THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE MIND ; CONTAINING Various Remarks and Rules about the Communication of Useful Knowledge. THE SECOND PART. Communication of Useful Knowledge. INTRODUCTION. THE chief design of the former part of this book, is to lead us into proper methods for the improvement of our knowledge ; let us now consider what are the best means of improving the minds of others, and of communicating to them the know- ledge which we have acquired. If the treasures of the mind should be hoarded up and concealed, they would profit none besides the possessor, and even his advantage by the possession would be poor and narrow, in comparison of what the same trea- sures would yield, both to himself and to the world, by a free communication and diffusion of them. Large quantities of knowledge acquired and reserved by one man, like, heaps of gold and silver, would contract a sort of rust and disagreeable' aspect, by lying in everlasting secresy and silence ; bat they are burnished and glitter by perpetual circulation, through the tribes of mankind. The two chief ways of conveying knowledge to ethers, are, that of verbal instruction to our disciples, or by writing and publishing our thoughts to the world. Here therefore 1. shall first propose some observations which relate to the conveyance of knowledge to others by regular lectures of verbal instruction or by conversation; I shall re- present several of the chief prejudices of which learners are in danger, with directions to guard against them, and then men- tion some of the easiest and most effectual ways of convincing persons of their mistakes, and of dealing with their understand- ings, when they labour under the power of prejudice. I shall afterwards add, by way of appendix, an essay written many years ago, on the subject of education, when I designed a more complete treatise of it. CHAP. I. Methods of Teaching and Reading Lectures. HE that has learned any thing thoroughly, in a clear and methodical manner, and has attained a distinct perception, and
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