PREFACE. 
THESE letters were written partly for 
the writer's amufement, but princi- 
cipally with the defign of introducing the 
young fre/Jj-mar\y to whom they were ad- 
dreffed, to an early acquaintance with the 
elements of the fciences he was about to 
cultivate: they were not defigned, in any 
degree, to fuperfede, or render lefs necefTary, 
theinftrucYions of his college-tutors ; rather, 
on the contrary, to facilitate the cultivation, 
by clearing the furface of its indigenous 
weeds, and thus preparing the frefh land 
for the reception of the plough. 
Young minds naturally incline to frivo- 
lous diffipation ; they cannot continue long 
inactive; it feems therefore neceflary to al- 
lure them to rational purfuits, before tri- 
fling becomes a habit. 
A faftidious examiner, will, in thefe epif- 
'tles, find fufficient matter for criticifm; but, 
I hope, he will allow me to plead the privi- 
lege of that inattention to abfolute precifion 
and methodical arrangement, which, in fa- 
miliar 
