ast, that the two seem to run together. Some writer
has said that "possibly the best definition of genius is the power of
concentrating upon some one given subject until its possibilities are
exhausted and absorbed." _Simpson_ has said that "The power and habit of
thinking closely and continuously upon the subject at hand, to the
exclusion, for the time, of all other subjects, is one of the principal,
if, indeed, not the principal, means of success." _Sir Isaac Newton_ has
told us his plan of absorbing information and knowledge. He has stated
that he would keep the subject under consideration before him
continually, and then would wait till the first dawning of perception
gradually brightened into a clear light, little by little. A mental
sunrise, in fact.

That sage observer, _Dr. Abercrombie_, has written that he considered
that he knew of no more important rule for rising to eminence in any
profession or occupation than the Ability to do one thing at a time,
avoiding all distracting and diverting objects or subjects, and keeping
the leading matter continually before the mind. And others have added
that such a course will enable one to observe relations between the
subject and other things that will not be apparent to the careless
observer or student.

The degree of Attention cultivated by a man is the degree of his capacity
for intellectual work. As we have said, the "great" men of all walks of
life have developed this faculty to a wonderful degree, and many of them
seem to get results "intuitively," whereas, in truth, they obtain them by
reason of their concentrated power of Attention, which enables them to
see right into the center of a subject or proposition--and all around it,
back and front, and all sides, in a space of time incredible to the man
who has not cultivated this mighty power. Men who have devoted much
attention to some special line of work or research, are able to act
almost as if they possessed "second sight," providing the subject is
within their favorite field of endeavor. Attention quickens every one of
the faculties--the reasoning faculties--the senses--the deriding
qualities--the analytical faculties, and so on, each being given a "fine
edge" by their use under a concentrated Attention.

And, on the other hand, there is no surer indication of a weak mind than
the deficiency in Attention. This weakness may arise from illness or
physical weakness reacting upon the brain, in which case the troub