5
and reasoning, as belonging to that train, and you will regret that you
cannot recall them more distinctly. �
This is certainly a valuable thought, and a valuable opinion of a great man. 
It is appropriate to my subject and design. I read it some two or three
years since. And now, how am I to recall it, when needed? I cannot copy
out all such valuable thoughts with which I meet; and it is in vain to command
the memory to retain them. Making extracts with the pen is so tedious,
that the very name of a Common-place Book is associated with drudgery,
and wearisomeness. But by the Index which I make out, I can preserve
this, or any other extract which I wish, and that readily. 
Some may think I have done little to aid them, by laying out the work of
years. I might indeed, have published my own Index Rerum, and it would
probably have been acceptable to some in my own profession. But it would
be of but little value to any one of another profession. Every man ought to
make out his own Index, according to his profession, employments, habits of
reading and thinking. An Index filled out, if confined to one profession, or
one kind of reading, would be too contracted for general use; and if it embraced
the whole circle of reading, it would be too voluminous. 
Some may hesitate about commencing such a Book, since their youth is
past, and the day in which to lay up knowledge seems also to be past. Such,
however, have special need of the aid here offered, and will receive special
benefit from it, because, it is never too late to read to advantage, and because
knowledge, like the seed of the fruit-tree which you put into the ground today,
will yield its fruits soon; and because also, memory, as life advances,
becomes more treacherous, and needs something to assist it. I feel confident
that the plan is as well adapted to those who have lived past their youth, as
to any other class. 
The idea of publishing blank sheets is not very cheering to the fame of
authorship; but mortified pride may have this consoling reflection, that many
who fill out their sheets, had better have left them blank; and that each one
can fill out this book more to his own satisfaction and benefit, than the most
gifted mind could do for him. 