lications of the Society, 374. Correspondence with other Societies, 375. Defects in the objects of Mechanics' Institutions, as presently constituted. Suggestions for MISCELLANEOUS HINTS IN REFERENCE TO THE DIFFUSION OF KNOW- LEDGE AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF SOCIETY, 380. Introductory remarks, 380. I. Improvements in Preaching, 381. Comprehen- sive range of subjects, 382. Sacred Preachers, Isaiah, Paul, Messiah, &c. 383 Domestic education, a topic for preaching, 386. Illustration of Divine subjects by sensible objects, 386. Education of candidates for the ministry, 388. Subjects for public worship, and strictures on certain modes of singing, 390.-II. Union of the Christian Church, 392.-III. Scriptures illustrated by engravings-strictures on certain Scripture prints, 393.-IV. Abridgment of the hours of labour necessary to improvement-plan suggested, 395.-V. Knowledge promoted by public exhibi- tions, 397. Large concave mirror, Chinese lights exhibited at Paisley, &c. 398,- VI. Erection of Observatories, &c. 399.-VII. Improvement of towns and villages, 400. Wretched state of some of our cities-narrow streets-evils of great cities- hints suggested in relation to improvements in towns and villages, 402-404. Plan of a small town, with description, 405.-VIII. Itinerating Libraries-their origin, plan, and effects, 406.-IX. Delineations and inscriptions on articles of furniture, 408.-X. Changes requisite in certain laws, regulations and customs, 409.-Taxes on knowledge-postages-position of the names of ships-perquisites of waiters, postilions, &c.-hissing in public meetings-Defects of our civil and criminal code, 409-412-XI. Friendly intercourse between nations-Excise restrictions-Anec- dote of Mr. Davidson, 413.-XII. Intellectual and religious improvement of Sea- men-Number of, in the British service, 413.-XIII. Formation of societies for pro- moting improvements, 415.-XIV. Counteraction of Avarice, 415-Its irrationality and degrading tendency, 416-Recapitulation and Conclusion, 417. Prospects of improvements in future ages-Preludes of a more auspicious and enlightened era Simple dress of a little girl,.... .. Figures of the true shape of the foot, and of shoes,. ib. Vesuvius and Naples,....... Mode of teaching writing,.... Nine do. illustrating square measure, Figures illustrative of evolution,.. Six do. illustrating fractions,.... Figure illustrative of the earth's rotundity,....... Do. to illustrate the roundness of the earth from north to south,.. Plate illustrative of geology,..... Quadrant of the heavens for illustrating do.,.... .. Fig. 1. and 2. Outline and skeleton of the Venus de Medicis, - - 3. and 4. Do. of a modern fashionable lady,................. 5. Contents of the Thorax and Abdomen,.... Figures illustrative of reasoning,.... ..... ON THE MENTAL ILLUMINATION AND MORAL IMPROVEMENT OF MANKIND INTRODUCTION. BEFORE We attempt to accomplish any great and extensive enterprise, it is requisite to ascertain, in the first place, whether the object we propose be attainable, and, in the next place, whether, if attained, it would be productive of beneficent effects. If these points are not ascertained, previous to our engaging in any undertaking, we may exert our intellectual faculties, and active powers, and spend our time, our wealth, and our labour, to no purpose, and in the end meet with nothing but disappointed expectations. The history of the world, and even the annals of science, would furnish hundreds of facts to corroborate this position. The object of the Alchemists was to transmute earthy substances and the baser metals into gold, and, by the fortunate labour of some happy day, when the stars were propitious, to realize vast treasures of wealth, to enable them to live in splendour and opulence during the remaining period of their lives. In this visionary pursuit, which, for several centuries, occupied the attention of princes, statesmen, ecclesiastics, physicians, and experimenters of various descriptions, thousands of fortunes were irretrievably wasted, and the dupes of this fallacious science kept in perpetual anxiety, and amused with vain and unfounded expectations. Even although such schemes had been practicable-which experience proves they are not-it would not be difficult to show, that, had they been successful, they would have produced more misery than happiness among man. kind. The study of the heavens, with the view of foretelling future events, and the destinies of men, from the different aspects of the planets and the signs of the Zodiac, was another scheme which, for many ages, absorbed the attention of kings, legislators, popes, cardinals, and even men of science, as well as that of the illiterate vulgar,—and, in numerous instances, no public affair of any importance was undertaken, without first consulting the stars This fallacious art has likewise been proved impracticable, and inconsistent with the peace and happiness of mankind. The researches which were long made after the panacea, or universal remedy for all disorders-the search for an universal menstruum and ferment-the search for a medicine which will confer immortality even in this world-the attempts to discover mines by means of divining-rods-and to cure palsies, inflammations, obstructions, and other disorders, by animal magnetism and metallic tractors—and, above all, the attempt to conduct mankind to happiness by discarding the idea of a Divine Being and every species of religion from the plans proposed-with hundreds of similar schemes, may be regarded nearly in the same light as the foolish arts of astrologers and alchemists, and could easily be shown to be equally unprofitable and vain. In endeavouring to promote a general diffusion of knowledge among the various ranks of society, it becomes us likewise to inquire, whether the attempt would be accompanied with such beneficial effects as to warrant the labour and expense which must necessarily attend such an enterprise-and, whether any insurmountable difficulties stand in the way of its accomplishment. There are not wanting, even amidst the light of science which is now shining around us, many individuals in the higher classes of society who are bold enough to insinuate, that an increase of knowledge would be injurious to the lower ranks of the commu. nity that its accomplishment is both undesirable and impracticable-that the moral world will proceed onward as it has hitherto done that there is no possibility of meliorating the condition of the great mass of mankind,—and that it is altogether Utopian to attempt to direct the moral and intellectual energies of the human race into any other channel than that in which they have hitherto been accustomed to flow. Such insinuations evidently flow from a spirit of misanthropy, and are intended, if possible, to fix the moral world in a quiescent state, as the material world was supposed to be in former times, and to damp every exertion that is now making to promote the improvement and the happiness of our species. They are likewise inconsistent with the dictates of Divine Revelation, which plainly declare that "the knowledge of Jehovah shall cover the earth, as the waters cover the channels of the seas," and that "all shall know him, from the least to the greatest." In a work lately published, I have endeavoured to illustrate, at considerable length, some of the advantages which would result from a general diffusion of knowledge, which, I presume, will to substantiate the position, that an increase of knowledge |