fuch immenfe pains, as fome do, to learn thofe things, which, as foon as they become wife, they must take as much pains to unlearn!--A thought that fhould make us very curious and cautious about the pro

per furniture of our minds.

(2.) Self-knowledge will acquaint a man with the extent and capacity of his memory, and the right way to improve it.

There is no mall art in improving a weak memory, fo as to turn it to as great an advantage as many do theirs which are much stronger. A few fhort rules to this purpose may be no unprofitable digreffion.

1. Beware of all kinds of intemperance in the indulgence of the appetites and paffions. Exceffes of all kinds do a great injury to the memory.

2. If it be weak, do not overload it. Charge it only with the most useful and folid notions. A fmall veffel fhould not be ftuffed with lumber: But if its freight be precious, and judiciously ftowed, it may be more valuable than a ship of twice its burden.

3. Recur to the help of a common placebook, according to Mr. Locke's method, and review it once a year, But take care that by confiding to your minutes or meL

morial

morial aids, you do not excufe the labour of the memory; which is one difadvantage attending this method.

4. Take every opportunity of uttering your best thoughts in converfation, when the fubject will admit it: That will deeply imprint them. Hence the tales which common ftory-tellers relate, they never forget, though ever fo filly.

5. Join to the idea you would remember fome other that is more familiar to you, which bears fome fimilitude to it either in its nature, or in the found of the word by which it is expreffed; or that hath fome relation to it either in time or place. And then by recalling this, which is easily remembered, you will (by that concatenation or connection of ideas, which Mr. Locke takes notice of), draw in that which is thus linked or joined with it; which otherwise you might hunt after in vain. This rule is of excellent use to help you to remember names.

6. What you are determined to remember, think of before you go to fleep at night, and the first thing in the morning, when the faculties are frefh. And recollect at evening every thing worth remembering the day paft.

7. Think

7. Think it not enough to furnish this ftore-houfe of the mind with good thoughts; but lay them up there in order, digefted or ranged under proper fubjects or claffes; that whatever fubject you have occafion to think or talk upon, you may have recourfe immediately to a good thought, which you heretofore laid up there under that fubject, fo that the very mention of the fubject may bring the thought to hand; by which means you will carry a regular common place-book in your memory. And it may not be amifs fometimes to take an inventory of this mental furniture, and recollect how many good thoughts you have there treasured up under fuch particular fubjects, and whence you had them.

Laftly, Nothing helps the memory more than often thinking, writing, or talking on thofe fubjects you would remember. But enough of this.

CHAP. XVI.

Concerning the mental Tafe.

XV. «

A

MAN that knows himself, is "fenfible of and attentive to "the particular tafte of his mind, especial66 ly in matters of religion.”

As the late Mr. Howe judiciously obferves," there is befide bare understand"ing and judgment, and diverse from "that heavenly gift which in the fcrip"ture is called grace, fuch a thing as guft "and relish belonging to the mind of man, "(and, I doubt not, with all men, if they "obferve themselves) and which are as "unaccountable and as various as the re

46

"lifhes and difgufts of fenfe. This they "only wonder at who understand not them"felves, or will confider nobody but "themselves. So that it cannot be faid "univerfally, that it is a better judgment, 66 or more grace, that determines men the one way or the other; but fomewhat in "the temper of their minds diftinct from "both, which I know not how better to "exprefs than by mental tafte.-And this "hath no more of mystery in it, than "that there is fuch a thing belonging to "our natures as complacency and difpli"cency in reference to the objects of the ❝ mind. And this, in the kind of it, is 66 as common to men as human nature; "but as much diverfified in individuals 66 as men's other inclinations are *."

Now

* See his Humble Request both to Conformifts and Dif fenters.

Now this different tafte in matters relating to religion, (though it may be fometimes natural, or what is born with a man, yet) generally arifes from the difference of education and cuftom. And the true reason why fome perfons have an inveterate difrelish to certain circumstantials of religion, though ever so justifiable, and at the fame time a fixed efteem for others that are more exceptionable, may be no better than what I have heard fome very honeftly profefs, viz. that the one they have been used to, and the other not. perfon by long ufe and habit acquires a greater relish for coarfe and unwholesome food than the moft delicate diet; so a perfon long habituated to a set of phrases, notions, and modes, may by degrees come to have fuch a veneration and esteem for them, as to defpife and condemn others which they have not been accustomed to, though perhaps more edifying and more agreeable to fcripture and reafon.

As a

This particular tafte in matters of religion differs very much (as Mr. Howe well obferves) both from judgment and grace.

However, it is often miftaken for both. When it is miftaken for the former, it leads to error; when miftaken for the latter, to cenforioufnefs.