HOW TO THINK 



victory. They give us a picture of Napoleon that leaves 

 the reader with a feeling that after all this was rather 

 a mediocre man. 



But you will do well to fight shy of this over-cautious 

 criticism, if you would not hamper your imagination. 

 You may safely believe that, in the main, the large fig- 

 ures of history have been painted as posterity will con- 

 tinue to think of them. You will do well to recall that 

 ideas are not good simply because they are new, and you 

 may safely shun the guidance of the historical critic 

 whose iconoclasm is but the measure of his narrowness. 



But while admitting this, we must also admit that the 

 past transmits to us a multitude of false ideas, and in 

 particular a tissue of false methods. Indeed, the 

 greatest foes to progressive knowledge are the prejudices 

 and pre-conceptions heritages from the past which 

 bias the mind and, like imperfections in a mirror, dis- 

 tort the image it reflects. 



That you may free your mind from such bias, it is 

 well now and again to say to your alter ego: "Come, 

 let us reason together regarding the faith that is in you. 

 You believe thus and so; but why? In religion you 

 are a Catholic, an Episcopalian, a Methodist, or per- 

 chance a Mohammedan or a Buddhist; but why? 

 In politics you are a Republican, a Democrat, or a 

 so-called Independent ; but why ? Is it that you have 

 reasoned out the pros and cons of each belief; that 

 you have clearly weighed the evidence on every side, 

 so that your verdict has all the force of a wise judicial 

 decision ? Or is it that you inherit your beliefs as you 

 inherit the color of your hair and eyes? Are you a 



