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The Improvement of the Mind, or a Supplement to the Art of Logic. by I. Watts. Also His Posthumous Works, Publ. by D. Jennings and P. Doddridge
The Improvement of the Mind or a Supplement to the Art of Logic by I Watts Also His Posthumous Works Publ by D Jennings and P Doddridge Author:Isaac Watts General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1801 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: CHAP. IX. Rules of Improvemea, t by Conversation. If we would improve our minds by conversation, it is a great happiness to be acquainted with persons wiser than ourselves. It is a piece of useful advice, therefore, to get the favour of their conversation frequently, as far as circumstances will allow : and if they happen to be a little reserved, use all obliging methods to draw out of them what may increase your own knowledge. II. Whatsoever company you are in, waste not the time in trifle and impertinence. If you spend some hours amongst children, talk with them according to their capacity ; mark the young buddings of infant reason ; observe the different motions and distinct workings of the animal and the mind as far as you can discern them ; take notice by what degrees the little creature grows up to the use of his reasoning powers, and what early prejudices beset and endanger his understanding. By this means you will learn how to address yourself to children for their benefit, and perhaps you may derive some useful philosophemes or theorems for your own entertainment. III. If you happen to be in company with a merchant or a sailor, a farmer or a mechanic, a milk-maid or a spinster, lead them into a discourse of the matters of their own peculiar province or profession ; for every one knows, of should know, his own business best. In this sense a common mechanic is wiser than a philosopher. By this means you may gain some improvement in knowledge from every one you meet. IV. Confine not yourself always to one sort of company, or to persons of the same party or opinion, either in matters of learn...« less