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of Kant, they have been at the fame time feparately
printed, in a form fomewhat different from the present;
in order to accommodate thofe, who might wish to pof-
fefs them as a diftinct work.

Finally, the style and compofition of this work, I am
fenfible, require more than common apology. Unfortu-
nately, however, it is a matter of no fmall difficulty to
make good apologies, especially in a foreign language.
Whatever the execution may be, for the anxiety of my
wishes I can confidently appeal to the teftimony of those
literary friends, who have occafionally lent me their aid
in correcting the grammatical part of both the Elements
and the Effays. They well know my eager and fincere
defire of improvement in English compofition; and if
any material errors fhould occur in the courfe of fuch a
diverfity of fubjects as the prefent, I befeech the judicious
reader and the candid critic to confider, that I have ven-
tured into a field of inquiry, of which but a small part
has hitherto been explored.

The indulgence, which I claim, will not be withheld
by thofe, who have tried their ftrength in tranflating
from a foreign into their own language: and I appre-
hend still lefs feverity from the few individuals, who have
attempted to write, or to tranflate into, a foreign lan-
guage, which they had an opportunity of acquiring,
merely by reading and converfation.

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OF THE

CRITICAL PHILOSOPHY, &c.

HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION.

IN Germany, two circumftances in particular have contributed to bring about a revolution in philosophy, and to diminish the estimation in which the dogmatical fyftem of WOLF was formerly held: the ftudy of the writings of the later English and French philofophers; and the appearance of a philofophic prince upon the throne of Pruffia.

The former circumftance made the German philofophers acquainted with many objections that had been started against · the dogmatical fyftem of Metaphyfics, gave rise to a turn for popularity in philofophical inquiries, and awakened a spirit of emulation among them. Selections were made from various fyftems; and the learned, now for the first time, began to convey information with elegance and tafte. There arofe a fort of Eclecticism, which discouraged party-spirit, and recommended philosophical discretion; but which was, at the fame time, attended with fome injurious effects; for incoherent systems were thus formed, inconfiftent systems were mingled together, and philosophy became ftill more wavering and flimfy, and was ftill farther removed from the perfection of a science. The hiftory of philosophy was now investigated with greater attention, and more generally studied than it had formerly been:

A

been: With many, the study of philofophy was converted into that of its history ;- -a clear proof, how much the turn for dogmatism had declined, and how little hope was entertained of forming a fyftem, at once stable and suited to the spirit of the age.

FREDERIC the Great collected a number of foreign philofophers round him, who, in a great measure, merely to pay adulation, and from selfish views, openly profeffed, like him, infidelity and scepticism. This circumstance, from the novelty of the thing, and from the admiration in which the character of Frederic was held, had an almost magical influence on all the opinions of the age. It would, however, be equal to ingratitude towards the manes of this furprising monarch, to omit mentioning in this place, that the system of his own practical philofophy has been held out, both by divines and laymen, as complete and downright Atheism; whereas it is now clear and uniformly admitted by found and unprejudiced inquirers, that it amounted to nothing more than fimple Deism.

Among the philofophers who furrounded Frederic, no one declared himself fo exprefsly, and fo openly, in favour of fcepticism as d'ARGENS, the author of the "Philofophy of good "fenfe," which is written in a fuperficial manner, with a view of gaining popularity, but which is not even calculated for the Fair Sex and Gentlemen of fashion, for whose use it was originally defigned; though it abounds in erudition and abstract speculation. D'Argens there endeavours to show the uncertainty of History, (and this is the best part of the work) of Logic, of Phyfics, of Metaphyfics, and of Aftronomy, without advancing, in oppofition, any new, or genuine, philofophical principles. It does him, neverthelefs, fome honour that, with regard to the morality of life, he obferves a respectful filence. His fcepticism is directed more against the ufual

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