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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