Elements of the philosophy of the human mind. By Dugald Stewart. Rev. and abridged, with critical and explanatory notes, for the use of colleges and schools. By Francis Bowen ...

MEMORY. 309
Different modes of reading. - That the plan of reading which
is commonly followed is very different from that which I have
been recommending, will not be disputed. Mlost people read
merely to pass an idle hour, or to please themselves with the
idea of employment, while their indolence prevents them firom
any active exertion; and a considerable number, with a view to
the display which they are afterwards to make of their literary
acquisitions. From whichsoever of these motives a person is
led to the perusal of books, it is hardly possible that he can
derive from them any material advantage. If he reads merely
from indolence, the ideas which pass through his mind will
probably leave little or no impression; and if he reads from
vanity, he will be more anxious to select striking particulars in
the matter or expression, than to seize the spirit and scope of
the author's reasoning, or to examine how far he has made any
additions to the stock of useful and solid knowledge. "Though
it is scarce possible," says Dr. Butler, "' to avoid judging, in some
way or other, of almost every thing which offers itself to one's
thoughts, yet it is certain that many persons, from different
causes, never exercise their judgment upon what comes before
them, in such a manner as to be able to determine how far it be
conclusive. They are perhaps entertained with some things,
not so with others; they like, and they dislike; but whether
or not. In conversation, and even in our studious meditations,, the
attention is apt to wander fiom the main subject in hand, gaps and
fallacies in reasoning escape unnoticed, and vagueness or uncertainty of
expression is apt to dim the truth of which we were just beginning to
catch a glimpse. But when we think with the pen in hand, we are compelled to think slowly; we are obliged to pause upon the thought which
we are writing out, while at the same time the attention is not allowed
to wander from it, so that other related ideas have time to be suggested
to us, and we have time to reflect upon these before they are adopted.
The necessary effort to retain perspicuity of language tends to give pre.
cision to our thoughts; and the idea which was only half formed ot
vaguely seen when we began to write, soon swells out into harnmony
and completeness. The effort to instruct others has a similar effect
upon the mind with that of writing out our knowledge; hence tlie force
of the old proverb, dlcere ldios cloce doctorell. I