DR. ABBOTT'S ADDRESS.

Rev. Lyman Abbott, D.D. h.'90, gave last night in the Living Room of the Union a short address on "Studying Men." He spoke informally, giving reflections from his own observation and experience in life. College men, he said, are of necessity compelled to give most of their attention to subjects, and consequently take the attitude that a thorough knowledge of subjects will make them successful in later life, that a knowledge of engineering or of the law or of literature will make them good engineers or lawyers or journalists. But such a view is wrong, for a knowledge of men is an essential to success as a knowledge of subjects. Dr. Abbott then showed that in almost all the professions a man, to be successful, must know and be interested in people. The success of the preacher lies in his ability to put himself at one with his congregation; the teacher must know not so much his subject as how to open the minds of his pupils and make them understand the truth; the journalist must know public sentiment as well as facts, and the lawyer must understand his judges and juries.

In going about the study of men, it is first of all essential to see what is to be done; in the second place it must be done sympathetically and not critically. For it is axiomatic that it is impossible to change another man's point of view unless one knows and understands that point of view. Consequently, in trying to influence others one must interweave one's mind and interests, and even will, with the minds and interests and wills of others. To do this, it is necessary, in reading, to know the books and newspapers of the opposite side; and in going into society, not only to try to impose one's own views, but also to allow others to impose their views. In studying men, therefore, it is essential to be a good listener and to find out their thoughts and beliefs.