ADVERTISEMENT.

pe es Effays were written by the perfua-

fion of the late ingenious Dr.‘fobn a ys SOF Edinburgh, who see inte to ee the ee a of mankind to the purfuit of was folid and ufeful in arts os Jeiences, rather than to what mg bt be more{bo owy ond unimportant: Andas the writer concurred entirely with bim in opinion in this refpect, be bas aimed, in thefe Effays, rather to mnfirucl the ignorant by a fimple enumeration of a few well eftablifbed facts, than to amufe the{pecula-

tive by an os oa a of ufelefs he,

The Firft Part of this Book was nearly in the ? fame ee. ubich it now appears, when that gentle-

mon died, Feby uary, 1773 3—~fince which time, the autbor bas foundin himfelf little inclination to profe- cute a fuljel? which he was chiefly prompted to un- dertake by the pleafure be bad in doing what he thought might be agreeable to a friend he fo much efieemed, and from the profpett of having bis performance revifed by one who would have been no lefs ready to correct the faults, than to approve of what might be deemed praife-worthy. But the m ese having been carelefsly’ al- lowed to be feen by feveral perfons, and there be- ing reafon to Jufpelt that it might be publifbed under another form, it was judged proper to commit it