MENTAL PHILOSOPHY.

CHAP. XI.

OBJECTS AND UTILITY OF THE SCIENCE, AND GENERAL VIEW OF OUR MENTAL POWERS.

Mental Philosophy-Metaphysics-Mental Philosophy important to Intellectual Culture-to Moral Investigation—to Education-to the Youngto Religion-Mind- Sensation-Ideas-Association-ConceptionsFeelings-Notions-Ideas of Reflection--Memory-Imagination-Understanding-Will.

MENTAL Philosophy, or the Philosophy of the Human Mind, is that branch of science, which investigates the laws of the human mind. Its object is to ascertain the properties of the mind, the origin and nature of its various modes of thought and feeling, the ways in which they operate upon each other, and the means by which they are to be cultivated or repressed.

Mental Philosophy is not uncommonly confounded with Metaphysics; and the absurdities and futile speculations, which have been classed under the latter, have been supposed by many to belong to the former. Metaphysics (μTa Ta

Queixa) comprehends all investigations respecting those objects of human thought, which, by sensation alone, could not be brought under the notice of the mind; and it consequently includes the philosophy of the human mind: but it is obviously unjust to throw upon this department of metaphysics, the stigma which, if due to any, belongs to those branches alone, which have little or no relation to mental laws and operations.

Whatever relates to the properties of the mind, to the operations of intellect and affection, is of high value in various points of view. The philosophy of the mind, as Mr. Stewart justly remarks, abstracted entirely from that eminence which belongs to it in consequence of its practical applications, may claim a distinguished rank among those preparatory disciplines, which Bishop Berkeley has happily compared to "the crops which are raised, not for the sake of the harvest, but to be ploughed in as a dressing to the land."

The object of Moral Philosophy is to shew men their duty, and the reasons of it. It teaches what regulation of the conduct and the affections is our duty, why it is our duty, and how it is to be acquired. It is sufficient barely to state these objects, to shew at once the subserviency of mental to moral philosophy. The foundations of the science of morals, can only be laid with success on a judicious acquaintance with the principles of the mental constitution. We must know what are the affections in which moral excellence consists, how they are to be formed and cultivated, and how opposing ones are to be repressed or exterminated. And the consequence of actions can be fully shewn only by mental philosophy, or by that experimental acquaintance with the phenomena of mind on which its laws are founded.

A sound and comprehensive acquaintance with the laws of our mental frame, is of incalculable utility in the business of education. It gives to those who conduct it, correct views as to its object. It shews the vast importance of early impressions, of early attention to the culture of habits and disposi

tions; and it points out the best means for forming those characteristics of intellect and affection, which are essential to happiness and usefulness.

An acquaintance with the grand practical laws of the mind, will supply the young (and particularly those, who are early left to form their plans of action for themselves), with a most useful guide, to preserve them from the "aberrations of folly, and the pollutions of vice." They will be led by it to perceive how their present conduct and dispositions will affect their future character and happiness; to perceive the importance of avoiding a frivolous employment of their time, without any end beyond mere present amusement; to perceive the impossibility of indulging in vicious gratifications, without diminishing their means of happiness, and checking their progress towards excellence. They will learn to consider the formation of habits as requiring their utmost circumspection : they will learn what are baneful, what beneficial; what means of happiness should be made of primary value, and what should be regarded as subordinate only. Between the age of seventeen and thirty (earlier or later), the character usually acquires its permanent bias. After the commencement of that important period, the education of the human being usually depends in a great measure upon himself; and a judicious acquaintance with mental philosophy is an invaluable means for the right employment of it: indeed, next to the pursuits of religion, to which it directs, this is the most important means. We shall deem ourselves amply recompensed, if in any of our readers belonging to that period of life, we should succeed in producing an interest in the study of the human mind; in giving them such an elementary acquaintance with its laws, as will enable them to acquire from reading and reflection, and observation, just views of its operations and means of culture; and in inciting them to employ their knowledge in self-correction and self-improvement. To make the study of the human mind fully answer its objects, requires an accurate discriminating judgment, and the habit

of correct and cautious reasoning: but patient reflection and good sense, are alone essential to the beneficial pursuit of mental science; and with these it will in all cases lead to results highly important to individual welfare and usefulness.

The well-disposed young often fall into a desultory mode of reading, and form injurious habits of mind, for want of something to fix their attention. We here present to them an object, which no one can doubt is of high value, and which is deeply interesting to those who pursue it with patient persevering reflection. There is one class whom we feel peculiarly desirous of leading to this object; those of our female readers, who having completed the common round of school-education, are not yet occupied in any employments, which require a large portion of their time and active exertion. Those habits of frivolity and dissipation, which waste the most promising talents, and fritter away some of the most precious moments of life, would be restrained, perhaps altogether avoided, if they had some fixed object of pursuit, particularly one in which every step is useful knowledge. And if called to the duties of parents, how valuable would be their methods of early education! Their efforts would be well chosen and well applied. Those who might build upon their foundation, would recognize the skilful hand of maternal wisdom; they would only have to further, to promote, instead of being obliged to change, to eradicate: and those for whom their efforts were made, when they compared their own happy freedom from destructive errors, and their possession of correct habits of disposition and action, with the condition of others, would bless the well-directed solicitude which had watched over their early impressions, and judiciously guided their affections, desires, and expectations.

We may further observe, that an acquaintance with the principles of this important science, enables us more correctly to appreciate the inestimable value of Christianity, and the strength of the evidences on which it is founded. It leads to the most interesting conclusions respecting the worth of

Christian precepts, and the exalted nature of Christian motives. It shews us how Christianity "reconciles human nature to itself;" and it shews us, that the truth of it rests upon the well known laws of the human mind. It directly furthers the cause of religion in general, by rendering more obvious the reasons of the divine dispensations; and by the various displays of goodness and wisdom, which our mental phenomena present to us. It tends, beyond all other branches of philosophical investigation, "to correct, enlarge, and exalt our conceptions of the attributes and character of the Supreme Being, and to lay a foundation for the most exalted and rational piety."

In fine, the well-directed study of mental philosophy calls into action, and improves, the highest intellectual faculties; and while it employs the powers of the mind, it suggests the best means for their culture, and the best mode of their direction. It enables us to trace the intricacies of our own hearts, and points out the proper discipline for their correction: it discloses the real excellences of the mind, and guides us in our efforts for the attainment of them. Pursued with proper views, and in a proper manner, it lays the best foundation for the highest degrees of intellectual, moral, and religious improvement.

GENERAL VIEW OF THE POWERS OF THE HUMAN MIND. That, whatever it be, which thinks, and feels, and wills, is called mind: that part of the human being, which thinks, and feels, and wills, is called the human mind. This is the most limited acceptation of the term. In common language, and often in philosophical writings, it is employed more widely; including not only the conscious or percipient principle, but that, whatever it be, which supplies the mind with the immediate objects of consciousness: as when we say, 'That man has a great fund of useful ideas stored up in his mind;' meaning, that the causes of those ideas remain in his mind, ready for excitement, either by direct exertion or

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