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Excerpts from the Author's PREFACE: ...MAXIMS exert no small influence upon our lives and faculties. They are inward monitors directing the motives and actions to be pursued in every imaginable undertaking, not only of individuals, but of nations. Unvoiced Maxims have ruled, and must ever continue to rule, the destinies of all nations. Their influence lasts through all time. Philosophy (first acquired, probably, by the knowledge of human errors), like Nature, is ever renewing her strength. It is the common possession of all-common as the blood that supports the air we breathe-universal as are our perceptions and faculties; and, if we but reasoned justly, we would discover at the close of our investigations that all men are originally created on a dead-level of intellect. There are degrees of cause and effect. One produces many, but each man can contribute infinitely. If there are grave mysteries in nature not to be unfolded-yet, why repine, my friends? What we are already possessed of -if we but exercise the faculty-may be termed an infinite possession. Some of the following Maxims or reflections are essentially speculative; and, consequently, have not arrived at the dignity of settled opinions. Let this fact be distinctly understood in the discussion of the propositions.... ...Some of the ideas and positions here attempted to be advanced contain-if we look under the surface with a just and liberal interpretation-the germs, I think, of new philosophic principles, for under every idea lies a philosophy, leading, each in turn, to an infinitude of systems. Yet, should they be considered merely in the light of speculative enquiry, may not be altogether devoid of fruit. Whatever shows the force of unchanging Truth and philosophic conviction in a new or unusual light is not wholly lost, or without significance, as contributing to the general progress of thought, no less than of material advancement. Ideality surrounds us as by a circle or halo; mentality is infinite in productive faculty; yet, in all probability, the greatest will never (?) be unearthed. In approaching these subjects of analytical thought and discussion, however, it is incumbent upon us, in our enquiries, to be humble in spirit-otherwise we attain not to the practice of wisdom-(that divine and co-eternal principle, the greatest gift from God to man)- with a due regard, also, and submission to those: Alutoi aporiai- those difficulties of hard solution involved in the discussion. We can assemble upon this common ground of human faculty by contributing to the great republican store of true literature, which is Wisdom-the endless legacy, the eternal possession of all mankind -co-partner with Faith itself-the parent of all our thoughts and faculties. I speak not in the interests of a clique or class, nor even of any distinct nationality, but for man in the aggregate-from the broad philanthropic standpoint of human charity....

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