(3) SECTION I. OF THE DIFFERENT SPECIES OF PHILOSOPHY. M ORAL philofophy, or the fcience of human nature, may be treated after two different manners; each of which has its peculiar merit, and may contribute to the entertainment, inftruction, and reformation of mankind. The one confiders man chiefly as born for action; and as influenced in his actions by tafte and fentiment; pursuing one object, and avoiding another, according to the value which thefe objects feem to poffefs, and according to the light in which they present themfelves. Virtue, of all objects, is the most valuable and lovely; and accordingly this fpecies of philofophers paint her in the most amiable colours; borrowing all helps from poetry and eloquence, and treating their subject in an easy and obvious manner, and fuch as is beft fitted to please the imagination, and engage the affections. They felect the most striking obfervations and inftances from common life; place oppofite characters in a proper contrast; and alluring us into the paths of virtue by the views of glory.and happiness, direct our steps in these paths by the foundeft precepts and most illuftrious examples. They make us feel the difference between vice and virtue; they excite and regulate our fentiments; and fo they can but bend our hearts to the love of probity and true hoB 2 nour, nour, they think, that they have fully attained the end of all their labours. The other fpecies of philofophers treat man rather as a reafonable than an active being, and endeavour to form his underftanding more than cultivate his manners. They regard mankind as a fubject of speculation; and with a narrow fcrutiny examine human nature, in order to find those principles, which regulate our understanding, excite our fentiments, and make us approve or blame any particular object, action, or beha viour. They think it a reproach to all literature, that philofophy fhould not yet have fixed, beyond controverfy, the foundation of morals, reasoning, and criticism, and should for ever talk of truth and falfhood, vice and virtue, beauty and: deformity, without being able to determine the fource of thefe · distinctions. While they attempt this arduous task, they are deterred by no difficulties; but proceeding from particular in-ftances to general principles,, they ftill push on their inquiries. to principles more general, and rest not satisfied till they arrive at thofe original principles, by which, in every science, all human curiosity must be bounded. Though their fpeculations seem abftract, and even unintelligible to common readers, they please themselves with the approbation of the learned and the wife; and think themselves fufficiently compenfated for the la bours of their whole lives, if they can discover fome hidden truths, which may contribute to the inftruction of posterity.. 'Tis certain, that the eafy and obvious philofophy will always,. with the generality of mankind, have the preference to the accurate and abftrufe; and by many will be recommended, not only as more agreeable, but more useful than the other. It enters 74 |