PREFACE. THE volume here presented to the reader, is upon a conftruction totally different from that of a work upon the principles of political science, published by the fame author four years ago. The writer deems himself an ardent lover of truth; and, to increase his chance of forcing her from her hiding-place, he has been willing to vary his method of approach, There are two principal methods according to which truth may be investigated. The firft is by laying down one or two fimple principles, which feem fcarcely to be exposed to the hazard of refutation; and then developing them, applying them to a number of points, and following them into a variety of inferences. From this method of investigation, the first thing we are led to hope is, that there will refult a system confentaneous to itself; and, fecondly, that, if all the parts fhall thus be brought into agreement with a few principles, and if those principles be themselves true, the whole will |