2-27-2

THE

PREFACE.

T

HE Author's Name, which is prefixed to this Book, renders it altogether needlefs for us to fay any Thing in order to recommend it; and we need not affure any judicious Reader, who has been converfant with Dr. Watts's Writings, that this is the genuine Work of that excellent Author; for he cannot fail of difcerning the Doctor's easy Stile, and beautiful Manner of Expreffion in every Page. We efteem it an Honour done us by that truly great Man, that he was pleased, by his laft Will, to entrust us with his Manufcripts which he defigned for the Prefs; however, he lived to publifh feveral of those himself, after his Will was made, fo that not many remain to be published by us. Some indeed there are remaining, which he did

2017

did originally intend for the Prefs, but his broken State of Health did not permit him to finish them, and they are left too imperfect to be ever published. Of this Sort, among others, is the larger Difcourfe on Pfal mody, which he gave Notice of his Intention to publish in the Preface to the second Edition of his Hymns, when he withdrew the fhorter Effay on that Subject, which was annexed to the firft Edition. There are also among his Manufcripts, fome Tracts relating to a doctrinal Controverfy, which the Doctor had been engaged in, but which the World feems to be tired of: So that, most probably, this fecond Part of the Improvement of the Mind, with the Difcourfe on Education, and fome Additions to the Reliquia Juveniles, are all the pofthumous Works of Dr. Watts that will ever be printed.

As to this Work in particular, a confiderable Part of it was corrected for the Prefs by the Doctor's own Hand; and as to the reft of it, he did not leave it fo far unfinished as thould, in his own Judgment, difcourage the publishing it; for he has left this Note in a Paper along with it, "Though this Book, or the fecond Volume of the Improvement of the Mind, is not fo far finished as I could wifh, yet I leave it among the Number of Books corrected for the Prefs, for it is very eafy for any Per

..

.

༨

"fon of Genius and Science to finish it and

publish it in a Form fufficiently useful to "the World." The Corrections we have prefumed to make are comparatively but few and trivial; and when, now and then it was thought needful to add a Line or two for the Illustration of any Paffage, it is generally put in the Form of a Note at the Foot of the Page.

Ir may perhaps be expected we should make fome Apology for delaying the Publifhing of this Book fo long after the Author's Death; a Book that has been fo much expected and fo earnestly defired, as appears by feveral Letters, found in the Doctor's Study, from eminent Perfons and from learned Societies. There are various Caufes that have contributed to the Delay, which the World need not be informed of; but the remote Distance of our Habitations, and the Multiplicity of Bufinefs in which each of us is ftatedly engaged, are Circumftances pretty generally known, and which we hope will be admitted in Excufe for fome Part of the Delay, and fome Part the Bookfellers must anfwer for. However we are the lefs follicitous to apologize for not publishing this Book fooner, as we are fatisfied it will be welcome now it comes; and that those who, upon reading the firft Volume, have fo earnestly defired the fecond, will not be difappointed when they read it,

WE

We have only to add our most fincere Wishes and Prayers, that a Book fo admirably fuited to improve the Minds of Men, efpecially of the rifing Generation, and to promote univerfal Goodness, as this appears to be, may be attended-with a Bleffing from on high.

June 26, 1751.

D. JENNINGS.

P. DODDRIDGE.

The