American citizen., 1875-03-20
The Art of Thinking and the Habit OF
Observations.

ton of parents and instructors to the i'm
portance of teaching children to think,
and we now quote, from the Philadelphia
Ledger, some opposite remarks on the
subject:
In very early life the perceptiye
faculties are the principal channels
| through which we can reach the min d
Closely connected with this subject is the
cultivation of the thinking powers. The
two are indeed SO intimately blended
that neither can be eflectually improved
| without some increased development OF
the other. In learning to see and
hear with delicate accuracy we in
sensibly strengthen our powers of
thought, and accustom them to
work more effectively. Still the opera
| tion of thinking deserves far more sys
tematic training than it usually obtains.
! when we are striving for success or
excellence in any special pursuit we
think to some purpose. Our will concen-
tratss our thought sfp the point in ques-
ton, dismisses summarily all irrelevant
subjects. presents the matter in its va
rious bearings with some degree of logi-
| cal sequence and rarely allows the mind
to drift away from it until some definite
result has been obtained. There is Il
considerable portion of everyone's time
| in which nothing but thinking can
| be done. There is time spent in cars,
where even reading is injurious; and
there are times of waiting, resting and
| inforced inaction when the mind has un-
disturbed opportunity for effective opera
ton. Then, too, there are many employ
ments SO mechanical as to claim no por-
ton of the minds aid. When we have
| learned TO do anything without think
ng about it, the thoughts necessarily
run II other channels. Much manual
| labor is of this description. A distin-
guisfe ed prisoner of war, of large mental
resources, being allowed to choose his
/ employment while in confinement, Sc
lected one so simple as to require neither
skill nor thought, assigning as reason
that, though his hands would be occupied
by compulsion, his mind at least would
continue his own and remain in freedom.
We all have some of such work, and
many have much. Now, if we had
learned to employ this time in clear and
consecutive thought-if our will could
control our reflections, directing them IN
dehrite channels, and aiming to reach
some well defined concluSions-we can
hardly compute how great an effect
would be produced in strengthening our
mental powers, in maturing our judgment,
in bringing us to the knowledge and ap-
probation of truth, and thus of increaS-
ing our solid happiness and our perma-
nent value to the community.
The best exercise OF every faculty is
the chief road to true enjoyment, and
no one who has once tasted the pleas
ures of thinking to Il purpose will ever
willingly allow his mind to dissipate in
wandering thoughts and day-dreams.
Neither is such discipline SO difficult as
some imagine. If begun in early life by
awakening the childish interest in what
is seen and heard, alluring the mind to
reflection by question and answer and
accustoming the thoughts to dwell for
short periods, but intently, upon familiar
subjects it will become pleasant exercise
and gradually grow into the habitual
tenor of the mind. What we truly will
to do is already half accomplished, and
the watch thus placed over the Thoughts
will of itself reduce to order and regular
ity much that is now chaos AMI con
fusion. 1t is by no means necessary
that the subjects thus mentally dis cusSed
should be remote or abstract. On the
contrary let them be matters familiar 10
our minds and agreeable to our tastes.
Let the memory please us with pictures
of the past and the imagination Ievel in
beauty of scene or heroism of deed.
Let the business man revolve the scheme
which he longs to execute and the phlloS-
opher mediate on the principles of life.
But whatever be the subject let the
thoughts pursue it with Il consistent
progress that shall eventuate in some real
benefit to the mind"
Similar in nature and Importance is
the habit of rapid and accurate obscrva-
ton the great value of which was the
subject oil an address to the Dairymen's
Association, delivered by Hon. Horatio
Seymour In the course of his remarks
he said:
''It seems singular that some men pass
through life without observing things
which come before their eyes almost |
daily. An intelligent farmer once tod |
me that he would not recognize any of
the horses belong ng to his neigh bors, eX- |
cepting those noticeable from some |
of color. A Chicago mer-
chant, who daily drove his own horse |
iaht or ten miles, told US he had never |
noticed any difference in the movement /
of horses; did not notice the difference /
between trotting and pacing. 4 college /
President is said To have made the queS-
tion In which way do the seeds lie in an
appie:' Il test of the habit of Observa-
ton among his students. Our tests with |
tuis question would Indicate that more
than onc-half of the average men and |
women either don't know, or will |
answer incorrectly. We once received II
we'll written essay on the value of OBJ
serving closely, yet there was not
capital letter OF Il punctuation mark IN
the half dozen pages. Many such in
stances could be given, were it necessary.
. This matter is not one of slight inn
portance. The careful, observant man
Will see things which will be ofpecuniary
importance to him, while his ill-trained
neighDor may lose by not seeing. The
farmer with habits of observation will
notice slight symptoms of illness in his
animals or plants; will readily see the
effect of this or thai practice; Will much
more quickly discover countless little
things which, if neglected, may result in
serious loss.
''As in the case of habits generally
much can be done in childhood, it
certainly should be the duty of parents
and other teachers to help children to
learn to observe carefully, quickly, ac-
1t is told by some one that in
his childhood he practiccd running past
a shop window and then stopping to de
scribe as many articles as he could re
.all, and in this way he acquired Won
lerful quickness of observation. There
ire hosts Of points to which Il farmers
BOY should have his attention called at
III early aye. Suggestions as to the
mode of growth of plants, the form of
\ leaf, growth of fruit, or the pointing
put of pcCuliarities of different classes
If animals may do him great good i'll de-
lcloping this habit, and also have II
marked effect in interesting him in his
,alling.
''This habit of observation should not
nc confined to the things we see alone,