to think of being enrolled among the heroes of literary renown, and yet, ambitious of rendering some service to his generation; let me once more deprecate that unamiable apathy to the sensibilities of others, that malignity of abuse, by which many a brighter glow-worm has been crushed. For, I affect not to illuminate those, who are already enlightend, but only to shine in a dark place: and many such places, I know, there are in this unrivalled nation. And, if so, however the nicety of fastidious Criticism may be irritated, will not the spirit of public Benevolence approve such a sentiment as this? "I would rather incur the censure of being tedious and dull, so that I was thoroughly intelligible, than, by aiming at elegance, to sacrifice perspicuity at the shrine of conciseness*." As I covet no

*« A certain brilliancy of thought, and prettiness of style, might be fit enough to surprise and delight the mind with transient glimpses of truth; but is by no means adapted to convey that full and permanent conviction, which is due to truths of the first rank. The mind must be allowed to judge of them with impartiality and cool

D

plaudits, let me flatter myself, that no illiberality of heart will ascribe to me either Principles, or Designs, at the farthest distance from those I avow. Of this, however, I have some apprehensions; for, I have seen enough of this strange world, to know, that, "under all possible circumstances, every man has his enemies; and those, who wish to injure, never want protectors."

As an Apology to those, who might otherwise expect to meet with something like Oratory, or Pathos, in these pages, I shall interpose a few remarks from a su

ness, proceeding, not upon sentiments suddenly raised by striking views of truth, but on a deliberate judgment, formed by a familiar acquaintance with the object: and, in order thereto, the same truths must be presented again and again, with no great variation, and with as little adventitious ornament as possible. This manner of treating a subject may indeed disappoint us of the attention of some, whose assent and approbation we should otherwise value: but, we trust the merits of the cause to those, who can with patience and pleasure entertain themselves with the steady view of obvious and interesting Truth."

perior writer. "There is," says he, "one kind of address to the Understanding, and only one, which disdains all assistance whatever from Fancy. The address, I mean, is mathematical Demonstration ; the perfection of which, in point of elegance, consists in Perspicuity: and perspicuity here results entirely from propriety and simplicity of Diction, and from accuracy of Method; where the mind is regularly conducted forwards in the same track, the attention no way diverted, nor one unnecessary word or idea introduced.

"Is not this equally applicable to logical Demonstration? When a Speaker addresses himself to the Understanding and rational Faculties of his hearers, he proposes their Instruction, either by explaining some doctrine, unknown, or not distinctly comprehended by them; or, by proving some position, disbelieved, or doubted by them. In other words, he proposes either to dispel ignorance, or to vanquish error. In the one, his aim is

their Information; in the other, their Conviction. Accordingly, the predominant quality of the former is, Perspicuity; of the latter, Argument. By that, we are made to know; by this, to believe*.

"Be it recollected, then, that pure Logic regards only the subject; which is examined solely for the sake of Information. Truth, as such, is the proper aim of the examiner; who must lay aside, as it were, in this research, his Imagination and his Passions, for the more impartial and unbiassed exercise of his Reason and Judgment. And, to this end, in all explanatory discussions, there is a certain preciseness of manner, which ought to pervade the whole, and which, though not in the form of argument, is not the less satisfactory, since it carries internal Evidence along with it.”.

* The writer is nevertheless attached to what has been called, "that noble Enthusiasm for Religion, without which, Reason has no Guide, Imagination no Object; without which, in fine, Virtue herself is without charms, and Sensibility without a source."

There may indeed be moments, in which I may betray a degree of warmth, inconsistent with that cool Demonstration for which I plead. That, I beg, may be attributed to my not giving any credit to the innocence of Error. All Error, in my judgment, has a direct tendency to Vice and Misery; and all Truth, to Virtue and Good. In proportion to the Loveliness of the latter, must be the Odiousness of the former: and, to use the words of a sagacious Moralist, "it must be owned that, in most countries, a considerable part of what is called Religion deserves no other name than that of Absurdity made sacred: but, it were strange indeed, should false Religion produce that uprightness of Heart, that perfection of Morals, which is the genuine effect of Truth."

It is anticipated, that the Sentiments here enforced will have to combat, not only with the most surprising Ignorance and multiform Error, but with " Prejudice the most inveterate; arising both from