PHI 
&c. It makes what the French call the 
belles lettres. In the universities it is called 
humanities. Anciently, philology was only 
a part of grammar. 
PHILOSOPHER, a person versed in 
philosophy ; or one who makes profession 
of, or applies himself to, the study ot na- 
ture and morality. See Philosophy. 
Philosopher’s stone, the greatest ob- 
ject of alohymy, is a long sought for prepa- 
tion, which, when found, is to convert all 
the true mercurial part of metal into pure 
gold, better than any that is dug out of the 
mines, or perfected by the refiner’s art. 
PHILOSOPHY, mental. 1. That science 
which leaches us the laws of our mental 
flame, which shews us the origin of our vari- 
ous modes and habits of thought and feeling, 
how they operate upon one another, and 
how they are cultivated or repressed, is 
mental philosophy, or the philosophy of the 
human mind. The well directed study of it 
calls into action and improves the highest 
intellectual faculties ; and while it employs 
the powers of the mind, it suggests the best 
means for their culture, and the best mode 
of their direction. It enables us to trace 
the intricacies of our own hearts, and points 
out the proper discipline for their correc- 
tion. It discovers to us the real excellencies 
of the mind, and guides us in our efforts for 
the attainment of them. To success in form- 
ing the moral and mental character of 
others, it is more or less essential ; for it 
discloses the nature of our influence over 
their minds, and the best mode of exercis- 
ing it so as to bring their various faculties 
into the best adjusted and most perfect 
state. Pursued with proper views, and in 
a proper manner, it lays the best foundation 
for the highest degrees of intellectual, 
moral, and religious improvement. — “ There 
are difflculties,” to use the words of the 
great Hartley, “ both in the word of God 
and in his works j and these difficulties are 
sometimes so magnified as to lead to scep- 
ticism, infidelity, or atheism. Now the 
contemplation of our own frame and con- 
stitution appears to me to have a peculiar 
tendency to lessen these difficulties attend- 
ing natural and revealed religion, and to 
improve their evidences, as well as to con- 
cur with them in their determination of 
man’s duty and expectations.” 
2. The best ground-work for the pursuit 
of mental science is an accurate judgment, 
a discriminating penetrating intellect, and 
a habit of correct and cautious reasoning ; 
gntj therefore the best preparatory culture 
PHI 
of mind is the study of the various branches 
of the mathematics and of natural philoso- 
phy. But habits of reflection and good 
sense are all which are essential to the 
beneficial pursuit of mental science ; and 
with these, it wilt in all cases lead to results 
highly important to individual welfare and 
usefulness. — The young in particular will 
be led by an acquaintance with the practi- 
cal laws of the mind, to perceive how their 
present conduct affects their future charac- 
ter and happiness ; to perceive the impor- 
tance of avoiding a frivolous employment 
of their time, without any end beyond mere 
amusement ; to perceive the impossibility 
of indulging in vicious gratifications, with- 
out lessening their means of happiness, and 
checking their progress towards excellence. 
They will learn how habits are formed 
almost imperceptibly, and When long exer- 
cised how exceedingly difficult it is to era- 
dicate them ; they will learn to consider 
the formation of habits as requiring, there- 
fore, their utmost circumspection. They 
will be enabled to discern what habits of 
thought and feeling are baneful, what use- 
ful; what means of happiness should be 
regarded as of primary value, what should 
be regarded as secondary only. — In short, 
there can be no hesitation in affirming that 
next to the immediate pursuits of religion, 
to which the laws of the mind direct, a 
judicious acquaintance with those laws is 
the most important means for the right em- 
ployment of that period of life on which the 
happiness of our existence in a great mea- 
sure depends. 
3. We cannot even attempt to give our 
readers a complete system of this important 
science ; however brief it might be made, 
if it were as comprehensive as the subject 
requires it would occupy too great a portion 
of this work : what we wish to aim at is, to 
give such a view of the leading laws of our 
mental frame as may direct the thoughts of 
the inquirer into a right channel, and serve 
as a foundation for the results of attentive 
reflection, which reading may assist in gain- 
ing, but can seldom impart. 
OF THE PRIMARY FACULTIES OF THE 
MIND. 
4. That, whatever it be, which thinks, 
and feels, and wills, is called mind : that 
part of the human being which thinks, and 
feels, and wills, is called the human mind. 
5. We observe without us and within us 
numerous phenomena ; the object of philo- 
sophy is to deduce from them certain gene* 
