ADVERTISEMENT. THE greatest part of these Essays should be confidered as Sketches for a Periodical Paper, which was once intended for publication—they are, in confequence, upon familiar fubjects, and treated as fuch-The Four-Ages, and other Pieces (eafily diftinguished) made no part of the above defign; but though less proper for a Paper, they are more fo for a Book, which may be confidered as an addition to the THIRTY LETTERS already published by the fame Author. ERRATA. ERRAT A. Page 148, line 1, for profeffed read poffeffed. - 174, 7, for faculty read facility. -17, after into read the. 299, THE Ancients, as Ovid elegantly shews in his Metamorphofis, held, that the different states of fociety were aptly expreffed by being termed the Golden Age, the Silver, the Brazen, and the Iron Aurea prima fata eft Ætas, &c. Auro deterior, fulvo pretiofior Ære, &c. -de duro eft ultima ferro. METAM. LIB. 1. They conceived that the first state of man was fuperior to all fucceeding states, as gold is beyond other metals; that the B fecond |