the act of reasoning. This subject is not discussed in the following pages. It does not appear to me that this metaphysical knowledge is at all necessary to the art of reasoning. The analogy between the body and the mind seems to hold good in this case. Dancing is an act of the body. Reasoning is an act of the mind. As it is not necessary to understand the anatomy of the body in order to dance well, so it is not necessary to understand the anatomy of the mind in order to reason well. The study of metaphysical science seems rather to teach the art of doubting than the art of reasoning. By this kind of study Berkeley was led to doubt the existence of matter, and Hume that of mind. "No man," observes Mr. Blakey, "appears more unfit for argumentative discussion, on the common and every-day topics which engage the attention of men of the world, than the profound thinker or the man of mental abstraction. His power of mental analysis is too refined for objects of a formidable and gigantic nature; and when he comes out into common life to measure his strength with the rustic minds around him, he too often finds, to his great mortification, that he is worsted and driven from the field by the athletic vigour of those who know nothing but what Nature has taught them about the abstract nature of mind or the recondite rules of mental philosophy." It would be tedious to enumerate all the particulars in which the system of logic described in this work differs from the other systems now before the public. In one respect the difference will be obvious-that is, in the character and number of the illustrations. I have not copied from other logical works trivial and fictitious examples, capable of no practical application. My illustrations have been gathered from authors of established reputation, and are generally upon subjects of great public or private interest. I have taken most of my quotations from the Bible, from books. on political economy, and from newspapers; others from books referring to the ordinary affairs of life-chiefly to health, education, and conduct. I have not stopped to examine whether I do or do not concur in all the sentiments. they express. I adduce them as illustrations of reasoning; though I believe they will generally be found also to be otherwise useful. Some have been selected because they are entertaining; others, because they teach lessons, of still higher importance than even the art of reasoning. Few alterations have been made in this edition except in regard to the illustrations. Some of these have been shortened, some transposed, some omitted, and others introduced. Their bearing as examples of reasoning has occasionally been more clearly exhibited by a change of type, the freer use of italics, and the excision of superfluous sentences, so that the student may not allow the information, the instruction, or the humour of the quotation to render him unmindful of its logical character. For the sake of those who might wish to study the science of logic as well as the art, I have placed in the notes a few references to the philosophical work recently published by Mr. Samuel Bailey on "The Theory of Reasoning." The object of these changes has been to render the work more efficient as a teacher of the Art of Reasoning in either the closet, the parlour, or the schoolroom, without making it less interesting to the railway traveller or the general reader. Let no one commence the perusal of this book under the impression that he is about to engage in an exercise that is dry, toilsome, or difficult. He will not find it so. Here are no intricate theories in which the reader may become bewildered-no knotty questions by which he may be embarrassed-and no hard words which he cannot understand. These belong to metaphysical and to scholastic logic. The system which this work professes to teach is the logic of common sense. That this system is adapted to the spirit of the age, and that the mode of illustration I have adopted is not unsuitable to the subject, seems abundantly shown by the rapid sale of the first edition, and the strong commendations of many of our organs of criticism. It is very gratifying to observe that the first attempt to place before the million in a simple form the principles of an art hitherto confined to the educated classes should at once have received the approbation of the public, and of so large a number of literary men. THE AUTHOR. LONDON, Oct. 1, 1851. The first and second editions of this work were published" by a Fellow of the Royal Society." The Author has now prefixed his name. LONDON, May 1, 1852. J. W. G. This Edition differs from the last only in having an Appendix on the Philosophy of Language. LONDON, Jan. 1, 1854. J. W. G. CONTENTS. IV. The relation of Cause and Effect-Physical Causes V. The relation of Cause and Effect-Moral Causes. |