Situated, as I happily am, in the neighbourhood of the _New College at
Hackney_, an institution that does honour to the Dissenters, an
institution open to all persons without distinction[1], and connected as
I am by friendship with the tutors, I was glad to give it every
assistance in my power; and therefore undertook to read the _Lectures on
History and General Policy_ which I had composed when I was tutor at
Warrington, and also to give another course on the subject of
_Experimental Philosophy_. With this view I drew up the following _Heads
of Lectures_; and, to save the students the trouble of transcribing
them, they are now printed. To other persons they may serve as a
compendious view of the most important discoveries relating to the
subject.
[Footnote 1: One gentleman of the Roman Catholic persuasion, and
several of the Church of England, are now in the College.]
As it was found most convenient, with respect to the other business of
the college, to confine this course to one lecture in a week, I
contrived to bring within that compass as much of the subject of
experimental philosophy as I well could, and especially to include the
whole of what is called _chemistry_, to which so much attention is now
given, and which presents so many new fields of philosophical
investigation.
Besides that the plan of the young gentlemen's studies would not admit
of it, I think it most advisable not to trouble beginners with more than
a large outline of any branch of science. By this means they are not
fatigued by too long an attention to any one subject, a greater variety
of articles may be brought before them, and in future life they may
pursue any of them as much farther as their inclination may dispose, and
their ability and opportunity shall enable, them to do it.
I do not give any account of the _experiments_ introduced into the
several lectures. They will be sufficiently indicated by the subjects of
them. They were as many as I could conveniently make within the time;
and where the experiments themselves could not be made, I usually
exhibited both the different substances employed in them, and those that
were the result of them.
As these lectures were calculated for the use of the students at the New
College, I prefix an _Address to them_, the same in substance with that
which I delivered to them at the close of the session of 1791. In it may
be seen a specimen of the language we hold to them on the subject of
_politics_, which with reasonable men will serve as an answer to the
many calumnies that have been thrown out against us, as disaffected to
the government of this country.
Such institutions will, indeed, always be objects of hatred and dread to
_bigots_ and the advocates for _arbitrary power_, but the pride of a
truly _free country_. I therefore conclude with my earnest prayer (the
accomplishment of which the present state of the College does not allow
us to doubt) ESTO PERPETUA.