The Abbé de Mac forthy is re: quested to accept this unpub= lished tract, with the Author's sincer respects & voy grateful ngards - April 經 1025 THE subject treated of in the following pages has long impressed itself on the mind of the Writer; but it did not occur to him to examine it at large, until the precise question was proposed by a friend, to whose satisfaction he wished to contribute, as far as in his power. When the result of his endeavours was read by his friend, he intimated a wish to have it in a form, better fitted than manuscript, for close consideration. Another friend, into whose hands it was afterwards put, expressed the same desire. To the concurrent suggestion of those two worthy and intelligent persons, the Writer has thought it his duty to accede; in the humble hope, also, that others of his friends may deem his attempted elucidation of so interesting a topic not wholly unworthy of their attention. |