1  The  subsequent  pages',  says  the  Author,  in  his  prefatory  re-
narks,  c  owe  tneir  origin  to  the  professional  engagements  of  the
Writer.  Expected  to  impart  instruction  to  the  students  committed
to  his  care  in  the  philosophy  of  the  human  mind,  as  well  as  on  sub-
jects strictly  theological,  he  devoted  all  the  time  he  could  command,
to  the  task  of  drawing  up  a  course  of  lectures  on  the  Elements  of
Mental  and  Moral  Science,  which  should  be  made  to  combine,  as
far  as  he  found  it  practicable,  comprehension  with  brevity.  His
object  was  not  originality,  but  usefulness ;  and  whether  he  attained
that  end  by  presenting  the  statements  of  others,  or  what  might  be
more  properly  denominated  his  own,  was  to  him  a  matter  of  no  im-
portance whatever.  He  ventures  to  state,  however,  that  the  present
work  is  not  a  mere  compilation.  He  has  endeavoured  at  least  to
think  for  himself;  and  though  he  has  mainly  adopted  the  views  and
the  system  of  the  late  Dr.  Thomas  Brown*  tine  attentive  reader  will
perceive  that  he  differs  from  that  writer  on  several  important
points.9

These  intimations  of  the  Author  in  the  outset  of  his  work,
appear  to  us  to  be  modest,  manly,  and  ingenuous.  No  corn-
petent  reader  will  peruse  his  volume,  without  soon  acquiring
and  cherishing  that  respect  for  the  Writer,  which  is  inspired
by  the  accumulating  evidence  presented,  page  after  page,  of  a
mind  disciplined  by  habits  of  clear  conception,  of  acute  dis-
crimination, of  accurate  definition,  and  of  sound  reasoning.
