due application of the ear, or the mind, to any thing said or done, in order to acquire a knowledge thereof. The word is compounded of ad, "to," and tendo, "I stretch."

Attention of mind is not properly an act of the understanding; but rather of the will, by which it calls the understanding from the consideration of other objects, and directs it to the thing in hand. Nevertheless, our attention is not always voluntary: an interesting object seizes and fixes it beyond the power of control.

respect of hearing, is the stretching or straining of the membrana tympani, so as to make it more susceptible of sounds, and better prepared to catch even a feeble agitation of the air. Or it is the adjusting the tension of that membrane to the degree of loudness or lowness of the sound to which we are attentive.

According to the degree of attention, objects make a stronger or weaker impression (A). Attention is requisite

(a) Bacon, in his natural history, makes the following observations. "Sounds are meliorated by the intension of the sense, where the common sense is collected most to the particular sense of hearing, and the sight suspended. Therefore sounds are sweeter, as well as greater, in the night than in the day; and I suppose they are sweeter to blind men than to others; and it is manifest, that between sleeping and waking, when all the senses are bound and suspended, music is far sweeter than when one is fully waking." Attention, quite even to the simple act of seeing; the eye can take in a considerable field at one look; but no object in the field is seen distinctly but that singly which fixes the attention: in a profound reverie that totally occupies the attention, we scarce see what is directly before us. In a train of perceptions, no particular object makes such a figure as it would do singly and apart; for when the attention is divided among many objects, no particular object is intitled to a large share. Hence, the stillness of night contributes to terror, there being nothing to divert the attention:

Horror ubique animos, simul ipsa silentia terrent. En. ii.

Zara. Silence and solitude are ev'ry where! Through all the gloomy ways and iron doors That hither lead, nor human face nor voice Is seen or heard. A dreadful din was wont To grate the sense, when enter'd here, from groans And howls of slaves condemn'd, from clink of chains, And crash of rusty bars and creaking hinges; And every and anon the fight was daft'd With frightful faces, and the meagre looks Of grim and ghastly executioners. Yet more this stillness terrifies my foul Than did that scene of complicated horrors.

Mourning Bride, act 5. sc. 3.

In matters of slight importance, attention is mostly directed by will; and for that reason, it is our own fault if trifling objects make any deep impression. Had we power equally to withhold our attention from matters of importance, we might be proof against any deep impression. But our power fails us here: an interesting object seizes and fixes the attention beyond the possibility of control; and while our attention is thus forcibly attached to one object, others may solicit for admittance; but in vain, for they will not be regarded. Thus a small misfortune is scarce felt in presence of a greater:

Lear. Thou think'st 'tis much, that this contentious storm Invades us to the skin: so 'tis to thee: But where the greater malady is fix'd, The lesser is scarce felt. Thou'dst shun a bear; But if thy flight lay toward the roaring sea, Thou'dst meet the bear i' th' mouth. When the mind's free, The body's delicate: the tempest in my mind Doth from my senses take all feeling else. Save what beats there.

King Lear, act 3. sc. 5.