ON HABITS OF OBSERVING. 31 



when wanted, of adapting them to receive an imme- 

 diate impression from the objects presented to them, 

 of distinguishing minute differences, where others 

 see none at all, and, when restricted in time, glean- 

 ing all that a momentary glance will allow. The 

 case just supposed is in fact but another illustration 

 of the lesson taught us in Mrs. Barbauld's well- 

 known story of " Eyes and no Eyes " in her Even- 

 ings at Home. We all remember the moral of that 

 lesson ; yet how few, nevertheless, carry through life 

 the spirit of the young active inquirer there repre- 

 sented to us, who saw so much where his brother had 

 seen nothing, and whose interest was excited, and his 

 senses kept on the alert, by what to the other afford- 

 ed neither instruction nor entertainment. How 

 many are there, rather, who the further they advance 

 in the world, have their senses more and more 

 blunted by disuse, and who not only regard half 

 what they see (if they can be said to see at all) with 

 apathy and indifference, but even in cases in which 

 they are more immediately interested, scarcely know 

 how to employ their eyes aright, so as to profit by 

 them as much as possible, or to ensure their being 

 trust-worthy interpreters of whatever is submitted 

 to their notice.* 



RULES FOR OBSERVING. 



(20..) The remark with which we concluded the 

 last paragraph leads to the consideration of a few 



* " It is surprising how little we see until we are taught to ob- 

 serve." Forbes in Edinb. New Phil. Journ. vol. xxxii. p. 85. 



