INTRODUCTION.* 



I. PHENOMENA AND SCIENCES CONNECTED WITH NATURAL OB- 



.'JECTS. As man is, necessarily and constantly, conversant with 

 natural objects, he cannot, if he would, be wholly withdrawn from 

 the physical phenomena, which are perpetually exhibiting the relations 

 of material things. 



In ancient times, every thing relating to natural bodies was inclu- 

 ded under PHYSICS, and this term therefore, comprised NATURAL HIS- 

 TORY, NATURAL PHILOSOPHY, and CHEMISTRY. Since the more ex- 

 tended cultivation of natural science, and particularly since the time 

 of Bacon and Newton, the external appearances! of natural bodies 

 have been included under NATURAL HISTORY, and their analysis and 

 composition are assigned to CHEMISTRY. 



1 . NATURAL PHILOSOPHY occupies itself with the general affections 

 and mechanical laws of bodies, with the physical f laws of light, heat, 

 magnetism and electricity, and in short, with all that is not inclu- 

 ded in the two other great divisions of natural science. It is a 

 science of high importance ; it is in every university, a regular 

 branch of education, and in every enlightened country, an object of 

 diligent cultivation. It is founded on observation and experiment, 

 and the application of the mathematics, in aid of its researches, has 

 given them both dignity and certainty. 



The mathematics are applied to most of the physical sciences, 

 not excepting Chemistry. 



They are founded on intuitive truths, and embrace the relations of 

 magnitude and number. In these relations, every one is interested, 

 and were there no other use in mathematics than to supply us with 

 precise ideas and terms, for the forms of external things, and with 

 correct expressions for the distances and positions of objects, they 

 would relieve us from much obscurity and confusion. The study 

 of the mathematics, greatly invigorates and sharpens the understand- 

 ing, by establishing habits of patient investigation, of exact method, 

 and close reasoning, besides conducting us also to many important 

 practical results. The mensuration of heights and distances, the 

 computations of quantity, both superficial and solid, and the linear 



* Revised and abridged from an introductory lecture of the author, published iu 

 October, 1828. 



t In part also under Natural Philosophy. 

 i As distinguished from the chemical laws. 



