ing of
Attention; in fact, many find that they can compose much better while
using the typewriter than they can by dictating to a stenographer. We
think you will see the principle.

And now for a little Mental Drill in Attention, that you may be started
on the road to cultivate this important faculty.

MENTAL DRILL IN ATTENTION.

_Exercise I._ Begin by taking some familiar object and placing it before
you, try to get as many impressions regarding it as is possible for you.
Study its shape, its color, its size, and the thousand and one little
peculiarities about it that present themselves to your attention. In
doing this, reduce the thing to its simplest parts--analyze it as far as
is possible--dissect it, mentally, and study its parts in detail. The
more simple and small the part to be considered, the more clearly will
the impression be received, and the more vividly will it be recalled.
Reduce the thing to the smallest possible proportions, and then examine
each portion, and mastering that, then pass on to the next part, and so
on, until you have covered the entire field. Then, when you have
exhausted the object, take a pencil and paper and put down as nearly as
possible all the things or details of the object examined. When you have
done this, compare the written description with the object itself, and
see how many things you have failed to note.

The next day take up the same object, and after re-examining it, write
down the details and you will find that you will have stored away a
greater number of impressions regarding it, and, moreover, you will have
discovered many new details during your second examination. This exercise
strengthens the memory as well as the Attention, for the two are closely
connected, the memory depending largely upon the clearness and strength
of the impressions received, while the impressions depend upon the amount
of attention given to the thing observed. Do not tire yourself with this
exercise, for a tired Attention is a poor Attention. Better try it by
degrees, increasing the task a little each time you try it. Make a game
of it if you like, and you will find it quite interesting to notice the
steady but gradual improvement.

It will be interesting to practice this in connection with some friend,
varying the exercise by both examining the object, and writing down their
impressions, separately, and then comparing results. This adds interest
to the task, and you will be surprised to