in Science^ Arts, and Letters, 1 1 



enterprise, in this department of human exertion, 

 has been more remarkable for the number of la- 

 bourers employed in it, than for the success of their 

 labours; though luxuriant foliage, more than sub- 

 stantial fruit, has abounded; yet much, within 

 this period, has been done. New and important 

 truth has been elicited: discoveries of an highly 

 interesting nature have been made: systems of 

 philosophy have assumed a more regular, consist- 

 ent, and dignified form: and various departments 

 of learning have been purged of the dregs, and 

 rescued from the rubbish with which the igno- 

 rance and the inexperience of former times had en- 

 cumbered them. 



At the close of the seventeenth century, the 

 stupendous mind of Newton, and the penetrating 

 genius of Locke, had laid their systems of matter 

 and of mind before the world. Like pioneers in 

 an arduous siege, they had many formidable 

 obstacles to remove — many labyrinths to ex- 

 plore — and the power of numberless enemies to 

 overcome. But they accomplished the mighty 

 enterprise. AVith cautious, but firm and dauntless 

 step, they made their way to the intrenchments of 

 fortified error; they scaled her walls; forced her 

 confident and blustering champions to retreat; and 

 planted the standard of truth, where the banner of 

 io:norance and of falshood had so lon<j waved. 



It cannot be supposed, mdeed, that these great 

 men taught nothinp; but the truth, and far less that 

 they taught the zvhote truth. They were fallible 

 mortals. They were liable to err. They did err. 

 But their achievements in the respective regions 

 of knowledge which they explored and culti- 

 vated, were so splendid, as to command the ad- 

 miration not only of their countrymen and con- 

 temporaries, but of the civilized world, and of 

 posterity. Besides all the light which they in- 



