534 memoir or 



constitution, until it terminated in the memorable era of the 

 Revolution. From this central point of observation, he took 

 occasion, at different times, to direct the attention of his stu- 

 dents to the contemporary history of mankind, — to mark to 

 them the successive changes that were occurring upon the Con- 

 tinent of Europe, — to introduce to them those new empires 

 which at one period the frenzy of fanaticism, and at another the 

 avarice of commerce, had revealed to the European eye, — and 

 to awaken their attention to the mighty consequences which 

 the establishment of Christianitv, the invention of printing 

 the discovery of the New World, and the spirit of the Refor- 

 mation, have had upon the general character and manners and 

 happiness of modern times. With these great subjects he 

 gladly at times interwove the history of literature and sci- 

 ence ; and while his attention was chiefly directed to the pro- 

 gress of British literature, he led the observation of his stu- 

 dents to the contemporary history of learning upon the Eu- 

 ropean Continent, and to the examination of those general 

 causes which had influenced the successive steps of its pro- 

 gress, from the time of the revival of letters to the brilliant 

 period when his lectures closed. 



The success of this course of lectures was sufficient, (as Mr 

 Tytler has said,) " to compensate the labours of the author." 

 They came to form an important part in the system of general 

 education ; and he soon numbered among his students, not only 

 those who were destined to the profession of the law, but the 

 young of every different description, whose education was con- 

 ducted upon liberal and philosophical principles. The little vo- 

 lume which he published in 1782, under the title of Outlines of a 

 Course of Lectures, for the assistance of his students, became 

 so popular, that he found himself called upon to present it to 

 the world, in a larger form, under the title of Elements of Ge- 

 neral 



