ll take the advice I have
given, may, with a portion of his fellow men, gain less credit than if
he adopted a different course. There is a certain surgeon, in one of
the New England States, who has acquired much popularity by reading as
he travels along. Seldom or never, say his admirers, is he seen in his
carriage without a book in his hand, or at his side. But such
popularity is usually of a mushroom character. There may be pressing
occasions which render it the _duty_ of a surgeon to consult his books,
while in his carriage; but these occasions can never be of frequent
occurrence. It is far better that he should be reading lessons from the
great and open volume of nature.

Nor does it add, in any degree, to the just respect due to the wisdom
of either of the Plinys, that the elder 'never travelled without a book
and a portable writing desk by his side,' and that the younger read
upon all occasions, whether riding, walking, or sitting.' I cannot
doubt that, wise as they were in books and philosophy, they would have
secured a much greater fund of practical wisdom, had they left their
books and writing desks at home, and 'kept their eyes open' to
surrounding objects.

There is another thing mentioned of Pliny the elder, which is equally
objectionable. It is said that a person read to him during his meals. I
have given my views on this point in Chapter I.

SECTION II. _Rules for Conversation._

The bee has the art of extracting honey from every flower which
contains it, even from some which are not a little nauseous or
poisonous. It has also been said that the conversation of every
individual, whatever may be the condition of his mind or circumstances,
may be made a means of improvement. How happy would it be, then, if man
possessed the skill of the bee, and knew how to extract the good, and
reject the bad or useless!

Something on this subject is, indeed, known. There are rules, by the
observance of which we may derive much valuable information from the
conversation of those among whom we live, even though it should relate
to the most ordinary subjects and concerns. And not only so, we may
often devise means to _change_ the conversation, either directly, by
gradually introducing other topics of discourse, or indirectly, by
patient attempts to enlarge and improve and elevate the minds of our
associates.

Every individual has excellences; and almost every person, however
ignorant, has thought upon some one subje