CCCclxii LIFE OF BACOX. 



by keeping his mind alive and open to perpetual improve 

 ment, (a) 



Memory. The theory of memory he understood and explained : (b) 

 and in its practice he was perfect. He knew much, and 

 what he once knew he seldom forgot. 



O 



Composi- In his compositions his first object was clearness: to 

 reduce marvels to plain things, not to inflate plain things 

 into marvels, (c) He was not attached either to method 



proclivity ; but also that there may be found, in studies properly selected 

 for that purpose, cures and remedies to promote such kind of knowledge, 

 to the impressions whereof a man may, by some imperfection of nature, be 

 most unapt and insufficient. As for example, if a man be bird-witted, 

 that is, quickly carried away, and hath not patient faculty of attention, the 

 mathematics give a remedy thereunto; wherein, if the wit be caught away 

 but for a moment, the demonstration is new to begin. 



Burke always read a book, as if he were never to see it again. 



Locke says, a proper and effectual remedy for this wandering of thoughts 

 I should be glad to find. 



Newton used to say, that if there were any difference between him and 

 other men, it consisted in his fixing his eye steadily on the object which he 

 had in view, and waiting patiently for every idea as it presented itself, 

 without wandering or hurrying. 



(a) Certainly custom is most perfect when it beginneth in young years, 

 this we call education, which is in effect but an early custom. So we see 

 in languages, the tongue is more pliant to all expressions and sounds ; the 

 joints are more supple to all feats of activity and motions in youth than 

 afterwards; for it is true that late learners cannot so well take the ply, 

 except it be in some minds that have not suffered themselves to fix, but 

 have kept their minds open and prepared to receive continual amendment, 

 which is exceeding rare. 



Locke says, &quot; There are men who converse but with one sort of men, 

 they read but one sort of books, they will not come in the hearing but of 

 one sort of notions ; the truth is, they canton out to themselves a little 

 Goshen in the intellectual world, where light shines, and as they conclude, 

 day blesses ; but the rest of that vast expansum they give up to night and 

 darkness, and so avoid coming near it. See the Conduct of the Under 

 standing; where there are many valuable observations on this subject. 



(/&amp;gt;) See ante, p. 292. 



(c) In the composing of his books he did rather drive at a masculine and 

 clear expression, than at fineness or affectation of phrases, and would often 

 ask if the meaning were expressed plainly enough, as being one that 



