man; and that he cannot be a finished Philofopher till he is a Chriftian *. But whence it is that moral philosophy, which was so carefully cultivated in the ancient academy, should be forced in the modern to give place to natural, that was originally designed to be subservient to it? which is to exalt the handmaid into the place of the mistress † ; which appears not only a prepofterous, but a pernicious method of institution: for as the mind takes a turn of future life suitable to the tincture it hath received in youth, it will naturally conclude that there is no neceffity to regard, or at least to lay any stress upon those things which were never inculcated upon it as things of importance then; and so will grow up in a neglect or difesteem * Te in scientia proficisse credas, quantum in moribus fueris emendatior; eo usque doctum, in quantum bonum; ita philofophum, ut chriftianum. Præf. ad Nem. † Things were coming to this pass so early as Seneca's time; who laments that plain and open truth was turned into a dark and intricate Science. " Phi lofophy (fays he) is turned into philology; and " that through the fault both of masters and scho"lars. The one teach to dispute, not to live; and "the other come to them to mend their wits, not "their manners. Whereas philosophy is nothing " elfe but a rule of life." Quid autem philosophia, nisi vitæ lex est? Epift. 95. disesteem of those things, which are more necessary to make a person a wife and truly understanding man, than all those rudiments of science he brought with him from the school or the college. It is really a melancholy thing to fee a young gentleman of shining parts and a sweet disposition, who has gone through the common course of academical studies, come out into the world under an absopre lute government of his passions and judices; which have increased with his learning, and which, when he comes to be better acquainted with human life and human nature, he is soon sensible and ashamed of; but perhaps is never able to conquer as long as he lives, for want of that assistance which he ought to have received in his education: for a wrong education is one of those three things to which it is owing (as an ancient Christian philosopher justly observes) that so few have the right government of their passions *. I would I would not be thought to difparage any part of human literature; but should be glad to fee this most useful branch of science, the knowledge of the heart, the detecting and correcting hurtful prejudices, and the right government of the temper and passions, in more general esteem, as neceffary at once to form the Gentleman, the Scholar, and the Christian. * Εγγινονται δε τα φαυλα παθη τη ψυχη δια τριων τέλων· δια κακης αγωγης, εξ αμαθίας, υπο καχεξίας μη αχθέντες γαρ καλως εκ παίδων ως δυνασθαι κραζειν των παθων εις την αμετρίαν αυτων εμπιμπτομεν. “ Bad paf" fions fpring up in the mind three ways; viz. through a bad education, great ignorance, or a difor " der in the animal frame. I. From a bad education : "For And if there be any thing in the following sheets which may be helpful to students, who have a regard to the right government of their minds, whilst they are furnishing them with useful knowledge, I would particularly recommend them to their perufal. I have nothing further to add, but to defire the reader's excuse for the freedom with which I have delivered my sentiments in this matter, and for detaining him so long from the subject of the enfuing Treatise, which I now leave to his candid and ferious thoughts, and the bleff• ing of Almighty God to make it useful to him. A TREA " For if we have not been taught from our childhood " to govern our passions with all poffible care, they " will foon come to have the government of us. Nemef. de Nat, Hom. p. 182. A TREATISE OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE. PART I. CHAP. I. The Nature and Importance of the Subject. A DESIRE of knowledge is natural to all human minds. And nothing difcovers the true quality and disposition of the mind more than the particular kind of knowledge it is most fond of. Thus we fee that low and little minds are most delighted with the knowledge of trifles, as in children; an indolent mind, with that which serves only for amufement, or the entertainment of the fancy; a curious mind is best pleased with facts; a judicious, penetrating mind, with demonstration and mathematical science; a worldly mind esteems no knowledge like A that |