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Superintending inferior Officers of the Police

Acting in concurrence with a Brother Justice

PAGE

449, 450

450, 451

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AN

ENQUIRY

INTO THE

DUTIES OF MEN, &c.

СНАР. I.

PLAN OF THE WORK EXPLAINED,

To apply moral truths to practical pur

poses; to point out their bearings on modern opinions and modern manners; and to deduce from them rules of conduct by which the inhabitants of this country in particular, each in his respective station, may be aided in acquiring the knowledge and encouraged in the performance of their feveral duties, are objects of unequivocal utility. They are the objects which it is my wish to attain, as far as I am able, in the prefent work.

VOL. I.

B

In

In a former treatise (a) I have briefly endeavoured to investigate the fundamental rules of natural justice; and to point out the wide range of moral obligations incumbent on mankind in general, together with the grounds on which they reit. The moral principles there maintained have a clofe connection with the fubjects now to be difcuffed; and may in fomne cafes evidently form the ultimate basis of my reafoning. But whatever may be the occafions on which they are applicable, I do not mean to occupy the time of the reader with an attempt to establish them afresh; but would refer him to the proofs already advanced in fupport of them in the proper place.

The plan propofed requires me to enter into a regular and to a certain degree minute detail, of the various duties of the different claffes of fociety, which fall within its limits; to combine in every branch of my enquiry, as far as the nature of the fubjects will admit, the con

(a) The Principles of Moral Philofophy investigated, and briefly applied to the Conftitution of Civil Society. Second edition, 1791.

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