who, having also thought much on those matters, communicated some of his observations to EUGENIUS, for the purpose of being laid before LEANDER. The following conversation will inform us what they were.

ELEMENTS OF METAPHYSICS.

DIALOGUE V.

EUGENIUS failed not to rejoin LEANDER in the Garden where they had appointed to meet. To prepare himself the better for the discussion, he had not only turned over in his mind the observations of the Philosopher he had met, but, he had also read with attention the works on Logic referred to by LEANDER.-He began by thanking LEANDER for pointing out a work, which, said he, so well suits my natural impatience; which is so great as not to allow me to read any book, that is either long, or difficult to be understood. If I am now desirous, continued he, to repeat here the substance of it, it is not so

much with a view of asking from you an elucidation of the Truths you call Logical or internal, as of facilitating the examination of the external truths. An internal truth then, is only the connection of one idea with another idea, both present to the mind, which perceives their relation and connection, without its being necessary that there should exist out of us any thing which is really such as what is actually present to our thoughts. These are the truths of Geometry and of all the demonstrations of Science; but, all these demonstrations being no more than a connection of ideas, constitute only an ideal science, unless there be some real object which, existing out of us, corresponds with what we have actually present to the mind. This seems to me to be what you have been so desirous of making me understand. To what new discovery do you propose leading me to-day?

I propose, said LEANDER, laying down those general principles, by which we may be assured that what is present to our thoughts actually exists out of us, such as

it is present to our thoughts in the mind; that is, we have now to examine what are the Truths which serve as principles, to all that we can know certainly and evidently of the things which exist out of us.

Here EUGENIUS recollecting what had been asserted by the Philosopher, whom he met on the former day, said to LEANDER, are you not about to do covertly what some illustrious Philosophers of our time have done without ceremony,-assume, as a principle, the very point in question, in order that you may very regularly conduct me into a labyrinth of deductions; and when, like them, I have congratulated myself on the splendid chain of internal truths which I have constructed, I shall find its first link to be wholly unsupported? You wish to shew me what are the self-evident Truths, in regard of the objects which exist out of us. Now, if I am disposed to doubt whether there are any such Truths, would you deem me very extravagant, and but little of a Philosopher?

I certainly should deem you an extravagant Philosopher, replied LEANDER, with a smile; but you would be by no means the only one: for if you were to listen to certain persons, who carry their Philosophy beyond all discernible bounds, they will tell you that we have no other evidence than what they call Metaphysical. This, according to them, consists, solely, in the intimate perception of the thoughts or sentiments which we actually experience in ourselves, and in the consequences which may be drawn from them by Mathematical Demonstration, and by the medium of what we call internal Truths.

As I find myself supported by so many persons of talent, replied EUGENIUS, my doubt, it seems, is not altogether without foundation. Let me then entreat you to begin by removing it.

Let me entreat you, on my side, said LEANDER, to begin by examining whether you really entertain this doubt.

I

If I tell you yes, said EUGENIUS, and if suppose I do, are you not bound to believe me?