ADVERTISEMENT.

his active application to the operations of the Poor Laws, in the Metropolis of the British Empire, designs, in his intended illustration of the Albion System, to treat of the amelioration of those laws, as prospectively announced in 1810, and in the present year, since the great prospective amendment; but, on the basis of this synopsis, and in accommodation to the state of Ireland.

IV. Since the preparation for the present publication, great local facilities have been afforded, for the future, in the reduction of the late impost on the principal material, and on the free circulation of knowledge.

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OUR STANDARD OF HAPPINESS, was first raised in the British Metropolis, by the publication of "The Universal Church," of 1807; and the collateral Essay on "Religious and Civil Union," of 1810 the former noticed in "The Critical Review," as traordinary," and in the "Selector," as "excellent,"-and recorded in the "Biographical Dictionary of Living Authors," in 1814, as in advance of public opinion they were placarded during several years on the Royal Exchange of London, early published in Bath and Bristol, where they met a favourable reception : they were very favourably received in the capital of Jamaica, and were only objected to in the capital of New South Wales, on the reception of several hundreds of each, as-a New Religion.

Of those Publications this Synopsis is principally composed; for several auxiliary tenets are selections from "The Voice of the People," of 1819, though predominantly a Political Essay.

The Diagram of 1828, unpublished, is annexed, as prospective, for reference, and lest circumstances should prevent future illustration.

INTRODUCTION.

V. THE Compiler in his original Treatise on Truth, founded on the immutable basis of Nature, in general, at that late period, did not undertake the introduction of new discoveries, but, relying, that Reason antecedently founded thereon, could not at any time, be fairly argued down, made no farther pretension than to a new association of ideas.

VI. The Compiler at this much later association of ideas, has only to offer, in the body of this compilation, a select compression of those Tenets which appear essential to this System.

VII. The Compiler, though assured, by the general tendency of Nature, that in all probability, at every period, and in every natural state of existence, the materials of happiness have been plentifully bestowed; and Rationality enabled to fashion them to its use, by adapting them to the varying circumstances of life; admits, that the state of society has not, at all times, been such as to permit the members to avail themselves of the benefit, much less of the diffusion.

VIII. Strongly impressed by the obstacles which Truth has at all times to encounter from the early impressions of education, yet more strongly urged

INTRODUCTION.

by the conviction, that, whenever the void of superstition and bigotry is replenished with the requisite degree of candour, and the love of, and consequent inquiry after Truth, its principles, under the jurisdiction of Reason, will prevail; and, in the progression of the human mind, extend to countless ages: many have been those of superstition many, in more natural permanency, may be the reign of philosophy!

IX. Yet, even from the late unfortunate epoch of free discussion, and the present propitious circumstances, it is not here attempted to decide whether that was the desirable crisis, or this the happy era of truth; but left to be determined by the candour and avidity with which its doctrines, thus circumstanced and dictated, are imbibed: convinced, however, that it is the duty of its vota ies to avail themselves of such apparent, though, perhaps, partial reciprocality, to invite others to that standard of happiness; leaving it to the God of nature, of truth, and of reason, to attest, by at· taching to their efforts, the natural consequences and blessings.

PREFACE.

X. The following general ideas are submitted to the test of unbiassed and unprejudiced inquiry; with a most fervent wish, that they may prevail in the proportion, only, in which they can bear inquisition.

XI. The Compiler, on closing the original Essay, was sensible of the magnitude of those general ideas, yet impressed with a conviction, that in the detail they were extendable to the most minute particle of the universe, and might be as diversified as the individual appearance of Nature, and circumstances of the contemplator, necessarily felt himself unequal to the task, and rested on the defensive; concluding with the hopes, that either the preceding ideas would stand of themselves, or that other commentators, with the same independent spirit, but under more independent circumstances, with fewer active and immediate duties to perform, and consequently with more leisure, would enlarge upon a sub

ject, as extensive as the rational faculties of humanity.

XII. The original Essay having stood the test of upward of a quarter of a century, without public controversion, the soundness of the general basis, seem, thereby, tacidly acknowledged.

XIII. The only remarkable commentary, known to the Compiler, was in the Critical Review, for October, 1807: on a selection from page 38, "The Universal Church" was declared to be "full as incomprehensible as any mystery which" was then "attached to any Church in Christendom."

XIV. Since that representation incomprehensibility may have been, in a degree, removed by subsequent publications; and the advantage of unintelligibility as to publication, at least, has been subsequently and publicly acknowledged.

XV. For on the publication of the Edinburgh Review, or Critical Journal, for October, 1813, we find there was a writer then "alive in England, who has published doctrines not dissimilar to those which Madame de Staël ascribes to Schelling :" that "Notwithstanding the allurements of a singular