of Natural Philosophy. 127 
ner of handling it, ——* propositions, and haltings 
or ade movements in the march of investigation, for 
which the student whe? is unacquainted with the secrets 
of book making, and honestly ascribes the whole to the os- 
tensible author, will be utterly at a loss to accoun 
{n a treatise on Natural Philosophy vhs exclusively 
to introduce the student to the elements of the science, we 
= not so unreasonable as to look for oxigintality 4 in the ma- 
erlals. Accuracy and judicious selection in the principles, 
onions and experiments, unity of plan, and clearness of 
arrangement, together with a good degree of neatness and pre- 
cision in style, are all that can be expected, or even desired. 
The introduction of- rater eter in general 
pia ather impair than ¢ enhance the merits of a text-book for 
certainly have 
just enumerated we 
a — to expect, from one who takes on hinnelf the respon- 
sibility of adding to the number of books without adding to 
the amount of knowledge in the world ; while he contrib- 
utes to withdraw from public notice, and accelerate the obliv- 
ion of those older authors, who deserve the gratitude of pos= 
terity for their original discoveries. We can make no bet- 
ter apology for Dr. Enfield in allowing so ill-digested a com- 
pilation to go before the public, than to suppose that he was 
hindered from om giving it the necessary attention by the en= 
pcan of a laborious oe or Guat he seve not suf 
eem crete em his name : sheuld be ie in some way con- 
Ree: with the departments of physical and mathematical 
science. How far considerations of this nature may have 
had influence in bringing the Institutes of Natural ] ee 
phy before the public, we must leave for those 
better means of information concerning the denrkeee? of the 
author than ourselves, to decide. 
Whatever was the reason why this work érigivally ap- 
peared in se imperfect a state, it was at least incumbent om 
