quick apprehenfion, poffeffes an accurate knowledge of the internal fabric, the operations of the understanding, the workings of the paffions, and the various fpecies of fentiment which difcriminate vice and virtue. How painful foever this inward fearch or enquiry may appear, it becomes, in fome measure, requifite to thofe, who would defcribe with fuccefs the obvious and outward appearances of life and manners. The anatomist presents to the eye the most hideous and difagreeable objects; but his fcience is ufeful to the painter in delineating even a VENUS or an HELEN. While the latter employs all the richest colours of his art, and gives his figures the most graceful and engaging airs; he muft ftill carry his attention to the inward ftructure of the human body, the position of the muscles, the fabric of the bones, and the ufe and figure of every part or organ. Accuracy is, in every cafe, advantageous to beauty, and just reasoning to delicate fentiment. In vain would we exalt the one by depreciating the other. Befides, we may obferve, in every art or profeffion, even those which moft concern life or action, that a fpirit of accuracy, however acquired, carries all of them nearer their perfection, and renders them more fubfervient to the interefts of fociety. And though a philofopher may live remote from bufinefs, the genius of philofophy, if carefully cultivated by feveral, muft gradually diffuse itself throughout the whole fociety, and beftow a fimilar correctness on every art or calling. The politician will acquire greater forefight and fubtility, in the fubdividing and balancing of power; the lawyer more method and finer principles in his reafonings; and the general more regularity in his difcipline, and more caution in his plans and operations.) The ftability of modern governments above the ancient, and the accuracy of modern philofophy, have improved, and probably will ftill improve, by fimilar gradations. Were there no advantage to be reaped from thefe ftudies, studies, beyond the gratification of an innocent curio❤ fity, yet ought not even this to be defpifed; as being an acceffion to those few safe and harmless pleasures, which are beftowed on human race. The sweetest and most inoffenfive path of life leads through the avenues of science and learning; and whoever can either remove any obftructions in this way, or open up any new profpect, ought fo far to be esteemed a benefactor to mankind. And though these researches may appear painful and fatiguing, it is with some minds as with fome bodies, which being endowed with vigorous and florid health, require fevere exercise, and reap a pleasure from what, to the generality of mankind, may feem burdenfome and laborious. Obfcurity, indeed, is painful to the mind as well as to the eye; but to bring light from obfcurity, by whatever labour, muit needs be delightful and rejoicing. But this obfcurity, in the profound and abftra&t philofophy, is objected to, not only as painful and fatiguing, but as the inevitable fource of uncertainty and error. Here indeed lies the justest and most plaufible objection against a confiderable part of metaphyfics, that they are not properly a fcience; but arife either from the fruitless efforts of human vanity, which would penetrate into fubjects utterly inacceffible to the understanding, or from the craft of popular fuperftitions, which, being unable to defend themselves on fair ground, raise these entangling brambles to cover and protect their weakness. Chafed from the open country, these robbers fly into the foreft, and lie in wait to break in upon every unguarded avenue of the mind, and overwhelm it with religious fears and prejudices. The ftouteft antagonist, if he remit his watch a moment, is oppreffed. And many, through cowardice and folly, open the gates to the enemies, and willingly receive them with reverence and fubmiflion as their legal fovereigns. But is this a fufficient reafon, why philofophers should defift from fuch researches, and leave fuperB 4 ftition ftition ftill in poffeffion of her retreat? Is it not pro per to draw an oppofite conclufion, and perceive the neceflity of carrying the war into the most fecret receffes of the enemy? In vain do we hope, that men, from frequent difappoinment, will at laft abandon fuch airy fciences, and difcover the proper province of human reason. For, befides, that many perfons find too fenfible an intereft in perpetually recalling fuch topics; befides this, I fay, the motive of blind defpair can never reasonably have place in the sciences; fince, however unfuccefsful former attempts may have. proved, there is ftill room to hope, that the induftry, good fortune, or improved fagacity of fucceeding generations, may reach difcoveries unknown to former ages. Eeach adventurous genius will ftill leap at the arduous prize, and find himself stimulated, rather than difcouraged, by the failures of his predeceffors; while he hopes that the glory of atchieving fo hard an adventure is reserved for him alone. The only method of freeing learning, at once, from thefe abftrufe queftions, is to enquire feriously into the nature of human understanding, and fhow, from an exact analysis of its powers and capacity, that it is by no means fitted for fuch remote and abftrufe fubjects. We must fubmit to this fatigue, in order to live at ease ever after: And muft cultivate true metaphyfics with fome care, in order to destroy the falfe and adulterate. Indolence, which, to fome perfons, affords a fafeguard against this deceitful philofophy, is, with others, over-balanced by curiofity; and defpair, which, at fome moments, prevails, may give place afterwards to fanguine hopes and expectations. Accurate and juft reafoning is the only catholic remedy, fitted for all perfons and all difpofitions; and is alone able to fubvert that abftrufe philofophy and metaphyfical jargon, which, being mixed up with popular fuperftition, renders it in a manner impenetrable to eareless reafoners, and gives it the air of science and wisdom. Befides Besides this advantage of rejecting, after deliberate enquiry, the most uncertain and difagreeable part of learning, there are many pofitive advantages, which refult from an accurate fcrutiny into the powers aud faculties of human nature. It is remarkable concerning the operations of the mind, that though moft intimately present to us, yet, whenever they become the object of reflection, they feem involved in obfcurity; nor can the eye readily find thofe lines and boundaries which difcriminate and diftinguish them. The objects are too fine to remain long in the fame afpect or fituation; and must be apprehended in an inftant, by a fuperior penetration, derived from nature, and improved by habit and reflection. It becomes, therefore, no inconfiderable part of fcience barely to know the different operations of the mind, to separate them from each other, to clafs them under their proper heads, and to correct all that feeming diforder, in which they lie involved, when made the object of reflection and enquiry. This task of ordering and distinguishing, which haş no merit, when performed with regard to external bodies, the objects of our fenfes, rifes in its value, when directed towards the operations of the mind, in proportion to the difficulty and labour which we meet with in performing it. And if we can go no no farther than this mental geography, or delineation of the distinct parts and powers of the mind, it is at least a fatisfaction to go fo far; and the more obvious this science may appear (and it is by no means obvious), the more contemptible ftill muft the ignorance of it be esteemed, in all pretenders to learning and philofophy. Nor can there remain any fufpicion, that this fcience is uncertain and chimerical; unless we should entertain fuch a fcepticifin as is entirely fubverfive of all speculation, and even action. It cannot be doubted that the mind is endowed with feveral powers and faculties, that these powers are diftinct from each other, that what is really diftinct to the immediate perception may be distinguished by reflection; and confequently, that there is a truth and falfehood in all propofitions on this fubject, and a truth and falfehood, which lie not beyond the compass of human understanding. There are many obvious diftinctions of this kind, fuch as those between the will and understanding, the imagination and paffions, which fall within the comprehenfion of every human creature; and the finer and more philofophical diftinctions are no less real and certain, though more difficult to be comprehended. Some inftances, efpecially late ones, of fuccefs in these enquires, may give us a jufter notion of the certainty and folidity of this branch of learning. And fhall we esteem it worthy the labour of a philofopher to give us a true fyftem of the planets, and adjust the pofition and order of those remote bodies; while we affect to overlook those who, with so much fuccefs, delineate the parts of the mind, in which we are fo intimately concerned? But may we not hope, that philofophy, if cultivated with care, and encouraged by the attention of the public, may carry its researches ftill farther, and discover, at leaft in fome degree, the fecret springs and principles by which the human mind is actuated in its operation? Aftronomers had long contented themselves with proving, from the phænomena, the true motions, order, and magnitude of the heavenly bodies: Till a philosopher, at last, arofe, who seems, from the happiest reasoning, to have alfo determined the laws and forces, by which the revolutions of the planets are governed and directed. The like has been performed with regard to other parts of nature. And there is no reafon to defpair of equal fuccefs in our enquiries concerning the mental powers and œconomy, if profecuted with equal capacity and caution. It is probable, that one operation and principle of the mind depends on another; which, |