pense 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 concur with the testimony of the holy Scriptures to assure us, that the allowed thought of foolishness is sin 10, 11

CHAP. XV.

CONCERNING THE MEMORY.

14. A MAN 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 occa

sions.

Now a thorough self-acquaintance cannot be had without a proper regard to this, in two re

10 Prov. xxiv. 9.

Juv. Sat. 13.

11 Nam scelus inter se tacitum qui cogitat ullum Facti crimen habet. Guard well thy thoughts: our thoughts are heard in heaven.

Young.

spects. (1.) Its furniture. (2.) Its improve

ment.

(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 it is that men should take such immense 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 it1.

There is no small art in improving a weak

1 Tribus rebus potissimum constat optima memoria, intellectu, Ordine, Cura, siquidem bona memoriæ pars est rem penitus intellexisse; tum Ordo facit, ut quæ semel exciderent, quasi postliminio in animum revocamus; porro Cura omnibus in rebus, non hic tantum plurimum valet. Erasm. de rat. stud. ad calc. Ringelbergii, p. 168.

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 every sort 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 burthen.

(3.) Recur to the help of a common-placebook, 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 2.

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

2 Quicquid didiceris id confestim doceas: sic et tua firmare, et prodesse aliis potes. Ringelbergius de ratione studii, p. 28.

Postremo illud non ad unum aliquid, sed ad omnia simul plurimum conducet, si frequenter alios quoque doceas. Nusquam enim melius deprehenderis quid intelliges, quid non. Atque interim nova quæque occurrunt, commentanti disserentique, nihil non altius infigitur animo. Erasm. Rot. de rat. stud. p. 170.

Ion of fearling & leaving

bears some similitude to it, either in its nature or in the sound of the word by which it is expressed; or that hath some relation to it either in time or place. And then by recalling this, which is easily remembered, you will (by that concatenation, or connexion of ideas, which Mr. Locke takes notice of) draw in that which otherwise you might hunt after in vain.-This rule is thus linked or joined with it; which is of excellent use to help you to remember names.

(6.) What you are determined to remember think of before you go to sleep at night, and the first thing in the morning, when the faculties are fresh; and recollect at evening every thing worth remembering the day past.

(7.) Think it not enough to furnish this store- \ house of the mind with good thoughts, but lay them up there in order, digested or ranged under proper subjects or classes; that whatever subject you have occasion to think or talk upon you may have recourse immediately to a good thought which you heretofore laid up there under that subject. So that the very mention of the subject may bring the thought to hand; by which means you will carry a regular common-place-book in your memory. And it may not be amiss sometimes to take an inventory of this mental furniture, and recollect how many good thoughts you have treasured up under such particular subjects, and whence you had them.

(Lastly.) Nothing helps the memory more than often thinking, writing, or talking on those subjects you would remember.-But enough of this.

CHAP. XVI.

CONCERNING THE MENTAL TASTE.

15. A MAN that knows himself is sensible of, and attentive to the particular taste of his mind, especially in matters of religion.

"

As the late Mr. Howe judiciously observes, there is, beside bare understanding and judgment, and diverse from that heavenly gift, which in the Scripture is called grace, such a thing as gust and relish belonging to the mind of man (and, I doubt not, with all men, if they observe themselves), and which are as unaccountable and as various as the relishes and disgusts of sense. This they only wonder at who understand not themselves, or will consider nobody but themselves. So that it cannot be said universally, that it is a better judgment, or more grace that determines men the one way or the other; but somewhat in the temper of their minds distinct from both, which I know not how better to express than by mental taste. And this hath no

more of mystery in it than that there is such a thing belonging to our natures as complacency and displacency in reference to the objects of the mind. And this, in the kind of it, is as common to men as human nature; but as much diversified in individuals as men's other inclinations are 1."

1 See his humble request both to Conformists and Dissenters.