[ s 3 
the di^culties wliich beginners laboured uridef, 
undertook to put my fcattered thoughts iri 
this order. Naturalifts agreed with me, in 
thinking the barrier, which had a long while 
been defended with fuch ardour, was now 
beaten down, and that it was necelTary ano- 
ther fliould 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 
lide I refleded upon the paffion which our 
learned have for dilputing, and on the other 
part confidered 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 inftitiition of a Labo- 
ratory 3 where the light, grinding and polilh- 
ing 5 where the air, liquid, and dry diffolvents 
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 circumftance, perhaps, thofe 
chemical experiments upon vegetables were 
owing, which v/ere 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. 
