46 OBSERVE AND THINK. 



the former, and the former in immediate juxta-po- 

 sition, we could not possibly have the latter in 

 either of these, or in any one practical case that 

 we can imagine ; even so it is in all matters of 

 thought, if these are to be of a practical kind, or in 

 any way to deserve the name of knowledge, or even 

 to return in that suggestion which we call me- 

 mory, or be any thing else than an idle waste of 

 the time that they take in passing, and anguish 

 and remorse because that time has been wasted to 

 so little purpose. 



If we could always thus " keep sight of obser- 

 vation," in our thinking, we would have the 

 consolation of knowing that we were in every 

 instance " thinking rightly and to some purpose," 

 that every thought would " tell" practically; and 

 that alone would give us both collectedness and 

 pleasure. As we would then never attempt any 

 thing but what we felt confident we could do, we 

 would always have the exultation of success to 

 cheer us on. 



Now, it is only in the observation of nature, 

 that we can get that ready-mindedness which 

 cheers us on with the confidence that we are 

 always thinking aright and to good purpose. Our 

 business, if we are to conduct it in the most suc- 

 cessful and proper manner, must not be half so 

 wide in its range, as a mind of even any ordinary 

 capacity will wander ; and as for the productions 

 of art, though many of them are curious, and far 

 from unworthy of our attention, in order that 

 from them we may " learn to excel," they are at 

 best, but second-hand applications of those pro- 

 perties and principles which we find original and 

 fresh when we turn to nature itself. The very 



