Introductio Ad Prudentiam

compare your Notions, draw Conclusions, make Axioms, and treasure them

for the future Uses of Life. And when I had thus led

you

into the Art of Thinking and Reasoning, I by degrees rectify'd your little Apprehensions and Fancies, taught you the Uses and Abuses of the Passions, educated you, as you grew fit for it, in Piety, Morality, Learning and good Breeding; and never spared for either Care or Coft toward the fitting you up to makean handsome Figure among the best of Men, and act a commendable Part in common Life,

But I am grown old, and must defcend to my Fathers; and leave you young and unexperienc'd to shift" for yourself, and struggle thro’a troublefonie World.

I most earnestly wish to assist you still ; but since it's not permitted me to do it vivá voce, I have thought of this way of supplying it with a Panoply of Directions, Counsels and Cautions; to help and defend you in all Difficulties and Dangers, and render

you

you prosperous(or at least not unhappy) in all your Undertakings and Affairs.

By these, when I am dead, I shall yet speak; and like Mentor with Telemachus, be ever with you, till you

come to me.

As often therefore as you take them into your Hand, imagine that I your ever loving and careful Father am personally present, familiarly talking with, and faithfully advising you.

I leave them with you as an everJasting Legacy; and upon my Blefsing I charge you to keep then as a Treasure, consult them at every turn, and make the best use you can of them all your Days.

I mean not by this, that you should slavishly come into all here delivered, with an implicit Belief and thought: less Observance ; but would have you all along stand up in your own Sense, and use your Reason, and think and live as a wise Man ought to do.

Now as to the practical Use of this Book, you should run it all over pretty fast, and miss nothing ; and that

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