Status Updates From The Improvement of the Mind

“There are five eminent means or methods whereby the mind is improved in the knowledge of things; and these are observation, reading, instruction by lec-tures, conversation, and meditation.”

“the God of spirits can cast into your minds, some useful suggestion, and give a happy turn to your own thoughts, or the thoughts of those with whom you converse, whence you may derive unspeakable light and satisfaction, in a matter which has long puzzled and entangled you; he can shew you a ‘path which the vulture’s eye hath not seen’…”

“Never be afraid to publish a retraction when you’re wrong.” Wow, imagine if the world actually operated this way

Contemplate how vast is the universe and all of the sciences and all of the mysteries still unsolved in each science. Feel the magnitude of it and be humbled and realize how little that you know.

I actually love that they chose to reprint this with photocopies of the original printing with the old school 1820 fonts and prefaces written in the vernacular of the time. This feels akin to reading the Declaration of Independence or other documents from the period of our country’s founding.

This is one of the most obscure books I’ve read. And what a gem so far! I’m so glad that Forgotten Books gave it a very nice high quality reprint.