VI PREFACE. 



till awakened by fortuitous circumstances ; and that 

 facts and principles, which alone are valuable in the 

 ordinary concerns of life, are left to be picked up at 

 random, or are adopted according to the exigency of 

 the passing moment. He is far, however, from blaming 

 this mode where the education is intended to be com- 

 plete, and where the university is employed to supply 

 what the grammar-school necessarily left unfinished. 

 He alludes only to the situation of youth destined to 

 the occupations of common life, the number of whom 

 must be infinitely the greatest in every country : and 

 who, as the years allotted to study are few, ought not 

 to spend the whole in gaining a mere smattering of 

 languages, but, at the same time, should lay in such a 

 stock of useful knowledge as may be beneficial in their 

 future pursuits, and may qualify them to support a 

 respectable rank in their sphere of action, and rescue 

 them from the disgrace of absolute ignorance, though 

 they may not aim at profound attainments in learning, 

 To accomplish this desirable purpose, he is strong!} 

 of opinion that in all seminaries of education, parti- 

 cular regard should be paid to the private studies of 

 the pupils ; and, since many hours must be left to their 

 own disposal, that such elementary books should be 

 recommended to their notice as will instruct under the 

 mask of amusement, communicate a knowledge of 

 real life and manners, or lead to the vestibule of science, 

 and point out the means of penetrating to the inner 

 recesses of her temple. Many able writers, whose 

 steps it is his boast to follow, have furnished works on 

 detached parts of knowledge, morals, and science; 

 but the catalogue is still incomplete; and, since no 

 person better qualified has adopted his views, he means, 

 occasionally, to avail himself of that favour which his 



