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same time enable them to reject what has no m than an outward appearance of it.

Another inconvenience, also very prejudicial mankind, not only in the study of the sciences, also in the ordinary conduct and different employme of life, is the not being able to give a just attention such matters as are perplexed and difficult, or to sue the chain of an argument which is somewhat l and intricate; or, lastly, to apply to such subject are subtle, abstracted and independent of their ser This inconvenience is remedied by Philosophy wonderful manner, especially by the study of m physics and mathematics, where the objects b purely spiritual, raise the soul above the considera of matter, and free it from the slavery wherein senses strive to retain it.

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The author of the art of thinking has not faile observe the two inconveniences I am speaking o shew how advantageous it is to be habituated ear the understanding of difficult truths. The passa too beautiful not to be inserted here at full leng

There are, says he, some stomachs which can digest light and delicate food, and there are minds which can only apply themselves to com hend easy truths, and such as are clothed with th naments of eloquence. Both the one and the ot a vicious delicacy, or indeed a real weakness. mind should be rendered capable of discovering t when hid and concealed, and to respect it under ever form it appears. If we do not get over tha gust, which it is easy for all the world to con against such points as seem somewhat subtle and lastic, we insensibly straiten the mind, and ren incapable of comprehending what is not to be k but by a chain of several propositions. And when a truth depends on three or four prind which it is necessary to take a view of all at ond are disgusted and confused, and thereby depriv *the knowledge of several useful circumstances, - is a very considerable defect. The capacity of the

knows.

It is almost incredible how serviceable this sort of udy is towards giving youth a strength, exactness, ad penetration of mind, which by degrees lead them master themselves, and unravel the most abstracted ad perplexed questions. I have seen a custom pracsed in college, always attended with good success; at then this was amongst scholars of the best capaty. Besides the sheets of their class, they were made read, either in public or in private, certain parts of me philosophical discourses, such as the six books of Malebranche's enquiry after truth, the meditaons of Descartes, or his principles of natural Phisophy; and after these treatises had been read th them, and explained to them, they were put pon making extracts and summaries, each in their wn way, but always with a certain order and meod, by first giving clearly the state of the question, ying down the principles, giving the different proofs which they are founded, exactly reciting all the ficulties that may be brought against them, and ving the solution of them. The master then resed these extracts, and if he found any passage hich required either retrenchment or addition, to enlarged or abridged, he observed upon it, and ve his reasons for correcting it.

This method is certainly very capable of teaching e boys order, exactness, and penetration; qualities nich are very necessary in every employment of life. his will enable them to support a long and laborious amination of any point, without being disgusted, ther at the obscurity of the questions, or the multiicity of the matters they are to discuss; and this ll inform them how to fix upon the decisive point

the most intricate matter never to lose sight of it

to refer all the rest to it, and set the proofs of it so strong a light, and in such order, as may fu shew the force of them.

Without speaking of a great variety of rare a curious knowledge, taught by Philosophy, can think two years employed in acquiring the talent have just been speaking of, (and I have known ma scholars attain this advantage in that time) lost mispent? Can any wife or reasonable parents e repent of having their children instructed in manner? And if, through a blind and inconside haste, which grows but too common, they abri the time designed for Philosophy, have they cause to blame themselves for cutting off the par their studies, (I dare venture to say it, and my kn taste for a different kind of learning cannot re me suspected) which is the most important, the necessary, and most beneficial to boys, and of w the loss can be the least concealed, and is the r irreparable.

I conclude, from what I have said, that such rents as really love their children, ought to make t pass through an entire course of Philosophy; to cure them, during that time, all the assistances ne sary for their progress and improvement in this st to engage them from time to time, to make repeti in their presence, over which their masters must side and especially to declare to them, upon first entrance on this course, it is their intention they shall keep publicly all the acts which are us kept in Philosophy. This expence is not great the footing matters now stand in the university, a cannot be reduced to too great a simplicity. though it were more considerable, it is of so grea portance to their children, and makes so great ference in their study, by the indispensible oblig it lays upon them to apply themselves seriously that they certainly ought not to spare it.

T SERVES ALSO TO INSPIRE A GREAT RESPECT FOR RELIGION.

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I JOIN here these two objects together, because reality they are naturally united, and the one ust lead to the other, as will be seen by what I have say upon this subject.

It is surprising that man, placed in the midst of nare, which presents him with the greatest spectacle it possible to imagine, and surrounded on all sides with i infinity of wonders made for him, should scarce ver think either of considering these wonders which e so deserving of his attention and curiosity, or of king a view of himself. He lives in the midst of a orld, of which he is the sovereign, as a stranger, who oks with indifference upon all that passes in it, and s if it were not his concern. The universe, in all its arts declares and points out its author, but for the ost part to the deaf and blind, who have neither ars to hear, nor eyes to see.

One of the greatest services that Philosophy can do 5, is to awaken us from this drowsiness, and rouze us om this lethargy, which is a dishonour to humanity, nd in a manner reduces us below the beasts, whose cupidity is the consequence of their nature, and not he effect of neglect or indifference. It awakens our uriosity, it excites our attention, and leads us, as it ere by the hand, through all the parts of nature, to aduce us to study, and search out the wonderful works of it.

It presents the universe to our eyes as a large picure, whereof every part has its use, every line its grace nd beauty, but is most wonderful when considered

the whole together. By laying before us so beau

iful a spectacle it teaches to observe the order sum.

metry and proportion, that reigns throughout whole; and with what equality this order, both of whole and of every part, is preserved and maintain and thereby leads us to the invisible hand and wisd by which the whole is disposed.

Philosophy, by thus carrying man from wonder wonder, and conducting him, in a manner, thro the whole world, does not suffer him to rema stranger to himself, or to be ignorant of his own per being, in which God has been pleased to d his own image in a far more sensible and per manner than in the rest of the creation.

It is plain, that I am here principally speakin that branch of Philosophy which is called Physic it is employed in the consideration of nature. Is examine it under two views, the one of which I s call the physics of the learned, and the other the sics of children. This last takes in only the obj themselves, as they make an impression upon senses; whereas the former enters upon a thor examination of nature, and endeavours to find its causes.

THE PHYSICS OF THE LEARNED.

The consideration of the world, and the diffe parts of which it is composed, has always beer study of philosophers, and nothing is certainly worthy of our attention. It is not possible to the heavens and stars continually rolling over heads, without being tempted to study their mo and observe their order and regularity. 1 principal systems have divided the philosopher which I shall here give an abridgment.

THE SYSTEMS OF THE WORLD.

The first system is Ptolemy's, under which I take in what his followers have added. This p sopher lived in the second century, under the e rors Adrian and Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, a ́the year of Christ 138

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