The improvement of the mind. To which is added, a discourse on the education of children and youth

Front matter

NTKD B^■

THE

OF THE S*«rf^

Part I

X HE present Treatise, if it may assume the honour of that name, is made up of a variety of remarks and directions for the improvement of the mind in useful knowledge. It was collected from the observations v^'hich I had made on my own studies, and on the temper and sentiments, the humour and conduct of other men in their pursuit of learning, or in the affairs of life; and it has been considerably assisted by occasional collections, in the course of my reading, from many authors on different subjects. I confess, in far the greatest part,] stand bound to answerfor the weaknesses or defects that will be found in these papers, not being able to point to other writers whence the twentieth part of them are derived.

The work was composed at different times, and by slow degrees. Now and then, indeed, it spread itself into branches and leaves, like a plant in April, and advanced seven or eight pages in a week : and sometimes it lay by without growth, like a vegetable in the winter, and did not increase half so much in the revolution of a year.

As these thoughts occurred to me iijreading or meditation, or in my notices of the various appearances of things among mankind, they were thrown under those heads which make the present titles of the chapters, and were by degrees reduced to something like a method, such as the subject would admit.

On these accounts, it is not to be expected that the same accurate order should be observed, eitlier in the whoSe book, or in the particular chapters thereof, which is necessary in the system of any science whose scheme is projected at once. A book which has been twenty years a writing may be indulged in some variety of style and manner, though I hope there will not be found any great difference of sentiment ;

, 8 PREFACE.

for wherein I had improved in latter years, beyond wliat f had first written , a few dashes and alterations have corrected the mistakes : and if the candour of the reader will but allow what is defective in one place to be supplied by additions froDi another, I hope there will be found a sufficient reconciliation of what might seem, at first, to be scarce consistent.

The language and dress of these sentiments is such as the present temper of mind dictated, whether it were grave or pleasant, severe or smiling. If there has been any thing expressed with too much severity, I suspect it will be found to fall upon those sneering or daring writers of the age against religion, and against the Christian scheme, who seem to have left reason, or decency, or both, behind them, in some of their writings.

The same apology of the length of years in composing this book, may serve also to excuse a repetition of the same sentiments which may happen to be found in different places without the author's design ; but in other pages it was intended, so that those rules, for the conduct of the understanding, which are most necessary, should he set in several lights, that they might, with more frequency, and more iorce, impress the soul. 1 shall be sufficiently satisfied with the good humour and lenity of my readers, if they will please to regard these papers as parcels of imperfect sketcl*- es, which were designed by a sudden pencil, and in a thousand leisure moments, to be, one day, collected into landscapes of some little prospects in the regions of learning, and in the woild of common life, pointing out the fairest and most fruitful spots, as well as the rocks, and wildernesses, and faithless morasses of the country. But I feel age advancing upon me ; and my health is insufficient to perfect •what 1 had designed, to increase and amplify these remarks, to confirm and improve these rules, and to illuminate the several pages with a richer and more beautiful variety of examples. The subject is almost endless ; and oew writers in the present, and in the following ages, may still find sufficient follies, weaknesses, and dangers, among mankind, ,^ to be represented in such a manner as to guard youth against ^*i^em.

These hints, such as they are, I hope, may be rendered some way useful to persons in younger years, who will favour them with a perusal, and who would seek the cultivation of their own understandings in the early days of life, k, Perhaps they may find gomethijig here which may wake a

PREFACE. 9

latent genius and direct the studies of a willing 'mind. Perhaps it may point out to a student, now and then, what may employ the most useful labours of his thoughts, and accelerate his diligence in the most momentous inquiries. Perhaps a sprightly youth might here meet with something to guard or warn him against mistakes, and withhold him, at other times, from those pursuits which are like to be fruitless and disappointing.

Let it be observed also, that, in our age, sereral of the ladies pursue science with success ; and others of them are desirous of improving their reason, even in the common affairs of life, as well as the men : yet the characters which are here drawn occasionally are almost universally applied to one sex ; but if any of the other shall find a character which suits them, they may, by a small change of the termination, apply and assume it to themselves, and accept the instruction, the admonition, or the applause which is designed in it.

PREFACE.

PART ir.

JL HE author's name, which is prefixed to this book, renders it altogether needless for us to say any thing in order to recommend it ; and we need not assure any judicious reader, who has been conversant with Dr. Watt's writings, that this is the genuine work of that excellent author ; for he cannot fail of discerning the doctor's easy style and beautiful manner of expression in every page. We esteem it an honour done us by that truly great man, that he was pleased, by his last will, to entrust us with his manuscripts which he designed for the press : however he lived to publish several of those himself, after his will was made ; so that not many remain to be published by us. Some indeejl there are remaining which he did originally intend for the press ; but his broken state of health did not permit him to finish them, and they are left too imperfect to be ever published. Of this sort, among others, is Tht larger Disco%irse on Psalmody, which he gave notice of his intention to publish, in the preface tothe second edition of his Hymns, when he withdrew the shorter essay on that subject, which was annexed to the first edition. There are also among his manuscripts, some tracts relating to a doctrinal controversy which the doctor had been engaged in, but which the world seems to be tired of: so that, most probably, this Second part of the Improvement of the Mind, with the Discourse on Education, and some Mdiiions to the Reliqua Juveniles, are all the posthumous works of Dr. Watts that will ever be printed.

As to this work in particular, a considerable part of it was corrected for the press by the Doctor's own hand : and as to the rest of it, he did not leave it so far unfinished as should, in his own judgment, discourage the publishing it ; for he has left this note in a paper along with it; "Though this m PREFACE.

book, or the second volume of the Improvement of the Mind, is not so far finished as I could widi, yet I leave it among the number of books , corrected for the press, for it is very easy for any person of genius and science to finish it, and publish it in a form sufficiently useful to the world." The con-ections we have presumed to make are comparatively but few and trivial : and when now and then it was thought necessary to add a line or two for the illustrdtion of any passage, it is generally put in the form of a note at the foot of the page.

It may perhaps be expected we should make some apology for delaying the publishing of this book so long after the author's death ; a book that has been so much expected and so earnestly desired, as appears by several letters found in the Doctor's study, from eminent persons and from learned societies. There are various causes that have contributed to the delay, which the world need not be informed of ; but the remote distance of our habitations, and the multiplicity of business in which each of us is statedly engaged, are circumstances pretty generally known, and which we hope will be admitted in excuse for some part of the delay, and some part the booksellers must answer for. However, we are the less solicitous to apologise for not publishing this book sooner, as we are satisfied it will be welcome now it comes; and that those who, upon reading the first volume, have so earnestly desired the second, \Vill not be disappointed when they read it.

We have only to add our most sincere wishes and prayers, that a book so admirably suited to improve the minds of men, especially of the rising generation, and to promote universal goodness, as this appears to be, maybe attended with a blessing from on high.

D. JENNINGS.

P. DODDRIDGE.

THE

IMPROVEMENT OF THE MIND.

PART I.

Directions for the Attainment of useful Knowledge.

Introduction

No man is obliged to learn and know every thing ; this can neither be sought nor required, for it is utterly impossible ; yet all persons are under some obligation to nnprove their own understanding, otherwise it will be a barren desert, or a forest overgrown with weeds and brambles. Universal ignorance or infinite errors will overspread the mind which is utterly neglected and lies without any cultivation.

Skill in the sciences is indeed the business and profession but of a small part of mankind ; but there are many others placed in such an exalted rank in the world, as allows them much leisure and large opportunities to cultivate their reason and to beautify and enrich their minds with various knowledge. Even the lower orders of men have particular callings in life, wherein they ought to acquire a just decree of skill, and this is not to be done well without thinking and reasoning about them.

The common duties and benefits of society, which belong to every man living, as we are social creatures, and even our native and necessary relations to a family, a neighbourhood, or a government, obhge all persons whatsoever to use their reasoning powers upon a thousand occasions ; every houi- of life calls for some regular B

14 INTRODUCTION.

exerciso. of our judgment as to times and tiling, persons and actions ; witliouta })rudent and discreet determination in matters before us, we sliall be plunged into perpetual errors in our conduct. No\s^ that which should always be practised, must at some time be learnt.

Besides every son and daughter of Adam has a most important concern in the affairs of a life to come, and therefore it is a matter of the highest moment for every one to understand, to judge, and to reason right about the things of religion. It is in vain for any to say, we have no leisure or time for it. The daily intervals of time, and vacancies from necessary labour, together with the one day in seven in the Christian world, allow sufficient time for this, if men v.ould but apply themselves to it with half so much zeal and diligence as they do to the trifles and amusements of this life; and it would turn to infinitely better account.

Thus it appears to be the ncccssai'v duty, and the interest of every person living, to improve his understanding, to inform his judgment, to treasure u|) useful knowledge, and to acquire the skill of good reasoning, as far as his station, capacity, and circumstances furnish him Avith proper means for it. Our mistakes in judgment may plunge us into much folly and guilt in practipe. By acting without thought or reason, v/e dishonour the God that made us reasonable creatures, we often become injurious to our neighbours, kindred, or friends, and we bring sin and misery upon ourselves : For we are accountable to God our judge for every part of our irregular and mistaken conduct, where he hath given us sufficient advantages to guard against those mistakes- It is the design of Logic to give this improvement to the mind, and to teach us the right use of reason in the acquirement and communication of all useful knowledge; though the greatest part of writers on that sub]ect have turned it into a composition of hard words, trifles, and subtilities, for the mere use of the schools, and that only to amuse the minds and the ears of men with empty sounds, which flatter their vanity, and pufF up their pride with a pompous and glittering show of false learning ; and thus they have perverted the great and valuable design of that science. A few modern writers have endeavoured to recover

IMPROVEMENT, fee. 15

the honour of Logic, since that excellent author of the Art of Thir>king led the way. Among the rest, I have presumed to make an attempt of the same kind, in a treatise published several years ago, wherein it was my constant aim to assist the reasoning powers of every rank and order of men, as well as to keep an eye to the best interest of the schools and the candidates of true learning. There I have endeavoured to show the mistakes we are exposed to in our conception, judgment, and reasoning; and pointed to the various springs of them. I have also laid down many general and particular rules how to escape error, and attain truth in matters of the civil and religious life, as well as in the sciences.

But there are several other observations very pertinent to this purpose, which have not fallen so flirectly under any of those heads of discourse, or at least they would have swelled that treatise to an improper size ; and therefore I have made a distinct collection of thenr here out of various authors, as well as from my own observation, and set them down under the following heads.

The learned world, who have done so much unmerited honour to that logical treatise, as to receive it into our two flourishing IJniversities, may possibly admit this as a second part or supplement to that treatise. And I may venture to persuade myself, that if the common and the busy ranks^of mankind,as well as the scholar and the gentleman, would but transcribe such rules into their understanding, and practise them upon all occasions, there would be much more truth and knowledge found among men ; and it is reasonable to hope that justice, virtue, and goodness would attend as the happy consequents.

CHAPTER I. General Rules for the Improvement of Knowledge.'^

I. Rule.

UeEPLY possess your mind with the vast importance of a good judgment, and the rich and inestimable

* Though the most of these following rules, are chiefly addressed to those whom their fortune or their BtatioB requires to addict themselves to th*- advantage of right reasoning. Review the instances of your own misconduct in life ; think seriously with yourselves how many follies and sorrows you had escaped, and how much guilt and misery you had prevented, if from your early years you had but taken due pains to judge aright concerning persons, times, and things. This will awaken you with lively vigour to address yourselves to the work of improving your reasoning powers, and seizing every opportunity and advantage for that end.

II. Rule. Consider the weakness, frailties, and mistakes of human nature in general, which arise from the very constitution of a soul united to an animal body, and subjected to many inconveniences thereby. Consider the many additional vveaknesses,mistakes,anafrailties which are derived from our apostacy and fall from a state of innocence ; how much our powers of understanding are yet more darkened, enfeebled, and imposed upon by our senses, our fancies, and our unruly passions, £ic. Consider the depth and difficulty of many truths, and the flattering appearances of falsehood, whence arises an infinite variety of dangers to which we are exposed in our judgment of things. Read with greediness those authors that treat of the doctrine of prejudices, prepossessions, and springs of error, on purpose to make jour soul watchful on all sides, that it suffer not itself as far as possible, to be imposed upon by any of them. See more on this subject, Logic, Part II. Chap. 3, and Part III. Chap. 3.

III. Rule. A slight view of things so momentous is not sufficient. You should therefore contrive and practise some proper methods to acquaint yourself with your own ignorance, and to impress your mind with a deep and painful sense of the low and imperfect degrees of your present knowledge, that you may be incited with labour and activity to pursue after greater measures. Among others, you may find some such methods as these successful.

1. Take a wide survey now and then, of the vast and unlimited regions of learning. Let your meditations

particular improvement of their minds in g^reater degrees of Itnowledge; yet every one who has leisure and opportunity to be acquainted with such writings as these, may find something among them for their own use.

run over the names of all the sciences, with their numerous branches, and innumerable particular themes of knowledge ; and then reflect how few of them you are acquainted with in any tolerable degree. The most learned of mortals will never have occasion to act over agaiw, what is fabled of ALlexander the Great, that when he had conquered what was called the Eastern World, he wept for want of more worlds to conquer. The worlds of science are immense and endless.

2. Think what a numberless variety of questions and difficulties there are belonging even to that particular science in which you have made the greatest progress, and how few of them there are in which you have arrived at a final and undoubted certainty ; excepting only those questions in the pure and simple mathematics, whose theorems are demonstrable and leave scarcely any doubt ; and yet even in the pursuit of some few of these, mankind have been strangely bewildered.

3. Spend a few thoughts sometimes on the puzzling inquiries concerning vacuums and atoms, the doctrine of infinities, indivisibles, and incommensurables in geometry, wherein there appear some insolvable difficulties. Do this on purpose to give you a more sensible impression of the poverty of your understanditi^, and the imperfection of your knowledge. This will teach you what a vain thing it is to fancy that you know all things ; and Avill instruct you to think modestly of your present attainments, when every dust of the earth and every inch of empty space surmounts your understanding and triumphs over your presumption. Arithmo had been bred up to accounts all his life, and thought himself a complete master of numbers. But when he was pushed hard to give the square root of the number, 2, he tried at it, and laboured long in millesimal fracW tions, until he confessed there was no end of the in- ' quiry ; and yet he learnt so much modesty by this perplexing question, that he, was afraid to say it v^'as an impossible thing. It is some good degree of improvement Avheu we are afraid to be positive.

4. Read the accounts ofthose vast treasures of knowledge which some of the dead have possessed, and soirK^, of the living do possess. Read and be astonished at the almost incredible advances which have been made

B 2 in science. Acquaint yourselves with some persons of learning, that by converse among them, and comparing yourselves with them, you may acquire a mean opinion of your own attainments, and may be thereby animated with new zeal, to equal them as far as possible, or to exceed ; thus'let your diligence be quickened by a generous and laudable emulation. If Vanillus had never met with Scitorio and Palydcs, he had never imagined himself a mere novice in Philosophy, nor ever set himself to study in good earnest.

Remember this, that if upon a few superficial acquirements, you value, exalt, and swell yourself, as though you were a man of learning already, you arc thereby building a most unpassable barrier against all improvement ; you will lie down and indulge idleness, and rest yourself contented in the midst of deep and sh-^mefid ignorance. Midti ad scientiam pervenisseiit si se illuc pervenisse non putassent.

IV. Rule. Presume not too much upon a bright genius, a ready wit, and good parts, for these without labour and study will never make a man of knowledge and wisdom. This has been an unhappy temptation to persons of a vigorous and gay fancy to despise learning and study. They have been acknowledged to shine in an assembly, and sparkle in discourse upon common topics, and thence they took it into their heads to abandon reading and labour, and grow old in ignorance ; but when they had lost the vivacities of animal nature and yo'.ith, they becnne stupid and sottish even to contempt and ridicule. Lucidas and Scintillo are young men of this stamp ; they shine in conversation, they spread their native riches before the ignorant; they pride tliemselves in their own lively images of fancj-^, and imagine themselves wise antl 'learned ; but they had best avoid the presence of the skilful, and the test of reasoning ; and i would advise tiiera once a day to think forward a little, what a contemptible figure they will make in age.

The witty men sometimes have sense enough to know the!'- own foible, and therefore they craftily shun the attacks of argument, or bold!}'' pretend to despise and renounce them ; because they are conscious of their own ignorance, and inwardly confess their want of acqiiaiiitance with the skill of reasoning.

V. Rule. As you are not to fancy yourself a learned man, because you are blessed with a ready wit, so neither must you imagine that large and laborious reading, and a strong memory, caa denominate you truly wise.

What that excellent critic has determined when he decided the question, whether wit or study makes the best poet, may well be ajDplied to every sort of learning :

JlUeraposcit opemres, et conjurat amice. Hor. de Art. Poet.

THUS MADE ENGLISH :

Concerning poets, there has been contest,

Whether they're made by art or nature best!

But if I may presume in this affair,

Among the rest my judgment to declare,

No art without a genius will avail,

And parts without the help of art will fail :

But both ingredients jointly must unite,

Or verse willnevershine with a transcendent light. Oldham.

It is meditation and studious thought, it is the exercise of your own reason and judgment upon all you read, that gives good sense even to the best genius, and affords your understanding the truest improvement. ' A boy of strong memory may repeat a whole book of Euclid, yet be no Geometrician ; for he may not be able perhaps to demonstrate one single theorem. — Memorino has learnt half the Bible by heart., and is becoming a living concordance and a speaking index to theological folios, and yet he understands little of divinity.

A well furnished library and a capacious memory are indeed of singular use towards the improvement of the mind ; but if all your learning be nothing else but a mere amassment of what others have written, without a due penetration into their meanings, and without a judicious choice and determination of your own sentiments, I do not see what title your head has to true learning above your shelves. Though you have read Philosophy and Theology, Morals and Metaphysics in abundance, and every other art and science, yet if your memory is the only faculty employed, with the neglect of your reasoning powers^, yon crfn justly claim no higher character than that of a good historian of the sciences.

Here note. Many of the foregoing advices are more peculiarly proper for thor^e whoarc conceited of their abilities, and are ready to entertain a high opinion of themselves. But a modest, humble youth, of a good genius, should not suffer himself to be discouraged by anj"^ of these considerations. They are designed only as a spur to diligence, and a guard against vanity and pride.

YI. Rule. Be not so weak as to imagine that a life of learning is a life of htziness and ease. Dare not give up yourself to any of the learned professions unless you are resolved to labour hard at study, and can make it your delight and the joy of your life, according to tlie motto of our late Lord Chancellor King, Labor ipse vohiptas.

It is no idle thing to be a scholar indeed. A man much addicted to luxury and pleasure, recreation and past time, should never pretend to devote himself entirely to the sciences, unless his soul be so reformed and refined that he can taste all these entertainments eminently i.i his closet, among his books and papers. Sobrino is a temperate man and a philosopher, and he feedsupon partridge and pheasant, venison and ragouts, and every delicacy,in a growing understanding, and a serene and healthy soul, though he dines on a dish of sprouts or turni»)s. Languinos loved his ease, and therefore chose to be brought up a scholar; he had much indolence in his temper, and as he never cared for study, befalls under universal contempt in his profession, because he had nothing but the gown and the name.

Vir. Rule. Let the hope of new discoveries, as well as the satisfaction and pleasure of known truths, animate your daily industry. Do not think learning in general is arrived at its perfection, or that the knowledge of any particular subject in any science cannot be improved, merely because it has lain five hundred or a thousand years without improvement. The present age, by the blessing of God on the ingenuity and diligence of men, has brought to hght such truths in natural philosophy, and such discoveries in the heavens and the earth, as seemed to he beyond the reach of man.

But may there not be Sir Isaac Newtonsia every science ? You should never despair therefore of finding out that which has never yet been found, unless you see something in the nature of it Avhich nmders it unsearchable, and above the reach of our faculties.

Nor should a student in divinity imagine that our age is arrived at a full understanding of every thin^^ which can be known by the Scriptures. Ev;ery age since the Reformation hath thrown some furthei- light on difficult texts and paragraphs of the Bible, ijvhich have been long obscured by the early rise of antichrist ; and since there are at present many difficulties and darknesses hanging about certain truths of the christian religion, and since several of these relate to important doctnnes , such as the Origin of Sin, the Fall of A.dam, the Person of Christ, the Blessed Trinity, the Decrees of God, kc, which do still embarrass the minds of honest and mquiring readers, and which make work for noisy controversy ; it is certain there are several things in the Bible yet unknown and not sufficiently explained, and it is certain there is some way to solve these difficulties, and to reconcile these seeming contradictions. And why may not a sincere searcher of truth in the present age, by labour, diligence, study and prayer, with the best use of his reasoning powers, find out the proper solution of those knots and perplexities which have hitherto been unsolved, and which have afforded matter for angry quarrelling ? Happy is every man who shall be favoured of Heaven to give a helping hand towards the introduction of the blessed age of light and love.

VIII. Rule. Do not hover always on the surface of things, nor take up suddenly, with mere appearances ; but penetrate into the depth of mitters, as far as your time and circumstances allow, especially in those tilings which relate to your own profession. Do not indulge yourselves to judge of things by the first glimpse, or a short and superficial view of them ; for this will fill the mind with errors and prejudices, give it a wrong turn and ill habit of thinking, and make much work for retraction. Subito is carried away with title pages, so that he ventures to pronounce upon a large octavo at once, and to recommend it wonderfully, when he has read half the preface. Another volume of controversies of equal size was discarded by him at once, because it pretended to treat of tiie Trinity, and yet he could neither find the Avord essence nor subsistencies in the twelve first pages ; but Subito changes his opinions of men, and books, and thinks so often, that liobody regards him.

As for those sciences or those parts of knowledge, which either your profession, your leisure, your inclination, or your incapacity, forbids you to pursue mth much application, or to search far mto them, you must be contented with an historical and superficial knowledge of them, and not pretend to form any judgments of your own, on those subjects which you understand Tery imperfectly.