s. that seem to

tate on other things or persons,

be like it, or contrary to it, or contiguous, or to bear any other relation to what we are in quest of; and thus, perhaps, we at last remember it. This continued effort of voluntary remembrance is called recollection. It resembles the procedure of those, who, missing something valuable, look for it in every place where they think they might have been when they dropped it; and thus recover what they had lost. For the last mentioned fact it is easy to account. A jewel, or a piece of coin, is a visible, tangible, and permanent thing, and must remain in its place till it be removed: and, if we come to that place, and examine it with attention, we can hardly fail to find what we are in quest of. But, where a thought should be, when it is forgotten; how it should have any permanency or any existence, when it is no longer in the mind; and what should restore it to our memory, after a long interval of forgetfulness; are points, whereon human wisdom can determine nothing."

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Is it not wonderful, that old men should remember more accurately what happened fifty years ago, than the affairs of last week? And yet that, in many cases, our remembrance of

any fact should be accurate in proportion to its recency? It may be said, indeed, that the more we attend, the better we remember; and that old men are forgetful of those things only, to which they are inattentive; for that not one of them ever forgot the place where he had deposited his money. All this is true, as Cicero remarks in his book on Old Age; but how we come to remember that best, to which we are most attentive, we can no otherwise explain, than by saying, that such is the law of our nature.

The Importance of habitual Attention. THE rule here hinted at should never, on any occasion, be forgotten. It is a matter of no small importance, that we acquire the habit of doing only one thing at one time: by which I mean, that while employed on any one object our thoughts ought not to wander to ano ther. When we go from home in quest of amusement, or to the fields for the sake of ex ercise, we shall do well to leave all our specu lations behind: if we carry them with exercise will fatigue the body without refreshing it; and the amusement, instead of enli

us,

the

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vening, will distract the soul: and, both in the one case and in the other, we shall confirm ourselves in those habits of inattention, which, when long persisted in, form what is called an absent man. In conversation too, let us always mind what is saying and doing around us, and never give the company ground to suspect, that our thoughts are elsewhere. Attention is a chief part of politeness. An absent man, provided he is goodnatured, may be borne with, but never can be agreeable. He may command our esteem, if we know him to be wise and virtuous; but he cannot engage our love. For inattention implies negligence, and neglect often proceeds from contempt: if, therefore, we find that we are not attended to, we shall fancy that we are neglected, and to a certain degree despised: and how is it possible to repay contempt with kindness! And when unkindness and dissatisfaction prevail in any society, all the comforts of it are at an end.Besides, if we are not strictly observant of every thing that passes in company, we cannot be either amused by it or instructed; in other words, we deprive ourselves of much innocent pleasure and useful information. For a great deal of our best knowledge is obtained by mu

tual intercourse: and for the most valuable comforts of life we are indebted to the social and benevolent attentions of one another.

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Let it not be objected, that some great men, as Newton, have been remarkably absent in company. Persons, who are engaged in sublime study, and who are known to employ their time and faculties in adorning human nature by the investigation of useful truth, may be indulged in such peculiarities of behaviour, as in men of common talents neither are, nor ought to be tolerated. For, in regard to the former, we are willing to suppose, that, if they overlook us, it is because they are engrossed by matters of greater importance: but this is a compliment, which we should not think ourselves obliged to pay the latter, at least in ordinary cases. And I scruple not to say, that it would have been better for Newton himself, as well as for society, if he had been free from the weakness abovementioned. For then his thoughts and his amusements would have been more diversified, and his health probably better, and his precious life still longer than it was: and a mind like his, fully displayed in free and general conversation, would have been, to all who had the happiness to ap

proach him, an inexhaustible source of instruction and delight.

Great, indeed, and many are the advantages of habitual attention! Clearness of understanding, extensive knowledge, and exact memory, are its natural consequences. It is even beneficial to health, by varying the succession of our ideas and sensations; and it gives us the command of our thoughts, and enables us at all times to act readily, and with presence of mind. As they who live retired are disconcerted at the sight of a stranger; as he whose body has never been made pliant by exercise cannot perform new motions either gracefully or easily so the man, who has contracted a habit of ruminating upon a few things and overlooking others, is fluttered, and at a loss, whenever he finds himself, as he oftěti does, in unexpected circumstances. He looks round amazed, like one raised suddenly from sleep. Not remembering what happened the last ́inoment, he knows nothing of the cause of the ́present appearance, nor can form any conjecture with respect to its tendency. If you ask him a question, it is some time before he can recollect himself so far as to attend to you; he hesitates, and you must repeat your words be