ΑΛΗΘΕΙΑΝ ΖΗΤΩ, ΥΦ' ΗΣ ΟΥ̓ΔΕΙΣ ΠΩΠΟΤΕ ΕΒΛΑΒΗ.

Marcus Antoninus,

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR J. JOHNSON, ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD,

BY TAYLOR AND WILKS, CHANCERY-LANE.

1801.

PREFACE.

THE following sheets contain the sub

ftance of a course of lectures, which the author delivered to his pupils, upon fome of the most interesting subjects which can occupy the attention of the human mind.

The author's fole end was the investigation and diffusion of useful truth, and his' defire was, not to influence his pupils to adopt his own opinions, but to excite in them a spirit of inquiry, and to affist and encourage them to think, and to judge for themselves.

With this view, in all difputable queftions he has endeavoured to flate the evidence on both fides with fairness and impartiality; and has in no case intentionally omitted, or misftated any arguments which have been produced in favour of hypotheses, which appear to him to be erro

neous.

neous. Nevertheless, while he was folicitous to do juftice to the opinions of others, he did not regard himself as under any obligation to conceal his own.

He laments that difcuffion, which is of fo much real use for the discovery of truth, fhould ever degenerate into personal altercation and abufe: and he has been anxious to avoid all unbecoming reflections upon the understandings, and the motives, of those whofe opinions he controverts. Men of equal talents and integrity will, from the different bias of their education, and from the influence of other circumftances, often think differently upon the fame fubjects, and will even form different conclufions from the fame premifes. This circumftance does not indeed diminish the value of truth, but it ought to promote candour, and to ftimulate inquiry. The fincere lover of truth will be as much gratified by the correction of an error, or by an acceffion to his own intellectual stores, as by filencing an opponent. To him, truth is victory. And when truth is the object, evillence alone muft be fought for, and examined with calmnefs and rigour. Selfinterest,

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intereft, prejudice, and paffion, must keep aloof.

The doctrine of Affociation, opened by Locke, improved by Gay, matured by Hartley, and illuftrated by the luminous difquifitions of Dr. Priestley, the author regards as established beyond the poffibility of controverfy, in the judgment of those philosophers who have studied, and who understand it. He does not presume to think that he has added any thing material to what these great metaphysicians have advanced; and shall deem it fufficient praise, if he has fucceeded in placing the elements of their profound investigations in a light fo clear, and distinct, as to facilitate the progrefs of those who are defirous of acquiring information upon the interesting science of the human mind.

As the author's ambition was not fo much to attain the reputation of an original writer, as to communicate to his pupils the most valuable inftruction in the most eligible form, he has made no scruple of collecting information from every quarter, and has used without hesitation the method, and fometimes even the words, of other

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