Some of the author's best friends have urged him to write on the mercantile profession. Well aware of the difficulty and of the apparent presumption of writing on professions with which he has some acquaintance, he dares not write upon a profession with which he is less acquainted than with any other. He is aware, that universal knowledge, integrity, generosity, honour, and religion, should be early and always taught to merchants; these he has inculcated as necessary in every profession of which he has treated-what should be peculiar to a merchant he does not know, and therefore does not presume to teach. January 10, 1812. RICHARD LOVELL EDGEWORTH. ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER. Ir was difficult to find a proper title for the following Essays. That which has been adopted is confessedly liable to objection. The term Profession is usually confined to the Church, the Law, Physic, and Arms; but in fact, Gentlemen, Statesmen, and Princes, exercise functions of the highest consequence in the state: and no word seems more proper to designate their occupations than the term Profession. Circumlocution is unfit for a title page: what a man wishes to purchase should have a distinct and short name, by which he may inquire for what he wants. "Professional Education" has therefore been chosen as the least objectionable, the shortest, and most comprehensive title for these Essays. It will probably be thought, that the ideas which have been developed in "Practical Education" may be repeated in this volum^, and that new form, instead of new substance, is now offered to the publick. The author hopes, that he has not hitherto given any just grounds for such a supposition. It is however impossible, to |