CXLII. On the Infenfibility of the Men to the Charms of a Female Mind, cultivated with Polite and Solid Literature. [In a Letter.] 239 CXLIII. On Parental Indulgence. CXLVI. On the Weight and Efficacy which Morality may derive from the Influence and Exam- ple of thofe who are called the Great. 255 CLIV. On the Advantage which may be derived to the Tender and Pathetic Style, from using Words and Phrafes, of Scripture. 286 CLXX. On the Retirement of a Country Town. [In CLXXI. Curfory Thoughts on Epiftolary Writers. 351 CLXXII. On the Neceffity of Exercife, Amusement, and CLXXV. Curfory Remarks on the Odyffey, on Pope's Tranflation, Mr. Spence's Elay, &c. 371 CLXXVI. Thoughts on the Oedipus Tyrannus of So- ESSAYS, MORAL, &c. No. LXXXII. ON THE MEANS OF READ ING WITH THE MOST ADVANTAGE. T is certain, that there are many ftudents who impair their health in a continual courfe of reading and literary labour, without any adequate returns of pleasure or improvement. They read, indeed, because they confider it as a duty, or because they are endeavouring to accomplish themfelves for the practice of a profeffion; but they are ready to confefs, that the whole tenour of their ftudies is one continued toil, and that the pleasure they derive from them is by no means a recompence for exhaufted fpirits and habitual melancholy. With a view to relieve ftudents of this defcription, who are usually virtuous and amiable, I will endeavour to fuggeft a few hints, which may poffibly contribute to render their reading more agreeable and advantageous. But I wish to premife, that in what I now fay, and in whatever I have faid, in the style of direction and advice, I mean only to offer, not to obtrude; to fubmit, and not to dictate. In order to receive the proper advantage from reading, it must be rendered a pleafing employment. Human nature is fo constituted, that no practice will be conVOL. II. tinued B tinued long and regularly, which is not attended with fome degree of pleasure. We enter upon a study which is irkfome and difguftful with reluctance, we attend to it fuperficially, and we relinquish it without reflecting upon it in a degree fufficient for the purpose of improvement. Inftead of thinking of it uniformly and teadily, we drive it from our minds as the cause of uneafinefs. But the heart and affections, the imagination and the memory, co-operate with the understanding, in deriving all poffible advantage from the ftudy. which we love. The firft and most important object is, therefore, to form a strong attachment to thofe parts of science, or to those books, which our judgment impels us to study. There are various methods conducive to this end; but,. perhaps, none are more effectual, than that of converfing with men of fenfe and genius on the books and the subject on which we purpofe to read. There is a warmth and fpirit in converfation, which renders fubjects, which might otherwise appear cold and lifelefs, interefting and animated. When the company is departed, and the converfation at an end, we are naturally inclined to see what has been said in books on the fubjects difcuffed; and the light let in by the preceding converfation is an excellent introduction to our enquiries. As foon as we have acquired, by actual reading, a competent knowledge of a book or particular fubject, it will contribute greatly to aniinate us in proceeding ftill further, if we talk of it either with our equals in attainments, or with the learned and experienced. We advance an opinion, our felf-love renders us folicitous to maintain it, we feek the aid of a book as an auxiliary, we therefore read it with eager attention ; and I believe it will be difficult to avoid loving that which we attend to frequently and with eagerness. Indeed, if we can once fix our attention very clofely to a good book, nothing more will be neceffary to make us love it: As in nature, when two bodies approach each other very nearly, the attraction of cohefion faftens them together; fo when the mind attaches itfelf clofely to any fubject whatever, it becomes, as |