THE BELLES LETTRES. 3 



II. We comprehend, therefore, under the term 

 belles Icttrcs, all thole inftruftive and pleafing 

 fciences which occupy the memory and the judg- 

 ment, and do not make part, either of the fu- 

 perior fciences, cf the polite arts, or of me- 

 chanic profeflions, &c. To thefe we confecrate 

 this third volume of the analyfis of the fci- 

 ences , and we trull that we fnall not omit any of 

 them that ought naturally to be here included : 

 for we hope, that memory and judgment will 

 ferve us as companions and guides in this long 

 and difficult career. 



III. All that relates to hiftory or philology, 

 requires at firil, nothing more than fight and 

 memory. In our carlieft years thofe faculties 

 are in their gyc.iteft vigour , all objects that then 

 prefent themlrlves make the mod lively and 

 Jading imprefTions : the memory feems to trace 

 on a young mind all thofe fciences which it is 

 capable of comprehending, with indelible 

 characters. The difcerning faculty is formed 

 more (lowly , the mind requires a longer time 



n the* capacity of dirtinguifliing thofe 



objects that are preferred to it by the fight or 



the memory. The judgment, or undcrltand- 



requires dill more time to combine thofe 



ro compare them c h other, to 



'. cone hi - 



, to form them into fyftems, and to reduce 

 : into fciences. 1 



mory 



