him in pursuit of truths which are above his comprehenfion. And, what is of still more importance to the great cause of learning as involving an evil which is more generally incurred, it will not be in danger of misleading his Judgment and betraying his Affent by inftructing him to expect ftronger or different conviction, than the nature of the Subjects and the Truths refulting from them can afford; that is, by requiring more or less than they are calculated to give.

A Logic, fo general in its views and accommodating in its method, will, on the contrary, both abridge his labour, and insure his fuccefs.

It will abridge his labour by cutting off all that is useless and fuperfluous, which vainly attempts to fearch after truths that have no existence, or which as vainly struggles after thofe which it can never reach. And it will promife him fuccefs, by directing his researches right, and confining them within the proper track in which the truth in question can be found, as well as by aid

ing

ing and conducting him through every stage of the enquiry.

And, fince both the Means which supply the Principles, however different from each other, are at all times and to all perfons in themselves the fame, and alfo the Inftrument or Reason, however it may differ in degrees of strength with times and perfons, is the fame faculty in all; the End, which is all TRUTH, however various in kind, if faithfully fought and fuccefsfully found, will be unchangeably and individually the SAME to

all.

Where then is ERROR that many-headed monster which goes on triumphing and to triumph, though not conquering and to conquer, (for, that truth will be victorious at last is the faithful promise of ONE on whom we can steadfastly rely,) and leading thousands captive in its train ? It lies hidden under the toils of a dark and partial Logic, by which the learned have fuffered themselves to be enflaved, and which, by its various artifice and chicanery, gives to fome of the worst

worst of falsehoods the privilege to wear the face of the best of truths.

THE ground which I have chofen for the subject of these Lectures, as it is the first in confequence, was the firft in the contemplation of their judicious Founder. The form in which I have divided and laid it out for cultivation, may not be that which has been usually adopted: but, as it appeared in my own mind to be that by which I could best accomplish the end I have in view, whilst I follicit the patience and attention, I may hope for the indulgence, of my hearers.

In the pursuit of a plan which embraces fo many different and diftant objects, I fhall have occafion to vifit the fources of the Arts and Sciences, and to run the circuit of general Learning. And, fenfible of the high honour, to which I am elected, of reading lectures upon these fubjects before fo accomplished and learned an audience, and in a feat of literature which stands the firft both in antiquity and in renown, it fhall be my utmoft

active and inquifitive, in the fpirit of philofophy, to go along with it, in which he lays himself fairly and freely open, folely and honestly devoted to the interefts of Truth."

torum excitent. Ii igitur recta incedunt via, qui de confiliis fuis id prædicare poffint, quod fecit Demofthenes, atque hac claufula ea concludere, Quæ fi feceritis, non oratorem duntaxat in præfentia laudabitis, fed vofmet ipfos etiam, non ita multo poft, ftatu rerum veftrarum meliore. Ego certe, ut de me ipfo, quod res eft, loquar, et in iis quæ nunc edo, et in iis quæ in pofterum meditor, dignitatem ingenii et nominis mei (fi qua fit) fæpius fciens et volens projicio, dum commodis humanis inferviam. Ib. 1.vii. c.I.

• When we fet out in pursuit of TRUTH as of a Stranger; and not in Search of Arguments to support our Acquaintance with preconceived Opinions; When we poffefs ourselves in a perfect indifference for every thing but known and well-attefted TRUTH; regardless of the place from whence it comes, or of that to which it seems to be going: When the Mind, I fay, is in this State, no one, I think, can fairly suspect the reality of its attachment, Warb. Div. Leg. b. iv. p. 12.

Nos æterno veritatis amore devicti, viarum incertis et arduis et folitudinibus nos commifimus; et divino auxiliq freti et innixi, mentem noftram, et contra opinionum violentias et quafi inftructas acies, et contra proprias et internas hæfitationes et fcrupulos, et contra rerum caligines et nubes, et undequaque volantes phantafias, fuftinuimus; ut tandem magis fida et fecura indicia viventibus et pofteris comparare poffemus. De Aug. Sc. Præf. p. 10.

Poftremo omnes in univerfum monitos volumus, ut fcientiæ

• One of these methods,' fays Lord Bacon, • delivers popular subjects as to the illiterate; 'the other, sciences as to the fons of science :' and the latter is that which alone can be worthy of the author, or of his audience. Popularity is an idol to which the ambitious may bend the knee: Truth is that divinity to which a philofopher need not blush to

bow.

And if, in pursuing an argument, which, from its vaft and univerfal moment, has been often treated, I should go wide of the common road (not from a principle of novelty which I difclaim, but from that love of truth and utility which, in all temperance and humility, I avow,) as I follicit examination and am under juft correction, I had rather commit errors in a new way, though more dangerous and difficult to be found, than walk more fafely and indolently over ground which has been beaten a thousand

fcientiæ veros fines cogitent; nec eam aut animi caufa petant, aut ad contentionem, aut ut alios defpiciant, aut ad commodum, aut ad famam, aut ad potentiam, aut hujufmodi inferiora, fed ad meritum et ufus vitæ, eamque in Charitate perficiant et regant. Ibid. p. II.