INTRODUCTFON. xi

peculiarities of manner will be found referable to this Head. Indeed, as the chief inducement to his writing at all, was a defire to render fome truths, which his own experience hath taught him the importance of, more generally known and adverted to, than they feem hitherto to have been, he fometimes preffes thefe with a degree of carneftnefs that may lead him, like the Abbe de Saint Pierre, to recur to thefe fubjeéts oftener than the faftidioufnefs of modern criticifm might judge allowable: like the good Abbé, too, while he is willing to admit, that, if literary fame had been his chief objet, the criticifm may be Jjuft; yet with him, alfo, the author will be entirely fatisfied, if, at the price of reputed inelegance, he fhall be able to draw thefe objects into notice: for as he now looks with a comparative degree of indifference on that kind of literary fame which fo much attraéts the attention of younger men, and is neither anxious for wealth, nor future ag- grandifement, he proceeds in thefe difquifitions with a fteady earneftnefs, which to thofe who are accuftomed to the writings of men who are a€tuated by other views, may at times affume fomewhat of a harfh and ungracious afpett. He is not confcious, however, of being aétuated by the flighteft unkind propenfity towards any human b3

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