Oca THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE MIND. practice of reading. The very turn of voice, the good pronun- ciation, and the polite and alluring manner which some teachers have attained, will engage the attention, keep the soul fixed,and convey and insinuate into 'the' mind, the ideas of things in a more lively and forcible way, than the mere reading of books h the silence and retirement of the closet. 2. A tutor or instructor, when he paraphrases and"explains ether authors, can mark out the precise point of digiculty or controversy, and unfold it. He can shew you which paragraphs are of 'the greatest importance, and which are of less moment. He can- teach his hearers what authors, or what parts of an author, are best worth reading on any particular subject ; and thus save his disciples múch time and pains, by shortening the labours of their closet and private studies: He can shew you what were thedoctrines of the ancients in a compendium, which perhaps would cost much labour and the perusal of many books to attain. Hecan inform you what new doctrines or sentiments are rising in the world, before they come to be public ; as well as acquaint you with his own private thoughts, and his own ex- periments and observations ; which never were, and perhaps never will be published to the world, and yet may be very va- luable and useful. 3. A living instructor can convey to our senses those notions with which he would furnish our minds, when he teaches us natural philosophy, or most parts of mathematical learning. Ile can make the experiments before our eyes. He can de- scribe figures and diagrams, point to the lines and angles, and make out the demonstration in a more intelligible manner by sen- sible means, which cannot be done so well by mere reading, even 'though we should have the same figures lying in a book before our eyes. A living.teacher, therefore, is a most neces- sary help in these studies. I might add also, that even where the subject of discourse is moral, logical or rhetorical, &c. and which does not directly come under the notice of our senses, a tutor may explain his ideas by such familiar examples, and plain or simple similitudes, as seldom find place in books and writings. 4. When an instructor in his lectures delivers any mat- ter of difficulty, or expresses himself in such a manner as seems obscure, so that you do not take up his ideas clearly or fully, you have olíportunity, at least when the lecture is finish- ed, or at other proper seasons, to inquire horn such a sentence, should be understood, or how such a dculty may be explained and removed. If there be permission given to free converse with the tutor, either in the midst of the lecture, or rather at the end of it, con- ,
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