200 MY LIFE 



cess of my books, in almost all of which I have aimed at a 

 simple and intelligible rather than a strictly logical arrange- 

 ment of the subject-matter. 



Another lecture, the draft for which I prepared pretty 

 fully, was on a rather wider subject — The Advantages of 

 Varied Knowledge — in opposition to the idea that it was better 

 to learn one subject thoroughly than to know something of 

 many subjects. In the case of a business or profession, some- 

 thing may be said for the latter view, but I treated it as a 

 purely personal matter which led to the cultivation of a 

 variety of faculties, and gave pleasurable occupation through- 

 out life. A few extracts may, perhaps, be permitted from 

 this early attempt. Speaking of a general acquaintance with 

 history, biography, art, and science, I say, " There is an 

 intrinsic value to ourselves in these varied branches of knowl- 

 edge, so much indescribable pleasure in their possession, so 

 much do they add to the enjoyment of every moment of our 

 existence, that it is impossible to estimate their value, and we 

 would hardly accept boundless wealth, at the cost, if it were 

 possible, of their irrecoverable loss. And if it is thus we feel 

 as to our general store of mental acquirement, still more do 

 we appreciate the value of any particular branch of study we 

 may ardently pursue. What pleasure would remain for the 

 enthusiastic artist were he forbidden to gaze upon the face 

 of nature, and transfer her loveliest scenes to his canvas? or 

 for the poet were the means denied him to rescue from 

 oblivion the passing visions of his imagination ? or to the chem- 

 ist were he snatched from his laboratory ere some novel ex- 

 periment were concluded, or some ardently pursued theory 

 confirmed? or to any of us were we compelled to forego 

 some intellectual pursuit that was bound up with our every 

 thought? And here we see the advantage possessed by him 

 whose studies have been in various directions, and who at 

 different times has had many different pursuits, for whatever 

 may happen, he will always find something in his surround- 

 ings to interest and instruct him." 



And further on, as illustrations of the interest in common 



