Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. Introduction: Distraction and the Disciplines of Attention 1
4. Part I. From the devil to distraction
5. Introduction 29
6. 1 “Wandring or distraction” 35
7. 2 “Satan had hidden the very object from my mind” 39
8. 3 “Hundreds of thousands have their appetite so depraved” 43
9. 4 “My non-compliance would almost always produce much confusion” 49
10. 5 “Opium-like listlessness” 55
11. 6 “Morbid attention” 59
12. 7 “The shell of lethargy” 66
13. Part II. Reform
14. Introduction 69
15. 8 “A white man could, if he had paid as much attention” 77
16. 9 “The cultivation of attention as a moral duty” 80
17. 10 “The heart must be cultivated” 86
18. 11 “You might see him looking steadily at something” 90
19. 12 “Their nobler faculties lie all undeveloped” 94
20. 13 “Subdued and tender” 99
21. 14 “If he wanted to kill time” 106
22. Part III. Revival
23. Introduction 111
24. 15 “All attention to the last sermon” 119
25. 16 “The power of fixed and continuous attention” 125
26. 17 “The relations of business and religion” 131
27. 18 “My mind was powerfully wrought upon” 134
28. 19 “I began to direct my attention to this great object” 139
29. 20 “Hear me now, love your heart” 143
30. 21 “Read these leaves in the open air” 146
31. Part IV: Devotion
32. Introduction 153
33. 22 “Noble sentiments of devotion” 159
34. 23 “Savoir attendre” 163
35. 24 “The greatest exercise of mind” 167
36. 25 “A true sauntering of the eye” 174
37. 26 “If we do not guard the mind” 179
38. 27 “The valves of her attention” 188
39. 28 “Aroma finer than prayer” 190
40. Afterword 194
41. Acknowledgments 207
42. Notes 211
43. Index 231
44. A NOTE ON THE TYPE 241