Rudiments of reason ; or, the young experimental philosopher: being .. dialogues in which the ... phenomena of nature are ... explained

Front matter

THE YOUNG

EXPERIMENTAL PHILOSOPHER ;

OR, A SERIES OP

Preface

PREFACE.

There is, perhaps, no study more useful, nor more entertaining for youngpersons of both sexes, than that of Natural Philosophy; but to be truly serviceable, its principles must be simplified by explanations familiar to their immature understandings.

Many and great authors have devoted their labours to the illustration of this branch of science, and have done great credit to themselves, and promoted cssentially the good of mankind, by their deep investigations on the subject. But to understand their writings, in which so many abstruse and technical expressions continually occur, implies, and actually requires, great previous knowledge, which cannot be expected from inexperienced youth.

Ihe plan of the present work is calculated to facilitate the acquisition of useful knowledge, by inculcating the

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-rudiments of Natural Philosophy, and by a plain and easy method introducing the juvenile enquirer to an acquaintance with the secret springs and movements by which Nature operates, whose laws are unerring and invariable.

For the sake of perspicuity, and that the memory may not be overcharged by a retention not fairly to be expected from the tender faculties of youth, the form of dialogue has been adopted for the discussion ; the various subjects are arranged under separate heads, and follow in that order which was judged most applicable to their connection with each other.

The observations of Sir Thomas Howard (the father of the family) which generally introduce each dialogue, explain general principles, and are such as will be found necessary to prepare the mind for more easily comprehending the various experiments by which the subject is afterwards elucidated.

These experiments too are so contrived as to be in general very readily put in prac-

IX tree by the young reader, as requiring only such apparatus as is either always at hand, or may be readily obtained for the purpose.

Throughout the work, as well in the prefatory observations, as in the practical or experimental parts of the dialogues, every possible attention has been paid to simplicity of style ; the most familiar and easy terms have been always selected, and the whole subject is placed in that clear and perspicuous point of view so necessary in a work professing as this does, to reduce the principles of philosophy to the comprehension of children, or of persons of moderate capacities.

In some places, indeed, it has been found impossible to avoid the use of certain terms of science, or other words of some li.ttle difficulty, to which, however, no others could possibly be substituted with the effect of equivalent expression; but of all such words, clear definitions will be found alphabetically arranged at the end of the volume ; so as to leave the reader without any diffi-

X culty, and to supersede the necessity of frequently adverting to a dictionary for explanations.

Upon the first publication of this work, in three small volumes, the author expressed a hope, that it would be favoured with the particular patronage of those ladies and gentlemen who acted in the important capacities of conductors of schools, or as private tutors and governesses. This hope has been fully gratified, and the publisher, encouraged by the rapid sale of a very large edition, has now caused the work to be carefully revised and corrected ; illustrated with copper-plate engravings ; and, notwithstanding; the introduction of much useful matter, he is enabled to present it to the public in one handsome volume, calculated to enlighten the expanding mind, and to assist the young student in his researches after useful and scientific knowledge.