統治論断片

Southampton-Street in the Strand; and E. Bxooxs, in Bell-Yard, Temple-Bar, M.DCC.LXXVI, * Coe DOES, _ Al * PREFACE Motives of | the preſent feftion. In the natural world, in particular, every undertakinge TX age we live in is a buſy age; in which —— knowledge is rapidly advancing towards perthing teems with diſcovery and with improvement. The moſt diſtant and reconditexregions of the earth traverſed and explored—the all-vivifying and ſubtle element of the air ſo recently analyzed and made i known to us,—are ſtriking evidences, were all i 1 j others wanting, of this pleaſing truth, —_ | Correſpondent to diſcovery and improvement in the natural world, is reformation in the moral: it that which ſeems a common notion be, indeed, a true one, | that in the moral world there no longer remains any | matter for diſcovery. Perhaps, however, this may not be the caſe: perhaps among ſuch obſervations | as would be beſt calculated to ſerve as grounds for | reformation, are ſome which, being obſervations of | matters of fa& hitherto either incompletely noticed, | | or not at all, would, when produced, appear ca- | pable of bearing the name of diſcoveries : with ſo little method and preciſion have the conſequences | of | "A * Motives of the preſent undertaking. If to this endeavour we ſhould fancy any Author, * P R F of this fundamental axiom, it is the greateſt happineſs of the greaigſt number that is the meaſure of right and wrong, been as yet developped. Wo give that finiſh which I was able, and which I thought was neceſſary : and to publiſh it in this de- — — e e ö tached manner, as the firſt, if not the only part of a work, .…