EDUCATION OF THE MIND.
The term _Mind_ is often employed to signify all the faculties of
the soul. But I shall use it in application to the _intellectual
faculties_, in distinction from the _moral_; as I have employed _heart_
to denote the _moral_, in distinction from the _intellectual_. I shall
not undertake to give a strictly philosophical distinction of the
mental faculties, but shall comprehend them in the following division,
which is sufficient for my purpose, to wit: _Perception_, _Reason_ or
_Understanding_, _Judgment_, _Memory_, and _Imagination_. PERCEPTION is
the faculty that receives ideas into the mind; as, when you look at a
tree, immediately the idea of a tree is impressed on the mind through
the sense of sight; or, when you touch an object, the idea of that
object is impressed on your mind through the sense of touch; or, you
may receive the idea of a spirit, from the explanations which you hear
or read.
The REASON or UNDERSTANDING, is the faculty that considers, analyzes,
and compares ideas received into the mind, and forms conclusions
concerning them. For example, suppose you had never seen a watch: one
is presented to you, and, as soon as your eye rests upon it, you form
an idea respecting it. Perhaps this idea is no more than that it is a
very curious object. But, immediately, your understanding is employed
in _considering_ what it is, the perceptive faculty still being
occupied in further discoveries. From the fact that there is motion,
you conclude there must be some _power_ within it; for motion is not
produced without power. Here is _consideration_ and _conclusion_, which
is a regular operation of reason. But, to make further discoveries, you
open the watch, to examine its parts. This is _analyzing_. You examine
all the parts that you can see, on removing the case. You still see
_motion_--all the wheels moving in regular order; but the _cause_ of
the motion, the _power_ that moves, is yet unseen. You perceive a chain
wound around a wheel, and attached to another wheel, around which it
is slowly winding itself; and this chain appears to regulate the whole
movement. You conclude that the power must be in this last-named wheel.
Here is a conclusion from analyzing, or examining the parts separately.
The JUDGMENT is the same as what is popularly styled _common sense_.
It is that faculty which pronounces a decision, in view of all the
information before the mind, in any given case. For example, if you
wish to determine what school you will attend, you first obtain all
the information you can respecting the different schools that claim
your attention. You consider and compare the advantages of each; and
you decide according to your impression of their comparative merits.
The faculty which forms this decision is called the _judgment_. You
will readily perceive how very important this faculty is; for a person
may be very learned, and yet a very great _dunce_ in every thing of a
practical nature, if he fails in judgment or common sense. His learning
will be of very little use to him, because he has not sense to use it
to advantage.
The MEMORY is the faculty which _retains_ the knowledge that is
received into the mind. It is a wonderful faculty. It may be compared
to an immense closet, with a countless number and variety of shelves,
drawers, and cells, in which articles are stored away for future use,
only one of which can be examined by the proprietor at the same time,
and yet so arranged that he knows just where to look for the article he
wants. It is supposed that no impression, once made upon the memory,
can be obliterated; and yet the impression may not be called up for
years. It lies there, till some association of ideas brings it up
again; the faculty not being able to present more than one object
distinctly before the mind at the same instant.
The IMAGINATION is that faculty which forms pictures in the mind of
real or unreal scenes. It is the faculty that you exercise in your
fanciful plays, and when your mind runs forward to the time that you
expect to be engaged in the busy scenes of life, and you picture to
yourself pleasures and enjoyments in prospect. It is the faculty
chiefly exercised by the poet and the writer of fiction.
You will, perhaps, be tired of this explanation; but it was necessary,
in order to prepare the way for what I have to say on the _education
of the mind_. From the definition of education already given, you will
perceive that my ideas differ very much from those entertained by most
young people. Ask a young person what he is going to school for, and
he will answer, “_To learn_.” And his idea of learning is, simply, to
_acquire knowledge_. This, however, is but a small part of the object
of education. And this idea often leads youth to judge that much of
what they are required to study is of no value to them; because they
think they shall have no use for the particular science they are
studying, in practical life. The chief objects of mental education
are, to cultivate and discipline the mind, and to store it with those
great facts and principles which compose the elements of all knowledge.
The studies to be pursued, then, are to be chosen with reference to
these objects, and not merely for the purpose of making the mind a
vast store-house of knowledge. This may be done, and yet leave it a
mere lumber-room. For without the capacity to analyze, and turn it to
account, all the knowledge in the world is but useless lumber. It is
of great importance that young people should understand and appreciate
this principle, because it is intimately connected with their success
in acquiring a good education. To this end, it is necessary that they
should coöperate with their parents and teachers. This they will never
be ready to do, if they suppose the only object of study is, to acquire
a knowledge of the particular branches they are set to learn; for they
cannot see the use of them. But, understanding the design of education
to be, to discipline the mind, and furnish it with the elements of
knowledge, there is no science, no branch of learning, but what is
useful for these objects; and the only question, where education cannot
be liberal, is, What branches will best secure these ends?
This understanding of the objects of education is also necessary, to
stimulate the young to prosecute their studies in the most profitable
manner. If their object were merely to acquire knowledge, the more aid
they could get from their teachers the better, because they would thus
obtain information the more rapidly. But the object being to discipline
the mind, call forth its energies, and obtain a thorough knowledge
of elementary principles, what is _studied out_, by the unaided
efforts of the pupil, is worth a hundred times more than that which is
communicated by an instructor. The very effort of the mind which is
requisite to study out a sum in arithmetic, or a difficult sentence in
language, is worth more than it costs, for the increased power which
it imparts to the faculties so exercised. The principles involved in
the case will, also, by this effort, be more deeply impressed upon the
mind. Such efforts are also exceedingly valuable, for the confidence
which they inspire in one’s power of accomplishment. I do not mean to
commend self-confidence in a bad sense. For any one to be so confident
of his own power as to think he can do things which he cannot, or to
fancy himself qualified for stations which he is not able to fill,
is foolish and vain. But, to know one’s own ability to do, and have
confidence in it, is indispensable to success in any undertaking. And
this confidence is inspired by unaided efforts to overcome difficulties
in the process of education. As an instance of this, I recollect,
when a boy, of encountering a very difficult sum in arithmetic. After
spending a considerable time on it, without success, I sought the
aid of the school teacher, who failed to render me any assistance. I
then applied to several other persons, none of whom could give me the
desired information. Thus I was thrown back upon my own resources. I
studied upon it several days without success. After worrying my head
with it one evening, I retired to rest, and _dreamed_ out the whole
process. I do not suppose there was any thing supernatural in my dream;
but the sum was the absorbing subject of my thoughts, and when sleep
had closed the senses, they still ran on the same subject. Rising in
the morning with a clear head, and examining the question anew, it all
opened up to my mind with perfect clearness; all difficulty vanished,
and in a few moments the problem was solved. I can scarcely point to
any single event, which has had more influence upon the whole course
of my life than this. It gave me confidence in my ability to succeed
in any reasonable undertaking. But for this confidence, I should
never have thought of entering upon the most useful undertakings of
my life. But for this, you would never have seen this book, nor any
other of the numerous works which I have been enabled to furnish
for the benefit of the young. I mention this circumstance here, for
the purpose of encouraging you to _independent mental effort_. In
prosecuting your studies, endeavor always, if possible, to overcome
every difficulty without the aid of others. This practice, besides
giving you the confidence of which I have spoken, will give you a much
better knowledge of the branches you are pursuing, and enable you,
as you advance, to proceed much more rapidly. Every difficulty you
overcome, by your own unaided efforts, will make the next difficulty
less. And though at first you will proceed more slowly, your habit of
independent investigation will soon enable you to outstrip all those
who are still held in the leading-strings of their teachers. A child
will learn to walk much sooner by being let alone, than to be provided
with a go-cart. Your studies, pursued in this manner, will be much more
interesting; for you are interested in any study just in proportion to
the effort of mind it costs you.
The _perceptive faculty_ is developed first of all. It begins to
be exercised by the child before it can speak, or even understand
language. _Reason_ and _judgment_ are more slow in their development,
though they begin to be exercised at a very early period. _Memory_
is exercised as soon as ideas are received into the mind. The
_imagination_, in the natural course of things, is developed latest of
all; but it is often forced out too early, like flowers in a hot-bed,
in which case it works great injury to the mind.
You will perceive the great importance of bringing out the several
faculties of the mind in their due proportion. If the _memory_ is
chiefly cultivated, you will have a great amount of knowledge floating
loosely in your mind, but it will be of very little use. But the proper
cultivation of the memory is indispensable, in order to render your
knowledge available. Nor will it do for you to adopt the notion that
nothing is to be committed to the keeping of the memory which is not
fully understood. The memory is a _servant_, which must consent to do
some things without knowing the reason why. The _imagination_ is the
beautiful flower that crowns the top of the plant. But if forced out
too early, or out of due proportion, it will cover the stalk with false
blossoms, which, in a little time, will wither, and leave it dry and
useless. The _perception_, _reason_, and _judgment_, require a long
course of vigorous exercise and severe training, in order to lay a
solid foundation of character.
I shall leave this subject here, without suggesting any particular
means of cultivating the mind, leaving you to apply the principles here
laid down to your ordinary studies. But in several subsequent chapters,
I shall have some reference to what I have said here.