Food. 285 



/> Whilst, however, I enter upon this attempt, which I feel to be an 

 arduous one, with great diffidence, chiefly, perhaps, because it carries 

 with it the appearance of departing- from the avowed design of the 

 work, yet, I cannot help indulging a. hope, (in case what I shall 

 advance shall not prove too abstract for the general reader,) that it 

 may be the means of bringing philosophers, and that description of 

 people who choose to call themselves (by way of distinction,) merely- 

 practical men, somewhat nearer to each other. ia^i 



And, thus, by mitigating somewhat of that asperity and contempt, 

 with which the latter are apt to think and speak of the opinions and 

 views of the former, convince them that a rational and sound theory, 

 is more intimately connected with successful practice, than it has 

 ever entered into their imagination, to conceive. And, if the 

 application of my humble abilities, towards the accomplishment 

 of this, which I cannot but consider a great National object, shall 

 not entirely fail of success, I shall venture to indulge a hope, 

 that some good will eventually accrue to the community, from 

 an attempt, which I consider to be, in a certain degree, novel. 

 For, according to my apprehension of this .matter, nothing seems 

 to stand so much in the way of improvement, or to prove such an 

 insuperable bar to the advancement of any great discovery, as 

 that prodigious chasm which lies between our merely -scientific, and 

 merely-practical men. » 



And, this chasm, neither party, unfortunately, ; seems desirous of 

 either filling up, or passing over. Instead, indeed, of evincing a 

 wish to meet, with a view of cp-operating in the furtherance of pub- 

 lic and private good, each party.seems rather intent upon shewing it's 

 strength, on opposite sides of the gap, in a sort of hostile attitude 



A4 



