SENSATION. 
in a variety of situations.—Sonie have sup- 
posed that the senses are not capable of im- 
provement. We readily grant, that the 
superiority possessed by some over others 
in the use of their senses,' principally con- 
sists in the extent and accuracy and vigour 
of their perceptions. Two persons, with 
equally good eyes, will see the same thing 
very differently, will have very different 
perceptions, though the sensations cannot, 
as far as we can judge, differ in any respect. 
Let two such persons have a watch placed 
before each of them as nearly as possible in 
the same situation in every respect, suppose 
one minutely acquainted with the beautiful 
machine and the other unacquainted with it ; 
they have the same sensations, but how dif- 
ferent their perceptions ; one sees a number 
of movements, of which he cannot discern 
the connection, nor point out the part it 
bears in the performance of the object, the 
other at once perceives the mutual de- 
pendence of the parts and the minutia of 
the whole structure, its excellences and de- 
fects, &c. Our limits will not permit fur- 
ther illustration, but it is in the power of 
every one to trace it for themselves, by re- 
collecting how differently the same thing ap- 
pears to different persons of equally vigo- 
rous powers of sensation, and how diffe- 
rently it appears to the same person at dif- 
ferent times. But all these things do not 
disprove what we before stated respecting 
the improvement of the senses themselves ; 
they merely point out as another means to 
render sensation efficacious, that we should 
extend the perceptions and render them ac- 
curate. That is l^y giving extent and accu- 
racy to the perceptions we render the sen- 
sations more efficacious, which we mention- 
ed as one of the principal things upon 
which tlie extent and accuracy of the per- 
ceptions depend. — To give vividness and 
efficacy to the sensations, the organs of 
sense should then be exerted on various 
objects and in various situations ; a still 
more important mean is, to direct the at- 
tention sufficiently to the objects of sensa- 
tion. In what manner it produces the 
effect we know not, but it is certain that 
the efficaciousness of sensations in producing 
distinct ideas, depends principally upon the 
degree of attention which those sensations 
receive. Hence those who have the care 
of infants and children, should give them 
every opportunity to keep their attention 
directed to the objects of their senses, and 
every means should be employed to lead 
them to such attention : a child intently 
gazing upon an object, or examining it 
with its little .hands and lips, is as usefully 
employed in the cultivation of intellect as 
the fondest parent can wish. — There is how- 
ever more to be done in this connection, 
also bv allowing the child full scope for its 
own exertions, than by any direct efforts 
which can be made by others. When its 
attention is fixed, let it remain so ; if pos- 
sible let the objects of sense be brought 
under different aspects, and exposed to' 
the different senses. Before words become 
to a child the sign of voluntary action all 
that can be done is to expose it to sensa- 
tions, and to allow them to fix the atten- 
tion: but afterwards more direct efforts 
may be made, and the attention may be 
fixed by various other means than the mere 
action of the sensations themselves. Inde- 
pendently of its value in providing materials 
for clear perceptions, it is of peculiar im- 
portance to the future improvement of the 
understanding, and consequently to the 
moral culture, that the habit of fixed atten- 
tion should be acquired ; and we wish here 
to express our decided opinion that the 
character of the intellect and affections, 
however much it may be modified by future 
cultivation, receives its .stamp from the em- 
ployment of the first few years of life ; that 
tl»e education of the nursery is of almost 
incalculable moment in the mental and 
moral culture; that by the neglect of it 
years of labour may be rendered requisite 
to compensate in some degree for it, and 
by a proper attention to it a foundation is 
laid for a clear and vigorous understanding 
and lively and pure affections. As far as 
the understanding can be considered as 
separate from the affections, the primary 
object is to gain clear and extensive per- 
ceptions, and fixed active attention ; and 
respecting these, the few observations which 
have been made may afford some useful 
hints to the thoughtful. Miss Hamilton has 
many judicious remarks on this subject at 
the beginning of the second volume of her 
work on education; a work which though 
sometimes uicorrect as tn scientific arrange- 
ment, and still more frequently as to pre- 
cision of language, contains many highly 
valuable instructions for the culture of the 
human mind. 
4. Sensations are to be considered not 
only as the original materials for the 
various operations of intellect, but as the 
sources of all the mental pleasures, and 
pains. In the earliest periods of life 
probably there is no sensation unaccom- 
