In the year following he was earnestly persuaded by Dr. Kilbie and
others, to review the Logic Lectures which he had read some years past
in his College; and, that done, to methodise and print them, for the
ease and public good of posterity. But though he had an averseness to
appear publicly in print; yet after many serious solicitations,
and some second thoughts of his own, he laid aside his modesty, and
promised he would; and he did so in that year of 1615. And the book
proved as his friends seemed to prophesy, that is, of great and
general use, whether we respect the Art or the Author. For Logic may
be said to be an Art of right reasoning; an Art that undeceives men
who take falsehood for truth; enables men to pass a true judgment, and
detect those fallacies, which in some men's understandings usurp the
place of right reason. And how great a master our Author was in this
art, will quickly appear from that clearness of method, argument, and
demonstration, which is so conspicuous in all his other writings. He,
who had attained to so great a dexterity in the use of reason
himself, was best qualified to prescribe rules and directions for the
instructions of others. And I am the more satisfied of the excellency
and usefulness of this, his first public undertaking, by hearing that
most Tutors in both Universities teach Dr. Sanderson's Logic to their
Pupils, as a foundation upon which they are to build their future
studies in Philosophy. And, for a further confirmation of my belief,
the Reader may note, that since his Book of Logic was first printed
there has not been less than ten thousand sold: and that 'tis like to
continue both to discover truth and to clear and confirm the reason of
the unborn world.[5]
[Sidenote: Senior Proctor]
It will easily be believed that his former standing for a Proctor's
place, and being disappointed, must prove much displeasing to a man of
his great wisdom and modesty, and create in him an averseness to run a
second hazard of his credit and content: and yet he was assured by Dr.
Kilbie, and the Fellows of his own College, and most of those that
had opposed him in the former Election, that his Book of Logic had
purchased for him such a belief of his learning and prudence, and
his behaviour at the former Election had got for him so great and so
general a love, that all his former opposers repented what they had
done; and therefore persuaded him to venture to stand a second time.
And, upon these, and other like encouragements, he did again, but not
without an inward unwillingness, yield up his own reason to their's,
and promised to stand. And he did so; and was the tenth of April,
1616, chosen Senior Proctor for the year following; Mr. Charles
Crooke[6] of Christ Church being then chosen the Junior.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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