CHAPTER XVI. 113 and which they have learnt by experience ; they are utterly unfit fbr speculative studies : it is hard for them to discern the differencebetwixt right and wrong in matters of reason on any abstracted subjects; these ought never to set up for scholars, but apply themselves to those arts and professions of life which are to be learnt at an easier rate, by slow degrees and daily ex- perience. Others have a soul a little more capacious, and they can take in the connection of a few propositions prettywell ; but if the chainof consequences be a little prolix, here they stick and are confounded. If persons of this make ever devote themselves to science, they should be well assured of a solid and strong constitution of body, and well resolved to bear the fatigue of hard labour and diligence in study : if the iron be blunt, king Solo- mon -tells us we must put to more strength. But, in the third place, there are some of so bright and happy a genius, and so ample a mind, that they can take in a long train of propositions, if not at once, yet in a very few mo- ments, and judge well concerning the dependence of them. They,can survey a variety of complicated ideas without fatigue or disturbance ; and a number of truths offering themselves as it were in one view to their understanding, doth not perplex or confound them. This makes a great man. Now though there, may be much owing to nature in this case, yet experience as- sures us that even a lower degree of this capacity and extent of thought may be increased by diligence and application, by fre- quent exercise, and the observation of such rules as these. I. Labour by all means to gain an attentive and patient temper of mind, apower of confirming and fixing your thoughts so long on any one appointed subject, till you have surveyed it on every side and in every situation, and run through the se- veral powers, parts, properties, and relations, effects andcon- sequences of it. He whose thoughts are very fluttering and wandering, and cannot be fixed attentively to a few ideas suc- cessively, will never be able to survey many and various ob- jects distinctly at once, but will certainly be overwhelmed and confounded with the multiplicity of them. The rules for fix- ing the attention in the former chapter are proper to be consulted here. II. Accustom yourself to clear and distinct ideas in every thing you think of. Be not satisfied with obscure and confused conceptions of things, especially where clearer may be obtained: for one obscure or confused idea, especially if it be of great im- portance in the question, intermingled with many clear ones, and placed in its variety of aspects towards them, will be in danger of spreading confusion over the whole scene of ideas, and Vol.. viii. H
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