this subject, before he subjected himself to the toil of fairly determining, whether such opinions were justly attributed to them. His mind, as I conceive, commenced its inquiries at the wrong point, and under the influence of prepossessions greatly calculated to mislead it. Hence the too easy credulity, with which the Dr. embraced the opinion, that all the philosophers agreed in receiving the ideal theory, which is the groundwork of his system, and which, resting upon so sandy a foundation the whole superstructure, must soon go to ruin. He contemplated the theories of all preceding philosophers, through the discoloured medium of Mr. Hume's sceptical conclusions; and he might as well have expected to determine the doctrines of the gospel, through the medium of that writer's sceptical doubts about religion. I trust, I shall be able to show to your entire satisfaction, and that of the learned world, that, instead of scepticism being inlaid in the old theory, as the Dr. affirms, there is no kind of connection, between the premises of Mr. Hume or Berkeley, and the principles of Mr. Locke. And, should I be so fortunate as to succeed in accomplishing this task, I doubt not you will perceive, not only will Mr. Locke and other philosophers, be restored to those well-merited honours, from which, for a time, at least, they have been degraded; but no inconsiderable service will have been rendered also, to the interesting science of human nature. No small part of that task, which we have to perform in the cultivation of science, consists in the detection and exposure of errors; and the very first step, which we make in our attempts to advance still farther towards perfecting any of the branches of philosophy, is to ascertain with precision and accuracy, the limits to which it has been already extended, and nicely to mark, in all cases, the lines of separation between what is true and false in the received doctrines about it; or in other words, determine whether philosophers have succeeded or failed, in their attempts to furnish solutions of the various

phenomena of nature. This is a preliminary step, indispensable to the future progress of any branch of learning. How far I have succeeded in accomplishing this task in the present work, and what degree of credit is due to those views of the several topics discussed, which may be considered as new and original, must be left to you and other able judges to decide. One merit in the performance, I think I may claim with confidence and without presumption, and that is, that throughout all my inquiries, I have sought with the greatest impartiality and solicitude, to obtain access to the truth, and assign to each author his due proportion of merit in its discovery.

This performance has naturally and unavoidably assumed, under my hand, much more of a polemical cast, especially in the commencement, than I could have desired; but for this, those are responsible who have undertaken to call in question, and subject to the hazard of doubtful disputation, doctrines which, previously to their times, had been considered by all learned and scientific men, as established in the science of the human mind. It is they who have essayed to subvert old foundations, and have opened the fountains of controversy upon this subject, and if the streams of bitterness should flow, they have nothing to accuse but their own imprudence and temerity. If in some instances, it shall be thought by the abettors of the system recently broached in metaphysics, that I have treated with undue severity, the Scottish writers upon this subject, let the provocation which they have given to the votaries of this science be my apology. Those who have undertaken to decry the discoveries of their predecessors, can have no just cause of complaint, if they shall find their own claims, zealously, and even sharply contested. In the Republic of Letters, where the only dominion which prevails, is that of reason and argument, a perfect freedom of thinking is allowed; and under the exercise of this undisputed right, error can calculate upon nothing

but complete detection and exposure, sophistry only upon having the veil of its fallacies removed, while ignorance and imbecility, can expect no quarter from the overpowering influence of ridicule and contempt.

There is scarcely a fundamental doctrine in the whole system of Locke, which Dr. Reid has not endeavoured to unsettle; and in fact, if his representation of the philosophy of Locke be true, the Treatise upon Human Understanding, should be laid upon the shelf of the student, as useless, and fitted only to engage the attention of those who are curious to become acquainted with the visionary schemes of ingenious men, and his whole system considered as completely superseded, as is that of Aristotle in Natural Science. Now to those who believe, that this representation of the case is altogether unfounded, and that the theory of Mr. Locke, never has been, and never can be overturned, but that, in all fundamental points, it will remain entire, as long as the human mind shall retain its present properties, be governed by the same laws, and exhibit the same phenomena; surely some freedom of animadversion should be indulged, in reference to the opinions of those, who have thus endeavoured to subvert it. The sentiments of Bishop Warburton, in regard to Locke's system, we may rest assured, will at last prevail. "But the sage Locke," says he, " in a letter to Bishop Hurd, supported himself by no system, on the one hand; nor, on the other, did he dishonour himself by any whimsies. The consequence of which was, that, neither following the fashion, nor striking the imagination, he, at first, had neither followers nor admirers; but being every where clear, and every where solid, he, at length, worked his way, and afterwards was subject to no reverses. He was not affected by the new fashions in philosophy, who leaned upon none of the old; nor did he afford ground for the after attacks of envy and folly, by any fanciful hypotheses, which, when grown stale, are the most nauseous of all things." To sustain

this view of Locke's philosophy, is one of the purposes attempted to be accomplished in the following work. We solicit only a candid and unbiassed hearing, and have no wish but that reason and argument should ultimately triumph.

Those portions of the work in which, while treating of the grounds of human knowledge, I have been led incidentally to discuss the evidences of the Christian religion, I hope will meet with your approbation. In reference to the subject of miracles, more particularly, I have endeavoured to show, that those which are recorded in sacred scripture, are not only credible upon the ordinary authority of history, but also defensible from all those objections, which have been alleged against them, upon the strictest principles of philosophical investigation; and that our holy faith, in this instance, as in all others, instead of being resolvable into a blind credulity, as its enemies pretend, or reposing itself upon "cunningly devised fables," rests upon the solid foundations of right reason, and the irrefragable conclusions of a sound philosophy.

But it is unnecessary, that I should intrude upon your time and attention, by a long prefatory disquisition. Those talents which you have discovered at every period of life, and which have, at length, elevated you to that exalted station which you now hold, with so much advantage to the church, and honour to your country; will enable you, without any aid from me, justly to decide upon the merits of that production, which is now, not without sentiments of undissembled diffidence and solicitude, I assure you, presented to the public.

In concluding this brief address, I trust I shall be allowed, without subjecting myself to the censure of making an attempt at adulation, to express my decided admiration of those exalted qualities, both of the understanding and the heart, which have given you so distinguished a rank among your fellow citizens. Almost all mankind, are sensible of

that quick intuition, powerful reason, and commanding eloquence, the force of which they daily experience, while witnessing the discharge of your public duties; but to those only who are intimately acquainted with your person, and enjoy the happiness of being the companions of your private hours, is reserved the privilege of witnessing the display of those amiable virtues, and engaging qualities, which shed a benign influence over your domestic state, as well as through a numerous circle of friends, and which need only be generally known to attract to you, the confidence, esteem, and affections of all.

With the highest respect and inviolable attachment,

Believe me, Rt. Rev. and Dear Sir,

Your devoted friend,

THE AUTHOR.