s reason for doing so, and advances a thousand steps without
distinctly willing any but the first. When it is necessary to turn to
the right or the left, or to choose between any two directions on which
he is called upon to decide, his mind is so far brought into action as
the case may expressly require, and no further.

I have here instanced in the case of the peripatetic: but of how
many classes and occupations of human life may not the same thing be
affirmed? It happens to the equestrian, as well as to him that walks on
foot. It occurs to him who cultivates the fruits of the earth, and to
him who is occupied in any of the thousand manufactures which are the
result of human ingenuity. It happens to the soldier in his march, and
to the mariner on board his vessel. It attends the individuals of
the female sex through all their diversified modes of industry, the
laundress, the housemaid, the sempstress, the netter of purses, the
knotter of fringe, and the worker in tambour, tapestry and embroidery.
In all, the limbs or the fingers are employed mechanically; the
attention of the mind is only required at intervals; and the thoughts
remain for the most part in a state of non-excitation and repose.

It is a curious question, but extremely difficult of solution, what
portion of the day of every human creature must necessarily be spent in
this sort of intellectual indolence. In the lower classes of society its
empire is certainly very great; its influence is extensive over a large
portion of the opulent and luxurious; it is least among those who are
intrusted in the more serious affairs of mankind, and among the
literary and the learned, those who waste their lives, and consume the
midnight-oil, in the search after knowledge.

It appeared with sufficient clearness in the immediately preceding
Essay, that the intellect cannot be always on the stretch, nor the bow
of the mind for ever bent. In the act of composition, unless where the
province is of a very inferior kind, it is likely that not more than two
or three hours at a time can be advantageously occupied. But in literary
labour it will often occur, that, in addition to the hours expressly
engaged in composition, much time may be required for the collecting
materials, the collating of authorities, and the bringing together a
variety of particulars, so as to sift from the mass those circumstances
which may best conduce to the purpose of the writer. In all these
preliminary