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are proved. Without this you never can expect to remember them long, or to understand them accurately; and that would of itself be reason enough for examining closely the grounds they rest on. But there is the highest gratification of all, in being able to see distinctly those grounds, so as to be satisfied that a belief in the doctrines is well founded.-LORD BROUGHAM, Discourse of the Objects, Advantages and Pleasures of Science, 1827.

All knowlege has been either produced or recorded by man; and animals have not contributed an atom to it: and this must be enough to convince any one of the difference between the mind of man, and the instinct of animals, without going into any of the other numerous reasons that might be successfully produced.-J. SWAN, The Brain in relation to the Mind, ch. xiii.

Blest be the gracious Power, who taught mankind

to stamp a lasting image of the mind!

Beasts may convey, and tuneful birds may sing their mutual feelings in the opening Spring; but Man alone has skill and power to send the heart's warm dictates to the distant friend. 'Tis his alone to please, instruct, advise,

ages remote and nations yet to rise.

CRABBE, The Library.

I believe that whoever would form a right estimate of himself and others; whoever would improve his own character; whoever aspires to the high office of ameliorating the condition of society,

whether as a statesman, as a religious teacher, as the promoter of education, or in any humbler capacity, can in no other way so well qualify himself for his undertaking, whatever it may be, as by studying the laws which regulate his own mind, displayed as it is in his own preceptions, sentiments, thoughts, and volitions. This is the only true foundation of that great science which, for all practical purposes, is more important than anything besides, —the science of Human Nature. * * *

I do not remember the precise words, (Miss Martineau's,) but they are to this effect, that it is important that whoever is engaged in the active pursuits of life should have a certain portion of the day in which he may be alone, in order that he may have the opportunity of communing in private with himself. In conversation with others our perceptions are rendered more acute; the mind works more rapidly; new views of things, even of those with which we are most familiar, present themselves as if it were by magic. They may be right or wrong; but they satisfy us at the time, as they help us in our argument. All this is good in its way; and we know that those whose minds have not been accustomed to be brought into collision with the minds of others are apt to become stupid, and (as in the case of long-continued solitary confinement,) even idiotic. But, to turn what we gain from conversation to the best account, we require that there should be intervals in which our ideas may flow uninterruptedly, without being diverted in their course by the remarks of others.

It is in such intervals that we best learn to think. I know not what may be the experience of others; but I acknowlege that in these ways I have not unfrequently derived an ample compensation for the wearisome hours of a sleepless night.-SIR B. BRODIE, Psychological Enquiries, Part 2, Dial. I. & 2.

One of the rarest of all acquirements is the faculty of profitable meditation.-A. K. H. B., Autumn Holidays, Ch. xi.

It is not that a person becomes qualified from keeping his commons within the walls of the Inns of Court or the Universities: but living with those of the profession will probably advance him in the knowlege of that profession for which he is a candidate. LORD KENYON, Willcock's Laws of

the Medical Profession, App. lxxi.

The truth is, that what is called conventionality, -whether it reside in manner, in language, in thought, or in the productions of the mind,- is in reality no evidence of insincerity:—just as originality in all these respects might happen to belong to the basest and falsest of mankind. As it is an intellectual gift to be original, it is an intellectual weakness to be commonplace; but this is the very worst that can fairly be said of a defect (if it can be called one,) which, from the nature of the case, must be found in the overwhelming majority of human beings. What are called conventional manners and sentiments are, in

fact, an essential part of the social apparatus. To all men, whatever may be their power, they are a necessary step in education, to all ordinary men they are the substitute which the action of society affords for vacancy and listlessness. — Saturday Review, May 1858, p. 559.

By reading you will be distinguished; without it, abilities are of little use. A man may talk and write; but he can not learn his profession without constant study to prepare, especially for the higher rank; because he then wants knowlege and experience of others improved by his own. But, when in a post of responsibility, he has no time to read; and if he comes to such a post with an empty skull, it is then too late to fill it, and he makes no figure. Thus many people fail to distinguish themselves, and say they are unfortunate, which is untrue their own previous idleness unfitted them. to profit by fortune.- SIR CHARLES NAPIER, Letter to an Ensign; Quarterly Review, vol. ci, P. 232.

Without letters a man can never be qualified for any considerable post in the camp. For courage and corporal force, unless joined with conduct, — the usual effects of contemplation,-is no more fit to command than a tempest. — L'ESTRANGE, Johnson's Dict., 'Post.'

As I have indefatigably used my best endeavors to acquire knowlege, I never thought I had the smallest reason to be ashamed on account of my deficiency, especially as I never made pretensions

to erudition, or affected to possess what I knew I was deficient in.- Memoirs of JAMES LACKINGTON, Letter xxxvii.

A. B. and C. may earnestly labor in the same. studies for many years. A. from thirst of knowlege; B. for the sake of credit; C. to make his fortune &c. These will be very different characters, though their conduct is much alike.- ARCHBISHOP WHATELY, Miscellaneous Remains, 1864.

"Slothful students," said Reynolds, "are always talking of the prodigious progress they should make if they could but have the advantage of being taught by some particular eminent master. Such are to be told, that after the rudiments are past very little of our art can be taught by others. The most skilful master can do little more than put into the hands of his scholar the end of the clue by which he must conduct himself." This is a truth which is not confined to Painting. The whole Science of Education, it has been admirably said, consists in teaching others to teach themselves. Quarterly Review, vol. cxx, p. 131.

Such men as rise, always contrive to get at the knowlege for which they have a peculiar aptitude; and it must be remembered that, talk as we will of teaching, all we can really do is to place knowlege before those who have an aptitude to acquire it. If there be not a natural absorption, all our cramming will avail little.-W. B. ADAMS, Roads and Rails, 1862, ch. xi.

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