PItEFACÉ To " THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE MIND." IN the last page of the Treatise of Logic which I published many years ago, it is observed, that thereare several other things which might assist the cultivation of the mind, and its improvement in knowledge, which are not usually represented among the principles or preceptsof that art or science. These are the subjects which compose this book; these are the sentiments and rules, many of which 1 had then in.view, and which 1 now venture into public light. The present treatise, if it may assume the honour of that name, is made up of a variety of remarksand directions for the improvement of the mind an useful knowledge. It was collected from the observationswhich I had made onmy own studies,and on the temper and sentiments, the humour and con- duct of other men in their pursuit of learning, or in the affairsof life; and it has been considerably assisted by occasional collections in the course of my reading, from many authors andon differentsubjects. 1 confess, in far the greatest part, I stand bound toanswer for theweaknesses or defects that will be found in these papers, not being able to point to other writers, whence the twentieth part of them is derived. The work was composed at different times, and by slow degrees. Now and then, indeed, it spread itself into branches and leaves like a plant in April, and advanced seven or eight pages in a week and sometimes it lay by without growth, like avegetable in the winter, and didnot increase halt' so much in the revolutionof a year. As these thoughts occurred to me in reading or meditation, or in my notices of the various appearances of things among mankind, they were thrown under those heads which make the present titles of the chapters, and were by degrees reduced to something like a method, such as the subject would admit. On these accounts it is not to be expected that the same accurate order should be observed either in the whole book, or in the particular chapters thereof, which is necessary in thesystem of any science, whose scheme is projected at once. A book which has been twenty years in writing, maybe Indulged in some variety of style and manner, though I hope there will not be found any great difference of sentiment ; for wherein I had improved in later years beyond what I had first written, a few dashes and alterations have corrected themistakes : And if the candour of the reader will but allowwhat is defective in one place, tobe supplied fiy additions from another, I hope there will be found a sufficient reconciliationof what might seem at first to be scarcely consistent. The language anddress ofthese sentiments is such as the present temper of mind dictated, whether it were grave or pleasant, severe or smiling. If there has been any thing expressed with too much severity, I suspect it will be found to fall upon those sneering or daring writers of the age against reli, gion, and against the Christian scheme, who seemed to have left reason, or decency, or both, behind them in some of their writings. The sameapology of the length of years in composing this book, may serve also to excuse a repetition of the samesentiments; which may happen to be found in different places, without the author's . design; but inother pages it +2
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