CHAPTER I. The learned world who has done só much unmerited honour to that logical treatise, as to receive it into our two flourishing universities, may possibly admit this as a second part or supplement to that treatise. And I may venture to persuade myself, that if the common and the busy ranks of man- kind, as well as the scholar and the gentleman, would but tran- scribe such rules into their understanding, and practise them upon all occasions, there would be much more truth and know- ledge found among men : And it is reasonable to hope that justice, virtue and goodness would attend as the happy conse- quents. CHAP. I. General Rules for the Improvement of Know- ledge. I. DEEPLY possess your mind with the vast importance of a good judgment, and the rich and inestimable advantage of right reasoning. Review the instances of your own mis- conduct in life ; thinkseriously with yourselves how many follies and sorrows you had escaped, and how much guilt and misery you had prevented, if from your early years you had but taken due pains to judge aright concerningpersons, times and things. This will awaken you with lively vigour to address yourselves to the work of improving your reasoning powers, and seizing every opportunity and advantage for that end. II. Consider the weaknesses, frailties and mistakes of hu- man nature in general, which arise from the very constitution of a soul united to an animal body, and subjectedto many incon- veniences thereby. Consider the many additional weaknesses, mistakes and frailties which are derived from our original apos- lacy andfall from a state of innocence; how much our powers of understanding are yet more darkened, enfeebled, and imposed upon by our senses, our fancies, and our unruly passions, &c. Consider the depth and difficulty of many truths, and the flat- tering appearances of falsehood, whence arises an infinite va- riety of dangers to which we are exposed in our judgment of things. Read with greediness those authors that treat of the doctrine of prejudices, prepossessions and springs of error, on purpose to make your soul watchful on all sides, that it suf- fer not itself as far as possible to be imposed upon by any of them. Seemore on this subject, Logic Part 1I. Chap. 3. and Part III. Chap. l * Though the most of these following rules arechiefly addressed to those whom their fortuneor theirstation require to addict themselves to the peculiar improvementof .their minds in greater degrees of knowledge, yetevery one who bas leisure and opportunity to be acquainted with such writings as these, may hod something among them for their own use.
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