Publisher offers updated `Improvement of the Mind’

IMPROVEMENT OF THE MIND, 20th century edition, Helfant Publishing House, edited by Stephen Helfant and J. David Coccoli, 149 pages, $14.95 (companion study guide 40 pages, $5).

It has a dust jacket displaying a white, computer-age grid on a blue field with a sunburst peeping over the horizon. It is a book first published in 1741, of which Dr. Samuel Johnson said: “Whoever has the care of instructing others may be charged with deficiency in his duty, if this book is not recommended.”

It is “Improvement of the Mind,” a stimulating book of insightful precepts for self-evaluation and betterment written by the 18th century philosopher, educator and theologian, Dr. Isaac Watts. Born in 1674 to a boarding- house owner in Southampton, England, Watts began a study of the classics at age 5. Later, he was educated at an academy for Dissenters at Stoke Newington.

Much later, at age 67, he published the well-received “Improvement of the Mind.” One of its readers was eminent scientist Michael Faraday. He enjoyed the book thoroughly and applied much of its content. For instance, upon reading Watts’ counsel to keep a journal of “what new ideas, what new propositions or truth you have gained,” Faraday followed the advice and later referred to him as “the great Dr. Isaac Watts (great in all the methods respecting the attainment of learning).”

The book went out of print in the United States in 1885, however. It was largely forgotten until Stephen Helfant read of Faraday’s use of “Improvement of the Mind” and, curious about the book’s content, searched for a copy. It took him two years to find one, but since then his interest in reintroducing the book for today’s readers has resulted in its recently being made available as “Improvement of the Mind, 20th century edition.”

It is not difficult to understand Helfant’s enthusiasm for the work; the thoughts are in complete and logical order. In addition, development of the whole person is emphasized. As Dr. Richard Morrow of the University of Maine said, “It speaks not only to improving the mind but to improving social interaction.”

And it does. For instance, Watts advises: “Be not fond of disputing every thing pro and con …” and “When you are forced to differ from him who delivers his sense on any point … represent how far you agree …” Not only does Watts present proverbs of this sort, he also ramifies them with examples and arguments.

Watts also instructs the reader (in the chapter “Judgement of Books”) to use the table of contents in determining “whether the treatise be worth a complete perusal or no.” His own book’s table of contents mentions the five general methods for improving one’s self: meditation, reading, lecture, observation and conversation, and introduces two rather unusual propositions — “Enlarging the Capacity of the Mind” and “Improving the Memory.” A chapter is devoted to each of these seven, and the precepts developed there, deceptively simple, are essential and thorough.

Despite this completeness, though, much has been left out of the abridged edition, which is less than one-third the size of the original book. A lot of the deleted material was religious matter and parables, so for the theologian or purist it is of less value than the original. The editorial changes make this work more available to the lay reader, however. After all, the primary purpose of “Improvement of the Mind” is not its display of 18th century verbiage, but its wealth of logic and reason for improving anyone.

One feature this reader misses is the subject index. Although there is Appendix C, a comprehensive outline by chapter, there is no index as such. This does not mean the book cannot be enjoyed and even benefited from.

To help readers — especially students — benefit from “Improvement of the Mind,” the editors (Halfant with J. David Coccoli) prepared a 40-page companion study guide. Under two headings — “Topics for Classroom Discussion” and “Assignments” — in each chapter, the editors provide questions and projects such as “Cite a specific example of how meditation can lead to a basic understanding that is better than memorization” and “What are the advantages of first determining the points of mutual agreement?” Together with the book, it is a useful, practical tool for improving the mind, manners and attitude toward work and study.

“Improvement of the Mind” deserves its reintroduction today. It contains information helpful to anyone — young or old, student or instructor — in any time. If the space-age dust jacket doesn’t tell the reader that, the content definitely will. The book is available from Helfant Publishing House, 640 Boston Road, Groton, Mass. 01450.

Joe Jordan is a free-lance writer who resides in Lincoln Center.