Basic methods of learning, most of which have been used through centuries of recorded thought, are discussed, along with learning as a lifelong process, and ways to enhance and diversify modern education. Numerous learning processes are studied by examining the lives of great individuals who have exemplified innovative and multifaceted approaches to education. These individuals, Michel de Montaigne, Alexander Pope, Henry David Thoreau, and Billy Graham, used reading, travel, self-directed study, discussion groups, direct observation, and other forms of learning to enrich their own lives and lives of others. Florence, a center of culture that people have visited to learn, is also discussed. The growth of a formal educational system in the nineteenth century is considered, with attention to Edward Everett's efforts to establish systems of high-quality education for people of all ages. Also considered is the work of William Osler, a Canadian physician, who sought to promote both didactic and practical continuing education for doctors in the United States and England. A historical review of traditional conceptions and varied methods of adult education is included. Finally, implications for education are discussed. (SW)