being a batchelor, did not keep house, but boarded with his apprentices in a neighbouring family. My refufing to eat animal food was found inconvenient, and I was often fcolded for my fingu larity. I attended to the mode in which Tryon prepared fome of his dishes, particularly how to boil potatoes and rice, and make hafty puddings. I then faid to my brother, that if he would allow me per week half what he paid for my board, I would undertake to maintain myself. The offer was inftantly embraced, and I foon found that of what he gave me I was able to fave half. This was a new fund for the purchase of books; and other advantages refulted to me from the plan. When my brother and his workmen left the printing-house to go to dinner, I remained behind; and dispatching my frugal meal, which frequently confifted of a biscuit only, or a flice of bread and a bunch of raisins,

or

or a bun from the paftrycook's, with a glass of water, I had the rest of the time, till their return, for ftudy; and my progrefs therein was proportioned to that clearness of ideas, and quickness of con ception, which are the fruit of temper ance in eating and drinking.

It was about this period that, having one day been put to the blufh for my ignorance in the art of calculation, which I had twice failed to learn while at school, I took Cocker's Treatife of Arithmetic, and went through it by myself with the utmost ease. I alfo read a book of Navigation by Seller and Sturmy, and made myself mafter of the little geometry it contains, but I never proceeded far in this fcience. Nearly at the fame time I read Locke on the Human Underftanding, and the Art of Thinking by Meffrs. du Port Royal.

While labouring to form and improve my ftyle, I met with an English Grammar, which I believe was Greenwood's, having at the end of it two little effays on rhetoric and logic. In the latter I found a model of disputation after the manner of Socrates. Shortly after I procured Xenophon's work, entitled, Memorable Things of Socrates, in which are various examples of the fame method. Charmed to a degree of enthufiafm with this mode of difputing, I adopted it, and renouncing blunt contradiction, and direct and pofitive argu ment, I affumed the character of a humble queftioner. The perufal of Shaftfbury and Collins had made me a fceptic; and being previoufly fo as to many doctrines of Chriftianity, I found Socrates's method to be both the fafeft for myself, as well as the most embarraffing to thofe against whom I employed it. It foon afforded me fingular pleasure; I incef

fantly

fantly practifed it; and became very adroit in obtaining, even from persons of fuperior understanding, conceffions of which they did not foresee the confequences. Thus I involved them in difficulties from which they were unable to extricate themfelves, and fometimes obtained victories, which neither my caufe nor my arguments merited.

This method I continued to employ for fome years; but I afterwards abandoned it by degrees, retaining only the habit of expreffing myself with modest diffidence, and never making ufe, when I advanced any propofition which might be controverted, of the words certainly, undoubtedly, or any others that might give the appearance of being obftinately attached to my opinion. I rather said, I imagine, I fuppofe, or it appears to me, that fuch a thing is fo or fo, for fuch and fuch reafons; or it is fo, if I am not mistaken. This habit has, I

think,

think, been of confiderable advantage to me, when I have had occafion to impress my opinion on the minds of others, and perfuade them to the adoption of the measures I have fuggefted. And fince the chief ends of converfation are, to inform or to be informed, to please or to perfuade, I could wish that intelligent and well-meaning men would not themfelves diminish the power they poffefs of being useful, by a pofitive and prefumptuous manner of expreffing themfelves, which scarcely ever fails to disgust the hearer, and is only calculated to excite oppofition, and defeat every purpose for which the faculty of speech has been bestowed upon man. In fhort, if you wish to inform, a pofitive and dogmatical manner of advancing your opinion may provoke contradiction, and prevent your being heard with attention. On the other hand, if, with a defire of being informed, and of benefiting by the knowledge

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