call Euclid's Elements a hard book; but I read it yesterday from beginning to end in a piece of the afternoon, between dinner and tea-time." "Read all Euclid, answered a gentleman present, "in one afternoon! How was that possible?" "Upon my honor I did, and never read smoother reading in my life." "Did you master all the demonstrations, and solve all the problems, as you went ?" "Demonstrations and problems! I suppose you mean the a's, b's, and c's; and l's, and 2's, and 3's; and the pictures of scratches and scrawls? No, no; I skipt all they. I only read Euclid himself; and all Euclid I did read ; and in one piece of the afternoon, too." Alas! how many such readers are there! Such are likely to get as much knowledge of the subject they read as this young man did of geometry!

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16. "Those who have collected books, and whose good nature has prompted them to accommodate their friends with them, will feel the sting of an answer which a man of wit made to one who lamented the difficulty which he found in persuading his friends to return the volumes he had lent them: Sir," said he, " your acquaintance find, I suppose, that it is much more easy to retain the books themselves, than what is contained in them." I would just observe here, that nothing can be more mean and unkind than to borrow books of persons, and to lose them, as is too frequently the case. If my friend gratifies my request in lending; if, by so doing, he saves me the expense of purchasing; or if, also, by the loan I gain considerable information or intellectual profit, it is base and ungrateful either to suffer the book to be injured, or not to return it. I give this as a hint to some who are more in the habit of borrowing, than returning books.

17. "He who would read with pleasure," says Dr. Knox, "will attend to the times of the day, and the seasons of the year. The morning has been universally approved of as the best time for study; the afternoon may be most advantageously spent in improving conversation. Those faculties which before dinner are capable of engaging in the acutest and sublimest disquisitions, are found, by general experience, to be comparatively dull and stupid after it." "I know not how it is," said a celebrated writer, "but all my philosophy, in which I was so warmly engaged in the morning, appears like nonsense as soon as I have dined." Very hot weather is particularly unfavorable to reading. The months of July, August, and Sep

tember, are by no means the seasons in which the fruits of the mind arrive at maturity.

18. " The following observations of a late writer are perhaps suited to this place. "There are three capital mistakes," says he, "in regard to books. Some, through their own indolence, and others, from a sincere belief of the vanity of human science, read no book but the Bible. But these good men do not consider that, for the same reasons, they ought not to preach sermons; for sermons are libri, ore, vivaque, voce, pronunciati. The holy scriptures are illustrated by other writings. Literas misceo profanas, ut sacras illustrent, says one, who well exemplified the rule.

19. "Others collect great quantities of books for show, and not for service. This is a vast parade, even unworthy of reproof. If an illiterate man thinks by this art to cover his ignorance, he mistakes; he affects modesty, and dances naked in a net to hide his shame!

20. "Others purchase large libraries with a sincere design of reading all the books. But a very large library is learned luxury, not elegance, much less utility." Much reading is no proof of much learning; fast readers are often desultory ones. Hence the reason some know so little is, because they read so much. The helluo librorum and the true scholar are two very different characters. Yet we are told of the famous Perkins, that he had the knack of quickly running through a folio, and entering entirely into the author's subject, while he appeared to be only skimming the surface; but then it must be remembered he was a man of uncommon quickness and penetration.

LESSON XXXIX.

STUDY.

1. WHILE Some are lost in dissipation and thoughtlessness, there are others whose minds are absorbed in diligent and laborious study. And, indeed, to have no taste for intellectual pleasures, seems to put a man but a small remove from the animal tribes. He who cannot bear thinking, or at least, has

* Let the teacher be particular in questioning the pupils in this lesson.

no disposition for investigation, but takes things merely from the report of others, or as they are imposed upon him by custom or prejudice, is a mere slave, and hardly can be wise. It is a remark worthy of attention, that "Thinking has been one of the least exerted privileges of cultivated humanity." It must be confessed there is too much truth in the observation. That all men think, is not denied; but alas! few think with propriety, few bend their thoughts to right objects, few divest themselves of the shackles of ignorance and custom; to be however, intelligent, to be candid, to be useful, a man should inure himself to application. In a word, he who would be happy in himself, respectable in society, and a blessing to the world, should industriously persevere in the study of those subjects which are calculated to enlarge the mind, ameliorate the disposition, and promote the best interests of mankind.

Instances of Intense Study, &c.

2. Demosthenes' application to study was surprising. To be the more removed from noise, and less subject to distraction, he caused a small chamber to be made for him under ground, in which he shut himself up, sometimes for whole months, shaving on purpose, half his head and face, that he might not be in a condition to go abroad. It was there, by the light of a small lamp, he composed the admirable orations, which were said, by those who envied him, to smell of the oil, to imply that they were too elaborate. "It is plain," replied he, "your's did not cost you so much trouble." He rose very early in the morning, and used to say that "he was sorry when any workman was at his business before him." He copied Thucydides' History eight times, with his own hand, in order to render the style of that great man familiar to him. 3. Adrian Turnebus, an illustrious French critic, was indefatigable in his application to study, insomuch, that it was said of him, as it was of Budæus, that he spent some hours of study even on the day he was married.

4. Frederick Morel had so strong an attachment to study, that, when he was informed of his wife's being at the point of death, he would not lay down his pen till he had finished what he was upon; and when she was dead, as she was before they could prevail upon him to stir, he was only heard to reply coldly, "I am very sorry; she was a good woman."

5. Sir Isaac Newton, it is said, when he had any mathe

matical problems or solutions in his mind, would never quit the subject on any account. Dinner has been often three hours ready for him before he could be brought to table. His man often said, when he has been getting up of a morning, he has sometimes began to dress, and with one leg in his breeches, sat down again on the bed, where he has remained for hours before he has put his clothes on.

6. Mr. Abraham Sharp, the astronomer, through his love of study, was very irregular as to his meals, which he frequently took in the following manner: A little square hole, something like a window, made a communication between the room where he usually studied, and another chamber in the house where a servant could enter; and before this hole he had contrived a sliding board; the servant always placed his victuals in this hole, without speaking a word, or making the least noise; and when he had a little leisure he visited his cupboard, to see what it contained, to satisfy his hunger or thirst. But it often happened that the breakfast, the dinner, and the. supper remained untouched by him, when the servant went to remove what was left; so deeply was he sometimes engaged in his calculations and solemn musings. It is related, that, at one time, after his provisions had been neglected for a long season, his family, being uneasy, resolved to break in upon his retirement; he complained, but with great mildness, that they had disconcerted his thoughts, in a chain of calculations which had cost him intense application for three days successively. On an old oak table, where for a long course of years he used to write, cavities might easily be perceived, worn by the perpetual rubbing of his arms and elbows.

7. Such has been the pleasure arising from reading and study, that even the full prospect of death itself has not eradi cated the love of it.

8. Of the famous Hooker, it is related, that notwithstanding his severe and lingering illness, he continued his studies to the last. He strove particularly to finish his Ecclesiastical Polity, and said often to a friend who visited him daily, that "he did not beg a long life of God for any other reason, but to live to finish the three remaining books of Polity; and then, Lord, let thy servant depart in peace," which was his usual expression. A few days before his death his house was robbed; of which, having notice, he asked, "Are my books and written papers safe?" And being answered that they were,

"Then," said he, " it matters not, for no other loss can trouble me."

9. A singular circumstance is related of the illustrious Boerhaave, who kept feeling his pulse, the morning of his death, to see whether it would beat till a book he was eager to see was published. He read the book, and said, "Now the business of life is over."

10. When Gesner found his last hour approaching, he gave orders to be carried into his study, that he might meet death in a place which had been most agreeable to him in his life.

The Progress of Old Age in New Studies.

11. Cato, at eighty years of age, thought proper to learn Greek; and Plutarch, almost as late in life, Latin.

12. Henry Spelman, having neglected the sciences in his youth, cultivated them at fifty years, and produced good fruit. 13. Fairfax, having been general of the parliamentary forces, retired to Oxford to take his degrees in law.

14. Colbert, the famous French Minister, almost at sixty, returned to his Latin and law studies.

15. Tellier, the chancellor of France, learnt logic merely for an amusement, to dispute with his grandchildren.

16. Though the above instances be somewhat singular, yet young persons should beware of procrastination, and not lose the present moment in expectation of improving the future. Very few are capable of making any proficiency under the decrepitude of old age, and when they have been long accustomed to negligent habits. Great defects and indigested erudition have often characterized the "opsimatheis,” or “late learned."

Singular Methods of Study.

17. It is recorded of Anthony Magliabechi, that his attention was continually absorbed day and night among his books. An old cloak served him for a gown in the day, and for bed clothes at night. He had one straw chair for his table, and another for his bed, in which he generally remained fixed, in the midst of a heap of volumes and papers, until he was overpowered with sleep; with all this intense application to reading, his knowledge was well estimated in the observation applied to him, that he was a learned man among booksellers, and a bookseller among the learned.

18. John Williams, an English prelate, used to study in a