OR, A PHILOLOGICAL LIBRARY O F LITERARY ARTS and SCIENCES. VIZ. J. THEOLOGY; or the First Principles of Natural Religion. II. ETHICS, or MORALITY; the Doctrine of Moral Virtues. IV. JUDAISM; or the Religion and State of the Jews. V. MAHOMETANISM; or the Life, Religion, and Polity of Mabomet. VI. GENTILISM; or the Deities and Religion of the Heathen. VII. MYTHOLOGY; or an Explanation of Fabulous Hiftories. VIII. GRAMMAR and LANGUAGE, particularly of the English Tongue. XI. ONTOLOGY; or the Science of Being abstractedly confidered. XII. POETRY; or the Art of making Verfes or Poems. XIII. CRITICISM; or Art of judging well of Men and Things. XIV. GEOGRAPHY; or a Defcription of the World. XVI. HISTORY; with the Original of Nations and Kingdoms. XIX. ANATOMY; or a Description of the Parts of an Human Body. XX. PHARMACY; or the Art of making Medicines. XXI. MEDICINE; or the Theory of Phyfic and Difcafes. XXII. POLITY and OECONOMICS; or the Doctrine of Society and Government. XXIII. JURISPRUDENCE; or the Knowledge of Law or Right. XXIV. HERALDRY; or Art of Blazoning Coat-Armour. XXV. MISCELLANIES: An Account of the Mathematical Arts and Sciences. By BENJ. MARTIN, LONDON: Printed by S. Idle for JOHN NOON, at the White Hart, MDCC XXXVII. To the SUBSCRIBERS. GENTLEMEN, T O fay any thing in Praife of Learning, in an Address to You, would be difingenuous and affronting; fince no Perfons, even in the narroweft and moft obfcure Scenes of Life, in Europe's happy Climes, can be found unapprized of this certain Truth, That Learning is the effential and diftinguishing Characteristic of Man, and is the proper Boundary between Human and Brute Nature. For 'tis not Form alone that conftitutes a Beaft; nor is Reafon the fole Prerogative of the Human Species: Brutes of moft Sorts make wonderful Overtures of Reason; but the Mysteries of Learning are Things too facred for any Species of Animals, but those who bear the Image of their Creator, to be admitted to. To be unlearned, then, is to be, not only unpolite, but really unhuman: Ignorance unmans us, and moft effectually reduces us to the Level of Brutes. How furprizing is the Difference between Learning and Ignorance! How very great the Distance between an Englishman and an Hottentot! What Solomon obferves, in another Cafe, holds good here; Learning exalts a Nation, but Ignorance is the Shame of any People. FROM these Reflections, and many others of the fame fort which might be made, it is apparent, that any Apology for an Attempt to promote Learning and Knowledge among Men must be perfectly fuperfluous and abfurd: And that You, SIRS, feem very fenfible of this, is evident from your ready and generous Subfcription to the bare Propofal of printing a Book on the Literary Arts and Sciences; and I have good Reafon to believe the Reputation of all Kinds A of 133654 of Erudition is at prefent very general and very great in our Land, from the good Reception the feveral Tracts, I have publish'd in the Mathematical Way, have met with from the Public, and the unexpected Success I have been favour'd with in publishing these Philological Difciplines. THIS Book, 'tis true, is but an Introduction to this Sort of Literature, yet fuch as (generally speaking) will exhibit a clear Idea of the most effential, confiderable, and curious Parts which make the Substance or Body of each Science. The Nature of an Epitome is like that of an Extract, which contains the Virtue of a large Quantity in a fmall Mass; every Part of which is efficacious, and may be conveniently taken, where the Substance, in grofs, would nauseate, and be rejected. Tho' it be agreeable to the Nature of every Man to defire Knowledge, yet 'tis well known that these Acquirements are fought very much on the Conditions of Eafe and Pleafure; and Men, in general, are not so much wanting in Capacity, as in Time and Pocket, for gaining Literary Accomplishments. Huge Tomes, and great Prices, are, like Mines, the Property of the Great; while Epitomes, and leffer Systems of Science, like Metals feparate from Ore, can only be of general Ufe. The Bulkiness and Multiplicity of Books have been judged no fmall Obstacles to the Progrefs of Knowledge; as on the contrary, a few felected or well-wrote ones make the moft advantageous Library. To fpeak particularly of all the Subjects treated of in this Book, would be tedious: It may fuffice to fay in general, That they are abridged from fuch as are reputed very good Authors; that they contain the Subftance of all the Principles, Rules, and Doctrines peculiar to each of them; that they take in all the important Difcoveries and Improvements made in every Art or Science that could poffibly fall within the Compafs of the Defign; that proper Care has, 'tis hoped, been taken to conduct and difpofe the feveral Materials of every Art or Science in the most natural, convenient, and inftructive Order and Method; and lastly, that all the different Subjects do, in regard of Quality, Connection, Dependence, &c. make a compendious Syftem of Philological Literature. WHAT WHAT now remains is, that I make a grateful Acknow ledgment of your Favours, in countenancing and encouraging my Defign, and affifting me in the Publication thereof by your generous and liberal Subfcriptions. The only (tho' unufual) Way that I can beft teftify this to most of you is by an humble Offering of the Book itfelf, which I infcribe and dedicate to yourfelves, and beg you'll vouch fafe it the honourable Patronage of your Names: Its Fate under your Protection muft needs, from first to last, be aufpicious and fortunate: Your general Approbation and Commendation will ftrike Momus dumb, and put Envy itfelf upon the Rack. I fhall therefore be fecure and free from all Anxiety, if what I here offer be in any wife agreeable to your Expectation, or worthy your Acceptance. I am fure I have endeavour'd all I could to render it fo: On this account I have added Ten Sheets more than I proposed, which is no fmall Diminution of my Profit; and I hope you will have no Occafion to complain of the ungrateful and infamous Practice of felling the Book to Non-fubfcribers for less than the Subfcription- Price. I DOUBT not, GENTLEMEN, but the fame Benevolence which appears in your Subfcription, will, on all proper Occafions, fhew itfelf in promoting the Sale of the Remainder of the Impreffion, by recommending the Book to fuch as have not had an Opportunity of fubfcribing: If it can on any account deferve your good Opinion and Charaêter, they will never fail of conciliating the Good-liking and Acceptance of others. I am not fo unacquainted with Human Nature, as to pretend to have perform'd without Faults; nor fo much a Stranger to your Goodness and Candor, as to think an Apology on that Score neceffary. It remains only, that, with the profoundest Refpect and Sentiments of Gratitude, I fubfcribe myself, Honourable GENTLEMEN, Your Moft Obliged Humble Servant, BENJ. MARTIN. |