Book 4 (Part II)

I20 The ass hesitated between two thistles ; how much more that greater ass, that incomparably greater ass, between two thousand ! Fortunately it does not matter very much; but he should at least choose those branches of knowledge which abut directly upon universal problems. He should choose not one but several, and these should be as diverse as possible in nature. It is important that he should strive to excel in some sport, and that that sport should be the one best calculated to keep his body in health. He should have a thorough grounding in classics, mathematics and science; also enough general knowledge of modern languages and of the shifts of life to enable him to travel in any part of the world with ease and security. History and geography he can pick up as he wants them; and what should interest him most in any subject is its links with some other subject, so that his Pantacle may not lack what painters call " com- position." He will find that, however good his memory may be, ten thousand impressions enter his mind for every one that it is able to retain even for a day. And the excellence of a memory lies in the wisdom of its selection. The best memories so select and judge that practically