PREFACE. V 



artid has received, corre^ions in every line. Yet fince marr faults hav® 

 fceen ftill left in it, and fome have even been introduced in confeqoenr« 

 of an internriixture of ftyles ; a new rranflation would have been more fa- 

 tisfaffiory, and cercainly more eafy ; but the couviciion of this occurred 

 too late. 



The prefent compilation offers only one original article, befides a fensr 

 notes ; but it is as full of hiftorical raafter as the German e<Htion, and far 

 left digreilive ; it is con titter ably more cotrplete alfo ihan the French edi- 

 tion ; and twice as extenfi^^e in ifs effiutial parts as the Engilih. — It has 

 obtained thefe advant-iges by the privilege of rejeding or feledling from 

 each at pleafure. — The liberties taken uith the German and Frencii 

 works, have bten purfuant to a fpecial authority for the purpcfe, given by 

 their refped^ive authors. The liberality of Mr. Young alfo will not al- 

 low him to complain of the reform macle in the Englilb trar:{lation ; fines 

 he is intere^ed iu it by his zeal for the public benefit alone, and not by 

 his perfonal feelings. 



The compilation here ^fFsred to notice, profeffes not to be an original 

 work. It exhibits therefore (different fpealiers, and at different periods; 

 but the differences are made fufficienily diftinguiGiablc, 



It may be proper to Rate here, that the Philofophical Society of Za- 

 fJch fia Societe de phjjiqne) above referred to, which took great intereft 

 in Kliyogg ; had for its objedb, natural philofophy, its application to 

 common life, mathematics, natural hiliory, and medicine. — *♦ Its firft ro- 



* laooe (fays the Swifs author of our French tranflation,) contained thir- 



* teen memoirs, of which feven regarded agriculture foleiy. Dr. Hirzel's 

 < firft account of Kliyogg formed one of thefe articles ; * * * and produced 



* excellent efFefti. A number of the clergy recommended it from the 



* pulpit to their congregation?. I can teftify (adds the writer who lived 



* within twenty leagues of Zurich,) that the work even to its fmalleft par- 



* ticulars, was founded in the moft perfect truth," 



As to the Helvetic Society, it will be made fufHciently mcHiO'rxjble ir* 

 the courfe of the following pages. 



Something mufl: now b^ faid refpe^ingthe title of the Rural Soerafe*, 

 fLeSoerate Rujliqt/e^) by which Kliyogg has been characfierized. — The 

 amiable author of the French tranflation claims the merit of inventing 

 this title ; and Dr. Hirzel confirms his pretenfians. The editor indeed 

 has fome where feen the appellation in Vcltaire, but this author proba- 

 bly only borrowed it allofivcly trom the French tranflation. 



Socrates^ the antlenf Greek philofopher, was criginaJty a ^atuary \ 

 yet he improved the Athenians in their ideas of mor^Ury and divinity. 

 He may even be confidereJ as having it^fiuenced the faith of rrany Chritir-- 

 ians, fince he was the mafter of Plato, whofe difclples in the church of 

 Chrift have been numerous and important. Socrates pcfTesTed aifo « 

 mode of inculcating his precept?, finee called Socratic, which appeared s? 

 Angular to his cotemporaries as were his doLirines.-— Among the varioa.i 

 Interefling views of the life and ccsverfauon oi Socrates lo be foar.i 



