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 ...

316 MEMORIY.
tile helps that we can derive to it from art, will be of little use
to us, unless we make a proper selection of the particulars to
be remembered. Such a selection is necessary to enable us to
profit by reading; and still more so, to enable us to profit by
observation, to which every man is indebted for by far the most
valuable part of his knowledge.
When we first enter on any new literary pursuit, we corn
monly find our efforts of attention painful and unsatisfactory.
We have no discrimination in our curiosity; and by grasping at
every thing, we fail in making those moderate acquisitions which
are suited to our limited faculties. As our knowledge extends,
we learn to know what particulars are likely to be of use to us;
and acquire a habit of directing our examination to these, without distracting the attention with others. It is partly owing to
a similar circumstance, that most readers complain of a defect
of Memory, when they first enter on the study of history. They
cannot separate important from trifling facts, and find themselves
unable to retain any thing, from their anxiety to secure the
whole.
flow such a selection can best be made. - In order to give a
proper direction to our attention in the course of our studies, it
is useful, before engaging in particular pursuits, to acquire as
familiar an acquaintance as possible with the great outlines of
the different branches of science; with the most important conclusions which have hitherto been formed in them, and with the
most important desiderata which remain to be supplied. In the
case, too, of those parts of knowledge which are not yet ripe
for the formation of philosophical systems, it may be of use to
study the various hypothetical theories which have been proposed for connecting together and arranging the phenomena.
By such general views alone, we can prevent ourselves from
being lost amidst a labyrinth of particulars, or can engage in a
course of extensive and various reading with an enlightened
and discriminating attention. While they withdraw our notice
from barren and insulated facts, they direct it to such as tend to
illustrate principles which have either been already established,
or which, from having that degree of connection among them