Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1875-03-11
TheArt of Thinking andthe Habit
fObservation

remarks on the subject.
"In very early. life, the perceptive
faculties are the principle channels
through which we can reach the mind.
Closely connected with this subject is
the cultivation of thinking powers
The two are indeed so intimately
blended that neither can be effect
ually improved without some increas
ed development of the other. In learn
ing to see and hear, with delicate &C
curacy, we insensibly strengthen our
powers of thought, and accustom
them to work more effectively. Still,
the operation of thinking deserves a
still more systematic training than it
usually obtains
When striving for success or ex-
cellence in any special pursuit, We
think to some purpose. Our will con-
centrates our thoughts to the point in
question, dismisses summarily all ir-
revalent subjects, presents the matter
in its various bearings, with some de-
gree of logical sequence, and rarely
allows the mind to drift away from it
until some definite result has been oh
tanned. There is a considerable por-
GIOu VI SNGIy OnS . GIulS III WHICH uOGH-
ing but thinking can be done. There
is time spent in cars, where even read
ing is injurious; and there are times
of waiting, resting, and enforced in
action, when the mind has undisturbed
| opportunity for effective operation
Then, too, there are many employ
ments so mechanical as to claim no
portion of the minds aid. When we
have learned to do anything without
thinking about it, the thoughts nee
essarily run in other channels. Much
manual labor is of this description
A distinguished prisoner of war, of
large mental resources, being allowed
to choose his employment while in
confinement, selected one so simple as
to require neither skill nor thought,
assigning as a reason that, though his
| hands would be occupied by compul-
sion, 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 con-
secutive thought-if our will could
control our reflections, directing them
| in definite channels, and aiming to
reach some well defined conclusions
we can hardly compute how great an
effect would be produced in strength
ening our mental powers, in maturing
our judgment, in bringing US to the
knowledge and appreciation Of truth,
and thus of increasing our solid hap
piness and our permanent value of the
community.
! ha ha6 oxyoraign af fonnIfU
is the chief rode to true enjoyment,
and no one who has once tasted the
pleasures of thinking to a purpose
will ever willingly allow his mind to
dissipate in wandering thoughts and
day dreams. Neither is such decipline
SO difficult as some imagine. If. be-
gun in early life, by Wakening the
childish interest in what is seen and
heard, alluring the mind to reflection
bv question and answer, and accom-
panying the thoughts to dwell for
short periods, but intently, upon ia
miliar 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 accom-
plished; and the watch thus placed
over the thoughts will, of itself, re-
duce to order and regularity much
that is now chaos and confusion. L
is by no means necessary that the sub
l iects thus mentally discussed should
I, be remote or abstract. On the con
trary, let them be matters familiar tc
: our minds and agreeable to our tastes
f Let the memory pleaseus with pictures
of the past, and the imagination reve
in beauty of scene or heroism of deed
Let the business man revolve tn
scheme which he longs to execute, ant
: the philosopher mediate on the prin
cipIes of life But whatever be tn
r subject, let the thoughts pursue it witt
o a consistent progress that shall event
: uate in some real benefit to the mind
| Similar in nature and Importance i
: the habit of rapid and accurate obser
J.. vation, the great value Of which wa
the subject of an address to the Dai
: rymen's Association, delivered b.
Hon. Horatio Seymour. In the cours,
, of his remarks, he said:
cit seems singular that some mel
:; pass through life without obserVin.
: things which come before their eye
almost daily. An intelligent farme
once told me that he would not re
cogniZe any of the horses belongin!
n to his neighbors, excepting those no
n ticeable from some peculiarity of col
e or. A Chicago merchant, who dali.
d drove his own horse eight or ten mile
is told us he had never noticed any dii
,e ference in the movement of his horses
It did not notice the difference betwee
1t trotting and pacing. A college pres
0, dent is said to have made the questio
st sin which way do the seeds lie in a
h apple p test of the habit of obseFvG
J. tion among his students. Our te:
re with this question would indicate tbs
1T more than one half of the average me
and women either don't know, or wi
answer incorrectly. We once receive
a we'll written essay on the value of ol
serving closely, yet there was not
&c capital letter or punctuation mark
the half dozen pages. Many .such il
. stances could be given, were it nece
'' sary.
=, This matter is not one of slight in
III portance The carefully observal
e man will see things which will be I
, pecuniary importance to him, whi
lo his ill-trained neighbor may lose
Fn not seeing. The farmer with habits
observation will notice slight sym
'e- toms of illness in his animals
plants; will readily see the effect
wv this or that practice; will much mo
quickly discover countless little thin!
10 which, if neglected, may result in s
rious loss.
lar AS in the case of habits general
much can be done in childhood, and
NIX certainly should be the duty of paren
are and other teachers to help children
learn to observe carefully, quickly, 8
th- curately. 1t is told by some one Il