Self knowledge : a treatise, shewing the nature and benefit of that important science, and the way to attain it ; intermixed with various reflections and observations on human nature / by John Mason, A.M.

  • Mason, John, 1706-1763.
Date:
1793
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Self knowledge : a treatise, shewing the nature and benefit of that important science, and the way to attain it ; intermixed with various reflections and observations on human nature / by John Mason, A.M. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    8c P R E F A C E. and efpecially thofe of them that are Students and candidates for the facred miniftry ; for which they will find no fcience more immediately necelfary (next to a good acquaintance with the word of GOD) than that which is recommended to them in the following treatife ; to which every branch of human literature is Jubordinate, and ought to be jubfervient. For certain it is, the great end of phi- lofophy, both natural and moral, is to know out' fives, and to know GOD. The highcjt learning is to be wife, and the grtattji wifdom. is to be good ; as Marcus Antoninus fomewhere oblerves. It has often occured to my mind in digefting my thoughts upon this fubjeft, what a pity it is that this moll ufeful fcience fhould be fo generally neg- letted in the modern methods of education ; and that preceptors and tutors both in publick and pri- vate feminaries of learning, fhould forget that the forming the manners is more necefiary to a finifhed education than furnijhing the minds of youth. So*, crates, who made ell his philofophy Jubfervient to moral'. ity(b), was of this fentiment ; and took, more pains to reftify the tempers, than replenifh the under- standings of his pupils ; and looked upon all knowledge as ufelefs fpeculation, that was not brought to this enck, to make us zvifer and better men. And without doubt, if in the academy the youth has onicc happily learned the great art of managing his temper, governing his paffionf, and guarding his foibles, he will find a more folid ad- vantage (4) Totaroph:!ofophJam revocavitad morss. Sen. Epift, r- 71?