Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Elements of the philosophy of the human mind. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)
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![ticular situations. It is such a knowledge alone of the capacities of the mind, that can enahle a person to judge of his own acquisitions ; and to employ the most effectual means for supplying his defects, and remov- ing his inconvenient habits. Without some degree of it, every man is in danger of contracting bad habits, before he is aware : and of suffer- ing some of his pow< rs to go to decay, for want of proper exercise. if the business of early education were more thoroughly, and more ge- nerally understood, it would be less necessary for individuals when they arrive at maturity, to form plans of improvement for themselves. Rut education never can be systematically directed to its proper objects, till we have obtained, not only an accurate analy-isof the general princi- ples of our nature, and an account of the most important laws which regulate their operation; but an explanation of the various modifica- tions and combinations of these principles which produce that diversity of talents, genius, and character, we observe among men- To instruct youth in the languages, and in the sciences, is comparatively of little importance, if we are inattentive to the habits they acquire; and are not careful in giving, to all their different faculties, and all their differ- ent principles of action, a proper degree of employment. Abstra* ting entirely from the culture of their moral powers, how extensive and dif- ficult is the business of conducting their intellectual improvement .' To watch over the associations which they form in their lender years ; to give them early habits of mental activity ; to rouse their curiosity, and to direct it to proper objects; to exercise their ingenuity and invention ; to cultivate in their minds a turn for speculation, and at the same time preserve their attention alive to ihe objects around them ; to awaken their -ensibilities to the beauties of nature, and to inspire ihem with a reiish for intellectual enjoyment;—these form but a part of the business of i ducation ; and yet the execution even of this pact requires an ac- quaintance with the general pr nciples of our nature, which seldom falls to the share of those to whom the instruction of youth is commonly in- trust d.—Nor will such a theoretical knowledge of the human mind, as I have now described, be always sufficient in practice. An uncom- mon degree of sagacity is frequently requisite, in order to accommodate general rules to particular tempers, and characters.—In whatever way we choose to account for it, whether by original organization, or by the operation of moral causes in very early infancy : no fact can be more undeniable than that there are important differences discernible in the minds of children, previous to that period at which, in general, their in- tellectual edu ation commences. There is, too, a certain hereditary character (whether resulting from physical constitution, or caught from imitation and the influence of situation,] which appears remarkably in particular families. One race, for a succession of generations, is dis- tinguished by a genius for the ahstract sciences, while it is deficient in vivacity, in imagination, and in taste : another is no less distinguished for wit, and gayety, and fancy ; while it appears incapable of patient attention, or of profound research. The system of education which is proper to be adopted in particular cases, ought, undoubtedly, to have some reference to these circumstances; and to be calculated, as much as possible, to develope and to cherish those intellectual and active prin- ciples in which a natural deficiency is most to be apprehended. Mon- tesquieu, and other speculative politicians, have insisted much on the](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21156645_0024.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
