Letter 220

I am

Your affectionate brother.

—————

CCXX. — To Miss L ——.

l. You want to know God, in order to enjoy him in time and in eternity.

2. All that you want to know of him is contained in one book, the Bible. Therefore your one point is, to understand this. And all you learn is to be referred to this, as either directly or remotely conducive to it.

3. Might it not be well then to spend at least two hours everyday, in reading and meditating upon the Bible? reading every morning (if not every evening too) a portion of the Old and then of the New Testament? If you would save yourself the trouble of thinking, add Mr. Henry’s comment: If you would only be assisted in thinking, add the “ Explanatory Notes.”

4. But I find a difficulty already. Can you help me over it? Have you more candor than almost any one in the world? Will you not blame me for recommending, as they come in the way, tracts published by myself? I think you will not. So I will set down these (in their place) as freely as other books.

5. Your studying hours (if your constitution will bear it) might be five or six hours a day. Perhaps from nine to twelve in the morning, and from two to four or five in the afternoon. And whenever you begin to be tired with books, that require a strong and deep attention, relax your mind by interposing history or poetry, or something of a lighter nature.

6. The first thing you should understand a little of is Grammar; in order to which it will suffice to read first the Kingswood “English Grammar,” (which is exceeding short,) and then Bishop Lowth’s “Introduction.”

7. Next, it would be worth your while to acquire a little knowledge in Arithmetic; and Dilworth’s Arithmetic would give you full as much as you want.

8. You might proceed to Geography. But in this I would not advise you to encumber yourself with many books. You need only master one, Randal’s “Geographical Grammar;” and then betake yourself to the Globes. I believe those of Mr. Adams are the best; to which you May add his little book of Instructions.

9. Logic naturally follows; and I really think it is worth all the rest put together. But here I am at a full stop; for I know no good treatise on the subject in English, except Aldrich’s Logic, and that, I am afraid, you cannot understand without an instructor. I shall be glad to give you a little assistance in the short time we have together.

10. As to Ethics (or Moral Philosophy) there is full as much of it as you want in Langbain’s “Compendium.”

11. In Natural Philosophy you have a larger field. You May begin with a “Survey of the Wisdom of God in the Creation.” This contains the substance of Ray, Derham, Niewentyt, “Nature Displayed,” and all the other celebrated books on the subject. You may add that fine book, Mr. Jones’s “Principles of Natural Philosophy.” Thence you will easily pass to the Glasgow abridgment of Mr. Hutchinson’s Works. The abridgers give not only all his sense, but all his spirit. You may add to these, the beautiful tracts of Lord Forbes; and if you would go a little farther, Mr. Baker’s ingenious “Treatise on the Microscope.”

12. With any or all of the foregoing studies, you may intermix that of History. Geography and Chronology are termed the two eyes of History. Geography has been mentioned before; and I think all you want of Chronology may be learned from Marshal’s “Chronological Tables.”

13. You may begin with Rollin’s “Ancient History;” and afterwards read in order, Puffendorf’s “Introduction to the History of Europe,” the “Concise Church History,” Burnet’s “History of the Reformation,” the