THE HABIT OF ATTENTION

LORD CHESTERFIELD

A MAN is fit for neither business nor pleasure who either cannot, or does not, command and direct his attention to the present object, and in some degree banish for that time all other objects from his thoughts. If at a ball, a supper, a party of pleasure, a man were to be solving, in his own mind, a problem of Euclid, he would be a very bad companion, and make a very poor figure in that company; or, if in studying a problem in his closet he were to think of a minuet, I am apt to believe that he would make a very poor mathematician. There is time enough for everything in the course of the day, if you do but one thing at once; but there is not time enough in the year, if you will do two things at a time.

The Pensionary De Witt, who was torn to pieces in the year 1672, did the whole business of the Republic, and yet had time left to go to assemblies in the evening, and sup in company. Being asked how he could possibly find time to go through so much business, and yet amuse himself in the evenings as he did, he answered, “There was nothing so easy; for that it was only doing one thing at a time, and never putting off anything until to-morrow that could be done to-day." This steady and undissipated attention to one object is a sure mark of superior genius, as hurry, bustle, and agitation are the never-failing symptoms of a weak and frivolous mind.

There is no surer sign in the world of a little weak mind than inattention. Whatever is worth doing at all, is worth. doing well; and nothing can be done well without attention. It is the sure answer of a fool, when you ask him

about anything that was said or done, where he was present, that "truly he did not mind it." And why did not the fool mind it? What had he else to do there but to mind what was doing? A man of sense sees, hears, and retains everything that passes where he is. I desire I may never hear you talk of not minding, nor complain, as most fools do, of a treacherous memory.

if

Mind not only what people say, but how they say it; and you have any sagacity you may discover more truth by your eyes than by your ears. People can say what they will, but they cannot look just as they will; and their looks frequently discover what their words are intended to conceal. Observe, therefore, people's looks carefully when they speak, not only to you, but to each other. I have often guessed by people's faces what they were saying, though I could not hear one word they said.

The most material knowledge of all, I mean the knowledge of the world, is never to be acquired without great attention; and I know many old people, who, though they have lived long in the world, are but children still as to the knowledge of it, from their levity and inattention. Certain forms, which all people comply with, and certain arts which all people aim at, hide in some degree the truth, and give a general exterior resemblance almost to everybody. Attention and sagacity must see through that veil, and discover the natural character. If a man with whom you are but barely acquainted, to whom you have made no offers, nor given any marks of friendship, makes you, on a sudden, strong professions of his, receive them with civility, but do not repay them with confidence. He certainly means to deceive you; for one man does not fall in love with another at sight. If a man uses strong protestations or oaths to make you believe a thing, which is of itself so likely and

probable, that the bare saying of it would be sufficient, depend upon it he lies, and is highly interested in making you believe it; or else he would not take so much pains.

I know no one thing more offensive to a company than · inattention and distraction. It is showing them the usual contempt; and people never forgive contempt. No man is distrait with the man he fears or the woman he loves, which is proof that every man can get the better of that distraction when he thinks it worth his while to do so; and take my word for it, it is always worth his while. For my own part I would rather be in company with a dead man than with an absent one; for if the dead man gives me no pleasure, at least he shows me no contempt; whereas the absent man, silently indeed, but very plainly, tells me that he does not think me worth his attention.

Besides, can an absent man make any observations upon the characters, customs, and manners of the company? No. He may be in the best companies all his lifetime (if they will admit him, which, if I were they, I would not) and never be one jot the wiser. I never will converse with an absent man; one may as well talk to a deaf one. It is, in truth, a practical blunder to address ourselves to a man who we see plainly neither hears, minds, nor understands us. Moreover, I aver that no man is in any degree fit for either business or conversation who cannot and does not direct and command his attention to the present subject, be that what it will.

"

an able Dutch statesman. He was Grand Pensionary, or Prime Minister of Holland.

Eu'clid, a famous Greek geometer, who | De Witt', Jan de Witt (1625-1672) was lived about 300 B.C. His principal work is the 'Elements," parts of which have been used as geometry text-books down to the present time.

dis trait', absent-minded.

ab'sent, absent-minded; inattentive.

ON THE NEW YEAR COMING OF AGE

CHARLES LAMB

THE Old Year being dead and the New Year coming of age, which he does by Calendar Law as soon as the breath is out of the old gentleman's body, nothing would serve the young spark but he must give a dinner upon the occasion, to which all the Days in the year were invited. The Festivals, whom he deputed as his stewards, were mightily taken with the notion. They had been engaged time out of mind, they said, in providing mirth and good cheer for mortals below, and it was time they should have a taste of their own bounty.

It was stiffly debated whether the Fasts should be admitted. Some said that the appearance of such lean, starved guests, with their mortified faces, would prevent the ends of the meeting. But the objection was overruled by Christmas Day, who had a design upon Ash Wednesday, and a mighty desire to see how the old Dominie would behave himself in his cups. Only the Vigils were requested to come with their lanterns to light the gentlefolks home at night.

All the Days came to their day. Covers were provided for three hundred and sixty-five guests at the principal table, with an occasional knife and fork at the sideboard for the Twenty-ninth of February. I should have told you that cards of invitation had been issued. The carriers were the Hours, twelve as merry little whirligig foot pages as you should desire to see, that went all round and found out the persons invited well enough, with the exception of Easter Day, Shrove Tuesday, and a few such Movables who had lately shifted their quarters.

Well, they all met at last, Foul Days, Fine Days, all sorts of Days, and a rare din they made of it. There was nothing but Hail! fellow Day, well met! brother Day sister Day. Only Lady Day kept a little aloof and seemed somewhat scornful; yet some said Twelfth Day cut her out and out, for she came in a tiffany suit, white and gold, like a queen on a frost cake all royal and glittering and Epiphanous. The rest came, some in green, some in white --but old Lent and his family were not yet out of mourning. Rainy Days came in dripping, and Sunshiny Days helped them to change their stockings. Wedding Day was there in his marriage finery, a little the worse for wear. Pay Day came late as he always does, and Dooms Day sent word he might be expected.

April Fool, as my young lord's jester, took upon himself to marshal the guests; and wild work he made with it. He had stuck the Twenty-First of June next to the Twenty-Second of December, and the former looked like a May-pole siding a marrowbone. Ash Wednesday got wedged in between Christmas and Lord Mayor's Days. How he laid about him! Nothing but barons of beef and turkeys would go down with him-to the great greasing and detriment of his new sackcloth bib and tucker.

At another part of the table, Shrove Tuesday was helping the Second of September to some broth - which courtesy the latter returned with the delicate thigh of a pheasant. The last of Lent was spunging upon Shrovetide's pancakes, which April Fool perceiving, told him he did well, for pancakes were proper to a good fry-day.

It beginning to grow a little dusk, Candlemas lustily bawled out for lights, which was opposed by all the Days, who protested against burning daylight. Then fair water was handed around in silver ewers, and the same lady was