WRITINGS O F D R. SMITH. XLVll

human nature, how all its various parts might gra-dually have arifen, the mind is not only to a cer-tain degree fatisfied, but a check is given to thatindolent philofophy, which refers to a miracle,whatever appearances,-both in the natural andmoral worlds, it is unable to explain.

To this fpecies of philofophical invefligation,which has no appropriated name in our language, -I lliall take the liberty of giving the title of Theo-retical or Conjectural Hi/lory ; an expreffion whichcoincides pretty nearly in its meaning with that ofNatural Hijlory , as employed by Mr. Hume®,and with what fome French writers have calledHijloire Raifontiee.

The mathematical fciences, both pure and mix-,ed, afford, in many of their branches, very fa-vorable fubjedfs for theoretical hiftory; and avery competent judge , the late M. d’ALEMRERT,has recommended this arrangement of their ele- ,mentary principles, which' is founded on the na-tural fucceflion of inventions and difcoveries, asthe heft adapted for interefling the curiofity andexercifmg the genius of ftudents. The fame authorpoints out as a model a palfage in Montucla ’sHiftory of Mathematics, where an attempt is madeto exhibit the gradual progrefs of philofophicalfpeculation, from the ftrft conclufions fuggefted bya general furvey of the heavens, to the do chines

See his Natural Hiftory of Religion.