American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-03-16
The Art OF Thinking.

Is THINKING an art to be acquired? Are
not all men endowed with the power OF
thought? Is there anything more neces
sary than for one to close his eyes and let
his mind have free course, in order to
think? To answer these questions, it Is
necessary to define what is meant by
thought If day-dreaming, that act OF
mind in which thought roves at random,
purposeless and without effort, is thought,
then even the idiot thinks, in his poor
fashion. There are no rules applicable to
this sort of thinking. But much indulg-
ence in this kind of dreamy thinking
weakens the mind and begets mental
laZiness that is fatal to progress. 1t be-
numbs all but the purely animal faculties
and instincts. 1t is, therefore, to be de-
precated in the strongest terms. 1t has
proved, and will yet prove, the ruin of
many promising youth.
The kind of thought worthy the name.
which strengthens instead of weakening
the mind, is what we mean when we speak
of thinking as an art. This kind of
thought is the pleasant labor, rather than
the luxurious ease, of the mind. 1t is
only perfect when under complete subjec-
ton to will.
The first great thing in learning to think
is to bring thought under subsection to
will There has been great deal said
about the importance of gaining mastery
over our animal passions, propensities
and emotions. Many an earnest prayer
for help to conquer these fleshy lusts has
been breathed. The fact is, however, that
with minds trained to perfect subservi-
ence, the passions can have but little
sway. 1t is unrestrained imagination that
kindles the fires of passion. Cool blood
generally goes with cool heads.
Too much stress cannot be laid upon
the fundamental importance of perfect
command over thought. How many a
student finds lack of this power the
chief hindrance to progress ! How many
page must be re-read, how many les
son conned over and over to compensate
for lapses of thought !! In the possession
or absence of this power over mind, lies
the chief difference between mental
strength and mental weakness. Some
men think as child plays with ham,
mer, striking little blows here, there,
anywhere, at any object within reach.
The action of strong mind may be COM
pared to the stOnebreaker's sledge-ham-
mer, dealing stubborn blows successfully
upon one spot till the hard rock cracks
and yields.
When this command over thought has
been acquired through the long exercise
of resolute will, the power to arrange
ideas and to think Systematically will
come with it, and no thinking amounts to
much unless it is systematic. This, then,
may be considered as the second import
ant acquirment in the art of thinking.
The power to classify and arrange ideas
in proper order is one that comes more or
less slowly to even the best of minds. In
proportion as this faculty is strengthened,
desultory and wasted effort diminish.
When the mind acts, it acts to some pur-
pose, and can begin where it left off with
out going over the whole ground again to
take up the threads of its ratiocinations.
Concentration and system are thus
seen to be the chief elements of the art
of thinking. To cultivate the first, con-
slant watchfulness to detect the least
wandering and the immediate eXertion of
the will to call back and hold the mind
upon the subject under consideration
should be vigilantly exercised. To secure
the latter, the practice of Analysing and
considering the different parts of IA sub:
ject, first separately and then in their re-
lations in each other, is dicipline to
which every young mind should be sub
jected, and which, We are sorry to say, is
very much neglected in the methods of
instruction practiced in this country
Scientific American.