Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1868-06-19

which may justly be called scientific. In
these processes of thought, which become
to the business man a matter Of daily duty
and necessity, he acquires intellectual dis
cipline of character not inferior in thor
oughness to that obtained by the study of
those scientific treatises which are made the
basis of education in schools for liberal cul-
ture. The power to think clearly and
sharply on one class of subjects assists us 10
thinking upon all others. Thus the very
processes of thought necessary to carry on a
business at all complicated viii secure good
degree of mental discipline Thus a few
years Of experience may place the energetic
business man on a level in this respect with
the regularly trained scholar. But our
practical man is liable to be defective in that
large knowledge Of the experience and
thinking of the past which is comprised in
history and literature This universal ex-
perienee analyzed and condensed in the
various forms of literary art is requisite in
order to make mental discipline largely
available. Without it the mind is narrow
in its range of vision and comparatively
barren in its products. Hence the business
man needs to form habits of reading. This
is difficult A few hints on this subject
may not be Inappropriate. He should learn
the art of labor saving, This may be done
by the accumulation and use of books of
reference, such as dictionaries, eyclopedias,
and thorough systematic treatises on science
and art. He should also gradually form
collection of the masters in elegant litera-
ture and history. The little tino which
such man can command for the purposes
of study forbids the idea Of any very ex-
tended courses of reading. Let him use his
books Of reference in searching out such
historical facts and illusions, and such
questions in science and literature as from
time to time arrest his attention. lie will
thus fall into the habit Of investigating
subjects rather than reading many books con-
tinuously. So doing, be viii assist his
memory, and avoid that loose and desultory
reading which burdens the mind of the
partially educated man with disconnected
and insignificant facts and ideas In so
doing he should learn to make good use of
the headings of chapters and the indexes of
books. While searching for a specific fact or
discussion in large treatise, he will often
fix more truth in his mind than by reading
a whole book without specific and definite
object. He will learn to set aside the reg
ular idea that the books in his library are
useless unless they can all be read through
and digested. Books are now so numerous
that the most diligent scholar must consult
the mass Of books on specific topics while
he reads through comparatively few. 1t is
fashionable to ridicule index and title-page
knowledge but it must be remembered that
he who knows where knowledge is, and how
to obtain it, is in a position nearly equal to
the man who has it already Let business
man, then collect his books slowly; look
carefully over their tables of contents and
prefaces; and read occasional paragraphs
until he ascertains the topics which are
treated Of BY so doing be viii know where
TO look for discussion or information upon
any subject that excites his attention He
may thus follow one subject and its collat-
eral illustrations through several books
compare views and settle his own opinions
with the expenditure of comparatively little
time A few hours of leisure thus occupied
during each week will enable man, in a
series of years, to acquire large amount of
exact and well-digested knowledge.
The remaining element in education to
which l viii call attention is power Of fexpres-
sion. Every business man must write many
letters which, from the nature of the case
must have the binding force of contracts.
Pecuniary consideration require that these
be simple, exact, and unambiguous. IF he
writes and rewrites these with care, and is
patient of the requisite labor, he win not only
save himself from many lawsuits, but will
acquire ease, elegance, and force of express
sion.
These elements which go to make up a
good business letter judged from the mer-
camille point of view alone, arc fundament.
al in the formation of a correct and vigor-
Gus literary style. Clearness is the begin
ming, and almost the end, of literary excel
lence 1t is by seeking after this excel
lence alone that so many comparatively un-
educated business men furnish in their cor
respondence models Of clear, compact and
vigorous writing. Let the young clerk re-
member that 10 business correspondence
words stand for money. That looseness
and incoherency Of expression, or careless
selection of words, may entail the gravest
mercantile disaster. 1t is as necessary for
a merchant to write well as it is for an edi-
tor or a clergyman. This remark applies in
an almost equal degree to the mechanic and
the farmer In the process of buying and
selling business men acquire great facility in
vocal utteranee. IF he is as careful in his
conversation with his customers as he should
be in writing to them, he may readily ac-
quire the power Of expressing himself with
the tongue as correctly as with the pen
When the power Of addressing one man
with clearness and Sigor has been acquired,
he may use that power upon a dozen or a
thousand. There is no reason, in the ma
ture of things. why merchant should not
cultivate expression in complicated and OBJ