impotent, while I have the honour to reckon among my fubfcribers, many men of the highest rank and acknowledged abilities.

-The

books for which I have been favoured with subscriptions, shall be published without the least unneceffary delay; and the work fhall be executed in the moft elegant letter-prefs, to the full value of the money fubfcribed.

THE first publication after this fpecimen, will be an octavo edition of DR. WATTS'S IMPROVEMENT OF THE MIND, which will be brought out next month, with an introduction explanatory of the plan: this book will be followed

by

by others of the highest reputation in the republic of letters, and a lift of the fubfcribers will be given with the last volume.—I trust that the countenance of the noble and refpectable perfons who have already patronized the undertaking, will weigh more with the public, than the fuggeftions of Selfish printers and falfe friends, who have endeavoured to whisper away the merit of the improvemnnt now reduced to practice,

By the PUBLIC's,

moft obedient,

and much obliged

humble fervant,

J. WALTER.

ON ART.

THE

different useful and ingenious inventions which have taken place in the world, do honour to the abilities of mankind:When applied to moral purposes, the dignity and excellence of human nature appear in the fairest point of view.-From feveral of these discoveries, the nobleft improvements have been derived, as well as fome of thofe refinements which adorn life, and tend to render it happy.

IT

IT is therefore a wonder, that the wifest and most enlightened nations have encouraged exertions of genius, or carefully cultivated those arts and sciences from which fame, and numerous benefits are derived.— Those individuals, alfo, who have been most celebrated for taste and patriotism, have likewife diftinguished themselves by the most liberal contributions to bring forward and reward merit.

WHAT is termed ART, has had the highest approbation, and been deemed the ornament of life. When mankind inhabited forefts in common with brutes, it was ART which taught them to affert.

the

the fovereignty of their nature,and to affume that empire for which Providence intended them. Thoufands of utilities owe their birth to ART; thousands of elegancies, pleafures and joys, without which existence itself would be but an infipid poffeffion, flow from the fame fource.

WIDE and extenfive is the reach of her dominion: no element is there, either fo violent or fubtle, fo yielding or fo fluggish, as by the powers of its nature, to be fuperior to her direction. Art treads not the fierce impetuofity of fire, but compels its violence to be both obedient and ufeful. By it, the stubborn tribe of minerals is foftened,