[ ^ J 



afibtd a dcfirable entertainment to tliofe of more enlarged under- 

 ilanding, and cultivated tafte. 



It is not however, on account of the difTemination of inoxvMge 

 alone that the editor calls the attention of the public to this work ; but 

 hccaufe it is equally adapted to the extirpation of error. Facils, efpe- 

 cialiy when tlicy rcfpe<5t diftant objefls, are often inipcrfedlly known, 

 or much milreprcfcntcd by thoie who communicate them to the public. 

 When thii. happens, in the ordinary modes of publication, fuch mif- 

 reprefentations cannot be ealily dll'covered. It may be long before fuch 

 publications fall m the way of thofe who know the iz&.s with precifion : 

 and when this at lafl docs happen, it requires fo (!;reat an exertion, in 

 thefe ciicumftances, to put matters to rights, that few perfons find 

 themfelves difpoled to undertake the talk. Even when this (iiificulty 

 is overcome, the talk is but iniperfeiilly accomplilhcd. Thoufands may 

 liave been milled by the luppofed faft, who may never have an oppor- 

 tunity of meeting with its refutation. Thefe, in their turn, may reafon 

 upon the tu>S, and publilh it in other works. Error may thus be 

 propagated among millions who never Ihall have an opportunity of get- 

 iiig thefe falfe notions corrected. Tliis could not happen, fliould the in- 

 tended mifcellany meet with as general a circulation as it is naturally 

 ful'ceptible of. In that cafe, the publication would foon fall into the 

 hands of fome one who would know with precifion the fa(5ls that oc- 

 curred in it, even with refpcd to very diltant objetfts : And as errors 

 of this fort might be rei5Vined, in many cafe->, by a few lines, which 

 would coft little ttouWe to write, aod be attended with no expence, 

 Dor be accompanied with obloquy nor any other diiagrceable effect 

 to the writer, there feems to be no room to doubt, that the native 

 love of truth, which is congenial to the human mind, would prompt 

 fuch perfons cheerfully to point out errors wherever they occurred ; and 

 as thefe corredfions would come in I'ucccfllon to be read by the very 

 perfons who had been at firft milled, the evil would be quickly redi- ■ 

 fled, and this great inlet to error be flopped up nearly at its fource, 

 Doubtful tails alfo, that occurred in other writings, might thus be af- 

 certained ; and error be at laft fo thorough'y fcrretted out from a'l 

 its intricate retreats, as to make truth to reign triumphartt over 

 all the regions of fcience. Such, then, being the great obje6ts aimed' 

 at in this appare-itly humble work, it will not be wondered at that 

 the editor not only does not wifh to conceal his name from die public, 

 but is even proud to have given birth to fuch an undertaking. U 

 his former writings pdflefs any merit at all, they owe it entirely to 

 an unremitting delire in him to promote the general good of man- 

 kind ; and he trufts, that his efTorts to render as perfeCf as he can, this 

 much greater and more ufeful performance, may entitle him to hope for 

 a continuance, and an extenlion even, of that favour, which he has, 

 on all former occafions, fo liberally expejicnccd from an ever indulgent 

 public. .Should he fail in this attempt, he fhall regret it as a misfortune, 

 and afcribe it to tlie weaknefs of his powers, that have not been fuffi- 

 cicnt to roufc the public attention to a fubjetft of fuch univerfal n\o- 

 mcnt ; and to the acddcntiU waywardiicfs of the times. If, however. 



