ADVERTISEMENT. XXVll 



Academies, and ftrange even to mod of them- 

 felves ; and which mud have had a fufpicious ap- 

 pearance, from their very novelty, they have made 

 me moft ample compenfation, in applauding me, 

 far beyond my defert, for moral qualities, infi- 

 nitely beyond the value of phyfical difcoveries, 

 and which I fhould deem myfelf fingularly happy 

 to attain '^', 



All that is left me, therefore, is to congratulate 

 myfelf on the general intereft, with which the 

 Public has received the moral part of this Work. 

 I have, however, left untouched the great objedts 

 of political and moral reform ; the one, becaufe it 

 was not permitted me to treat them as my con- 

 fcience would have diredled ; and the other, be- 

 caufe my plan could not comprehend them. T 

 have reflriâ;ed myfelf merely to abufes, which it 

 is in the power of Government to redify : but 

 there are others, as univerfal, which depend en- 

 tirely on national manners. Such is, among others, 



* I ought, undoubtedly, to diftinguifli, in the number of my 

 panegyrifts, the two firfl Writers who have given an account of 

 my Work. The one, notwithftanding the fmallnçfs of his page, 

 and his propenfity to find fault, has announced it in a manner 

 the moft flattering ; and the other, devoted to the defence of 

 morals and religion, has placed me by the fide of a man, at 

 w hofe feet I would have thought myfelf happy to fit, had Pro- 

 vidence beftowed on me the blefling of being his contemporary. 



b 4 the 



