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Improvement of the Mind
Good old Isaac Watts is known to the present generation chiefly as the inventor of English evangelical hymnody. His "Psalms and Hymns" revolutionized an important department of Christian worship. His "Divine and Moral Songs for Children" have not totally fallen into disuse. But his "Improvement of the Mind,'"which years ago was carefully put into the hands of every young man who aspired to a liberal education, is now scarcely known by name. Yet the book had obtained this weighty endorsement by the great Dr. Samuel Johnson: "Whoever has the care of instructing others, may be charged with deficiency in his duty if this book is not recommended." The neglect into which it has fallen is due partly to the unsightly appearance of the cheap editions which were issued while it was still in vogue, and partly to its being cumbered with an excess of theology. In this 1885 edition, Dr. Fellows has relieved the work of this extraneous matter, and has increased its practical value by an excellent analysis as well as various typographical devices which bring into prominence the more important parts. Dr. Fellows in his preface says that the original work was first published in 1727, but Allibone does not trace it back further than 1741, though Watts's " Logic; or The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry After Truth," to which this work was originally a supplement, was published in 1725. As recast and modernized in the present edition, the work is well fitted for use by new generations of American youth.
This edition originally published in 1885 has been reformatted for the Kindle and may contain an occasional defect from the original publication or from the reformatting.
This edition originally published in 1885 has been reformatted for the Kindle and may contain an occasional defect from the original publication or from the reformatting.
- GenresEducationPhilosophy
258 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 28, 2015
About the author
Isaac Watts
1,242 books51 followersIsaac Watts was an English hymnwriter, theologian and logician. A prolific and popular hymnwriter, he was recognised as the "Father of English Hymnody", credited with some 650 hymns. Many of his hymns remain in use today, and have been translated into many languages.
Watts was the author of a text book on logic which was particularly popular; its full title was, Logic, or The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry After Truth With a Variety of Rules to Guard Against Error in the Affairs of Religion and Human Life, as well as in the Sciences. This was first published in 1724, and its popularity ensured that it went through twenty editions. Isaac Watts' Logic became the standard text on logic at Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and Yale; being used at Oxford University for well over 100 years.
[wikipedia]
Watts was the author of a text book on logic which was particularly popular; its full title was, Logic, or The Right Use of Reason in the Enquiry After Truth With a Variety of Rules to Guard Against Error in the Affairs of Religion and Human Life, as well as in the Sciences. This was first published in 1724, and its popularity ensured that it went through twenty editions. Isaac Watts' Logic became the standard text on logic at Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard and Yale; being used at Oxford University for well over 100 years.
[wikipedia]
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 6, 2011
OK. Dated but interesting and good in places. I never finished it as it was a bit long-winded.
March 19, 2024
I've wanted to read this book since 2017 when I heard George Grant talk about it at the ACCS National Conference. The backbone of the book is: we don't know all the things, so we should learn some more things. Improve the mind. There are a variety of ways, but the surest way NOT to improve is acting as if it’s not unnecessary.
Most of the modern man’s way is to find one's strengths/likes, and quadruple down on those. Weaknesses? Let others compensate; someone else must be strong where you are weak. And to some extent, this is obvious. But it also seems to be a regular excuse.
I've started tweeting through some quotes and thoughts, and I do plan to continue, for my own improvement. There's good words about learning languages, about how to read, how to take notes, how to argue (and when to stop arguing), and how to listen and learn in conversations. Make a plan to improve the mind.
Highly recommended, even if it's getting close to 300 years old.
Most of the modern man’s way is to find one's strengths/likes, and quadruple down on those. Weaknesses? Let others compensate; someone else must be strong where you are weak. And to some extent, this is obvious. But it also seems to be a regular excuse.
I've started tweeting through some quotes and thoughts, and I do plan to continue, for my own improvement. There's good words about learning languages, about how to read, how to take notes, how to argue (and when to stop arguing), and how to listen and learn in conversations. Make a plan to improve the mind.
Highly recommended, even if it's getting close to 300 years old.
October 12, 2023
While I was initially interested and excited to read this, I found that it was far too cumbersome to maintain focus. One could ironically say that, maybe I needed to improve my mind to follow it better, and that may be the case. However, I was hoping to use this for a course on logic and reasoning skills, but there would be no way that I could do that with this text.
August 28, 2026
A VERY DEEP BOOK
If you like deep thinkers , read this book. It is written in very formal english. Which writers wrote with over two hundred years ago.
If you like deep thinkers , read this book. It is written in very formal english. Which writers wrote with over two hundred years ago.
January 19, 2021
Watts is probably best known for his hymn writing, but this is a helpful book on a wide range of topics. Many of his points are worth repeating and I think chapter 1 is well worth a read.
From chapter 1 he says, “Presume not too much upon a bright genius, a ready wit, and good parts; for this without labor and study will never make a man of knowledge.” He goes on to say that a large quantity of reading and strong memory do not make one wise. He counsels students to not lean on their own wisdom, but to trust in God and ask him for guidance in all things (Prov. 3:5, 7). It is his providence that can direct a thought or conversation to be more useful than a month’s solitary study. Therefore, a man ought to “let industry and devotion join together.” In chapter 4, he says, “a man may be eating all day, and for want of digestion is never nourished, so these endless readers may cram themselves in vain with intellectual food, and without real improvement of their minds, for want of digesting it by proper reflections.”
After Watts lists out some general rules in chapter 1, he plunges into the real matter of his writing. He talks on the methods of improving the mind (observation, reading, lectures, conversation and study), then moves on to topics like reading and judging books, improvement by conversation, debating, meditation, fixing the attention, improving the memory, determining whether a topic is worth pursuing, benefits of poetry and the natural sciences. Part 2 dives into how to best instruct others in the truth.
It is a unique work and I’ve never read anything quite like it. Sometimes, it can feel a bit tedious due to the older style language, but I found it both enjoyable and profitable overall. It also happens to be available for free on the world wide web!
From chapter 1 he says, “Presume not too much upon a bright genius, a ready wit, and good parts; for this without labor and study will never make a man of knowledge.” He goes on to say that a large quantity of reading and strong memory do not make one wise. He counsels students to not lean on their own wisdom, but to trust in God and ask him for guidance in all things (Prov. 3:5, 7). It is his providence that can direct a thought or conversation to be more useful than a month’s solitary study. Therefore, a man ought to “let industry and devotion join together.” In chapter 4, he says, “a man may be eating all day, and for want of digestion is never nourished, so these endless readers may cram themselves in vain with intellectual food, and without real improvement of their minds, for want of digesting it by proper reflections.”
After Watts lists out some general rules in chapter 1, he plunges into the real matter of his writing. He talks on the methods of improving the mind (observation, reading, lectures, conversation and study), then moves on to topics like reading and judging books, improvement by conversation, debating, meditation, fixing the attention, improving the memory, determining whether a topic is worth pursuing, benefits of poetry and the natural sciences. Part 2 dives into how to best instruct others in the truth.
It is a unique work and I’ve never read anything quite like it. Sometimes, it can feel a bit tedious due to the older style language, but I found it both enjoyable and profitable overall. It also happens to be available for free on the world wide web!
April 1, 2016
Really good book
Good to read the truth from different minds. This book proves Isaac Watts someone gifted with truth from God (although our definitions on that subject might differ.)
Good to read the truth from different minds. This book proves Isaac Watts someone gifted with truth from God (although our definitions on that subject might differ.)
May 28, 2019
Word
This book is made for studying. Reading it slow will reap the benefit of the instructions.
Enough knowledge in there for the voracious reader to apply to every aspect of their daily life.
This book is made for studying. Reading it slow will reap the benefit of the instructions.
Enough knowledge in there for the voracious reader to apply to every aspect of their daily life.
June 4, 2019
Excellent. Timeless.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews