TO THE SECOND AND THIRD EDITIONS. very THE favourable reception which this Work has met with, has encouraged the Author to publith a Second Edition, and a defire to render his defign more complete has induced him to revise the whole, and to make fome important Additions. As fome of his Friends, on whofe judgment he has great reliance, have expreffed their approbation of the Work, he feels the lefs hesitation in earnestly recommending it to those, whose improvement it is intended to promote. TRINITY COLLEGE, OXFORD, ADVERTISEMENT 1 TO THE FOURTH EDITION. THE encreafing Demand for my Work calls upon me for adequate Endeavours to merit the public Approbation. I have therefore revised the whole, and made fome useful alterations and additions. TRINITY COLLEGE, OXFORD, May 20, 1803. GENERAL TABLE OF CONTENTS. INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. THE Defign of the Work. The various branches of Litera- ture and Science confidered with reference to young Men in the higher claffes of life, as they are, I. CHRISTIANS; II. as STUDENTS, who enjoy the advantages of a liberal Education; III. as MEMBERS OF THE BRITISH CONSTITUTION. The con- fideration of these important relations in which they ftand to Society, has fuggefted the choice of the following fubjects. The pursuit of them, carried to fuch an extent as is compatible with due attention to profeffional Studies, is calculated to improve the faculties of the mind, to inform the understanding, ftrengthen the judgment, engage the memory in an agreeable exercife, and prepare a young Man for the beft performance of his various duties THE reasonableness of inftructing Children in the prin ciples of Religion at an early age. The fuperior excellence of CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE. Six of the leading proofs of the truth of Chriftianity ftated. I. The AUTHENTICITY OF THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. II. THE CHARACTER OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR. III. THE PROPHECIES of which he was the Subject, and those which he pronounced. IV. His MIRACLES. V. HIS PRECEPTS, or CHRISTIAN ETHICS. VI. THE RAPID AND EXTENSIVE PROPAGATION OF THE GOS- PEL at its firft preaching, under circumftances the most hostile to CHAP. II. THE SUBJECT CONTINUED. REASONS why the doctrines and precepts of Chriftianity have been attacked by Infidels of all ages. Their cavils fhewit to be weak, and their arguments proved to be inconclufiveThe Character and Conduct of modern Infidels furnish addi tional evidence to the truth of Chriftianity, as they are plainly foretold in Scripture.The Abfurdity of the Opinions of the French Philofophifts and their Followers relative to Universal Phi lanthropy expofed. Genuine Chriftianity has produced the happieft effects upon the Opinions, Conduct, and Inftitutions of Mankind. It was darkened by Superftition, and intermixed with Error by the Papifts-but was refined and brought back more nearly to the Apoftolical Standard by the REFORMATION— particularly by the PROTESTANT ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. Summary of the fublime Truths of Christianity. It comprehends the laft Revelation of the divine will to mankind-eftablishes the certainty of a future ftate-reconciles Man to the difpenfations of Providence and qualifies him by a Life of Faith and Obedience for the Rewards of Eternity. P. 58-846 CLASS II. LANGUAGE. CHAP. I. LANGUAGE IN GENERAL. ADVANTAGES refulting from a Knowledge of various Languages-The Theories of Lord Monboddo and Adam Smith relative to their origin examined. All Languages de rived from one original Source. The most rational system of the Origin of Speech accords with the Scriptural account of Mofes. Alphabetical Characters are the most perfect repres fentation of ideas-their Origin and Progrefs-thofe of modern Europe may be traced to one fource. The diftinctions between ancient and modern Languages.-Origin of the Italian and French Languages. The rife of the modern Languages forms a curious part of the Hiftory of the dark Ages. P. 85-1106 CHAP. II. THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. ITS Origin and Progrefs. The Simplicity of its gramma tical Conftruction-Has been brought more nearly to a regular ftandard tandard by the writings of Bishop Lowth, Dr. Johnson, and Mr. Horne Tooke-Is both copious and energetic, and well adapted to Poetry. Its Imperfections-inferior to Greek and Latin as to the arrangement of words in Compofition. Stric tures on thofe Writers who have unneceffarily introduced into their works many words of Latin derivation, particularly Sir Thomas Browne, "the Author of the Vulgar Errors," and Dr. Johnfon. The practice of the latter, efpecially in his "Rambler," feems inconfiftent with his remarks in the Preface to his Dictionary." The ftyle of Gibbon confidered. Several of the Scotch popular Writers have deviated from the idiom of our Language. P. 111-131. PLE CHAP. III. THE SUBJECT CONTINUED. SOME of the pureft Writers of English recommended.ASCHAM-RALEIGH-SPEED-TAYLOR-CLARENDON—TEMBARROW-LOCKE — DRYDEN SWIFT-ADDISON— POPE-MELMOTH.-The excellence of the English Translation of the Bible. The practice of Writing gives to Conversation correctness and elegance. The Standard of the English Language.-Difagreement between our Orthography and Pronun ciation-How they ought to be regulated. The excellence of our Language, when confidered as the vehicle of fome of the moft inftructive and delightful productions of the human mind. The Settlement of the English Colonies in North America and the East Indies will probably contribute to its perpetuity. CHAP. IV. THE LATIN LANGUAGE. P. 132-142. ITS Utility-It was formerly the general Language of all Perfons of Education for converfation as well as writing.-Its Origin-Inferior to Greek.-Its Beauties and difcriminating. Features. The progrefs of its Improvement. Sketch of the pureft Writers-TERENCE LUCRETIUS CICERO-NEPOSCASAR-LIVY-VIRGIL-HORACE-OVID-CATULLUSTIBULLUS-PHEDRUS. Points in which Latin are inferior to Greek Writers. A degeneracy of ftyle remarkable in TacitusSuetonius -Pliny Lucan Seneca. Many beauties of the Claffics are loft in Tranflations. The wide extent of the Latin Language before and after the Fall of the Roman Empire. Periods of its Rife, Progrefs, and Decline. The beft Models of of Imitation for Writers of Latin are CICERO and VIRGIL. Rules neceffary to be observed in this elegant fpecies of Compo fition. P. 143-169. CHAP. V. THE GREEK LANGUAGE. ITS Origin-Dialects-The Theory of its derivation as ftated by Lord Monboddo confidered. Its CharacteristicsHarmony and wonderful Copioufnefs. Various Examples of the Greek Claffics prove how admirably it was adapted to fubjects of Poetry-Eloquence-Hiftory-and Philofophy. The peculiar Beauties of Greek Compofition. The Causes of the extraordinary duration and wide extent of ancient Greek as a living Language. Modern Greek. Comparative View of the Greek, Latin, and English Languages. P. 170-190. CHAP. VI. ELOQUENCE. FINE encomium on Eloquence by Cicero. Four different heads under which the productions of Eloquence may be confidered. I. The Sources of Argument. II. The Nature of Style. III. The Arrangement of the different parts of a Dif courfe. IV. Proper Action and Delivery. The Eloquence of ancient and modern times. What Examples to be propofed for the Imitation of a public Speaker-DEMOSTHENES CICERO LORD CHATHAM-LORD MANSFIELD BURKE, &c. CLASS III. HISTORY. СНАР. І. HISTORY IN GENERAL. P. 191-214 HISTORICAL Information is calculated to gratify that curiofity which is common to all periods of life. The methods adopted in the early ages of the World to tranfmit the know ledge of Events to pofterity-The defects of fuch methods completely remedied by Hiftory.The Advantages of a knowledge of Hiftory. Its moft important branches, I. THE HIS. TORY OF THE JEWS. II. OF GREECE. III. or ROME. IV. OF MODERN EUROPE. V. OF ENGLAND. Statistics, Biography, and the Letters of eminent Perfons, are highly useful and pleafing in an hiftorical point of view, CHRONOLOGY and GEOGRAPHY |