3. _Attention._--Attention is an abstraction of the mind from a multifarious variety of trifles, or circumstances, and an energetic direction of it to one subject, or object. In attention many, if not all, the senses may be engaged. For example, a botanist gathers a flower; its beauty, the form and substance of its petals, their colour, its aroma, the honey-dew of its nectary, the peculiarity of its calyx, and other qualities, appeal to the mind through the senses of sight, smell, taste, and feeling. He has to describe this flower--he fixes his mind upon it, and puts forth a graphic delineation in apt and concise language. The ploughman is at work, and the sower of grain follows him--both give their whole mind to their duty. The critic (oh, word of fear!) gives his attention to the matter under his revision; and so does the cook, when preparing a _recherché_ dish on the composition of which he prides himself. And does not the tiger, crouching in ambush, give attention to his object, stimulated in the meantime by hope? Who has not observed multitudes of cases, affording examples of attention in brutes? In fact, attention is a faculty displayed by all brutes, especially by those which lead a life of rapine, for upon its exercise depends their daily support. But man alone can direct his attention to things intellectual, abstruse, or religious. The reason is evident--the brute is incapable of abstract ideas, but quite awake to its own present necessities. The high realms of thought belong to man alone, of all terrestrial beings; but in how far higher a degree to those spiritual existences, those angels of light, which surround the throne of God, and who, contemplating with amazement the finished work of salvation, exclaim, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing!" nay, till we mingle with these transcendent beings, the powers of our mind will be pressed down beneath a load of clay; then all that was dark shall be made clear, and with angels we shall join in saying, "Amen: blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever!"