bability, both the traditions--the copyings, and the
committal to memory _verbatim_,--we can easily see what Demosthenes
could find in the work, and how he could make the most of it. The
narrative or story could be indelibly fixed in his memory by a few
perusals, and, if need be, by a full chronology drawn up by his own
hand. The speeches could be committed in whole or in part, for their
arguments and language; and a minute study could be made of the turns of
expression, as they seemed to be either meritorious or defective. The
young orator had already studied the more finished styles of Isocrates,
Lysias, Isanis, and Plato, and could make comparisons between their
forms and the peculiarities of Thucydides, which belonged to an earlier
age. This, however, was a discipline altogether apart, and had nothing
to do with copying, committing, or abstracting. It involved one exercise
more or less allied to the last, namely, _making changes upon an author,
according to ones best ideal at the time_: changes, if possible, for the
better, but perhaps not; still requiring, however, an effort of mind,
and so far favourable to culture.

[VARIOUS MODES OF ABSTRACTING.]

Every one's first attempts at abstracting must be very bad. There is no
more opportune occasion for the assistance of a tutor or intelligent
monitor, than to revise an abstract. The weaknesses of a beginner are
apparent at a glance; even better than by a _viva voce_ interrogation.
Useful abstracting comes at a late stage of study, when one or two
subjects have been pretty well mastered. It is then that the pupil can
best overtake more advanced works on the subjects already commenced, or
can enter upon an entirely new department, in the light of previous
acquisitions.

Any work that deserves thorough study deserves the labour of making an
abstract; without which, indeed, the study is not thorough. It is quite
possible to read so as to comprehend the drift of a book, and yet forget
it entirely. The point for us to consider is--Are we likely to want any
portion of it afterwards? If we can fix upon the parts most likely to be
useful, we either copy or abstract these, or preserve a reference so as
to turn them up when wanted. In the case of a work, containing a mass of
new and valuable materials, such as we wish to incorporate with our
intellectual structure, we must act the part of the beginner in a new
field, and make an abstract on the most approved plan: that is, by s