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TILE WORKS OF THE REV. ISAAC WATTS, D.D. IN NINE VOLUMES. VOL. VIII. CONTAINING THE IMPROVEMENT OP THE HIND; BRIEF SCHEME OP ONTOLOGY AND A GEOGRAPHY AND ASTRONOMY; DEFENCE AGAINST THE TEMPTATION T* PHILOSOPHICAL ESSAYS ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS; SELF-MURDER. Sóbe .4 LO\4DON : PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REESI ORME AND BROWN, PATERNOSTER- ROM ; BAINES, ROBINSONAND SON, HARDCASTLE, AND HEATON, LEEDS; By Edward Baines, Leeds. 1813.
CONTENTS OF VOLUME VIII. THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE MIND. PART I. CáarrnR L General Rules for the Improvement of Knowledge - II. Observation, Reading, Instruction by Lectures, Conversation 7 and Study compared 18 III. Rules relating to Observation - 16 IV. Of Books and Reading 31 V. Judgment of Books 40 VI. Of Living, Instructions and Lectures of Teachers and Learners 40 VII. Of Learning a Language - - 51 VIII, Of Enquiring the Sense of Writers, &c. especially the Sacred Writings 58. IX. Rules of Improvement by Conversation 61 X. Of Disputes - 72 XI. Of the Socratical Way of Disputation 81 XII. Of Forensic Disputes 83 XHI. Of Academic or Scholastic Disputation 85 XIV. Of Study or Meditation 92 XV. Of Fixing the Attention 101 XVI. Of Enlarging the Capacity of the Mind - - 107 XVII. Of Improving the Memory - - 116 XVIII. Of Determining a Question - - - - 173 XIX. Of Enquiring into Causes and Effects - - - 146 XX. Of the Sciences, and their Use in particular Professions' 149 PART II. COMMUNICATION OF USEFUL KNOWLEDGE. Cuanta I. Methods of Teaching and Reading Lectures - 171 II. Of an Instructive Style 177 IIÍ. Of Convincing Persons of Truth and delivering them from Errors 181 IV. Of Authority, its Abuse and Uses - 187 V. Of Treating the Prejudices of Men - 194 VI. Of Instruction by Preaching - 200 VII. Of Writing Books for the Public - 209 VIII. Of Writing and Reading Controverbas 212
CONTENTS. GEOGRAPHY AND ASTRONOMY. Dedication 219 Sxcru + I. Of the Spheres or Globes of the Heavenand Earth - 222 II. Of the greater Circles - - - - 223 III. Of the lesser Circles - - - _ 227 IV. Of the Points - - - - - _ _ 228 V. Of Longitude and Latitude on the Earthly Globe and of dif- ferent Climates 231 VI. Of Right Ascension, Declination and Hour Circles - - 234 VII. Of Longitude and Latitude on the Heavenly Globe, and of the Nodes and Eclipses of the Planets - - - 237 VIII. Of Altitude, Azimuth, and various risings and settings of the Sun and Stars - - - _ _ _ 238 IX. Of the Inhabitantsof the Earthaccording to the Positions of theSphere, the Zones, &c. - _ _ - 242 X. The natural Description of the Earthand Waters on the Ter- restrial Globe 246 XI. Of Maps and Sea Charts - 250 XII. The Political Divisions of the Earth represented on the - 253 XIII. Of Europe and its several Countries and Kingdoms -. 254 XIV. Of Asia, &c. _ _ 258 XV. Of Africa and its Divisions - _ - 259 XVI. Of Americaand its Divisions - - - - 260 XVII. Of the Fixed Stars on the Heavenly Globe - - 262 XVIII: Of the Planets andComets 465 XIX. Problems relatingto Geography andAstronomy to be per- formed by the Globe . - - _ _ _ 365 XX. Problems by the Use of the Plain Scale and Compasses 286 XXI. Tables of the Sun's Declination, and of the Declination and right Ascension of several Remarkable fixed Stars, together with some. Account how they are to be used 315 PHILOSOPHICAL ESSAYS ON VARIOUSSUBJECTS. Parrare - _ _ _ 327 Essay I. A fair Enquiry and Debate concerning Space whether it bé Something orNothing, God ora Creature 331 II. Of Substance. and of solid Extension and a thinking Power, as the twoonly Original Substances - - _ 353 III. Of the Original of our. Perceptions and Ideas - - 365 IV. Of Innate Ideas 378 V. An Enquiry whether the Seul thinks always - _ 388 VI. Of the Power of Spirits to moveBodies, of their being in a Placeand removingfront it - - 395 VII. The'departing Soul - _ _ _ _ 414 VIII. The Resurrection of the same Body - - - 419 IX. Of the Production, Nourishment and Operations of Plants and Animals 426 X. Of Sun Beams and Star Beams 453 XI. On some Metaphysical Subjects 458
CONTENTS. XII. Remarks on some Chapters of Mr. Locke's Essay on the Human Understanding 4ü. A BRIEF SCHEME OF ONTOLOGY. Caa lma I. Of Being and not Being, with a general Scheme oftheAffec- tions of Being 482 II. Of absolute Affections, and firstof Essence or Nature, Mat- ter and Form 490 III. Of Existence, whether actual, possible or impossible ; necessary or contingent; dependent or independent 491 IV. Of Duration, Creation and Conservation - - 494 V. Of Unity and Union - - 490 VI. Of Act and Power, Action and Passion, Necessity and Liberty -, - - - 497 VIL Of relativeAffections or Relations - - - 509 VIII. Of real Relations,(viz.) Truth, Goodness and Perfection 501 IX. Of the Whale and Parts - - - - - 504 X. Of Principles,. Causes and Effects - - 505 XI. Of Subjectand Adjunct - - - 514 XII. Of Time, and Place and Ubiety - - - - .515 XIII. Of Agreement and Difference, of S ameness and the Doc- trine of Opposites - - 517 XIV. Of Number and Order 031 XV. Of Mental Relations (viz.) Abstract Notions, Signs, Words, Terms of Art, &c. - - - - 522 XVI. The chief Kinds or Divisions of Being, and first of Sub- stance and Mode 525 XVII. Of Finite and Infinite 526 XV III. Of Natural, Moral and Artificial Beings and Ideas 536 A DEFENCE AGAINST THE TEMPTATION TO SELF-MURDER. - - - 535
THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE MIND ; CONTAINING A VARIETY OF REMARKS AND RULES FOR THE ATTAINMENTatd COMMUNICATION of USEFUL KNOWLEDGE, IN .RELIGION, in the SCIENCES and in COMMONLIFE. VOL, vSIL. A
PItEFACÉ To " THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE MIND." IN the last page of the Treatise of Logic which I published many years ago, it is observed, that thereare several other things which might assist the cultivation of the mind, and its improvement in knowledge, which are not usually represented among the principles or preceptsof that art or science. These are the subjects which compose this book; these are the sentiments and rules, many of which 1 had then in.view, and which 1 now venture into public light. The present treatise, if it may assume the honour of that name, is made up of a variety of remarksand directions for the improvement of the mind an useful knowledge. It was collected from the observationswhich I had made onmy own studies,and on the temper and sentiments, the humour and con- duct of other men in their pursuit of learning, or in the affairsof life; and it has been considerably assisted by occasional collections in the course of my reading, from many authors andon differentsubjects. 1 confess, in far the greatest part, I stand bound toanswer for theweaknesses or defects that will be found in these papers, not being able to point to other writers, whence the twentieth part of them is derived. The work was composed at different times, and by slow degrees. Now and then, indeed, it spread itself into branches and leaves like a plant in April, and advanced seven or eight pages in a week and sometimes it lay by without growth, like avegetable in the winter, and didnot increase halt' so much in the revolutionof a year. As these thoughts occurred to me in reading or meditation, or in my notices of the various appearances of things among mankind, they were thrown under those heads which make the present titles of the chapters, and were by degrees reduced to something like a method, such as the subject would admit. On these accounts it is not to be expected that the same accurate order should be observed either in the whole book, or in the particular chapters thereof, which is necessary in thesystem of any science, whose scheme is projected at once. A book which has been twenty years in writing, maybe Indulged in some variety of style and manner, though I hope there will not be found any great difference of sentiment ; for wherein I had improved in later years beyond what I had first written, a few dashes and alterations have corrected themistakes : And if the candour of the reader will but allowwhat is defective in one place, tobe supplied fiy additions from another, I hope there will be found a sufficient reconciliationof what might seem at first to be scarcely consistent. The language anddress ofthese sentiments is such as the present temper of mind dictated, whether it were grave or pleasant, severe or smiling. If there has been any thing expressed with too much severity, I suspect it will be found to fall upon those sneering or daring writers of the age against reli, gion, and against the Christian scheme, who seemed to have left reason, or decency, or both, behind them in some of their writings. The sameapology of the length of years in composing this book, may serve also to excuse a repetition of the samesentiments; which may happen to be found in different places, without the author's . design; but inother pages it +2
PREFACE. was intended, so that those tules for the conduct of the understanding which are most necessary, should be set in several lights, that they might with-more. frequent and more force impress the soul:. it shall be sufficiently satisfied with the good humour and lenity of my readers, if they will please to regard these papers as parcels of imperfect sketches, which were design- ed by a sadden .pencil, and in a thousand leisure moments, to be one day collected into landscapes of some little "prospects is the regions of learning, and in the world of common life, pointing out the tiniest and most fruitful spots, as well as the rocks and wildernesses, and tiah'!ess moasscste the country. '- Out I feel age advancing upon me, and my health is insuft ciao to perfect what I had designed,. to increase and amplify these remarks,: to confirm and improve these rules, and to illuminatethe several pages with richer and more beautiful variety ofexamples. The subject is almost endless and new writers. is the present and in following ages may still find suit.: çittrt taffies,, steaknesses,and dangers.among ntanitintl, to be represented iii such a manner as to guard youth against them. . '! hese hints, sunk as they are, I. hopemay be rendered some way oce- ful to..persons in younger years, who will favour them with a perusal, and, who would ,seek the cultivation of their own understandings in the early days óf life. Perhaps they may find something here which may awakea latest genius, -anddirect the studies of a willing mind. Perhaps it may point out tu. a student now and then, what may employ the most usefid labours of his thoughts,. and accelerate his diligence in the most momentous inquiries. Per-. haps a sprightly youthmay here meet with sotnething to guard or warn hiss against mistakes, and withhold him atother times from those pursuits whicú are like to be `fruitless and disappointing. -Letjt be observed also, that in our age several ofthe ladies pursue science With success:; and others of them are desirous. of improving their reason even in'eommon. affairs of life, as well as the men : yet the characterswhich arc.itere drawn occasionally, are almost universally applied to one sex ç but if any of the other shall find a character which suits them, they may b.y} a charge of the termination, apply and assume it to themselves, aiÇÏ aOeept the instruction, the admonition, or the applause which is design iii it. fiì,ere is yet another thing which it is necessarymy reader should be in- formed of ; but whether he will call it fortunate or unhappy, f know not. It isse do rätly evident that the book consistsof two parts : The first lays down rei;iarks and rules how we niayattain useful knowledge ourselves; and the sepónd,' howwe may best communicate it to others. These were both de- sít sed tti be printed in this volume : but a manuscript which lath been near twenty years in handmay be easily supposed to allow of Such difference in the hand-writing, so many lines altered, so many things interlined, and so Many paragraphs,arid pages here and there inserted, that it was not easy tó etmnpute the number of sheets that it would make in. print: and it now ap- pears, that the remarksand rulesabout the communication of knowledge be- ing excluded here, they must be loft to another volume: wherein will be con tinned varioú*óbservatiois relating to niethtids of instruction, the style and inanner of it, the way of convincing other persons, of guarding youth against prejudices, of treating and managing the prejudices of then, of the use and abuse of authority, of education, and of the various things in which children and youth Amid he instructed, of their proper business and diver- sions, and of the degrees of liberty and restraint therein, &c. Of all which ï had once designeda more complete treatise; but my years advancing, I now despair to finish it : The essays er chapters on these subjects being already written, if' I atn favoured with a tolerable degree of health, will be put to the press, Whenthe favourable acceptance. of tilts first part shall give sufficient encou-' tageutent to proceed.
THE IMPROVEMENT OF THEMIND; CONTAINING 4 variety of ,Remarks and Rules for the Attainment and Communication of Useful Knowledge, in Religion, in the Sciences, and in Common Life. THE FIRST PART. Directions for the Attainment of useful Knowledge. INTRODUCTION. No man is obliged to learn and know every thing ; this . can neither be sought nor required, for it is utterly impossible; yet all persons are under some obligation to improve their own un- derstanding, otherwise it will be a barren desart, or a forest overgrown with weeds and brambles. Universal ignorance or infinite errors will overspread the mind, which is utterly neg- lected and lies without any cultivation. Skill in the sciences is indeed the business and profession but of a small part of man- kind ; but there are manyothers placed in such an exalted rank in the world, as allows them much leisure and large opportu- nities to cultivate their reason, and to beautify and enrich their mind with various knowledge. Even the lower orders of men have particular callings in life, wherein they ought to acquire a just degree of skill, and this is not to be done well without thinking and reasoning about them. The common duties and benefits of society, which belong to every man living, as we are social creatures, and even our native and necessary relations to a family, a neighbourhood, or a government, oblige all persons whatsoever to use their reason- ing powers upon a thousand occasions; every hour of life calls for some regular exercise of our judgment as to times and things persons and actions ; without a prudent and discreet determina- tion in matters before us, we shall be plunged into perpetual, errors in our conduct. Now that which should always be prac- tised, must atsome time be learnt. Besides everyson and daughter of Adam has a most im- portant concern in the affairs of a life to come, and therefore it is a matter of the highest moment for every one to understand, to judge, and to reason right about the things of religion. It is in vain for any to say, we have no leisure or time for it. The daily intervals of time, and vacancies from necessary labour; A 3
6 THE IMPROVEMENT OF TUE MIND. together with the one day in seven in the Christian world, al- lows sufficient time for this, it men would but apply themselves to it with half as much seal and diligence, as they do to the trifles and amusements of this life; and it would turn toinft- pitely better account. Thus it appears to be the necessary duty and the interest of every person living to improve his understanding, to inform his judgment, to treasure up useful knowledge, and to acquire the skill of good reasoning, as far as his station, capacity and cir- cumstances furnish him with proper means for it. Our mistakes in judgment may plunge us into much folly and guilt in practice. By acting without thought or reason, we dishonour the God that made us reasonable creatures, we often become injurious to our neighbours, kindred or friends, and we bring sin and misery upon ourselves : For we are accountable to God our judge for every part of our irregular and mistaken conduct, where he bath given us sufficient advantages to guard against those mistakes. It is the design of Logic to give this improvement to the mind, and to teach us the right use of reason in the'acquire- ment and communication of all useful knowledge ; though the greatest part of writerson that subject have turned it into a composition of hard words, trifles and subtleties for the mere use of the schools, and that only to amuse the minds and the ears of men with empty sounds, which flatter their vanity, and puff up their pride with a pompous and glittering chew of false learning ; and thus they have perverted the great and valuable design of that science. A few modern writers have endeavoured to recover the honour of Logic, since that excellent author of the Art of Thinking led the way : Among the rest I have presumed to make an attempt of the same kind, in a treatise published seve- ral years ago, wherein it was my constant aim to assist the rea- soning powers of every rank and order of men, as well as to . keep an eye to the best interest ofthe schools and the candidates of true learning, There I have endeavoured to skew the takes we are exposed to in our conception, judgment Mid rea- soning; and pointed to the various springs of them. I have also laid down many general and particular rules how to escape error, end attain truth in matters of the civil and religious life, as well as in the sciences. But there are several other obsetva- Lions very pertinent to this purpose, which have not fallen so directly under any of those heads of discourse, or at least they would have swelled that treatise to an improper size ; and there- fore I have made a distinct collection of them here out of various authors, as well as from my own observation, and set them down. tinder the followiom heads.
CHAPTER I. The learned world who has done só much unmerited honour to that logical treatise, as to receive it into our two flourishing universities, may possibly admit this as a second part or supplement to that treatise. And I may venture to persuade myself, that if the common and the busy ranks of man- kind, as well as the scholar and the gentleman, would but tran- scribe such rules into their understanding, and practise them upon all occasions, there would be much more truth and know- ledge found among men : And it is reasonable to hope that justice, virtue and goodness would attend as the happy conse- quents. CHAP. I. General Rules for the Improvement of Know- ledge. I. DEEPLY possess your mind with the vast importance of a good judgment, and the rich and inestimable advantage of right reasoning. Review the instances of your own mis- conduct in life ; thinkseriously with yourselves how many follies and sorrows you had escaped, and how much guilt and misery you had prevented, if from your early years you had but taken due pains to judge aright concerningpersons, times and things. This will awaken you with lively vigour to address yourselves to the work of improving your reasoning powers, and seizing every opportunity and advantage for that end. II. Consider the weaknesses, frailties and mistakes of hu- man nature in general, which arise from the very constitution of a soul united to an animal body, and subjectedto many incon- veniences thereby. Consider the many additional weaknesses, mistakes and frailties which are derived from our original apos- lacy andfall from a state of innocence; how much our powers of understanding are yet more darkened, enfeebled, and imposed upon by our senses, our fancies, and our unruly passions, &c. Consider the depth and difficulty of many truths, and the flat- tering appearances of falsehood, whence arises an infinite va- riety of dangers to which we are exposed in our judgment of things. Read with greediness those authors that treat of the doctrine of prejudices, prepossessions and springs of error, on purpose to make your soul watchful on all sides, that it suf- fer not itself as far as possible to be imposed upon by any of them. Seemore on this subject, Logic Part 1I. Chap. 3. and Part III. Chap. l * Though the most of these following rules arechiefly addressed to those whom their fortuneor theirstation require to addict themselves to the peculiar improvementof .their minds in greater degrees of knowledge, yetevery one who bas leisure and opportunity to be acquainted with such writings as these, may hod something among them for their own use.
ó TAE IMPROVEMENT OF THE MIND. III. A'slight view of things so momentous is not sun- dent. Yeti should therefore contrive and practise some pro- per methods to acquaint yourself with your own ignorance, and to impress yourmind with a deep and painful sense of the low and imperfect degrees of your présent knowledge, that you may be incited with labour and activity to pursue after greater measures. Among others you may'find some such methods as these successful. 1. Take a wide survey now and then of the vast and un- limited regions of learning. Let your meditations run over the names öf all the sciences, with their numerous branchings, and innumerable particular themes of knowledge; and then reflect how few of them you are acquainted with in any tolerable degree. The most learned of mortals. will never find occasion to act over again what is fabled of Alexander the Great, that when he had conquered what was called the Lastern World,- hé wept for want of more Worlds to conquer. The worlds of science are im- mense and endless. 2. Think what a numberless variety of questions and dif- ficulties there are belonging even to that' particular . science, in which you have made the greatest progress, and how few of them there are in which you have arrived at a final and undoubted certainty ; excepting only those questions in the pure and .simple mathematics; whose theorems are demonstra- ble and leave scarcely any doubt ;- and yet even in the pur, suit of some few ,of these, mankind have been strangely be wildered. 3. Spend a few thoughts sometimes on the puzzling en- quiries concerning vacuums and atoms, the doctrine of infini., tkes, indivisibles and incommensurables in. geometry, wherein there appear some insolvable difficulties : Do this on purpose to give you a more sensible impression . of the poverty of. your understanding, and the imperfection, of your knowledge. This will teach you what a vain thing it is to fancy that you know all things ; and will instruct you to think modestly of your pre- sent attainments, when every dust of the earth and every inch Of empty space surmounts your understanding and triumphs over your presumption. Arithmo had beets bred up to ac- counts all his life, and thought himself a complete master of numbers. But when he was pushed Lard to give the square root of the number 2, he tried at it; and laboured long in millesimal fractious, until.lie confessed therewas no end of the inquiry; and yet he learnt so much modesty by this perplex- ing gncstion, that he was afraid to say, it was an impossible cling. It Se. some good degree of improvement 'when we are atrziel to he pósitive. lad the amounts of those vast treasures of knowledge
CFIAPTER L which some of the dead have possessed, and some of the living do possess. Read and be astonished at the almost incredible advances which have been made in science. Acquaint yourselves with some persons of great learning, that by converse among them, and comparing yourselves with them, you may acquire a mean opinion of your own attainments, and may be thereby ani- mated with new 'zeal to equal them as far as possible, or to ex- ceed ; thus let your diligence be quickened by a generous and laudableemulation. If Vanillus had never met with Seitorio 'and Polydes, he had never imagined himself a mere novice in Philo- sophy, nor ever set himself to study in good earnest. Remem- ber this, that if upon some few superficial acquirements you value, exalt and swell yourself as though you were aman of learning already, you are thereby building a most unpassable barrier against all improvement ; you will lie down and indulge idleness, end rest yourself contented in the midst of. deep and shameful ignorance. Multi ad scientiampervenissent si se lilac pervenisse non putassent. IV. Presume not too much upon a bright genius, a ready wit, andgood parts, for this without labour and study will never make a pan of knowledge and wisdom. This has been an un-' happy temptation to persons of a vigorous andgay fancy, to despise learning and study. They have been acknowledged to shine in an assembly, and sparkle in discourse upon common topics, and thence they took it into their heads to abandon readingand labour and grow old in ignorance ; but when they had lost the vivacities of animal nature and youth, they become stupid and sottish even to contempt and ridicule. Lucidas and Scintillo are young men of this stamp ; they shine in conversation, they spread their na- tive riches before the ignorant; they pride themselves in their own lively images of fancy, and imagine themselves wise and learned; but they had best avoid the presence of the skilful arid the test of reasoning; and I would advise them once a day to think forward a little, what a contemptible figure they will make in age. The witty men have sometimes sense enough to know their own foible, and therefore they craftily shun the attacks . of argument, or boldly pretend to despise and renounce them ; because they are conscious of their own ignorance, and in- wardly confess their want of acquaintance with the skill of reasoning. V. As you are not to fancy yourself a learned man because you are blessed with a ready wit, so neither must you ima gine that large and laborious reading, and a strong memory can denominate you truly wise. What that excellent critic has determined when he decided . the question, whether wit or study makes the best post, may well be applied.to every sort of learning----
10 THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE MIND. Ego nee studium sine diorite iena Ne crude quid profit, video, ingenium ; alterius sic 4lteraposcit opera res, et conjurat amice. Hor. de Art. Poet. Thus made English : Concerning poets there has been contest, Whether they're made by art or nature best But if I may presume in this affair, Among the rest my judgment to declare, No art without a genius will avail, And parts without the help of art will fail : But both ingredients jointly must unite, Or verse will never shinewith a transcendant light.Oldham. It is meditation and studious thought, it is the exercise of your own reason and judgment upon all you read, that gives goodsense even to the best genius, and affords your understand- ing the truest improvement. A boy of strong memorymay repeat a whole book of Euclid, yet be no Geometrician ; for he may not be able perhaps to demonstrate one single theorem. Memorino has learnt half the Bible by heart, and is become a living con- cordance and a speaking index to theological folios, and yet he understands little of divinity. A' well furnished library and a capacious memory, are in- deed of singular use toward the improvement of the mind ; but if all your learning be nothing else but a mere amassment of what others have written, without a due penetration into their meaning, and without a judicious choice and determination of your pwn sentiments, I do not see what title your head has to true learning above your shelves. Though you have read Philosophy andTheo- logy, Morals and Metaphysics in abundance, and every other art and science, yet if your memory is the only faculty employ- ed, with the neglect of your reasoning powers, you can justly claim nohigher character but that of a good historian of the sci- ences. Herenote, Many ofthe foregoing advicesare more peen- liarly proper for those- who are conceited of their abilities, and areready to entertain a high opinion of themselves. But a mo- dest humble youth of a good genius, should not suffer himself to be discouraged by any of these considerations. They are designed only as a spur to diligence, and a guard against vanity and pride. VI. Be not so weak as to imagine that a life of learning is a life of laziness and ease: Dare not give up yourself to anyof the learned professions unless you are resolved to labour hard at study, and can make it your delight, and the joy of your life, according to the motto of our late Lord Chancellor Ring. La- bor ipse voluptas. It is no idle thing to be a scholar indeed. 4 man much addicted to luxury and pleasure, .recreation and pas-
CHAPTER t. 11 time, should never pretend to devote himself entirely 'to the sci- ences, unless his soul be so reformed and refined that he can taste all these entertainments eminently in his closet, among his books and papers. Sobrino is a temperate man and a philoso- pher, and he feeds upon partridge and pheasant, venison and ragouts, and every delicacy in a growing understanding, and a serene and healthy soul, though he dines on a dish of sprouts or turnips. Langninos loved his case, and therefore chose to be brought up a scholar ; he had much indolence in his temper, and as he never cared for study, he falls under universal contempt in his profession, because he has nothing but the gotta and the name. VII. Let the hope of new discoveries, as well as the satis- factionandpleasureof knoten truths, animate your daily industry. Do not think learning in general is arrived at its perfection, or that the knowledge or any particular subject in any science can- pot be improved, merely because it has lain five hundred or a thousand years without improvement, The present age, by the blessing of God on. the ingenuity and diligence of men, has brought to light such truths in natural philosophy, and such dis- coveries in the heavens and the earth, as seemed to be beyond the reach of man. But may not there be Sir Isaac Newtons in every science ? You should never-despair therefore of finding out that which has never yet been found, unless you see something in the nature pf ït which renders it unseereltable, and above the reach pf our fapulties, Nor should a student in divinity imagine that our age is ar- rived at a full understanding of every thing which can be known by the scriptures. Every age since the reformationhath thrown some further light on difficult texts and paragraphs of the bible, which have been long obscured by the early rise of antichrist; and since there are at present many difficulties, and darknesses hanging about certain truths of the Christian Religion, and since several of these relate to important doctrines, such as the Origin of Sin, the Fall of Adam, the Person of Christ, the blessed Trinity, and the Decrees of God, &c. which do still embarrass the minds of honest and enquiring readers, and which make work for noisy controversy; it is certain there are several things in the bible yet unknown and not sufficiently explained, and it is certain that there is some way to solve these difficulties, and to reconcile these seeming contradictions And why may not a sin-, cere searcher of truth in the present age, by labour, diligence, study, and prayer, with the best use of his reasoning powers, find out the proper solution of those knots andperplexities which have hitherto been unsolved, and which have afforded matter fir angry quarrelling ? happy is every man who shall be favoured of heaven to 'give a helping hand towards that introduction of the blessed age of light and loge.
22 THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE MIND. VIII. Do not hover alwunys on the surface of things, no, take up suddenly with mere appearances; but penetrate into the depth of matters, as far as your time and circumstances allow, especially in those things which relate to your own profession. Do not indulge yourselves to judge of things by the first glimpse, or a short and superficial view of them ; for this will fill the mind with errors and prejudices, and give it a wrong turn and ill habit of thinking, and make much work for retraction. Subito is car- ried away with title pages, so that he ventures to pronounce upon a large octavo a`t once, and to recoinmend it wonderfully when he had read half the Preface. Another volume of controversies of equal'size, was discarded by him at once, because, it pretend- ed to treat of the Trinity, and yet he could neither find the word essence nor subsisteneies, in the 12 first pages ; but Subite changes his opinions of men and books and things so often, that nobody regards him. As for those sciences, or those parts of knowledge, which either your profession, your leisure, your inclination, or your incapacity, forbid you to pursue with much application, or to search far into them, you must be contented with an historical and superficial knowledge of them, and not pretend to formmany judgments of your own on those subjects which you understand very imperfectly. IX. Once a day, especially in the early years of life and study, Call yourselves to. an account what new ideas, what new proposition or truth you have gained, what further confirmation of known truths, and what advances you have made in any part of knowledge; and let no day if possible pass away without some intellectual gain : such a course well pursued, must certainly ad- vance us in useful knowledge. It is a wise proverb among the learned, borrowed from the lips and practice of a celebrated painter, nulla dies sine lines ; let no day pass without one line at least ; and it was a sacred rule among the Pythagoreans, that they should every evening thrice run over the actions and affairs of the day, and examine what their conduct had been, what they had done, or what they had neglected ; and they assured their pupils, that by this method they would make a noble progress in the path of virtue. Nor let soft slumber close your eyes, Before you've recollected thrice The trainof actions thro' the day: Where have my feet choseout the way ? What have I learnt, where'er I've been, From all l've beard, from all l've seen ? What know I more that's worth the knowing? What have 1 donethats worth the doing? What have I sought that 1 should shun? What duty have 1 left undone Or into what new follies run ? These self-enquiries are the road That leads tovirtue and to God.
CHAPTER I. 13 I would be glad among a nation of Christiane, to find young Men heartily engaged in the practice of what this heathen wri- ter teaches. X. Maintain a constant watch at all times against a dogmatical spirit : fix not your assent to any proposition in a firm and unalterable manner, till you have some firm and unal- terabl ground for it, and till you have arrived at some clear and sure ev.ictence; till you have turned the proposition on all sides, and Searched the matter through and through, so that you can- not be mistaken. And even where you may think you have full grounds of assurance, be not too early, nor too frequent in ex- pressing this assurance in too peremptory and positive a manner, remembering that human nature is always liable to mistake in this corrupt and feeble state. A dogmatical spirit bas many inconveniences attending it as, 1. It stops the ear against all further reasoning upon that subject, and shuts up the mind from all farther improvementsof knowledge. If you have resolutely fixed your opinion, though it be upon too slight and insufficient grounds, yet you will stand determined to renounce the strongest reason brought for the con- trary opinion, and grow obstinate against the force of the clear- est argument. Positivo is a man of this character, and has often pronounced his assurance of the Cartesian vortexes: last year some further light broke in upon his understanding, with uncontrollable force, by reading something of mathematical phi- losophy; yet having asserted his opinions in a most confident manner, he is tempted now to wink a little against the truth, or to prevaricate in his discourse upon that subject, lest by admitting conviction, he should expose himself to the necessity of confess- inghis former folly and mistake ; and he has not humility enough for that. 2. A dogmatical spirit naturally leads us to arrogance of mind, and gives a man some airs in conversation, which are too haughtyand assuming. Amiens is a man of learning, and very good company, but his infallible assurance renders his carriage sometimes insupportable. A dogmatical spirit inclines a man to be censorious of his neighbours. Every one of his opinions appears to him written as it were with sun - beams, and he grows angry that his neigh. hours does not see it in the same light. He is tempted to dis- dain his correspondents as men of a low and dark understanding, because they will not believe what he does. Furto goes farther in this wild track, and charges those who refuse his notions, with wilful obstinacy and vile hypocrisy : he tells them boldly, that they resist the truth, and sin against their consciences. These are the men, that when they deal in controversy, de- light in reproaches. They abound in tossing about absurdity and
14 THE IMPROVEMENT OP THE MIND. stupidity among their brethren : They cast the imputation of heresy and nonsense plentifully upon their antagonists ; and int matters of sacred importance, they deal out their anathemas in abundance uponChristians better than themselves : they denounce damnation upon their neighbours without either justiceor mercy, and when they pronounce sentences of divine wrath against sup- posed heretics, they add their own human fire and indignation: A dogmatist in religion is not a great way off from a bigot, and is in high danger of growing up to be a bloody persecutor. XI. Thoughcaution and slow assent will guard you against frequent mistakes and retractions, yet you should get humility and courage enough to retract any mistake, and confess an error: frequent changes are tokens of levity, in our first determinati- ons ; yet you should never be too proud to change your opinion, nor frighted at the name of changeling. Learn to scorn. those vulgar bugbearswhich confirm foolish man in his own mistakes, for fear of being charged with inconstancy. I confess it is better not to judge, than to judge falsely ; and it is wiser to withhold our assent till we see complete evidence ; but if we have too sud- denly given our assent, as the wisest man does sometimes, if we have professed what we find afterwards to be false, we should never be ashamed nor afraid to renounce a mistake. That is a noble essay that is found among the Occasional Papers, to en- courage the world to practise retractions ; and I would recom- mend it to the perusal of every scholar and every Christian. XII. He that would raise his judgment above the vulgar rank of mankind, and learn to pass a just sentence on persons and things, must take heed of a fanciful temper of mind, and a humourous conduct in his affairs. Fancy and humour early and constantly indulged, may expect an old age over-run with follies,. The notion of humourist is, one that is greatly pleased or greatly displeased with little things, who sets his heart much upon matters of very small importance, who has his will deter- mined every day by trifles, his actions seldom directed by the, reason and nature of things, and his passions frequently raised` by things of little moment. Where this practice is allowed, it will insensibly warp the judgment to pronounce little things great, and tempt you to lay agreat weight upon them. In short this temper will incline you to pass an unjust valueon almost every thing that occurs ; and every step that you take in this path is just so far out of the way to wisdom. XIII. For the same reason have a care of trfiing with things important and momentous, or of sporting with things awful and sacred : do not indulge a spirit of ridicule, as some witty men do on all occasions and subjects. This will as unhap- pily bias the judgment on the other side, and incline you to pass a low esteem on the most valuable objects. Whatsoever evil
CHAPTER 1. 15 habit we indulge in practice, it will insensibly obtain a power over our understanding, and betray us into many errors. Jo.. cander is ready with his jest to answer every thing that he ars ; he reads books in the same jovial humour, and has got the art of turning every thought and sentence into merriment. How many awkward and irregular judgments does this man pass upon solemn subjects, even when he designs to be grave and in earnest ? his mirth and laughing humour it formed into habit and temper, and leads hisunderstanding shamefully astray. You will see himwandering in pursuit of a gay flying feather, and he is drawn by a sort of ignis fatuus into bogs and mire almost every day of his life. XIV. Ever maintain a virtuous and pious frame of spi- rit; for an indulgence of vicions inclinations debases the under- standing and perverts the judgment. Whoredom and wine, and new wine, take away the heart and soul and reason of a man. Sensuality ruins the better faculties of the mind : au indulgence to appetite and passion enfeebles the powers of reason, it makes the judgment weak and susceptive of every falsehood, and es+ pen ally of such mistakes as have a tendency towards the gratifi- cation of the animal ; and it warps the soul aside strangely from that stedfast honesty and integrity that necessarily belongs to the pursuit of truth. It is the virtuous man who is in a fair way to wisdom. Godgives to those that are good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, andjoy ; Eccl. ii. 26. Piety towards God, as well as sobriety and virtue, are ne- cessary qualifications to make a truly wise and judicious man. He that abandons religion must act in such a contradiction to his own conscience and best judgment, that he abuses and spoils the faculty itself. It is thus in the nature of things, and it is thus by the righteous judgment of God : even the pretended sages among the heathens, who did not like to retain God in their knowledge, they were given up to a reprobate mind, an undistin, guishing or injudicious mind, so that they judged inconsistently,. and practised lucre absurdities : Rom. i. 28. And it is the character of the slaves of antichrist, 2Thess. ii. 10, &c. that those who receive not the love of the truth, were exposed to the power of diabolical sleights and lying wonders. When divine revelation shines and blazes in the face of men with glorious evidence, and they wink their eyes against it, the Godof this world is suffered to blind them even in the most obvious, common, and sensible things. The great God of heaven for this cause, sends them strong delusionsthat they should believe a lie; and the nonsense of transubstantiation in thepopish world is a most glaring accomplishment of this prophecy, beyond ever what could have been thought of or expected among creatures who pre. tend to reason.
]t5 THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE MIND. XV. Watch against the pride of your awn reason, and a" 'rain conceit ofyour intellectual powers, with the neglect of divine' aid and blessing. Presume not upon great attainments in know- ledge by your own self-sufñciency those who trust to their own understanding entirely are pronounced-fools in the svord of God ; and it is the wisest of mers gives them`this character, he that tru.st- eth in his own heart is a fool ; Prov. xxviii. 26. And the same divine writer advises to trust in the Lord with all our heart : and not to lean to our awn understandings, nor to be wise in our Own eyes Chap. iii. 5, 7. Those who'with áneglect of religion, and' dependence On God, apply themselves to search out every article in the things of God by the mere dint of theirown reason, have been suffered to run into wild excesses of foolery, and strange extravagance of opinions. Every one who pursues this vain course, and will not ask for .he conduct of God in the study of religion, has just rea- son to fear he shall be left of God, and given up a prey to a thousand prejudices : that he should be consigned over to the fol- lies of his own heart, and pursue his own temporal and eternal ruin. And even in common studies; we should by humility and dependence engage the God of truth on our side, XVI. Offer up therefore your daily requests tó God the .rather of lights, that he would bless allyour attemptsand labours in reading, study, and conversation. Think yourself, how easily and how insensibly by one turn of thought he can lead you into a large scene of useful ideas ; he can teach you to lay hold on a clue which may guide your thoughts with "safety and ease through all the difficulties of an intricate subject. Think bow easily the Author of your beings can direct your motions by his providence, so that the glance of an eye, or a word striking the ear, or a sudden turn of the fancy, shall conduct you to a train of happy sentiments. Byhis secret and supreme method of government he can-draw you to read such a treatise, or to converse with such a person who may give, yod more light into some deep subject in an hour, than you couldobtain by a month of your ownsolitary labour. Think with yourself, with how much ease the God-ofspirits can cast into our mind some useful suggestion, and give a happy turn to your own thoughts, or the thoughts of those with whom you converse, whence you may derive unspeakable light and satisfaction in a-matter that has long puzzled and entangled you he can chew you a path which the vulture's eye has not seen, and lead you by some unknown gate or portal, out of the wilderness and labyrinthof difficulties wherein you have been long wandering. Implore constantly his divine grace to point your inclination to proper studies, and to fix your heart there. He can keep off`
CHAPTER I. 11: temptations on the right-hand and on the left, both by thecourse of his providence, and by the secret and insensible intimations of his Spirit. He can guard your understanding from every evil influence of error, and secure you from the danger of evil books and men, which might otherwise have a fatal effect, and lead you into pernicious mistakes. Nor let this sort of advice fall under the censure of thegod- less and profane, as a mere piece of bigotry or enthusiasm de- rived from faith and the bible : for the reasons which I have given to support this pious practice of invoking the blessing of God on our studies, are derived from the light of nature as well as reve- lation. Ile that made our souls and is the Father of spirits, shall, Ile not he supposed to have a most friendly influence towards the instruction and government of them ? The Author of our rational, powers can involve them indarkness when he pleases by a sud- den distemper, or he can abandon them to wander into dark and foolish opinions when they are filled with a vain conceit of their own light. He expects to be acknowledged in the common affairs of life, and he does as certainly expect it in the superior operations of the mind, and in the search of knowledge and truth. The Latins were taught to say, A Jove principium musae. In the works of learning they thought it necessary to begin with God. even the poets call upon the muse as a goodness to assist them itt their compositions. The first lines of Homer in his Iliad and his Odyssey, the first line ofMusaeus in his song of Hero and Leander, the begin- ning of Hesiod in his poem of Works and pays, and several others, furnish us with sufficient examples of this kind ; nor does Ovid leave out this piece of devotion as he begins his stories of the Metamorphosis. Christianity so much the more obliges us by the precepts of Scripture to invoke the assistance of the true God in all our labours of the mind, for the improvement of ourselves and others. Bishop Saunderson says, that study without prayer is atheism, as well as that prayer without study ispresumption. And we are still more abundantly encouraged by the testimony of those who have acknowledged from their own experience, that sincere prayer was no hindrance to their studies : they have got- ten more knowledge sometimes upon their knees, than by their labour in perusing a variety of authors ; and they have left this observation for such as follow, Bene orasse est bene studuisse. Praying is the best studying. To conclude, let industry and devotion join together, and you need not doubt the happy success ; Prov. ii. 2. Incline thine ear to wisdom, apply thine heart to understanding : cry after Iznozzledge, and lift up thy voice ; seek her as silver, and search fór her as for hidden treasures; then shalt thou understand the VOL.
IS THE IMPROVEMENTOF TtIE MIND. fear of theLord, &c, which is' the beginning of wisdom. It is the Lord who gives wisdom even to the 'simple, and out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. CHAP. IL Observation, Reading, Instruction by Lectures, Conversation, and Study compared. THERE are five eminent means or methods whereby the mind is improved in the knowledge of things, and these are ob- servation, reading, instruction by lectures, conversation, and me- ditation ; which last in a most peculiar manner is called study. Let us survey thegeneral definition or descriptions of them all. I. Observation is the notice that we take of all océurrencss in human life, whether they are sensible or intellectual, whether relating to persons or things, to ourselves or others. It is this that furnishes us even f oin our infancy, with a rich variety of ideas and propositions, words and phrases : it is by this we know that firewill burn, that the sun gives light, that a horse eats grass, that an acorn produces an oak, that man is a being capable of reasoning and discourse, that our judgment is weak, that our mistakes are many, that our sorrows are great, that our bodies die and are carried to the grave, and that one generation sue- coeds another.' All those things which we see, which we hear or feel, which we perceive by sense or consciousness, or which we know in a direct manner, with scarcely any exercise of our re- flecting faculties or our reasoningpowers, may be included under ire general name of observation. When thisobservation relates to any thing that immediately concerns ourselves, and of which we are conscious, it may be cal- led experience. So I am said to know or experience, that I have in myself a power of thinking, fearing, loving, &c. that I have appetites and passions working in me, and many personal occur- rences have attended me in this life. Observation therefore includes all that Mr. Locke means by sensation and reflection. When we are searching out the nature or properties of any being, by various methods of trial ; or when we apply some active powersor set some causes at work, to observe what effects they would produce, this sort of observation is called experiment. So when I throw a bullet into water, I find it sinks : and when I throw the same bullet into quick-silver, I see it swims : but if I beat out this bullet into a thin hollow shape like a dish, then it will swim in the water too. So when I strike two flints together, I find they produce fire ; when I throw a seed into the earth, it grows up into a plant.
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