SECTION VII. Continuation of the fame Subject.Differences in the Intellectual Characters of Individuals, arifing from their different Habits of Abfraction and Generalifation. IN N mentioning as one of the principal effects of civilisation, its tendency to familiarise the mind to general terms and to general propofitions, I did not mean to fay, that this influence. extends equally to all the claffes of men in fociety. On the contrary, it is evidently confined, in a great measure, to those who receive a liberal education; while the minds of the lower orders, like those of favages, are fo habitually occupied about particular objects, and particular events, that, although they are fometimes led, from imitation, to employ general expreffions, the ufe which they make of them is much more the refult of memory than judgment; and it is but feldom that they are able to comprehend fully, any process of reasoning in which they are involved. It is hardly neceffary for me to remark, that this obfervation,, with refpect to the incapacity of the vulgar for general fpecu lations, CHAP. IV. CHAP. lations, (like all observations of a fimilar nature,) must be received with fome reftrictions. In fuch a state of society as that in which we live, there is hardly any individual to be found, to whom some general terms, and fome general truths, are not perfectly familiar; and, therefore, the foregoing conclufions are to be confidered as defcriptive of thofe habits of thought alone, which are moft prevalent in their mind. To abridge the labour of reafoning, aud of memory, by directing the attention to general principles, inftead of particular truths, is the profeffed aim of all philofophy; and according as individuals have more or lefs of the philofophic fpirit, their habitual fpeculations (whatever the nature of their pursuits may be) will relate to the former, or to the latter, of these objects. THERE are, therefore, among the men who are accustomed to the exercife of their intellectual powers, two claffes, whofe habits of thought are remarkably distinguished from each other; the one class comprehending what we commonly call men of business, or, more properly, men of detail; the other, men of abstraction; or, in other words, philofophers. THE advantages which, in certain respects, the latter of thefe poffefs over the former, have been already pointed out; but it must not be fuppofed, that these advantages are always purchased without fome inconvenience. As the folidity of our general principles depends on the accuracy of the particular observations into which they are ultimately resolvable, so their utility IV. 225 utility is to be estimated by the practical applications of which CHA P. they admit: and it unfortunately happens, that the fame turn of mind which is favourable to philofophical pursuits, unless it be kept under proper regulation, is extremely apt to difqualify us for applying our knowledge to use, in the exercise of the arts, and in the conduct of affairs. In order to perceive the truth of these remarks, it is almoft fufficient to recollect, that as claffification, and, of confequence, general reasoning, prefuppofe the exercise of abstraction; a natural disposition to indulge in them, cannot fail to lead the mind to overlook the fpecific differences of things, in attending to their common qualities. To fucceed, however, in practice, a familiar and circumftantial acquaintance with the particular objects which fall under our obfervation, is indispensably neceffary. BUT, farther: As all general principles are founded on claffifications which imply the exercise of abftraction; it is neceffary to regard them, in their practical applications, merely as approximations to the truth; the defects of which, must be fupplied by habits acquired by perfonal experience. In confidering, for example, the theory of the mechanical powers; it is ufual to fimplify the objects of our conception, by abftracting from friction, and from the weight of the different parts of which they are compofed. Levers are confidered as mathematical lines, perfectly inflexible; and ropes, as mathematical lines, perfectly flexible ;-and by means of thefe, and fimilar abftractions, a fubject, which is in itself extremely complicated, G g L IV. CHA P. plicated, is brought within the reach of elementary geometry. In the theory of politics, we find it neceffary to abstract from many of the peculiarities which diftinguish different forms of government from each other, and to reduce them to certain general claffes, according to their prevailing tendency. Although all the governments we have ever seen, have had more or lefs of mixture in their compofition, we reafon concerning pure monarchies, pure ariftocracies, and pure democracies, as if there really exifted political establishments correfponding to our definitions. Without fuch a claffification, it would be impoffible for us to fix our attention, amidst the multiplicity of particulars which the fubject presents to us, or to arrive at any general principles, which might ferve to guide our inquiries in comparing different inftitutions together. It is for a similar reason, that the fpeculative farmer reduces the infinite variety of foils to a few general defcriptions; the physician, the infinite variety of bodily conftitutions to a few temperaments; and the moralift, the infinite variety of human characters to a few of the ruling principles of action. NOTWITHSTANDING, however, the obvious advantages we derive from these claffifications, and the general conclufions to which they lead; it is evidently impoffible, that principles, which derived their origin from efforts of abftraction, fhould apply literally to practice; or, indeed, that they should afford us any confiderable affiftance in conduct, without a certain degree of practical and experimental fkill. Hence it is, that the mere 227 IV. mere theorist so frequently exposes himself, in real life, to the CHA P. ridicule of men whom he despises; and, in the general estimation of the world, falls below the level of the common drudges in business and the arts. The walk, indeed, of these unenlightened practitioners, must neceffarily be limited by their accidental opportunities of experience; but, fo far as they go, they operate with facility and fuccefs; while the merely fpeculative philofopher, although poffeffed of principles which enable him to approximate to the truth, in an infinite variety of untried cafes, and although he fees, with pity, the narrow views of the multitude, and the ludicrous pretensions with which they frequently oppofe their trifling fucceffes to his theoretical speculations, finds himself perfectly at a loss, when he is called upon, by the fimpleft occurrences of ordinary life, to carry his principles into execution. Hence the origin of that maxim, "which" (as Mr. Hume remarks) "has been so info "dustriously propagated by the dunces of every age, that a man of genius is unfit for bufinefs." IN what confifts practical or experimental skill, it is not eafy to explain completely; but, among other things, it obviously implies, a talent for minute and comprehensive and rapid obfervation; a memory, at once retentive and ready; in order to present to us accurately, and without reflexion, our theoretical knowledge; a prefence of mind, not to be difconcerted by unexpected occurrences; and, in some cases, an uncommon degree of perfection in the external fenfes, and in the mechanical capacities of the body. All these elements of practical skill, it is obvious, are to be acquired only by habits Gg 2 of |