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INTRODUCTION.

ALL art is founded in fcience, and the

fcience is of little value which does not

ferve as a foundation to fome beneficial art. On the moft fublime of all sciences, theology and ethics, Is built the most important of all arts, the art of living. The abftract mathematical fciences ferve as a ground-work to the arts of the landmeasurer and the accountant; and in conjunction with natural philofophy, including geography and aftronomy, to thofe of the architect, the navigator, the dialist, and many others. Of what confequence anatomy is to furgery, and that part of phyfiology which teaches the laws of gravitation and of motion, is to the artificer, is a matter too obvious to need illuftration. The general remark might, if neceffary, be exentplified throughout the whole circle of arts, both ufeful and elegant. Valuable knowledge therefore always leads to fome practical skill, and is perfected in it. On the other hand, the practical skill lofes much of its beauty and extenfive VOL. I. utility,

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utility, which does not originate in knowledge. There is by confequence a natural relation between the fciences and the arts, like that which fubfifts between the parent and the offspring.

I ACKNOWLEDGE indeed that thefe are sometimes unnaturally feparated; and that by the mere influence of example on the one hand, and imitation on the other, fome progrefs may be made in an art, without the knowledge of the principles from which it fprang. By the help of a few rules, which men are taught to use mechanically, a good practical arithmetician may be formed, who neither knows the reafons on which the rules he works by were firft eftablished, nor ever thinks it of any moment to inquire into them. In like manner, do we not frequently meet with expert artifans, who are ignorant of the fix mechanical powers, which, though in the exercife of their profeffion they daily employ, they do not understand the principles whereby, in any inftance, the refult of their application is afcertained? The propagation of the arts may therefore be compared more juftly to that variety which takes place in the vegetable kingdom, than to the uniformity which obtains univerfally in the animal world; for, as

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to the anomalous race of zoophytes, I do not comprehend them in the number. It is not al ways neceffary that the plant fpring from the feed, a flip from another plant will often anfwer the purpose. There is, however, a very confiderable difference in the expectations that may jufly be raised from the different methods followed in the acquifition of the art. Improve ments, unless in extraordinary inftances of genius and fagacity, are not to be expected from those who have acquired all their dexterity from imitation and habit. One who has had an edu cation no better than that of an ordinary me chanic, may prove an excellent manual operator; but it is only in the well-inftructed mechanician, that you would expect to find a good machinift. The analogy to vegetation above fuggefted, holds here alfo. The off-fet is commonly no more than à mere copy of the parent plant. It is from the feed only you can expect, with the aid of proper culture, to produce new varieties, and even to make improvements on the fpecies. "Expert men," fays Lord Bacon, "can execute and judge of particulars, one by "oné; but the general counfels, and the plots "and marshalling of affairs, come beft from "those that are learned."

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INDEED, in almost every art, even as used by mere practitioners, there are certain rules, as hath been already hinted, which muft carefully be followed, and which ferve the artist instead. of principles. An acquaintance with thefe is one ftep, and but one step towards fcience. Thus in the common books of arithmetic, intended folely for practice, the rules laid down for the ordinary operations, as for numeration, or numerical notation, addition, fubtraction, multiplication, divifion, and a few others, which are fufficient for all the purposes of the accountant, ferve inftead of principles; and, to a fuperficial obferver, may be thought to fuperfede the study of any thing further. But their utility reaches. a very little way, compared with that which refults from the knowledge of the foundations of the art, and of what has been, not unfitly, ftyled arithmetic univerfal. It may be juftly faid, that, without fome portion of this knowledge, the practical rules had never been invented. Refides, if by these the particular questions which come exactly within the description of the rule may be folved, by the other fuch. general rules themselves, as serve for the folution of endless particulars, may be difcovered.

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