OF LOGICK: OR A SUMMARY OF THE GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND DIFFERENT MODES OF REASONING. BY LEVI HEDGE, A. M. DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, Be it remembered, that on the twenty ninth day of May, A. D. 1816, and in the fortieth year of the independence of the United States of America, LEVI HEDGE, Esq. of the said district, has deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as author, in the words following, viz: "Elements of Logick; or a summary of the general prin. ciples and different modes of reasoning. By LEVI HEDGE, A. M. Professor of Logick, Metaphysicks, and Ethicks, in Harvard College.” In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned;" and also to an act, entitled "An act supplementary to an act, entitled an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints." W. S. SHAW, S Clerk of the district of Massachusetts. PREFACE. MOST of the treatises of Logick in common use have been formed on the model of the ancient systems, and are encumbered with many scholastick subtilties and unimportant distinctions. The instructions, which they furnish on the subject of ratiocination, consist of very little more, than a description of the syllogism, and a few general principles of demonstrative reasoning. They contain no elements nor rules to assist us in reasoning on subjects of probability, or on the ordinary events of human life. The man ner, in which these books are written, is ill adapted to the comprehension of young minds. In explaining the operations of reasoning, many technical terms and arbitrary forms are employed, of which the tendency is rather to embarrass and perplex, than to instruct the learner. Though much has been written, of late years, on the powers and operations of the mind, yet there have been but few attempts to form a system of Logick for the use of those, who are commencing the study. Collard has improved the syllogism, by simplifying its principles, and divesting it of its ancient trappings of modes and figures. Condillac has proved the importance of the method of induction, by pointing out the manner in which nature teaches us to analyse the objects, which she presents to our observation. In "An Essay on the "elements, principles, and different "modes of reasoning," by Richard Kirwan, LL. D., all the subjects, which properly fall within the precincts of Logick, are amply discussed. But this work is too minute and prolix, to be used as a text book in seminaries of education. Every person, who is much conversant with this department of knowledge, must have perceived the want of a treatise of Logick, more elementary, and better accommodated to the present improved state of the philosophy of the mind, than any of those, which are now in use. The professed object of Logick is |