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THE MEANS OF OBTAINING

Permanent Well-Being und Happiness.

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PRINTED FOR T. CADELL AND W. DAVIES, STRAND;
LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, PATERNOSTER-
ROW; JOHNSON AND CO. ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD;

AND J. BINNS, AT BATH;

By G. Sidney, Northumberland-street, Strand.

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PREFACE.

THE Reader cannot be more

displeased at the inconveniences which attend the publishing of an extensive work, in a detached manner, and at different periods, than the Author of these disquisitions. This mode holds the one in a disagreeable state of suspense, and it may prevent the other from making that accurate and acceptable arrangement of the various parts of his subject, which would have been more practicable, had the whole been completed before the publication. But the Author was ignorant, when he began to apply the analytic method of reasoning, to moral and religious subjects, to what an extent it might lead him ; nor could he conjecture to what a degree the

attempt would meet with an encouraging acceptance.

It is twelve years since the introductory treatise was sent to the press. This tedious delay has been extremely unpleasant, and obviously injurious to the work. But various circumstances conspired to render it inevitable. Minute investigations of a moral and religious nature are not calculated for popularity. Nor is the attention or approbation of the contemplative few to be speedily procured. It was these considerations which held the author for some time in suspense, whether he should venture to prosecute his ethical enquiries.

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The disquisitions which are now submitted to the candour of the public, were printed two years ago, with a view to an early publication: but they were composed under so many unfavourable circumstances, arising from personal indispositions, and family afflictions, that he was compelled to suppress that copy entirely, and submit to the expence incurred, rather than to expose the many errors obvious to himself, to the public eye,

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