Gleanings for the Mind’s Treasury
By M.B. Walker
Annotations by Jessica Abell
FRAGMENTS OF KNOWLEDGE. As gold is most frequently found in small grains, and seldom in large masses, so with knowledge. He who would gather much and become rich, must be content with obtaining a grain at a time. But let him not become wearied, or discouraged, because of the slowness of his gains; for he may rest assured that by patience and perseverance he will, in time, amass as much as he wants.
There are misers [1] in knowledge as well as in worldly possessions and pecuniary matters; men who accumulate knowledge for the mere sake of amassing it, and the pleasure of contemplating their riches. Such mistake the true end of acquiring knowledge. It is not for the mere sake of itself, or having it, but the use it may be of, and the advantages it may bring. As gold and silver are useful for a circulating medium in commercial affairs, so knowledge is a circulating medium among men of sense and learning. And there is no barter so pleasant and useful as the interchange of thought and opinion.
The real value of a thing is not always to be estimated by what it costs; for it is sometimes the case that things almost or quite worthless have cost very much, and, on the other hand, things very valuable have cost scarcely anything. Value must be estimated by utility in whatever way we may regard that. Wright’s Paper[2].
PERSEVERANCE.–How easily are some persons discouraged. If they try some project for an hour without success, they fret, get angry and give up. Such characters never did accomplish anything worth naming, and never will. Wieland[3] states that he was three days and a half on a single stanza, which he was endeavoring to translate; one word only was wanted, and that he could not supply. It is said that Gray was ten years in writing the “Elegy in the Country Churchyard.”[4] Yet you are discouraged in an hour. Shame on you!
Wisdom requires three things; knowledge to discern, judgment to weigh, and resolution to determine.
Walker, M. B. “Gleanings for the Mind’s Treasury.” The Scholar’s Leaf of the Tree of Knowledge, vol. 1, no. 2, Jan. 1849, p. 16.
[1] A miser is someone who hoards wealth and spends very little money.
[2] Wright’s Paper was an American periodical written and published by Alfred E. Wright for the American Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge.
[2] The original text spells the name Wierland but the poet named here is likely Christoph Martin Wieland.
[2] Thomas Gray wrote “Elegy in the Country Churchyard.”
Contexts
The Scholar’s Leaf of the Tree of Knowledge is a weekly periodical that was published from January 1849-December 1850. It only had two volumes. In each volume is states that it is “devoted exclusively to the physical, mental, and moral elevation of scholars”. The original intention of the periodical was to have readers become contributors. The paper only lasted two years because of the publishers inexperience of running a periodical.
“Gleanings of the Mind’s Treasury” was a section that was included in each issue of The Scholar’s Leaf. It contains all kinds of different information and encouragements for readers.
Resources for Further Study
- First Volume of The Scholars’ Leaf.
- American Children’s Periodicals, 1841-1850
Pedagogy
- How is collecting bits of knowledge like panning for gold?
- What is the purpose of gaining knowledge?
- Is knowledge something that should just be kept for yourself?
- What is perseverance?
- Why is perseverance important?
- Is there a time when you have persevered?
