How To Study 29 



these things you study just as you would if you were trying to use your 

 camera for the taking of the picture instead of your mind. 



(1.) Clear away all that is unimportant. 



(2.) Choose a subject. In this case Biology. 



(3.) Have proper perspective (that is, have the relationship 

 of everything about your subject in proper form, and do not unduly 

 stress any one point). In other words, have you taken everything into 

 consideration? For example, you must see to it that some other branch 

 of science does not have some points and conclusions which may destroy 

 yours, for if a single exception can be found in science, it has disproved 

 the law. 



(4.) You must have sufficient light to make the subject stand 

 forth and be seen clearly. This implies a proper background — a back- 

 ground built up in the study of science by ascertaining what has gone 

 before, and what causes have produced the particular historical soil upon 

 which the seed of men's ideas have been able to grow. In other words, 

 you must have all the facts that can be found if you would have this 

 light throw your subject into the full glare of day. You must exclude 

 shadows as much as possible. 



(5.) You must see that your subject is in focus, which means 

 that in any given case, it must stand forth in sharp relief. It must not 

 fade away in the distance and become blurred by your prejudices or 

 desires. No vagaries of thought must be permitted. Your reasoning 

 must be clear and definite. Your system of knowledge must be built 

 up philosophically and logically. 



(6.) You must decide upon how large an opening you will 

 allow your lens ; that is, within what narrow limits you are to discuss 

 the subject under consideration. 



(7.) You must decide upon the length of time for your ex- 

 posure, which, in a scientific treatise, means that you must know that 

 sufficient time has elapsed to make your experiments valid and positive. 



(8.) If you read of the results of others, you must take into 

 consideration the temperamental makeup of the individual writing as 

 well as of yourself and other readers who later pass judgment thereon. 



Remember that just as a football player or musician must keep in 

 constant practice, or lose his proficiency, so your brain must have 

 DAILY EXERCISE or it will likewise lose its proficiency. 



Remember also, that the man who can, but does not read, has not 

 as high an intellectual ranking as he who cannot read; and he who has 

 the capacity to think, but does not, ranks lower than he who is born 

 without such capacity. 



VI. See that your note-book contains complete drawings and de- 

 scriptions of each of the following subjects for every form studied : 



