151 THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE MIND. students, but thosefew who shall make these studies their chief profession and business of life, or those gentlemen whose capa- cities and turn of mind are suited to these studies, and have all manner of advantage to improve in them. The general principlesof arithmetic, algebra, geometry and trigonometry, of geography, of modern astronomy, tnechanics; statics and optics, have their valuable and excellent uses, not only for the exercise and improvement of the faculties of the mind, but thesubjects themselves are very well worth our know- ledge in a moderate degree, and are often made of admirable service in human life. So much of these subjects as Dr. Wells has given us in his three volumes, entitled, The Young Gentle- man's Mathematics; is richly sufficient for the greatest part of scholars or gentlemen ; though perhaps there may be some sin- gle treatises, at least on some of these subjects, which may be better written and more useful to be perused than those of that learned. author. But a penetration into the abstruse difficulties and depths of modern algebra andfluxions, the various methods of quadra= tures, the mensuration of all manner of curves, and their mutual transformation, and twenty other things that some modern ma- thematicians deal in, are not worth the labour of those who de- sign either- of the three learned professions, divinity, law, or physic, asthe business of life. This is the sentence of a consi- derable man, viz. Dr. George Cheyne, who was a very good proficient and writer on those subjects ; he affirms, that they are but barren and airy studies for a man entirely to live upon, and that for a man to indulge and riot in these exquisitely be- witching contemplations, is only proper for public professors, or for gentlemen of estates, who have a strongpropensity this way, and a genius fit to cultivate them. But, says he, to own a great but grievous truth, though they may quicken and sharpen the invention, strengthen and extend the imagination, improve and refine the reasoning faculty, and are of use both in the necessary and the luxurious refinement of mechanical arts; yet having no tendency to rectify the will, to sweeten the temper, or mend the heart, they often leave a stiffness, a positiveness and sufficiency on weak minds, which is much more pernicious to society, and to the interests of the great end of our being, than all their advantagescan recompellhe. Ile acids further concerning the launching into the depth of the studies, that they are apt to beget a sacred and refined pride, and.over-weening, and over- bearing vanity, the most opposite temper to the true spirit of the gospel. This tempts them to presume on a kind of omniscience in respect to their fellow crea- tures, who have not risen to their elevation,: nor are they fit to bearusted io thehands . of any but those who have acquired ,a
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