1797] 
obftruéted, it convulfes the ftomach with 
rancid exhalations ; and if, by its gravity, 
it finds its way to the bowels, it tume- 
fies them with flatulent paroxy{ms: by 
its detention in both, it becomes acri- 
monious and mephytic; and, while its 
fumes arife and falute the brain with 
Palfy, its caput mortuum defcends, and 
lays the foundation of fiftula. Wery 
providentially, however, the evils of 
breakfaft are not aggravated by the 
dinner... Dinner is rather _a ceremony 
here, than a repaft; and thofe who are 
delicate and fick acquire popularity, 
by diffeminating among the multitude 
that food, which nothing but rude 
health, both of body and mind, could 
‘digeft. When it is finifhed, the chap- 
Jain calls upon the company to be 
_thankful for what they have received ; 
and the company, remembering they 
have breakfafted, join in the thankf- 
giving. 
The evils of the day are likewife 
happily alleviated by the early. hour of 
going to bed; and, if fleep forfakes the 
pillow, even fancy itfelf cannot charge 
it upon the fupper. ¢ 
Vhere are, notwithftanding, here, 
upwards of two hundred people, who, 
by talking continually of how much 
nature has left undone; and how little 
art has done for the place, increafe the 
fpleen ‘they hope to cure at_it; who 
{peak with rapture of the beauties and 
pleafures of Matlock, which, though 
within their reach, they never go to; 
and who hoping, by the power of ima- 
gimation, to convert a {moking cauldron 
into a cold bath, relax, and wafh to fen- 
fitive agony, thofe fibres, which require 
the tenfion of the bow-ftring, and the 
rigour of fteel! 

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
rOHE extenfive circulation of your 
Magazine, and the popularity it has 
juftly acquired, render it one of thg moft 
proper vehicles for conveying to the 
public, a plan which has been often in 
my contemplation, and which appears 
calculated to ferve the interefts of {cience 
and literature, not lefs effentially than a 
more elaborate undertaking. 
Previous to the happy invention of 
printing, it was impolhble co acquire 
erudition. otherwife, than through the 
medium of thofe great academical infti- 
tutions, which certainly, .fince the re- 
vival of letters, have nobly contributed 
to the improvement of mankind. When 
2 
Direétions in the Choice of elementary Books. 93 
books were fcarcely to be procured, it 
was abfolutely neceffary to attend to~ 
oral inftruction. The domeitic man, 
who could not enrol himfelf as a member 
of an univerfity, was placed out of the 
reach of improvement ; the late ftudent 
Knew not how to cultivate his hitherto 
neglected faculties; and the female fex 
were totally excluded. It has, however, 
been well remarked, that fince that great 
difeovery to which I allude, every book- 
feller’s fhop is become an Univerfity in 
itfelf. There are few {ciences which 
may not be acquired from books, as well 
as from leétures; and the modern lan- 
guages are as much the repolitories of, 
knowledge, as the ancient. ‘There are, 
however, few advantages entirely free 
from inconveniencies, and thus the mul- 
tiplicity of books is attended with a 
difficulty to the ftudent, in the choice 
and feleétion. He who refolves to ftudy 
without the aid of a tutor, knows not 
where to begin; and the facility of 
acquiring knowledge, is leffened by the 
danver of embracing error. 
I have. been, fir, a felf-taught man 
myfelf, .and I cannot but, remember, 
with pain. the dificulties I have encoun- 
tered, and the time I have loft, for want 
of that information which a man of fome 
reading might, with eafe, have imparted. 
I have, therefore, long withed for an 
opportunity of pointing out to young 
perfons, who may now be in the fituation 
in which I then was, a few initiatory 
treaties, as guides, in the feveral walks 
of fcience and literature, which may 
render their journey lefs fatiguing, and 
their courfe lefs devious than mine have 
been. This opportunity it is, fir, in 
your power to afford me; and I fiatter 
myfelf, you will not find it to your dife 
advantage to appropriate a fimall part of 
your Magazine, to an article which may 
be eventually of no inconfiderable ufe 
to the younger part of your readers— 
for, fince time is one of the moft valuable 
of our poffeffions, he who inftruéts us 
in the ceconomy of that article, is a bene- 
faétor to mankind. 
As I fhall, not addrefs myfelf to pro- 
-ficients in the feveral fciences, ir is not 
my intention to enter into any ciiticifms 
on thofe elaborate works, which are 
more calculated for the-ufe of profeffors, . 
than of ftudents—I fhall chiefly confine 
my endeavours to the tafk of enume- 
rating fuch elementary treatifes, as may 
lead to a general acquaintance with the 
moft uleful branches of human know- 
ledge. I have, not the vanity to believe, 
that either my reading is fo extenfive, 
See he 
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