CHAPTER 'W. $$ that occur. There is such a discovery of the follies, iniquities, and fashionable vices of mankind contained in them, that the may learn much of the humours and madnesses ofthe age, and the public world, in our own , solitary retirement, without the danger of frequenting vicious company, or receiving the mortal infection. XVII. Among other books which are proper and requisite, in order to improve our knowledge in general, or our acquaint- ance with any particular science, it is necessary that we should be furnished with Vocabularies and .Dictionaries of several sorts, viz. Of common words, idioms and phrases, in order to explain their sense; of technical words or the terms of art, to shéw their use in arts and sciences ; of names of men, countries, towns, rivers, &c. which are called historical and geographical dictionaries, &c. These are to be ,consulted, and used upon every occasion ; and never let an unknown word pass in your reading, without seeking for its sense and meaning in some of these writers. If such books are not at band, you must supply the want of them, as well as you can, by consulting such as can inform you : and it is useful to note down the matters of doubt and enquiry in some pocket-book, and take the first opportunity to get them re- solved either by persons or books when we meet with them. XVIII. Be not satisfied with the mere knowledge of the best authors that treat of any subject, instead of acquainting yourselves thoroughly with the subject itself. There is many a young student that is fond of enlarging his knowledge of books, and he contents himself with the notice he has of their title-page, which is the attainment of a bookseller rather than a scholar. Such persons are under a great temptation to practise these two follies. (1.) To heap a great number of books at greater ex- pence than most of them can bear, and to furnish their libraries infinitely better than their understandings. And (2.) when they have got such rich treasures of knowledge upon their shelves, they imagine themselves men of learning, and take a pride in talking of the names of famous authors, and the subjects of which they treat, without any real improvement of their own minds, in true science or wisdom. At best, their learning reaches no farther than the indexes and tables of contents, while they know not how to judge or reason concerning the matters contained in those authors. And indeed how many volumes of learning soever a man possesses, he is still deplorably poor in his understanding, till he has made these several parts of learning his own property, by reading and reasoning, by judging for himself / and remember- Mg what he has read.
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