ever, retain not the subject any longer than you find your thoughts run freely upon it; for to confine them to it when it is quite worn out, is to give them an unnatural bent, without sufficient employ. ment; which will make them flag, or be more apt to run off to something else.

And, to keep the mind intent on the subject you think of, you must be at some pains to recal and refix your desultory and rambling thoughts. Lay open the subject in as many lights and views as it is capable of being represented in; clothe your best ideas in pertinent and well-chosen words, delibe. rately pronounced, or commit them to writing.

Whatever be the subject, admit of no inferences from it, but what you see plain and natural. This is the way to furnish the mind with true and solid knowledge, as, on the contrary, false knowledge proceeds from not understanding the subject, or drawing inferences from it which are forced and unnatural, and allowing to those precarious infe rences, or consequences drawn from them, the same degree of credibility as to the most rational and best established principles,

Beware of a superficial, slight, or confused view of things. Go to the bottom of them, and examine the foundation; and be satisfied with none but clear and distinct ideas (when they can be had) in every thing you read, hear, or think of: for, resting in imperfect and obscure ideas, is the source of much confusion and mistake.

Accustom yourself to speak naturally, pertinently, and rationally, on all subjects, and you will soon learn to think so on the best; especially if you often converse with those persons that speak, and those authors that write in that manner.

And such a regulation and right management of your thoughts and rational powers, will be of great and general advantage to you in the pursuit of useful knowledge, and a good guard against the levi ties and frantic sallies of the imagination. Nor

will you be sensible of any disadvantage attending it, excepting one, viz. its making you more sensible of the weakness and ignorance of others, who are often talking in a random, inconsequential manner; and whom, however, it may oftentimes be more prudent to bear with, than contradict. But the vast benefit this method will be of in tracing out truth and detecting error, and the satisfaction it will give you in the cool and regular exercises of self-employment, and in the retaining, pursuing, and improving good and useful thoughts, will more than compensate that petty disadvantage.

(2.) If we would have the mind furnished and entertained with good thoughts, we must inure it to moral and religious subjects.

It is certain the mind cannot be more nobly or usefully employed, than in such kind of contempla. tions: because the knowledge it thereby acquires, is, of all other, the most excellent knowledge, and that both in regard to its object and its end; the object of it being God, and the end of it eternal happiness.

The great end of religion is, to make us like God, and conduct us to the enjoyment of him.' And whatever hath not this plain tendency, and especially if it have the contrary, men may call religion, if they please; but they cannot call it more out of its name. And whatever is called religious knowledge, if it does not direct us in the way to this end, is not religious knowledge, but something else, falsely so called. And some are unhappily accustomed to such an abuse of words and understanding, as not only to call, but to think, those things religion, which are the very reverse of it; and those notions religious knowledge, which lead them the farthest from it.

The sincerity of a true religious principle cannot be better known, than by the readiness with which the thoughts advert to God, and the pleasure with which they are employed in devout exercises. And

though a person may not always be so well pleased with hearing religious things talked of by others, whose different taste, sentiments, or manner of ex. pression, may have something disagreeable; yet, if he have no inclination to think of them himself, or converse with himself about them, he hath great reason to suspect that his heart is not right with God.' But, if he frequently and delightfully exercise his mind in divine contemplations, it will not only be a good mark of his sincerity, but will habitually dispose it for the reception of the best and most useful thoughts, and fit it for the noblest entertainments.

Upon the whole, then, it is of as great importance for a man to take heed what thoughts he entertains, as what company he keeps; for they have the same effect upon the mind. Bad thoughts are as infectious as bad company; and good thoughts solace, instruct, and entertain the mind like good company. And this is one great advantage of retirement; that a man may choose what company he pleases, from within himself.

As, in the world, we oftener light into bad company than good; so, in solitude, we are oftener troubled with impertinent and unprofitable thoughts, than entertained with agreeable and useful ones. And a man that hath so far lost the command of himself, as to lie at the mercy of every foolish or vexing thought, is much in the same situation as a host, whose house is open to all comers, whom, though ever so noisy, rude, and troublesome, he cannot get rid of: but with this difference, that the latter hath some recompense for his trouble, the former none at all, but is robbed of his peace and quiet for nothing.

Of such vast importance to the peace, as well as the improvement of the mind, is the right regulation of the thoughts, which will be my apology for dwelling so long on this branch of the subject: which I shall conclude with this one observation

more; that it is a very dangerous thing to think, as too many are apt to do, that it is a matter of indifference what thoughts they entertain in their hearts, since the reason of things concurs with the testimony of the holy Scriptures to assure us, That the allowed thought of foolishness is sin.' Prov. xxiv. 9.

CHAPTER XV.

Concerning the memory.

XIV. AMAN, that knows himself, will have a

regard, not only to the management of his thoughts, but the improvement of his memory.' The memory is that faculty of the soul, which was designed for the storehouse or repository of its most useful notions; where they may be laid up in safety, to be produced upon proper occasions.

Now, a thorough self-acquaintance cannot be had without a proper regard to this in two respects. (1.) Its furniture. (2.) Its improvement.

(1.) A man, that knows himself, will have a regard to the furniture of his memory; not to load it with trash and lumber, a set of useless notions or low conceits, which he will be ashamed to produce before persons of taste and judgment.

If the retention be bad, do not crowd it. It is of as ill consequence to overload a weak memory, as a weak stomach. And, that it may not be cumbered with trash, take heed what company you keep, what books you read, and what thoughts you favour; otherwise a great deal of useless rubbish may fix there before you are aware, and take up the room which ought to be possessed by better notions. But let not a valuable thought slip from

you, though you pursue it with much time and pains before you overtake it. The regaining and refixing it may be of more avail to you than many hours reading.

What pity is it that men should take such inmense pains, as some do, to learn those things, which, as soon as they become wise, they must take as much pains to unlearn! a thought that should make us very curious and cautious about the proper furniture of our minds.

(2.) Self-knowledge will acquaint a man with the extent and capacity of his memory, and the right way to improve it.

There is no small art in improving a weak memory, so as to turn it to as great an advantage as many do theirs, which are much stronger. A few short rules to this purpose may be no unprofitable digression.

1. Beware of all kinds of intemperance in the indulgence of the appetites and passions. Excesses of all kinds do a great injury to the memory.

2. If it be weak, do not overload it. Charge it only with the most useful and solid notions. A small vessel should not be stuffed with lumber : But if its freight be precious, and judiciously stowed, it may be more valuable than a ship of twice its burden.

3. Recur to the help of a common-place book, according to Mr. Locke's method, and review it once a year. But take care that, by confiding to your minutes or memorial aids, you do not excuse the labour of the memory; which is one disadvantage attending this method.

4. Take every opportunity of uttering your best thoughts in conversation, when the subject will admit it: that will deeply imprint them. Hence, the tales which common story-tellers relate they never forget, though ever so silly.

5. Join to the idea you would remember, some other that is more familiar to you, which bears