is to invite those of thought, attention, and activity, to appear gracefully in public, by treating with humanity and generofity, what as writers, they offer with humility and affection.

It is hoped the reader will not think himself detained too long from the principal fubject of this book, if fome objections to fubfcribing to books, be confidered and answered; feeing it is by that method this book is introduced into the world, and without it the liberal arts can not easily be improved in this Kingdom. There are two forts of editors, authors, and bookfellers: The Inquirer apprehends the bookfellers are able to answer for themselves, and as an author, he thinks himself obliged to answer for authors, although it fhould feem needlefs, in a nation, which is only beginning to print its own literary productions, in its own cities, and where it is not known that any price is given to an author for his manufcripts. Yet upon account of fome extraordinary, cavillers, who fuggeft even before fact or experiment, objections

which

"IRELAND, Britain's younger fifter, feemeth to have ufeful and ornamental arts : "Yet Ireland, at thefame time, doth not want scholars, orators, poets, or philofophers. The ❝ sciences and arts, when they once become acquainted, are extreme good friends: they “love, promote, and heighten each other: Were the experiment to be made here, a man "would run no great risk in becoming accountable for the confequence. And fhould we "not be displeased, as a nation, to be ranked by foreigners after one of our own colo. "nies ?

The fame writer remarks of his own country, its inferiority to France in one particular refpect, wherein he is pleased to say Ireland has got the start; and expresses himself strongly." Shall we not be fired with emulation to rival thefe neighbours, who are our con"firmed enemies in politics, while they triumph over us in their regular method of in"troduction to the arts? It has been said, that England is a century behind France in learn❝ing, and politeness. I have proved that this affertion does not in general hold good; "but it is punctually true, with regard to an inftitution of the nature we are pleading for." To wit an academy for painting, sculpture and architecture J. Gwyn, Ellay on Design; Who also says, "In England art has hitherto been hidden, obftructed, or difregarded -art has been in fmall eftimation, unless the artift was foreign. Our neighbours have spoken contemptuously of us without referve, (The Abbé le Blanc's "Lettres, published in English in 1747, afford remarkable inftances of this,) and the few "Englishmen who have indifputably excelled, were scarcely rewarded with honeft and "impartial approbation from their own countrymen.

It is wished Ireland would confider, how much reafon there is to be affected with the contempts thrown upon it: Notwithstanding the praife this gentleman has bestowed out of a good intention to spirit up his own countrymen, the IRISH fhould act as those who had not yet a title to or poffeffion of praife, but in the way to deferve and obtain it.

which should be founded upon them; fhort anfwers fhall be given to the most common.

One thing fhould be previously remark'd, that whatever weight the objections to fubfcribing to the printing of books may have in regard to authors, the mechanical arts of printing, graving, and the manufactures belonging to them, fhould be encouraged: So that the printing even of a fenfelefs book, is, in thefe refpects, rather a benefit than an injury to the public: But at prefent the cafe of an author in refpect to fubfcriptions, fhall be principally confidered; and particularly that of an author, who is only entering into the world, and has a public reputation to acquire: For thofe of established fame do not often stand in need of the method of publication by fubfcription.

A fubfcriber has a very just right, to compute paper and ink, comparatively with the fum demanded, when a fubfcription is afked for a book already published. But when an author publishes his own ori ginal work, there fhould be an allowance for him, in that character, over and above what might be afked in the other refpect. If this be not allowed to be reafonable, a very great difcouragement is thrown upon ingenuity and pains taking; and literature muft fuffer exceedingly by it. How therefore can any gentleman justify a refolution never to fubfcribe to any book? For there are fome imprudent enough to declare this injudicious, perhaps avaritious refolution.

Is it because they have been fometimes impofed upon by editors, in the delay of the works promised, or perhaps in the not perform ing at all what was promifed, or in the unworthiness of the formance? Or is it because the perfons follicited to fubfcribe are ig norant? (c)

per

As to delay, the objection is light; the work is better thereby. And furely the intereft of money fubfcribed for books, is hardly worth computing; and if it be, the better execution of the work is a fufficient compenfation. Perhaps the delays are owing to the want of generofity in those, before whom proposals are laid, and not to the author; or to fome intervening events infcrutable to human wit; which should always be a fufficient apology.

As

(c) Some perfons are not ashamed to own their ignorance of what it would be their Glory to know, and even to charge others with it, rather than part with a fmall fum to encourage liberal arts.

As to a non-performance of promife to the public; perhaps this may be owing in fome cafes to one caufe of the former, to wit, events impoffible to be forefeen: If to difhonesty, the author means not to apologize: A writer fhould at leaft have the common quality indifpenfible in all dealers, a difpofition to act upon the fquare: But fince bankrupcy avowedly fraudulent, does not deftroy the reasonable confidence due to honefty, and the merchant fill gives credit to the fair dealer, fo fhould it be in this cafe.

As to the unworthiness of the performance, upon which it is likely the objectors lay a great ftrefs, it is as weak as any of them. For hall a man refolve never to give alms, becaufe being fometimes deceived, he has given to unworthy objects? As no one, but an uncharitable perfon, can make this refolution; fo no one, but a difcourager of literature, can refolve never to subscribe to the printing of any book.

Befides, gentlemen should take care how they hazard the difcouraging of any one, who may have extraordinary talents (d) in a nation, by not encouraging many perfons, who have them in an ordinary proportion. Reputation is a fufficient bar to all adventurers in print, who are not abandoned; and an author must be a known proftitute, before such a character can be given of him without injuftice. The fense of reputation which is infeparable from human nature, till it becomes extremely vitiated, fhould be a fufficient reafon for prefumption, that there is fome foundation for worth in the performance.

As to ignorance, which fome perfons more bold than prudent charge to many orders of men; the Inquirer owns, that he has heard almost five hundred times, that there are only five hundred READERS in Ireland. He does not know upon what methods of information this is asserted (e); but it is

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plain,

(d) It is faid that Sir Walter Raleigh and Doctor Cudworth, burned a great part of their valuable writings, upon account of the ill grounded contempt of the world to what they published. How dearly would the difcerning part of Mankind purchase,thefe writings. now, could they be purchased?

(e) Perhaps their information is taken from bookfellers, who fay, they rarely fell more than five hundred copies of the best books. The Inquirer can affure the reader, that he disposed of one thoufand books of the Analogy of Divine Wisdom, (in the material, fenfitive, moral and fpiritual fyftem of things,) tho' intirely a book of religion, which is not the moft palatable subject of this age; and he hears that a book giving an account of Lord An's voyage, was only fold to the number of two thoufand, in which there was not one word of religion, not the name of God or Divine Providence, yet abounding with deliverances almoft miraculous.

plain, there ought to be a great many more, if all the orders of literary profeffions be computed. Let any one confider the number of Lords, Commons, Clergy, Judges, Lawyers, Physicians, the Members of an Univerfity, confifting of five hundred perfons, and the officers of a ftanding army of twelve thoufand men, with many perfons of wealth and education, not belonging to any of thefe orders, and then ask the queftion; how many reading men amongst all thofe? If the anfwer could be confiftent with truth, only five hundred; would it not be proper to ask? Are laws made with judgment, or expounded with skill? Is religion fupported with learning, and christianity inforced with authority and ftrength of reafoning? And is the practice of medicine in repute? And how do the gentlemen of the army fpend their time in barracs; and many perfons their lives of cafe and retirement, having wealth by inheritance? *:

Let thefe queftions be answered by others. For notwithstanding that strange opinion, which it is hoped, has no foundation, the Inquirer upon a prefumption that there are many readers in Ireland, and encouragers of literature, and out of a real affection to his country, is an adventurer in print. He offers with all humility and deference fome of his philofophic labours to the public, affuring the learned and humane reader, that he does not mean to impofe upon him either common phænomena or common reafoning, but fomething of novelty in in the latter, as well as the former; yet he hopes with fuch ftrength of argumentation, as may be the foundation of a correct judgment, and may merit rather the thanks of the courteous reader, than contempt. However, if the latter fhould be the confequence, he may at leaft comfort. himself with the confcioufnefs of a well meaning defign, and a fhare in the glory of the motto, in magnis voluiffe fat eft. For to attempt to refcue a country from unmerited difgrace by the pen, is no lefs glorious, than to engage in its deliverance from flavery, by the fword. It is to be wifhed that this was the fentiment of every writer

* There is a great occafion to speak here of avarice, but that rather belongs to preaching. Poverty alfo deferves a confideration, in refpect to fome men of letters; but although fometimes brought voluntarily upon them, it excites pity, rather than cenfure. The cir cumftances of fuch perfons is very unpleafant, who cannot do a fmall act of generofity to the community, without an act of injuftice to their families.

(f) See an account of printing in Ireland, fent from thence to Jofeph Ames, F. R. S *749

writer of this country: But he, who gave the last account of printing, fays, They that value their reputation, commonly fend their writings to England to be printed (f). It would feem vain to exprefs an emulation with England for liberal arts; but however unequal the comparison would be, it could not be liable to any bad confequence, the very principle of emulation being an excellent fpur to all things praise-wor-. thy: Newton and Leibnitz were emulous to the advantage of mankind.

The Su need not be jealous of the ftars, till they increase in luftre, and come nearer to an equality of vifible magnitude and fplendor ; and our generous neighbours cannot, but with pleasure fee us, even attempt to imitate their beft works; and if a little concern be exprest for the difpofition amongst us, to fend almost all our reputable works to their large Shop of reputation, they will allow it to be an affection that is not culpable, to wifh well to the credit of a native foil. How fmall a proportion does the number of preachers of religion in Ircland, bear to thofe of Great-Britain; those of the church by law establifhed, being only twelve hundred, including CURATES, who are deferving of a place in all arithmetic concerning religion and literature, in this ifland; fince their labours contribute greatly to the fupport of both, in the characters of school-mafters and authors, as well as curates. How fmall a proportion does its Univerfity, confifting of five hundred perfons, and in proportion, all orders of men in the kingdom (the whole being perhaps as two millions to ten) bear to all the Universities of Great-Britain, and to all orders of men in that extenfive, ingenious, induftrious, opulent ifland. It is not therefore likely that the utmoft cfforts of Ireland, in the Liberal Arts can excite an injurious jealoufy.

The Inquirer was not without encouragement to print in England, having invitations from fome very good patrons of literature, fome of whom have intereft in a large Univerfity, and fome in a Royal Society, whose reputation is acknowledged, wherever infenfate nature affords B 2

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(g) The author being a confiderable diftance from the place where most of his papers lie, cannot here give a copy of the letter mention'd, but having another from the fame excellent perfon extremely polite, and to the purpose of this defign, he takes liberty to publish it.

SIR, Ormond-street, April 27, 1750. Received from Meffieurs Knapton, the copies of your excellent book of Divine Analogy. &c. I paid him for fix, and read it with a great deal of pleasure. I have now your propofals