thus presented to the mind is both valuable in itself by the powers which it calls into action, and by proving a nucleus to which new facts may be afterward associated.

IV. Memory and attention are greatly promoted in young persons by writing; provided it be done, not merely in the form of extracts from books, but in their own words: in history, for example, in the form of chronological tables; and on other subjects in clear and distinct abstracts, neatly and methodically written.

V. These exercises of mind are greatly promoted in the young by verbal cominunication. Hence the importance of frequent examination. The teacher is thereby enabled, not only to ascertain their progress, but to explain what they do not understand; to impress upon them important points to which they may not have sufficiently attended; to excite attention, inquiry, and interest; and so to cultivate the habits of association and reflection. These, in fact, ought to be the objects to be kept in view in all such exercises as of much greater moment than the mere putting of questions. On the same principle, a most useful exercise for young persons is instructing others still younger on subjects which they have themselves recently acquired.

VI. In the cultivation of the mental powers in the young, a point of essential importance is the selection of proper and worthy objects of acquirement. In the general conduct of education in this respect the chief error appears in general to have been, devoting too much time and attention in females to superficial accomplishments, and in males to mere acquirement in languages and mathematics: and the great object to be kept in view from the very earliest period is the paramount importance of the

actual knowledge of things on subjects of real utility the actual cultivation of habits of observation, inquiry, association, and induction; and, as the foun dation of the whole, the habit of steady and continued attention. The cultivation of these mental habits is of greater value by far than any one acquirement whatever; for they are the basis of all future improvement, and are calculated to give a tone to the whole character.

In this brief outline I have said nothing on the subject of religious instruction; for the same rules apply to it as to branches of inferior importance, in as far as it is to be considered as engaging the intellectual powers. The chief error here appears to be, the practice of trusting too much to the mere repetition of tasks or catechisms, without that kind of direct personal instruction which is calculated to interest the attention, to fix the truths upon the understanding, and to cultivate the habits of association and reflection. A leading branch of this subject, the culture of the moral feelings, does not belong to our present inquiry; but it is impossible to mention it without alluding to its intense interest even in a philosophical point of view. One of the most striking phenomena, certainly, in the science of the human mind, is the high degree of culture of which the moral powers are susceptible, even in the infant mind, long before the powers of intellect are developed for the investigation of truth.

In reference to the whole science of education nothing is of greater importance than the principle of association, which, we have formerly seen, exerts a most extensive influence, not in the remembrance of facts alone, but in perpetuating and recalling mental emotions. We take a very limited view, indeed, of this great subject, if we confine education entirely or chiefly to the acquisition of knowledge, or even to the culture of the intellectual powers.

That system is deficient in its most essential part which does not carry on along with these a careful and habitual culture and regulation of the passions and emotions of the young: their attachments and antipathies, their hopes and fears, their joys and sorrows; the cultivation of the social and benevolent affections; the habit of repressing selfishness, and bearing inconveniences and disappointments without murmuring; a disposition to candour and ingenuousness, and a sacred regard to truth. Their future character as social and moral beings will be greatly influenced by the manner in which they are taught from an early period to regulate their emotions, by directing them to adequate and worthy objects, and controlling them by the great principles of wisdom and virtue. In this important process the principle of association exerts a most extensive influence. The stern lessons of morality, and even the sublime truths of religion, may be rigidly impressed upon the minds of the young, and may, in after-life, recur from time to time as a mere matter of remembrance; but many must have experienced how different is the impression when they recur in close association with a father's affection and a mother's tenderness,-with the lively recollection of a home, where the kindest sympathies of the human heart shed around the domestic circle all that is lovely in life, while a mild and consistent piety habitually pointed the way to a life which is to come.

OF THE INFLUENCE OF DISEASE UPON ATTENTION
AND MEMORY.

THE preceding imperfect outline of the subject of memory naturally leads us briefly to investigate the manner in which this function is impaired in con

nexion with bodily disease. This takes place chiefly from injuries of the head, affections of the brain, fever, and diseases of extreme debility. Similar effects arise from intemperance and other habits of dissipation. Our present purpose, however, is, not to investigate the peculiar effects of these various causes, but to endeavour to trace the manner in which attention and memory-and we may include perception are affected by any or all of them.

The first mental function which is impaired by bodily disease is usually the power of attention; this we see illustrated in all febrile affections. The patient, in the early or milder stages, is incapable of fixing his mind upon any thing that requires much attention, of following out an argument, or of transacting business which calls for much thought or consideration. He is acute and intelligent as to all common occurrences, and shows no want of recollection or of the power of reasoning when his attention is excited; but he feels it an exertion that is painful to him. In a higher degree of this condition, he is still intelligent as to what is said or done at the time, or in recognising persons; but in a short time forgets every thing in regard to the person or the occurrence. He is incapable of that degree of attention which is necessary for memory, though the powers of perception are entire. In the next stage he becomes incapable of receiving the full impression from external things; and, in consequence of this, he mistakes the objects of his own thoughts for realities. This is delirium, and there are various degrees of it. In some cases the attention of the patient can be roused for a time, and directed to the true relations of external things, though he relapses into his delirious impressions when he is left undisturbed in others, the false impression is constant, and cannot be corrected by any effort which is made to direct the attention; and in a third modification of this remarkable condition, he

mixes up his hallucinations with external impres sions in a most singular manner. He is still capable, however, of describing his impressions, that is, of talking so as to be understood, though what he speaks of relates only to his erroneous conceptions, or mere bodily feelings. In the next stage he either does not attempt to express himself at all, or is entirely unintelligible. He is now cut off from communication with external things, and with other sentient beings; and the highest degree of this is what we call coma, or stupor, which resembles profound sleep.

This description refers chiefly to the gradations in the state of the mental functions which we observe in continued fever. It is particularly interesting to trace them in this disease, because we see the va rious grades passing into one another, and thus showing in a connected series the leading peculiarities which, in other affections, we have to contemplate separately. These peculiarities may be chiefly referred to the following heads:

I. A state in which the attention cannot be steadily directed to a long and connected train of thought, or to any thing requiring a continued effort of mind. This takes place, as already stated, in the earlier stages of all febrile diseases. It likewise occurs in connexion with the debility which succeeds acute diseases, in persons broken down by intemperance, and in the first approaches of old age. It is also often observed in a remarkable degree in connexion with a disordered state of the stomach.

II. A state in which the impression made by external things is not sufficient to produce remembrance, though there appears to be, at the time, a perfect perception. A person so affected understands what is said to him, and answers correctly, but very soon forgets what has passed; he knows a friend, and is happy to see him, but in a short time L