of the sciences; or that any authors, now defervedly es'teemed, fhould be rejected to make way for what is here offered. It was intended by the means of these precepts, not to deck the mind with ornaments, but to protect it from nakedness; not to enrich it with affluence, but to fupply it with neceffaries. The enquiry therefore was not what degrees of knowledge are defirable, but what are in most stations of life indifpenfably required; and the choice was determined not by the fplendor of any part of literature, but by the extent of its use, and the inconvenience which its neglect was likely to produce.

I. The prevalence of this confideration appears in the first part, which is appropriated to the humble purposes of teaching to read, and speak, and write letters; an attempt of little magnificence, but in which no man needs to blufh for having employed his time, if honour be estimated by ufe. For precepts of this kind, however neglected, extend their importance as far as men are found who communicate their thoughts one to another; they are equally useful to the highest and the loweft; they may often contribute to make ignorance lefs inelegant; and may it not be observed, that they are frequently wanted for the embellishment even of learning?

In order to fhew the proper ufe of this part, which confifts of various exemplifications of fuch differences of ftyle as require correfpondent diverfities of pronunciation, it will be proper to inform the fcholar, that there are in general three forms of ftyle, each of VOL. II.

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which demands its particular mode of elocution: the familiar, the folemn, and the pathetick. That in the familiar, he that reads is only to talk with a paper in his hand, and to indulge himself in all the lighter liberties of voice, as when he reads the common articles of a news-paper, or a curfory letter of intelligence or business. That the folemn ftyle, fuch as that of a serious narrative, exacts an uniform fteadiness of speech, equal, clear, and calm. That for the pathetick, fuch as an animated oration, it is neceffary the voice be regulated by the sense, varying and rifing with the paffions. These rules, which are the most general, admit a great number of fubordinate obfervations, which must be particularly adapted to every scholar; for it is obfervable, that though very few read well, yet every man errs in a different way. But let one remark never be omitted: inculcate strongly to every scholar the danger of copying the voice of another; an attempt which, though it has been often repeated, is always unfuccefsful.

The importance of writing letters with propriety justly claims to be confidered with care, fince, next to the power of pleafing with his presence, every man would wish to be able to give delight at a dif tance. This great art fhould be diligently taught, the rather, because of thofe letters which are most useful, and by which the general bufinefs of life is tranfacted, there are no examples easily to be found. It feems the general fault of those who undertake this part of education, that they propofe for the exercife of their fcholars, occafions which rarely hap

pen; fuch as congratulations and condolences, and neglect those without which life cannot proceed. It is poffible to pass many years without the neceffity of writing panegyricks or epithalamiums; but every man has frequent occafion to ftate a contract, or demand a debt, or make a narrative of fome minute incidents of common life. On thefe fubjects, there. fore, young perfons fhould be taught to think juftly, and write clearly, neatly, and fuccinctly, left they come from school into the world without any acquaintance with common affairs, and ftand idle fpectators of mankind, in expectation that fome great event will give them an opportunity to exert their rhetorick.

II. The fecond place is affigned to geometry; on the usefulness of which it is unneceffary to expatiate in an age when mathematical studies have fo much engaged the attention of all claffes of men. This treatife is one of thofe which have been borrowed, being a translation from the work of Mr. Le Clerc; and is not intended as more than the first initiation. In delivering the fundamental principles of geometry, it is neceffary to proceed by flow steps, that each propofition may be fully understood before another is attempted. For which purpose it is not fufficient, that when a question is afked in the words of the book, the fcholar likewife can in the words of the book return the proper anfwer; for this may be only an act of memory, not of underftanding: it is always proper to vary the words of the question, to place the propofition in different points of view, and to require of the learner an explanation in his own terms, informing

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forming him however when they are improper. By this method the fcholar will become cautious and attentive, and the mafter will know with certainty the degree of his proficiency. Yet, though this rule is generally right, I cannot but recommend a precept of Pardie's, that when the student cannot be made to comprehend fome particular part, it should be, for that time, laid aside, till new light shall arise from fubfequent obfervation.

When this compendium is completely understood, the scholar may proceed to the perufal of Tacquet, afterwards of Euclid himself, and then of the modern improvers of geometry, fuch as Barrow, Keil, and Sir

Ifaac Newton.

If

III. The neceffity of fome acquaintance with geography and aftronomy will not be difputed. the pupil is born to the ease of a large fortune, no part of learning is more neceffary to him than the knowledge of the fituation of nations, on which their interests generally depend; if he is dedicated to any of the learned profeffions, it is fcarcely poffible that he will not be obliged to apply himself in fome part of his life to these ftudies, as no other branch of literature can be fully comprehended without them; if he is defigned for the arts of commerce or agriculture, fome general acquaintance with these sciences will be found extremely ufeful to him; in a word, no ftudies afford more extenfive, more wonderful, or more pleafing fcenes; and therefore there can be no ideas impreffed upon the foul, which can more conduce to its future entertainment.