122 



ON REVERIE. 



succession, and that his ideas must keep pace with them, 



he will have no leisure for idle musing. 



^ The various Let us suppose, a contention held between the employ- 



bywSTttcn- "^^^* ^y^ich engages us on the one hand, and the stimuli 



tion may be that act upon our senses on the other. Each strives to 



fixed to a sub- draw the attention of the mind towards itself. If the em- 

 jcct. 



ployment be pleasing, or if several of the senses, instead 



of one, be engaged In it, we may consider it as the stronger 

 party, as having the greatest force on its side. Attention 

 would be less apt to waver if we were to transcribe, than 

 if we read a passage in any author; if we saw a drama 

 performed on the stage, than if we perused it in the closet; 

 or if we were present at a parliamentary debate, than rf 

 it only reached us through the cold medium of a news- 

 paper. When the mind therefore is agitated, and inca- 

 pable of intense application, it will be w ell to betake 

 ourselves to any occupation of which we are enthusiasti- 

 cally fond. Whence arises the fluency of the unlearned 

 itinerant preacher. It is to be ascribed to the two last 

 principles on which we have expatiated, habit and enthu- 

 siasm. 

 An expedient It often happens to those who devote much time to 



$o prevent rcadinff or composition, that as soon as their reverie com- 

 wandenng of , . , , . . . . 



mind. mences, they unconsciously remove their eyes from their 



book or writing desk to s^ome particular spot in the apart- 

 ment which may be favourable to mental wandeting, or 

 associated with it by habit. Now, if they would pre- 

 viously affix to the idea of this spot, the idea of conscious- 

 ness that they have departed from their proper occupation, 

 they would probitbly be enabled in this manner to check 

 the fit of musing at its commencement, and to save the 

 time which would otherwise have been squandered. No 

 one is unacquainted with the story of the orator^ who 

 could not plead without holding a string in his hand, for 

 the purpose of recalling his wavering thoughts. The biting 

 Biting of the of our nails, during composi4:ion, may be referred to the 

 toails. same cause. We associate the idea of this practice with 



that of our first and main employment, so that the former 

 is never present without the latter ; — and any new train 

 of ideas obtruding themselves on our study are kept at a 

 distance by the recurrence of the practice alluded to ; 



. which 



