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PREFACE.* xxi

myself to several os my friends, whom I thought capableof taking up the pen for me, offering to furnish themwith materials by word of mouth : but finding this me-thod not practicable, from the difficulty of one man’sexpressing the ideas of another, especially on a subjectwhich he was either unacquainted with, or was new inits kind, I was therefore reduced to an attempt of find-ing such words as would best answer my own ideas,being now too far engaged to drop the design. Here-upon, having digested the matter as well as I could,and thrown it into the form of a book, I submitted itto the judgment of such friends whose sincerity andabilities I could best rely on, determining on their ap-probation or distike to publish or destroy it: but theirfavourable opinion of the manuscript being publiclyknown, it gave such a credit to the undertaking, assoon changed the .countenances of those,, who had abetter opinion of my pencil, than my pen, and turn’dtheir sneers into expectation : especially when the famefriends had kindly made me an offer of conducting thework through the press*. And here I must acknowledgemyself particularly indebted to one gentleman for hiscorrections and amendment of at least a third-part ofthe wording. Through his absence and avocations,several sheets went to the press without.any assistance,and the rest had the occasional inspection of one or twoother friends. If any inaccuracies ssiall be found in

the