XVI THE PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE. 



qualification than a love of knowledge, and a zeal 

 for the promotion of it. 



Your inftitution, I am perfuaded, will ripen 

 of itfelf ; and your meetings will be amply lup- 

 plied with interefting and amufing papers, as foon 

 as the object of your inquiries fhall be generally 

 known. There are (it may not be delicate to 

 name them, but there are) many from whofe im- 

 portant ftudies I cannot but conceive high expec- 

 tations. And, as far as mere labour will avail, I 

 fincerely promife, that, if, in my allotted fphere 

 of jurifprudence, or in any intellectual excurhon 

 that I may have leifure to make, I fhould be fo 

 fortunate as to collecl;, by accident, either fruits 

 or flowers, which may feem valuable or pleafing, I 

 fhall offer my humble Nezr to your Society with 

 as much refpe6lful zeal as to the greatefl potentate 

 on earth. 





TRANSACTIONS 



