there can be no Ideas impreffed upon the Soul, which can more conduce to its future Entertainment.

In the Pursuit of thefe Sciences it will be proper to proceed with the fame Gradation and Caution as in Geometry. And it is always of Ufe to decorate the Nakednefs of Science, by interfperfing fuch Obfervations and Narratives, as may amufe the Mind and excite Curiofity. Thus, in explaining the State of the Polar Regions, it might be fit to read the Narrative of the Englishmen that wintered in Greenland, which will make young Minds fufficiently curious after the Cause of fuch a Length of Night, and Intenfenefs of Cold; and many Stratagems of the fame Kind might be practifed to intereft them in all Parts of their Studies, and call in their Paffions to animate their Enquiries. When they have read this Treatife, it will be proper to recommend to them Varenius's Geography, and Gregory's Aftronomy.

IV. The Study of Chronology and Hiftory feems to be one of the moft natural Delights of the Human Mind. It is not eafy to live without enquiring by what Means every thing was brought into the State in which we now behold it, or without finding in the Mind fome Defire of being informed concerning the Generations of Mankind, that have been in Poffeffion of the World before us, whether they

they were better or worfe than ourselves; or what good or evil has been derived to us from their Schemes, Practices, and Inftitutions. Thefe are Enquiries which History alone can fatisfy; and Hiftory can only be made intelligible by fome Knowledge of Chronology, the Science by which Events are ranged in their Order, and the Periods of Computation are fettled; and which therefore affift the Memory by Method, and enlighten the Judgment, by fhewing the Dependence of onc Tranfaction on another. Accordingly it should be diligently inculcated to the Scholar, that unless he fixes in his Mind fome Idea of the Time in which each Man of Eminence lived, and each Action was performed, with fome Part of the contemporary History of the reft of the World, he will confume his Life in ufelefs reading, and darken his Mind with a Croud of unconnected Events, his Memory will be perplexed with dif tant Tranfactions refembling one another, and his Reflections be like a Dream in a Fever, bufy and turbulent, but confufed and indiftinct.

The Technical Part of Chronology, or the Art of computing and adjufting Time, as it is very difficult, fo it is not of abfolute Neceffity, but fhould however be taught, fo far as it can be learned without the Lofs of thofe Hours which are required for Attainments of nearer Concern. The Student may join with this Treatife Le Clerc's Compendium of History, and afterwards may, for the Hiftorical Part of Chronology,

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nology, procure Helvicus's and Ifaacfon's Tables; and if he is defirous of attaining the technical Part, may firft perufe Holder's Account of Time, Hearne's Ductor Hiftoricus, Strauchius, the first Part of Petavius's Rationarium Temporum; and at length Scaliger de Emendatione Temporum. And for Inftruction in the Method of his Hiftorical Studies, he may confult Hearne's Ductor Hiftoricus, Wheare's Lectures, Rawlinfon's Directions for the Study of History: and for Ecclefiaftical History, Cave and Dupin, Baronius and Fleury.

V. Rhetoric and Poetry fupply Life with its highest intellectual Pleafures; and in the Hands of Virtue are of great Ufe for the Impreffion of just Sentiments and Recommendation of illuftrious Examples. In the Practice of these great Arts, fo much more is the Gift of Nature than the Effect of Education, that nothing is attempted here but to teach the Mind fome general Heads of Obfervation, to which the beautiful Paffages of the best Writers may commonly be reduced. In the Ufe of this it is not proper, that the Teacher should confine himself to the Examples before him, for by that Method he will never enable his Pupils to make juft Application of the Rules; but having inculcated the true Meaning of each Figure, he fhould require them to exemplify it by their own Obfervations, pointing to them the Poem, or, in longer Works, the Book or Canto in which an Example may be found, and leaving them to discover the particular Paffage

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by the Light of the Rules which they have lately learned.

For a farther Progress in these Studies, they may confult Quintilian and Voffius's Rhetoric the Art of Poetry will be beft learned from Boffu and Bobours in French, together with Dryden's Effays and Prefaces, the critical Papers of Addifon, Spence on Pope's Odyffey, and Trapp's Prælectiones Poetica; but a more accurate and Philofophical Account is expected from a Commentary upon Ariftotle's Art of Poetry, with which the Literature of this Nation will be in a fhort Time augmented.

VI. With regard to the Practice of Drawing, it is not neceffary to give any Directions, the Ufe of the Treatife being only to teach the proper Method of imitating the Figures which are annex'd. It will be proper to incite the Scholars to Induftry, by fhewing in other Books the Ufe of the Art, and informing them how much it affifts the Apprehenfion, and relieves the Memory; and if they are oblig'd fometimes to write Descriptions of Engines, Utenfils, or any complex Pieces of Workmanship, they will more fully apprehend the Neceffity of an Expedient which fo happily fupplies the Defects of Language, and enables the Eye to receive what cannot be conveyed to the Mind any other Way. When they have read this Treatife and practis'd upon thefe Figures, their Theory may be improved by the Jefuit's b.4

Per

Perspective, and their manual Operations by other Figures which may be eafily procured.

VII. Logic, or the Art of arranging and connecting Ideas, of forming and examining Arguments, is univerfally allow'd to be an Attainment in the utmost Degree worthy the Ambition of that Being, whofe highest Honour is to be endued with Reason; but it is doubted, whether that Ambition has yet been gratified, and whether the Powers of Ratiocination have been much improved by any Syftems of Art or methodical Inftitutions. The Logic which for fo many Ages kept Poffeffion of the Schools, has at last been condemned as a mere Art of Wrangling, of very little Ufe in the Purfuit of Truth; and later Writers have contented themselves with giving an Account of the Operations of the Mind, marking the various Stages of her Progrefs, and giving fome general Rules for the Regulation of her Conduct. The Method of thefe Writers is here followed; but without a fervile Adherence to any, and with Endeavours to make Improvements upon all. This Work, however laborious, has yet been fruitless, if there be Truth in an Obfervation very' frequently made, that Logicians out of the School do not reafon better than Men unaffifted by thofe Lights which their Science is fuppofed to beftow. It is not to be doubted but that Logicians may be fometimes overborn by their Paffions, or blinded by their Prejudices; and that a Man may reafon ill, as he may act ill, not because he does not know what is right, but becaufe