t * ] 



the difficulties which beginners laboured under, 

 undertook to put my fcattered thoughts in 

 this order. Natural ifts agreed with me, in 

 thinking the barrier, which had a long while 

 been defended with iuch ardour, was now 

 beaten down, and that it was neceflary ano- 

 ther fhould be ereded in its ftead, as good as 

 could be procured, until a perfed one might 

 be in time difcovered. 



Such an enterprize it was thought would 

 promote this defirable end, when on one 

 iide I refleded upon the paffion which our 

 learned have for difputing, and on the other 

 part coniidered the gracious reception which 

 the Arts and Sciences have met with at this 

 time, from thofe to whom the heavy burthen 

 of governing human focieties is allotted. It is 

 from their care we are to exped the compleat 

 tribunal where all difputes in this matter can 

 be accurately decided, and all things be rendered 

 truely ufeful ; I mean the inftitution of a Labo- 

 ratory 3 where the light, grinding and polifh- 

 ing; where the air, liquid, and dry difTolvents 

 and alfo fire in all its degrees, from the eledri- 

 cal to that of the burning-glafs, may be em- 

 ployed as means to obtain the knowledge of 

 thefe intricate and unknown bodies. 



To a fimilar circumftancc, perhaps, thofe 

 chemical experiments upon vegetables were 

 owing, which were made many years ago in a 

 certain kingdom ; and though they did not 

 anfwer at that time the intended purpofe, yet 

 they may at fome future time be repeated with 



advantage, 



