describe almost nothing else but the synthetic and analytic methods of geometricians and algebraifts, whereby they have too much narrowed the nature and rules of method, as though every thing were to be treated in mathematical forms.

Upon the whole I conclude, that neither of these two methods fhould be too fcrupuloufly and fuperftitiously pursued, either in the invention or in the communication of knowledge. It is enough if the order of nature be but observed in making the knowledge of things following depend on the knowledge of the things which go before. Oftentimes a mixed method will be found most effectual for thefe purpofes; and indeed a wife and judicious prospect of our main end and defign muft regulate all method whatsoever.

Here the rules of natural method ought to be propofed, (whether it be analytic, or synthetic, or mixt :) but it is proper first to give fome account of arbitrary method, left it be thruft at too great a diftance from the first mention of it.

Arbitrary method leaves the order of nature, and accommodates itself to many purposes; such as, to trea-` fure up things, and retain them in memory; to harangue and perfuade mankind to any practice in the religious or civil life; or to delight, amufe, or entertain the mind.

As for the affiftance of the memory, in moft things, a natural order has an happy influence; for reason itfelf deducing one thing from another, greatly affifts the memory, by the natural connection and mutual dependence of things. But there are various other methods which mankind have made use of for this purpofe, and indeed there are fome fubjects that can hardly be deduced to analysis or synthesis.

In reading or writing hiftory, fome follow the order of the governors of a nation, and difpofe every tranfac-1 tion under their particular reigns: fo the facred books of Kings and Chronicles are written. Some write in annals or journals, and make a new chapter of every year. Some put all thofe tranfactions together which relate to one fubject: that is, all the affairs of one war, one league, one confederacy, one council, &c. though it laft many years, and under many rulers.

So in writing the lives of men, which is called Biography, fome authors follow the tract of their years, and place every thing in the precife order of time when it occurred others throw the temper and characters of the perfons, their private life, their public ftations, their perfonal occurrences, their domeftic conduct, their fpeeches, their books or writings, their ficknefsand death, into so many distinct chapters.

In chronology, fome writers makes their epochas to begin all-with one letter: fo in the book called Ductor Hiftoricus, the periods all begin with C; as, Creation,, Cataclyfm or deluge, Chaldean empire, Cyrus, Chrift, Conftantine, &c. Some divide their accounts of time according to the four great monarchies, Affyrian, Per fian, Grecian and Roman. Others think it ferves the memory best to divide all their fubjects into the remarkable number of sevens; fo Prideaux has written an Introduction to Hiftory: And there is a book of divinity called Fafciculus Controverfiarum, by an author of the fame name, written in the fame method, wherein every controverfy has seven questions belonging to it; though the order of nature feems to be too much neglected by a confinement to this feptenary number.

Those writers and speakers, whofe chief bulinefs is to amuse and delight, or allure, terrify, or perfuade mankind, do not confine themselves to any natural order, but in a cryptical or hidden method adapt every thing to their defigned ends. Sometimes they omit thofe things which mighr injure their defign, or grow tedious to their hearers though they feem to have a neceffary relation to the point in hand: fometimes they add thofe things which have no great reference to the fubject, but are fuited to allure or refresh the mind and the ear. They dilate fometimes, and flourish long upon little incidents, and they fkip over, and but light ly touch the drier part of their theme. They place the first things laft, and the last things firft, with wondrous art, and yet fo manage it as to conceal their ar tifice, and lead the fenfes and paffions of their hearers into a pleasing and powerful captivity.

It is chiefly poefy and oratory that requires the prac tice of this kind of arbitrary method: they omit thingseffential which are not beautiful, they infert little need-

Jefs circumftances, and beautiful digreffions, they invert time and actions, in order to place every thing in the most affecting light, and for this end in their practice they neglect all logical forms; yet a good acquaintance with the forms of Logic and natural method, is of admirable ufe to thofe who would attain these arts in perfection. Hereby they will be able to range their own thoughts in fuch a method and fcheme, as to make a more large and comprehenfive furvey of their fubject and defign in all the parts of it; and by this means they will better judge what to chufe and what to refufe; and how to drefs and manage the whole fcene before them, fo as to attain their own ends with greater glory and fuccefs.

CHAP. II.

The Rules of Method, General and Special.

THE general requisites of true method in the pur

fuit, or communication of knowledge, may be all comprised under the following heads. It must be (1.) Safe. (2.) Plain and easy. (3.) Distinct. (4.) Full, or without defect. (5) Short or without fuperfluity. (6.) Proper to the fubject and the defign. (7.) Connected.

I. Rule. Among all the qualifications of a good method, there is none more neceflary and important than that it fhould be fafe and fecure from error; and to this end thefe four particular, or special directions fhould be obferved.

1. Ufe great care and circumfpection in laying the foundations of your difcourfe, or your fcheme of thoughts upon any fubject. Thefe propofitions which are to ftand as first principles, and on which the whole argument depends, muft be viewed on all fides with the utmost accuracy, left an error, being admitted there, thould diffuse itself through the whole fubject. See therefore that your general definitions or defcriptions are as accurate as the nature of the thing will bear: See that your general divifions and diftributions be just and

exact, according to the rules given in the first part of Logic: See that your axioms be fufficiently evident, fo as to demand the affent of those that examine them with due attention. See that your first and more immediate confequences from thefe principles be well drawn; and take the fame care of all other propofitions that have a powerful and fpreading influence through the feveral parts of your difcourfe.

For want of this care fometimes a large treatise has been written by a long deduction of confequences from one or two doubtful principles, which principles have been effectually refuted in a few lines, and thus the whole treatife has been deftroyed at once; fo the largest and faireft buildings fink and tumble to the ground, if the foundations and corner-ftones of it are feeble and infufficient:

2. It is a very advifeable thing that your primary and fundamental propofitions be not only evident and true, but they fhould be made a little familiar to the mind, by dwelling upon them before you proceed far-ther. By this means you will gain fo full an acquaintance with them, that you may draw confequences from them with much more freedom, with greater variety,, brighter evidence, and with a firmer certainty, than if you have but a flight and fudden view of them.

3

3. As you proceed in the connection of your argu- ments, fee that your ground be made firm in every ftep. See that every link of your chain of reafoning be ftrong and good for if but one link be feeble and.... doubtful, the whole chain of arguments feels weakness of it, and lies exposed to every objector, and the origi-nal question remains undetermined.

4. Draw up all your propofitions and arguments with fo much caution, and express your ideas with fuck a just li-mitation, as may preclude or anticipate any objections. Yet: remember this is only to be done as far as it is poffi--` ble, without too much entangling the queftion, or in-troducing complicated ideas, and obfcuring the fenfe. But if fuch a cautious and limited drefs of the question fhould render the ideas too much complicated, or the fenfe obfcure, then it is better to keep the argument: more fimple, clear and eafy to be understood, and af-

B. b. 3.

terwards mention the objections diftinctly in their full ftrength, and give a diftinct answer to them.

II. Rule. Let your method be plain and eafy, fo that your hearers or readers, as well as yourself, may run thro it without embarrassment, and may take a clear and comprehenfive view of the whole fcheme. To this end the following particular directions will be useful, 1. Begin always with thofe things which are best known, and most obvious," whereby the mind may have no difficulty or fatigue, and proceed by regular and eafy steps to things that are more difficult. And as far as poffible let not the understanding, or the proof of any of your posi-tions depend on the pofitions that follow but always on thofe which go before. It is a matter of wonder that in fo knowing an age as this, there fhould be fo many perfons offering violence daily to this rule, by teaching the Latin language by a grammar written in Latin, which method feems to require a perfect knowledge of an unknown tongue, in order to learn the first rudiments of it.

2. Do not effect, exceffive hafte in learning or teaching any feience, nor hurry at once into the midst of it, left you be too foon involved in feveral new and itrange ideas and propofitions, which cannnot be well unde:stood without a longer and clofer attention to those which go before. Such fort of speech is but a waste of time, and will conftrain you to take many steps backward again, if you would arrive at a regular and complete knowledge of the fubject..

3. Be not fond of crowding too many thoughts and reafonings into one fentence or paragraph, beyond the apprehen fion or capacity of your readers or bearers. There are fome perfons of good genius, and a capacious mind, who write and fpeak very obfcurely upon this account; they effect a long train of dependencies, before they come to a period; they imagine that they can never fill their page with too much fenfe; but they little think how they bury their own best ideas in the crowd, and render them in a manner invisible and useless to the greatest part of mankind. Such men may be great fcholars, yet they are but poor teachers.

4. For the fame reafon, avoid too many fubdivifions. Contrive your scheme of thoughts in fuch manner as