of the Sciences and Arts. ar^ 



attention in providing the implements neceflary 

 fpr his purpofe j fo it will behove us to be dilii- 

 gent in attaining thefe preliminary endowments, 

 without which our labours may either be partially 

 fruftrated, or may entirely fail of fuccefs. 



Of real knowledge there are two fources, foli- 

 tary obfervation or inquiry; and information 

 derived from the previous knowledge of others; 

 which laft is by far the moft copious of the two ; 

 but as this can only be communicated by the aid 

 of language, either oral or written, fo the cer- 

 tainty of the ideas we thus acquire, will depend 

 on the Ikill we have attained in that language, 

 by means of which the information is conveyed. 



Thus the acquifition of different languages 

 becomes neceflary; but in this, as in other inftan- 

 ces, care muft be taken that we miftake not the 

 means for the end; and whilft we are employed 

 in preparing further materials, fufFer not fo much 

 of the building as we have already erefted to fall 

 to decay. To exert ourfelves in attaining a 

 knowledge of language, for the purpofe of em- 

 ploying that knowledge in higher purfuits, is 

 truly laudable ; but to be converfant only with 

 words, and fuffer the fciertce to center in itfelf, is 

 abfurd and improvident. 



It is unneceflary to enter into an inquiry, how- 

 far tranOations may fupply the deficiencies of 

 clafTical learning; or to point out the many ad- 

 vantages of which fuch learning is produdive; 



. this 



