CONTENTS Order of the House of Commons, Order of the House of Commons, Order of the Lords and Commons, Introduction, 1. The origin, inventors and object of Book licen- 2. What is to be thought in general of reading books, 3. The Order [of 14 June 1643] conduces nothing (3) It brings disrepute upon the Ministers, 5. It may prove a nursing mother to fects, 6. It will be the step-dame to Truth :- (1) By difenabling us in the maintenance of what (2) By the incredible loss it entails in hindering INTRODUCTION. HAT half-living thing-a book: may be regarded in many ways. It may be confidered in connection with the circumstances which led to its conception and creation; and in the midft of which it appeared. It may be ftudied, as exhibiting the moral intent, the mental power of its author. Its contents may be analysed as to their intrinfic truthfulness or falfity. We may trace and identify its influence upon its own age and on fucceeding generations. This is an apprehenfion of the mind of a book. More than this. We may examine its ftyle, its ower and manner of expreffing that mind. The inging collocation of its words, the harmonious adence of its fentences, the flashing gem-like beauty f isolated paffages, the juft mapping out of the eneral argument, the due fubordination of its several arts, their final inweaving into one overpowering onclufion these are the features, difcovering, illumiating, enforcing the mind of a book. Much of what is in books is falfe, much only half ue, much true. It is impoffible to separate the tares om the wheat. Every one, therefore of neceffity-uft read difcriminatively; often fifting and searching r first principles, often testing the catenation of an gument, often treafuring up incidental truths for ture ufe; enjoying-as delights by the way-whater felicity of expreffion, gorgeousness of imagination, vidnefs of defcription, or aptness of illuftration may ance, like funshine, athwart the path: the journey's id being Truth. The purpose through these English Reprints is to ing this modern age face to face with the works of r forefathers. The Editor and his clumsy framework 250120 |