Page:The Bible of Nature, and Substance of Virtue.djvu/14

 iv ADVERTISEMENT.

[Bible means book, Scripture means writing ; Nature, the aggregate of things and their powers. This Bible of Nature concentrates the rays of some of the chief mental and moral lights of the world. Its various themes are not limited to times, persons, or places, but are of general utility and application ; including nearly every import- ant branch of morals, and of reform in the inequalities arising from birth, sex, wealth, faith, race, caste, and color. Little is introduced of technical science or litera- ture ; works on these subjects abound, and they are mere- ly subsidiary to the great cause of freedom and happiness.

Selections only, have been made from each author, and to avoid repetition the word " from " is omitted at the title of each piece. Those from living writers are rare and brief. In a few instances verbal alterations have been deemed necessary ; the words in brackets [ ] throughout are additions. John Stewart's writings are extensively introduced, being less known and accessible than the others, and also more original and important. The order is mainly chronological. Reference may be made to Combe's Moral Philosophy, Torrey's Moral In- structor, Branagan's Beauties of Philanthropy, the Spirit of Humanity, and Legion of Liberty, for more ample views of these respective topics.

This compilation, chiefly from scarce and valuable - works, will be useful as a book of reference for facts and arguments on its various important subjects. If its facts are assumptions let them be disproved, if its arguments are fallacious let them be refuted. The stereotype plates will be sold at cost, or gratuitously loaned to any liberal publisher. The price is moderate to enable all to obtain a copy, and those who are able to purchase a number for circulation. Should this work receive en- couragement, a new edition will contain additions from Confucius, Epictetus, Averroes, Spinoza's Ethics, D'Hol- bach's System of Nature, Voltaire's Dictionary, Hume's Essays, Gibbon, Toulmin's Eternity of the Universe, Bentham, a translation of Aime Martin, Liebig, Combe, Strauss, the Modern German Philosophers, Chamber's Vestiges, &c., with some new engravings.]