To the Right Honourable DAVID, EARL OF BUCHAN, Viscount Auchterhouse, Lord Cardross and Glendovachie, one of the Lords Commiffioners of Police, and Lord Lieutenant of the Counties of Stirling and Clackmannan in North Britain. My Lord, The honour you have done our family obligeth us to make all just acknowledgments of it; and there is no form of acknowledgment in our power, more worthy of your Lordship's acceptance, than this dedication of the last Work of our honoured and learned Father. Encouraged hereunto by the knowledge we have of your Lordship's judicious relifh of univerfal learning, and fublime virtue, we beg the favour of your acceptance of it, which will very much oblige our family in general, and her in particular, who is, My Lord, Your Lordship's most humble fervant, Elizabeth Littleton. R PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. F any one, after he has read RELIGIO MEDICI, and the ensuing DISCOURSE, can make doubt whether the fame person was the Author of them both, he may be affured by the teftimony of Mrs. Littleton, Sir Thomas Browne's daughter, who lived with her father when it was compofed by him, and who, at the time, read it written by his own hand; and also by the testimony of others (of whom I am one) who read the manufcript of the Author immediately after his death, and who have since read the same, from which it hath been faithfully and exactly transcribed for the press. The reason why it was not printed fooner is, because it was unhappily loft, by being miflaid among other manufcripts, for which fearch was lately made in the prefence of the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, of which his Grace by letter informed Mrs. Littleton, when he fent the manuscript to her. There is nothing printed in the Dif course, or in the fhort notes, but what is found in the original manuscript of the Author, except only where an overfight had made the addition or tranfpofition of fome words neceffary. JOHN JEFFERY, ARCHDEACON OF NORWICH. CHRISTIAN MORALS. PART I. I. READ foftly and circumfpectly in this funambulatory track and narrow path of goodness: pursue virtue virtuously leaven not good actions, nor render virtues difputable. Stain not fair acts with foul intentions: maim not uprightness by halting concomitances, nor circumftantially deprave fubftantial goodness. Confider whereabout thou art in Cebes his table, or that old philofophical pinax of the life of man:* whether thou art yet in * The Pinax, or tablet, of Cebes a Theban philofopher, in which the life of man is represented in a beautiful allegory. Milton. Par. Loft. xi. 840. κύμινοπρίστης. Arift. Eth. iv. 1. the road of uncertainties; whether thou hast yet entered the narrow gate, got up the hill and afperous way, which leadeth unto the house of fanity; or taken that purifying potion from the hand of fincere erudition, which may fend thee clear and pure away unto a virtuous and happy life. In this virtuous voyage of thy life hull not about like the ark, without the use of rudder, mast, or fail, and bound for no port. Let not disappointment caufe defpondency, nor difficulty despair. Think not that you are failing from Lima to Manilla, when you may faften up the rudder, and fleep before the wind; but expect rough feas, flaws, and contrary blafts and it is well if by many cross tacks and veerings you arrive at the port; for we fleep in lions' skins in our progress unto virtue, and we flide not, but climb unto it. Sit not down in the popular forms and common level of virtues. Offer not only peace-offerings, but holocaufts unto God; where all is due make no referve, and cut not a cummin-feed with the Almighty : |