302 



NATUEE STUDIES. 



write tlie desired words; but it is a circumstance 

 which should not be overlooked. A little rest, or 

 the substitution for a while of some light reading 

 for hard brain-work, will generally set matters right. 

 If not, a longer rest or open-air exercise should 

 be taken. Time will be gained by waiting till the 

 brain is fitter for work. I have repeatedly had 

 occasion to time myself over certain forms of literary 

 work, and my experience has been this, that where 

 four or five hours are to be occupied in steady work, 

 a good half -hour will often be saved by taking half 

 an hour's sleep, when such signs of mental weariness 

 are noticed as have been described above. There is, 

 however, one point to be observed. Rest must be 

 taken as soon as such signs are recognised, for if an 

 effort is made to struggle against the occasion for 

 rest, the power of resting may be lost. Precisely as 

 an over-tired pedestrian often tries in vain to sleep 

 when he has but a short time for rest, so the over- 

 wearied brain may be kept by confusing thoughts 

 from obtaining rest. 



IV. THE ECHO SIGN. 



A symptom called the ' e eclw " sign, which usually 

 indicates very serious brain mischief, has, like other 

 such signs, its analogue among the symptoms of minor 

 mental trouble. Most of us have noticed how, when 

 we are weary and overworked, we are apt to repeat 

 mentally words or sounds which we have heard or had 



