, 1881-12-09

dIsgusteG with ourselves because we
know so little, even of solid inform.
alton, which we wish to remember.
There are three methods of RENE
dying this. They take time; but
few books read well will do US far
more good than a large number
skinned over.
In order to remember what we
read, one way is to converse about
it, where possible. This is not open
to all, because not always does
person find another readiug the same
work But where it can be it is
great help. We remember what we
learned in school, and recited-
talked about with the teacher-far
better than what we did not recite.
We remember what we said IN a
debating society, because we con-
versed about it in public. The mind
is of the same nature all through
life, and similar practice when older
hel ps US in similar way.
Another aid to memory is to read
book second time, or third one
if it will bear it. In school we
studied the books over and over
again; without it we would not have
remembered our lessons. We have
grown older, but we have not chang
ed, and our minds often need some
thing to help them, although our
memories have improved. We do
not always like to read good book
a second time, or parts of it, because
we see some new work and wish TO
read it; but nail clinched will hold
more than two not clinched.
A third way to help the memory
is 10 take notes. or write some es
say or article for q social circle or
newspaper, on the subject which
interests us. In Watts "Improve.
ment of the Mind" this is strongly
recommended, and Watts was a
good copy to follow.
If we follow one or more of these
ways we will soon find that we do
not read alone with our eyes, but
| also with our head, and will not be
so dIsgusted when we compare the
amount we know with the number
of books we have read.
But it is not alone necessary to
remember what we read; we ought
to make the good we find a part of
ourselves. To do this, we must
think. In speaking Of certain per
son, friend said he was walking
dictionary, but in life he was a fail.
ure. Time is needed if we think
about what we read. In her read
ing, Miss Martineau was often &C
cnstomed TO spend an hour on a
page. +. w. Robertson was salts.
fed that 1t was best for him to spend
six months in reading an octave vol
ume on chmlstry. Another promi
nent person has said that when he
reads an hour he wants TO think an
hour. In this way the reading be-
comes a part of ourselves. The
merchant would be considered fool.
ish who would obtain Il large amount
of goods and then put them into his
store without any order. A large
library must be classified if the Ii.
brarian wishes to find what he wants
at any time. In a lumber yard the
lumber OF all lengths and sizes is
not thrown out heller skelter as it is
sawed, but ii is taken to its proper
pile. The same is true in regard to
reading, if we wish to make it use
| ful. 1t takes time at first to weigh
it, compare it with what we have
hitherto learned, and lay it away on
the shelves of the mind in its proper
| place in the end time is saved,
for it becomes a part of ourselves.
| Not what we eat but what we digest
does US good, and the mind needs to
digest its food as we'll as the body.
If our reading is to 90 us good we
ought to put in practice what we
find that is valuable. Ia business
life this is generally done. The
physician, merchant, or cook does
not need to be told this, for they are
not foolish enough to neglect it. But
when we come to the sphere of NOR
ais we often are foolish in regard to
our reading. We read what we
know to be good, and then go off
and do the contrary. Observation
and experience are good III obtain
ing knowledge, but that of our own
is very small. We need that of 9th
ers, which is obtained by reading 4.
Mere reading, when not combined
with experience, is theoretical. The
two need to be combined in order To
make US strong. We have seen
children who have been nearly