aiv OR Re ir A Gece

deprived of the ufe of books, and attending more to the objects of his profeffion, than to the delicacies of ftyle, cannot be expected to write with a purity that might be required in a book of mere amufement. It is the matter, rather than the form, that ought to con- ftitute the principal merit of every didactic performance, And as the writer hereof knew that it would be in vain for him to expect to arrive at a claflical elegance of lan- guage, it has been his principal aim to convey his mean- ing to the Reader in the cleareft and moft diftin@ man- ner that he could, without any attempt at ornament. He obferves, however, with regret, upon perufing his book, that the great attention he has beftowed to render every thing he fays intelligible to every capacity, has introduce ed into his ftyle a certain languor and diffufe prolixity, that is extremely difagreeable to himfelf, and doubts not but many of his Readers will find it much more difgufting to them; but he finds, at the fame time, that it requires different talents to perceive a defect, and to be able to correct it properly. However, as he has not vilfully offended, he hopes for the indulgence of the

candid Reader in this refpect,

He

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