THE PSYCHOLOGY OF ATTENTION. 1089 
An example of teaching, in which both of these conditions are 
fulfilled, simply, may be found in those modern schools for very 
young children called kindergarten. There truth is made to wear 
any fantastic dress that can make it attractive ; while the teacher 
becomes as much one with the juveniles as possible. The whole 
aim is to copy Nature in matter, and the home in manner of 
teaching. 
With more encouragement of the necessary exercise of will for 
those of rather older growth, this system may be taken to exemplify 
the second stage of attention, in which the mental activity is aroused 
and controlled by external intellectual agency. 
Before passing to the third division of the subject, there is an 
interesting fact which may be noticed as showing a transition 
towards this independent voluntary exercise of the mind. 
At those schools in England where boys attend for half-time 
and spend the rest of the day at work, it is found that on the 
whole the half-time boys do as well as those who spend the full 
day at school. The powers of will and concentration learned 
under the discipline of the factory, as well as the conception of 
the value of education gained from outside, render the attention of 
these lads more strong ‘and consistent than it would be otherwise. 
This fact provides a ready introduction to the special character- 
istic of this third kind of Attention—that is, the purpose which 
enables a man, independent of other considerations, to devote his 
mind to the pursuit of knowledge. 
Concerning this exercise of will, which maintains perception as 
a force from within, it may be noticed, i in comparison with the other 
determining influences, it is peculiarly a function of mind in its 
maturity. The Attention which at first is called by Nature, then 
guided to fact, is, if it attains its full strength, at last self-directed 
towards Truth. 
Still, while these differences are marked, it must not be over- 
looked that this highest stage, as in all developments, contains the 
others. The object contemplated possesses a fascination for 
thought; self-restraint or quickening must frequently be exercised ; 
childhood and youth are merged, not lost in manhood. 
The introduction of Will tends also to make the attention more 
of a unity than before ; and although it is necessary to divide 
the full mental energy into sections for the sake of observation, 
one part cannot take the pre-eminence as attraction and education 
have done earlier. Alongside of the controlling force must be 
seen the scope of perception, and the necessary accompaniments 
of attention in the mind. In this free, high, intellectual activity 
no one side can be taken as characteristic ; it shows itself only 
when viewed as awhole. It will be necessary, therefore, to survey 
the three sections just mentioned of Will, Object, and Harmonic, 
in order. 
3 Zi 
