8 METHOD OF STUDY. 



whether it is an indispensable element in mind ; and, in short, 

 what is the very essence of mind itself. 



7. He should be free, or should free himself, from all 

 bias, prejudging, preconception or misconception, foregone 

 conclusion, mental preoccupation or prepossession. 



8. He should be quite open to conviction by the evidence 

 furnished by the observation of facts, ready to confess and 

 renounce his own mistakes either of observation or inference. 



9. There must be perfect honesty of purpose and single- 

 ness of aim, that purpose or aim being simply the discovery 

 of truth. 



10. But he must be prepared for the penalties that 

 so frequently attach themselves to the discoverers or pro- 

 pounders of new or unpalatable truths; he must bear in 

 mind that new truths are usually productive of uneasiness, 

 suspicion, or fear in conservative minds, more especially 

 when these truths come into conflict, as they so frequently 

 do, with long-cherished associations or beliefs. 



11. He must, however, be regardless of the consequences of 

 his discovery or exposition of truth, of his logical generalisa- 

 tions from facts, or of his honest renunciation of error; 

 fearless of the criticism, opposition, vilification it may be 

 even nowadays, and in one sense or another, persecution 

 to which his outspokenness may subject him. 



12. He should have a natural capacity for, with due 

 training and experience in, careful observation and accurate 

 description. 



13. It is at least desirable that he should be gifted with 

 fertility in experiment, with a ready suggestiveness as to the 

 best means of testing the correctness of his observations or 

 conclusions. 



14. The power of patient application to study, and to the 

 study of many collateral branches of a main subject, is 

 equally important. 



15. A further mental endowment that may be considered 

 indispensable is sympathy both with his subject compara- 

 tive psychology and with the objects of his study the 

 lower animals themselves. 



16. He should be able to discriminate between what man 



