that

3. Notes and Abstracts.-It is sometimes the case, young persons, when they meet any thing remarkable in the course of their reading, transcribe it, with the expectation of referring to their copy afterwards to refresh their memories; and thus, after a while, they get their desks very full of knowledge, while very little remains in the head. Now, it ought to be remembered, that knowledge is of no value, or at least of scarcely any, unless it is fairly lodged in the mind, and so digested, as I have before shewn, as to become a permanent possession. Now, if transcribing, and writing notes and abstracts of what you read, is made the means of fixing thus firmly in the mind your various acquisitions, it is of immense value: if made the substitute for it, it is worse than useless. It may be a most powerful means, as any one may prove to himself, by the following experiment.

Read some history in the ordinary way, without the use of the pen; with the exception, that you select some chapter in the middle of the work, with which you may try the experiment of an abstract. After having read it attentively, shut the book, and write the substance of the narrative it contains. The more you deviate in style and language from your author, the better; because, by such a deviation, you employ more your own original resources, you reduce the knowledge you have gained to a form adapted to your own habits of thought; and you consequently make it more fully your own, and fix it more indelibly in the mind. After finishing the abstract of that chapter, go on with the remainder of the book in the usual way, by simply reading it attentively. You will find, if you carefully try this experiment, that the chapter which have thus treated will for many years stand out most conspicuous from all the rest, in your recollections of the work: the facts which it has stated will retain possession of your minds, when all the rest

you

are forgotten; and they will come up, when wanted for use, with a readiness which will shew how entirely you made them your own.

It is on this principle, and with such a view, that Notes and Abstracts are to be written. Some very brief practitical directions will be of service to those who wish to adopt the plan.

Do not resolve to write copious abstracts of all that you read the labour would be too great. Never read, however, without your Abstract Book at hand; and record whatever strikes you as desirable to be remembered. Sometimes, when reading a book of great importance and full of information, which is new and valuable, you may write a full abstract of the whole. Gibbon, the celebrated historian, attributed, it is said, much of the success of his writing to the influence of his having made a very copious abstract of Blackstone's Commentaries; a most interesting book, and one which no young man of intelligence can read without profit and pleasure.

Let the form of your Books be like the Journals above described; with ruled lines at the top for a double runningtitle, to facilitate reference. These lines should be ruled on, through the book, at first: at least, they should be kept ruled far in advance of the writing, or the writer will inadvertently omit to leave a space for them. I have known many books commenced on this plan; but never one, I believe, without having this accident occur, to vex and discourage the writer.

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Let your abstracts be of every variety of form and manner: sometimes long, and sometimes short; sometimes fully written in a finished style, and sometimes merely a table of contents of your book. There may a blank line left between the separate articles; and the title of each should be written before it, and doubly underscored, that is, distinguished by a double line drawn under

it: this is represented in printing by small capitals. When this is the title of the book read, and is prefixed to a long abstract, it may properly be placed over the article. Sometimes the writer will merely copy a remarkable expression, or a single interesting fact: at other times, a valuable moral sentiment, or a happy illustration. He will often insert only a single paragraph from a long book; and at other times, make a full abstract of its contents. But I must give specimens ; as by this means I can much more readily give my readers an idea of my meaning. These specimens are not imaginary ones. They are all taken from three or four Abstract Books of different young persons, who lent them to me for this purpose. The titles in capitals represent the underscored words described above, to suit the running-title at the top, which should be like the specimen already given; with the exception, that the words NOTES AND ABSTRACTS" should be substituted for PERSONAL JOURNAL.

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FRIENDSHIP.—A man should keep his friendship in constant repair.- Johnson.

REYNOLDS.-SirJoshua Reynolds, a celebrated portrait-painter, cotemporary and friend of Johnson, Goldsmith, &c.; one of the founders of the Royal Academy, and for many years its President. He was born near Plymouth, but resided in London during most of his life, occasionally making tours to the Continent. He nearly lost his life in the close of life; and died, at an advanced age, of a disease of the liver.-Northcote's Life of Sir Joshua Reynolds.

FLORENCE.-The Academy of Fine Arts in Florence is the most celebrated School of Painting in the world.

Humboldt's new SPAIN.-Introduction gives an account of his own geometrical and astronomical observations, in attempting to determine the position of several points; and likewise the other sources of information which he had.-There are nine points, at each of which a communication has been proposed to be made between the Atlantic and Pacific.-Vera Cruz the eastern, and Acapulco the western port of Mexico.-Gold and silver, he says, travels from west to east: the Ocean, the atmosphere, and civilization, in a contrary direction.

The Andes in Peru are more broken and rough than in Mexico. The plains, though elevated, are comparatively small; and hemmed in by lofty mountains, or separated by deep precipitous valleys.

In Mexico, the chain of mountains spreads itself out into immense plains, with few sudden declivities or precipices. Fruits of every climate may be cultivated on this elevation, at the various heights; but not with so much success, on account of the rarefaction of the atmosphere, as they can in northern latitudes. At certain seasons of the year both coasts of Mexico are inaccessible, on account of storms. The navigation on the east side is impeded by sand-banks, washed in by the westerly currents of the Ocean.

CHRONOLOGY.-Difference between the chronology of the Hebrew and Septuagint Manuscripts.

Mount Ararat probably in the north of India, in Shuckford's opinion.

ENGLISH EMPIRE IN INDIA.-The English and French had, about the middle of the last century, several factories on various parts of the coast of Hindoostan. In their quarrels with each other, they endeavoured to secure to themselves the co-operation of the Natives; and in this way the Europeans and the Hindoos became involved in the wars of each other. The English were generally successful, and in this way gradually extended their influence and their power.

Rajah Dowlah, sovereign of Bengal, a wealthy, extensive and populous country, became a little alarmed at the progress which the English made, in their contentions with the French concerning their respective settlements in that country. He endeavoured to oppose them; and, in consequence, the English fomented a conspiracy against his government, enticed his Prime Minister to treason, and then, after fighting a single battle, placed him in command. Col. Clive was the instrument of this Revolution. The province of Bengal thus came into the hands of the East-India Company.

A short time afterwards, the French were conquered at Coromandel, and the Natives brought under the power of the English.

SYNAGOGUES-It is generally supposed that the Jewish Synagogues originated during the Captivity, and were continued after their Return.-Kimpton.

I should suppose, from the appearance of these articles, which were the first few pages of a large book of this kind, that they were all the notes taken of the reading of

some weeks, as several books of considerable size are quoted as authority. It is perhaps not best that the writer should resolve upon any particular quantity each day, or for each book: and, as I remarked in regard to the Journal, when you find that you have for some time neglected your pen, do not be discouraged and give up the plan, but calmly begin where you left off, and renew your work and your resolution together.

Sometimes the abstracts may be in a more abridged style, like a table of contents. They can be more rapidly written in this form; but the benefit derived from the exercise is less. The following is an example from another book, by another writer. You will perceive that the style is so condensed, that the notes can merely serve as memoranda for the writer's own use. They are. scarcely intelligible to another person.

HISTORY OF THE BIBLE.

Old and New Testaments - Hebrew and Greek· Continua Scriptio-At various times and places. Samaritan Pentateuch: discrepancies between it and the Hebrew Bible. Controversy. Discovery in modern times of these Manuscripts.

Its preservation, by successive transcripts.-Old ones worne out, and lost. Exemplars.

Greek Testament - Why in Greek. script.

Circulated in Manu

Textus Receptus. Elzevir Edition. Pres. MSS. imperfect -Written about 1000 or 1400. Alexandrian MS. Vatican. Modes of determining antiquity. British Museum.

Translations-Septuagint. Vulgate. Printed Editions of the Bible and Greek Testament. Complutensian Polyglott. Sources of information. MSS. Septuagint. Samaritan Pentateuch; quotations, 1514.

English-Wickliffe's-Opposition made to it-Circulated in Manuscript. Tindal's, printed in Holland — Efforts to keep copies out of England-Bishop of London bought up the whole edition, to burn. James's Bible-Fifty-four men at various places-Cambridge, Oxford, and Westminster. Later Translations, 1607. Forty-seven men of the fifty met to compare ; and, after three years labour, issued, in 1660, the most commonlyapproved Version.

Another form in which these abstracts may be written,