UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 67 



the memory with insulated facts, but by putting 

 those facts in their right places, that we augment 

 our stock of knowledge." 



" Indeed, my dear uncle, I feel the truth of 

 that every day ; for the more I know, the more 

 my curiosity is excited, and I ramble on from 

 one thing to another, till my head contains no- 

 thing but a confused heap of unconnected facts. 

 Then, when I go back and try to put them in 

 some sort of order, I find that the most useful 

 circumstances are forgotten, and only those well 

 remembered which happened to connect them- 

 selves with things long known." 



" That leads me," said he, " to another point, 

 which I would earnestly press on your attention ; 

 discrimination or the selecting from the 

 necessarily confused mass of new ideas which 

 are constantly presenting themselves those of 

 the greatest importance. By grasping at all, 

 you lose the real acquisitions within your reach ; 

 and though the sacrifice may at first appeal- 

 great, you will be a gainer in the end. Every 

 day your selection will be more judicious, and in 

 time more abundant; and your knowledge of 

 useful and connected truths will advance gra- 

 dually and securely, because you will have learnt 

 to hinge them properly together, without encum- 

 bering your mind with those that are insignifi- 

 cant." 



I then asked him if he approved of my writing 



