ral habits; as virtue is at all times friendly to happiness, and never can be unfeasonable. But, in bodily or intellectual exercifes, I apprehend that this rule is not quite fo proper; at leaft for perfons of a delicate conftitution. In attempting, for example, to acquire a habit of running, or even of walking, when the ftomach is full, a valetudinarian might foon destroy himself; and in the fame circumstances it may be equally detrimental to engage in any fatiguing ftudy. To force the mind to exert itself in remembrance, invention, or profound inquiry, at a time when both mind and body are inclinable to reft, is likely to be attended with bad confequences; and therefore, unless when neceffary, ought not to be attempted. After dinner, a ftudious man may converfe, or faunter in the fields, or read an amufing book, or entertain himself (as Milton is faid to have done) with mufick; but he will do well to refrain from every laborious exercife, both mental and corporeal, till digeftion be pretty far advanced, and his fpirits begin to regain their wonted alacrity.

6. While we are committing any thing to Memory, it may be profitable to speak flowly, and with propriety, and to speak aloud. For thus, Attention will be fixed; an appeal made to two fenfes at the fame time, and no habits contracted of faulty pronunciation.

7. It has been doubted, whether the Memory fhould be charged with each particular word of what we get by heart; or whether it may not be fufficient, if we remember the whole meaning, and the greater part of the expreffion. The former may perhaps be thought unneceffary; and

yet

yet I believe it is the, beft method, for those who would acquire the talent of exact remembrance. Yet I do not propofe this as a rule without exception for there is reafon to fear, that fome Memories are by no means equal to fuch a task. But, on the other hand, let us bear this in mind, that the more we indulge Memory, or any other faculty, in habits of indolence, the more difficult it will be for us to improve it to that pitch of vigour, whereof nature may have made it capable.

8. Let us never, by ftudy of any kind, overload Memory, or overftrain our faculties; for this would bring difcouragement, incapacity, and bad health. We ought to begin with easy tasks, and advance by degrees to fuch as are more difficult. A clergyman, a particular friend of mine, has often told me, that, when he commenced preacher, it was the labour of many days to get his fermon by heart; but that, by long practice, he has now improved his Memory to fuch a pitch, that he can, by two hours application, fix one in his mind fo effectually, as to be able to recite it in publick, without the change, omiffion, or tranfpofition, of the smallest word. To me this fact feems extraordinary; for I am certain of its truth: but I learn from it, that, by patience and long practice, much may be done for the improvement of our nature, and that none of our faculties are more improveable than Memory. What toil and perfeverance, in cultivating the bodily powers, mult it require, to qualify the tumbler for thofe feats of activity, with which he aftonishes mankind! When we first see them, we can hardly believe our eyes: he feems to perform what till now we thought

impoffible.

impoffible. Were we to take equal pains in the improvement of our intellectual and moral nature, which are furely not lefs fufceptible of cultivation, who can tell to what heights of excellence, and of happiness, we might at length arife!

9. The difcourfe which we would get by heart we must understand, not only in general (for that we cannot fail to do, if we compofe it) but in every fentence, and in every word. And if there be in it any word, or fentence, which is not fufficiently clear, let us either make it clear, or expunge it. There are certain quotations from Scripture, and other theological phrases, which, in compofing fermons, almost every preacher makes ufe of, though every one is not at pains to ascertain their fignification: and it often happens, especially in our first attempts at writing, that we think ourselves perfectly fkilled both in expreffions, and in doctrines, which yet we understand very little. It is therefore incumbent on us, for the benefit of our readers and hearers, as well as ourselves, and in order to improve our understanding, as well as to facilitate remembrance, that we examine our own meaning with the moft critical exactness. If a difcourfe, or any part of it, be fuch as we fhould find it impoffible to give a fummary of; if any fentence appear to be inferted, rather for the purpose of lengthening the paragraph, than of illuftrating the thought, or rather to improve the found, than to clear up the fubject; if any word or paffage can be fpared, without taking away from the emphafis, or the connection:thefe are all symptoms of inaccuracy; and ought to put us upon re-confidering what we have written, and making the neceffary amendments,

before

before we begin to commit it to Memory. For we may be affured, that this exercife will be more or lefs difficult, according as the difcourfe is lefs or more free from inaccuracy, obfcurity, and redundance.

Laftly, while engaged in this work, let us encourage agreeable paffions, as hope of fuccefs and improvement, and a sense of the value of a cultivated Memory, and of the importance of that which it is our ambition to remember. Light fpirits are favourable to every fort of exertion; but a defponding mind is generally unfuccefsful.

And here it may not, perhaps, be improper to make a few remarks on the expediency of pronouncing Sermons from Memory: and I make them the more willingly, because what I have to fay on this head may be comfortable to those young men, whofe Memory, like my own, inclines rather to weakness, than to strength.

First, then, it can adinit of no doubt, that every publick speaker and teacher ought to be able to fpeak from Memory, or even without premeditation, as the circumftances may require; and fhould, therefore, now and then practise extemporary speaking, and ftudy to acquire a readiness of apprehenfion and a command of words, and take every prudent method he can think of, for improving Remembrance.

Secondly, They whofe faculties are uncommonly fufceptible; who can retain a Sermon after once or twice reading it; or who, like the gentleman above-mentioned, can commit one to

Memory

Memory in two or three hours, may, at all times, or as often as they choose, preach without notes; especially, if they have confidence in their Recollection, and can diveft themselves of anxiety. But many men there are, of good parts, who, from natural bashfulness, or from bodily weaknefs, or from having been in danger of expofing themselves through a fudden failure of Memory, cannot depend on their prefence of mind, or quickness of recollection, when they appear in publick; though in the ordinary affairs of life they have no reason to complain of this faculty. Such perfons ought not to preach without papers. If they do, it will be injurious both to themselves, and to their hearers. To themselves; by tormenting them with folicitude, to the great prejudice of their health. And to their hearers: because the fear of forgetting will take off their. attention from the management of their voice; the confequence whereof is, that they will speak without that energy which impreffes the meaning on the audience; and may, moreover, contract bad habits of drawling, canting, hesitating, or quick speaking; which are all disagreeable to rational hearers, and make every hearer inattentive; and the most eloquent Sermon infipid.

Thirdly, Thofe preachers who, after much practice, cannot commit a difcourfe to Memory in less than two days, (and this, I believe, is a common cafe) should never, in my opinion, attempt it; except, perhaps, on extraordinary occasions, when they may be obliged to speak with eafe and elegance, and yet have no opportunity of reading. Two days every week are almoft a third part of human life. And when one confiders, that the fermons thus committed to Memory VOL. I.

F

are