PREFACE. 



from a premature wish to anticijh 

 the result of deep calculations, or from, 

 other contingent occupations, would 

 have a general, yet clear, idea of ob- 

 jects, which zvithout the aid of philo- 

 sophy he cannot understand. To en- 

 able him to accomplish this desirable 

 end, the following pages are, as far 

 as possible, divested of the technical 

 difficulties which but too often form 

 impenetrable barriers to the expan- 

 sion of the rising mind. While, how- 

 ever, they endeavour to exhibit in a 

 -^amiliar manner that chain of con- 

 nexion which binds and unites all na- 

 ture, they will by no means supersede 

 an encouragement to penetrate into 

 those sciences whence the axioms, laws, 

 and calculations which relate to mat- 

 ter and motion are ascertained.. 



Having notified the design of this 

 little manuel, it is unnecessary to en- 

 force the importance of the. subject of 

 which it treats. No employment sure- 



