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diff --git a/41478.txt b/41478.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 561d5e8..0000000 --- a/41478.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3983 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, Memory, by William Walker Atkinson - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - - - - -Title: Memory - How to Develop, Train, and Use It - - -Author: William Walker Atkinson - - - -Release Date: November 25, 2012 [eBook #41478] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEMORY*** - - -E-text prepared by sp1nd, cm, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team -(http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by -Internet Archive (http://archive.org) - - - -Note: Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - http://archive.org/details/memoryhowtodevel00atki - - - -MEMORY - - * * * * * - -THE NEW PSYCHOLOGY BOOKS - -By William Walker Atkinson - - -In the past few years a widespread mental and spiritual awakening has -taken place among the people of this country. And this new awakening has -been very aptly called THE NEW PSYCHOLOGY MOVEMENT, because it has to do -with the development and expression of the mind, or soul, of both the -individual and the nation. - - YOUR MIND AND HOW TO USE IT. - THE MASTERY OF BEING. - MEMORY: HOW TO DEVELOP, TRAIN AND USE IT. - THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SALESMANSHIP. - -Although each book stands alone as an authority on the subject treated, -yet one idea runs through the series binding them together to make a -complete whole. - -Uniform Postpaid Price of Each Volume is $1.60. - - -NEW THOUGHT: ITS HISTORY AND PRINCIPLES - -This is Mr. Atkinson's complete statement of the history and principles -of the great New Thought movement of which the new psychology is a -phase. This volume is bound in artistic paper cover, 36 pages, price -28c. postpaid. - - -HUMAN EFFICIENCY BOOKS - -By Elizabeth Towne - - THE LIFE POWER AND HOW TO USE IT Price $1.60. - - FIFTEEN LESSONS IN NEW THOUGHT, (formerly Lessons in Living). Price - $1.60. - - PRACTICAL METHODS FOR SELF-DEVELOPMENT: SPIRITUAL, MENTAL, PHYSICAL. - Price $1.60. - - EXPERIENCES IN SELF-HEALING. Price, 55c. - - JUST HOW TO WAKE THE SOLAR PLEXUS. Price 28c. - - HOW TO TRAIN CHILDREN AND PARENTS. Price 28c. - -These are among the most popular of Mrs. Towne's books. Any or all sent -postpaid on receipt of price. - - -The Elizabeth Towne Company, Holyoke, Mass. - - * * * * * - - -MEMORY - -How to Develop, Train and Use It - -by - -WILLIAM WALKER ATKINSON - - - - - - - -L. N. Fowler & Company -7, Imperial Arcade, Ludgate Circus -London, E.C., England - -1919 -The Elizabeth Towne Co. -Holyoke, Mass. - -Copyright 1912 -By -Elizabeth Towne - - - - -CONTENTS - - - I. Memory: Its Importance 7 - - II. Cultivation of the Memory 17 - - III. Celebrated Cases of Memory 27 - - IV. Memory Systems 37 - - V. The Subconscious Record-File 48 - - VI. Attention 58 - - VII. Association 70 - - VIII. Phases of Memory 81 - - IX. Training the Eye 90 - - X. Training the Ear 101 - - XI. How to Remember Names 111 - - XII. How to Remember Faces 121 - - XIII. How to Remember Places 130 - - XIV. How to Remember Numbers 140 - - XV. How to Remember Music 152 - - XVI. How to Remember Occurrences 160 - - XVII. How to Remember Facts 168 - - XVIII. How to Remember Words, etc. 178 - - XIX. How to Remember Books, Plays, - Tales, etc. 186 - - XX. General Instructions 197 - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -MEMORY: ITS IMPORTANCE. - - -It needs very little argument to convince the average thinking person of -the great importance of memory, although even then very few begin to -realize just how important is the function of the mind that has to do -with the retention of mental impressions. The first thought of the -average person when he is asked to consider the importance of memory, is -its use in the affairs of every-day life, along developed and cultivated -lines, as contrasted with the lesser degrees of its development. In -short, one generally thinks of memory in its phase of "a good memory" as -contrasted with the opposite phase of "a poor memory." But there is a -much broader and fuller meaning of the term than that of even this -important phase. - -It is true that the success of the individual in his every-day business, -profession, trade or other occupation depends very materially upon the -possession of a good memory. His value in any walk in life depends to a -great extent upon the degree of memory he may have developed. His memory -of faces, names, facts, events, circumstances and other things -concerning his every-day work is the measure of his ability to -accomplish his task. And in the social intercourse of men and women, the -possession of a retentive memory, well stocked with available facts, -renders its possessor a desirable member of society. And in the higher -activities of thought, the memory comes as an invaluable aid to the -individual in marshalling the bits and sections of knowledge he may have -acquired, and passing them in review before his cognitive -faculties--thus does the soul review its mental possessions. As -Alexander Smith has said: "A man's real possession is his memory; in -nothing else is he rich; in nothing else is he poor." Richter has said: -"Memory is the only paradise from which we cannot be driven away. Grant -but memory to us, and we can lose nothing by death." Lactantius says: -"Memory tempers prosperity, mitigates adversity, controls youth, and -delights old age." - -But even the above phases of memory represent but a small segment of its -complete circle. Memory is more than "a good memory"--it is the means -whereby we perform the largest share of our mental work. As Bacon has -said: "All knowledge is but remembrance." And Emerson: "Memory is a -primary and fundamental faculty, without which none other can work: the -cement, the bitumen, the matrix in which the other faculties are -embedded. Without it all life and thought were an unrelated succession." -And Burke: "There is no faculty of the mind which can bring its energy -into effect unless the memory be stored with ideas for it to look upon." -And Basile: "Memory is the cabinet of imagination, the treasury of -reason, the registry of conscience, and the council chamber of thought." -Kant pronounced memory to be "the most wonderful of the faculties." Kay, -one of the best authorities on the subject has said, regarding it: -"Unless the mind possessed the power of treasuring up and recalling its -past experiences, no knowledge of any kind could be acquired. If every -sensation, thought, or emotion passed entirely from the mind the moment -it ceased to be present, then it would be as if it had not been; and it -could not be recognized or named should it happen to return. Such an one -would not only be without knowledge,--without experience gathered from -the past,--but without purpose, aim, or plan regarding the future, for -these imply knowledge and require memory. Even voluntary motion, or -motion for a purpose, could have no existence without memory, for memory -is involved in every purpose. Not only the learning of the scholar, but -the inspiration of the poet, the genius of the painter, the heroism of -the warrior, all depend upon memory. Nay, even consciousness itself -could have no existence without memory for every act of consciousness -involves a change from a past state to a present, and did the past state -vanish the moment it was past, there could be no consciousness of -change. Memory, therefore, may be said to be involved in all conscious -existence--a property of every conscious being!" - -In the building of character and individuality, the memory plays an -important part, for upon the strength of the impressions received, and -the firmness with which they are retained, depends the fibre of -character and individuality. Our experiences are indeed the stepping -stones to greater attainments, and at the same time our guides and -protectors from danger. If the memory serves us well in this respect we -are saved the pain of repeating the mistakes of the past, and may also -profit by remembering and thus avoiding the mistakes of others. As -Beattie says: "When memory is preternaturally defective, experience and -knowledge will be deficient in proportion, and imprudent conduct and -absurd opinion are the necessary consequence." Bain says: "A character -retaining a feeble hold of bitter experience, or genuine delight, and -unable to revive afterwards the impression of the time is in reality the -victim of an intellectual weakness under the guise of a moral weakness. -To have constantly before us an estimate of the things that affect us, -true to the reality, is one precious condition for having our will -always stimulated with an accurate reference to our happiness. The -thoroughly educated man, in this respect, is he that can carry with him -at all times the exact estimate of what he has enjoyed or suffered from -every object that has ever affected him, and in case of encounter can -present to the enemy as strong a front as if he were under the genuine -impression. A full and accurate memory, for pleasure or for pain, is the -intellectual basis both of prudence as regards self, and sympathy as -regards others." - -So, we see that the cultivation of the memory is far more than the -cultivation and development of a single mental faculty--it is the -cultivation and development of our entire mental being--the development -of our _selves_. - -To many persons the words memory, recollection, and remembrance, have -the same meaning, but there is a great difference in the exact shade of -meaning of each term. The student of this book should make the -distinction between the terms, for by so doing he will be better able to -grasp the various points of advice and instruction herein given. Let us -examine these terms. - -Locke in his celebrated work, the "Essay Concerning Human -Understanding" has clearly stated the difference between the meaning of -these several terms. He says: "Memory is the power to revive again in -our minds those ideas which after imprinting, have disappeared, or have -been laid aside out of sight--when an idea again recurs without the -operation of the like object on the external sensory, it is -_remembrance_; if it be sought after by the mind, and with pain and -endeavor found, and brought again into view, it is _recollection_." -Fuller says, commenting on this: "Memory is the power of reproducing in -the mind former impressions, or percepts. Remembrance and Recollection -are the exercise of that power, the former being involuntary or -spontaneous, the latter volitional. We remember because we cannot help -it but we recollect only through positive effort. The act of -remembering, taken by itself, is involuntary. In other words, when the -mind remembers without having tried to remember, it acts spontaneously. -Thus it may be said, in the narrow, contrasted senses of the two terms, -that we remember by chance, but recollect by intention, and if the -endeavor be successful that which is reproduced becomes, by the very -effort to bring it forth, more firmly intrenched in the mind than ever." - -But the New Psychology makes a little different distinction from that of -Locke, as given above. It uses the word memory not only in his sense of -"The power to revive, etc.," but also in the sense of the activities of -the mind which tend to receive and store away the various impressions of -the senses, and the ideas conceived by the mind, to the end that they -may be reproduced voluntarily, or involuntarily, thereafter. The -distinction between remembrance and recollection, as made by Locke, is -adopted as correct by The New Psychology. - -It has long been recognized that the memory, in all of its phases, is -capable of development, culture, training and guidance through -intelligent exercise. Like any other faculty of mind, or physical part, -muscle or limb, it may be improved and strengthened. But until recent -years, the entire efforts of these memory-developers were directed to -the strengthening of that phase of the memory known as "recollection," -which, you will remember, Locke defined as an idea or impression "sought -after by the mind, and with pain and endeavor found, and brought again -into view." The New Psychology goes much further than this. While -pointing out the most improved and scientific methods for -"re-collecting" the impressions and ideas of the memory, it also -instructs the student in the use of the proper methods whereby the -memory may be stored with clear and distinct impressions which will, -thereafter, flow naturally and involuntarily into the field of -consciousness when the mind is thinking upon the associated subject or -line of thought; and which may also be "re-collected" by a voluntary -effort with far less expenditure of energy than under the old methods -and systems. - -You will see this idea carried out in detail, as we progress with the -various stages of the subject, in this work. You will see that the first -thing to do is _to find something to remember_; then to impress that -thing clearly and distinctly upon the receptive tablets of the memory; -then to exercise the remembrance in the direction of bringing out the -stored-away facts of the memory; then to acquire the scientific methods -of recollecting special items of memory that may be necessary at some -special time. This is the natural method in memory cultivation, as -opposed to the artificial systems that you will find mentioned in -another chapter. It is not only development of the memory, but also -development of the mind itself in several of its regions and phases of -activity. It is not merely a method of recollecting, but also a method -of correct seeing, thinking and remembering. This method recognizes the -truth of the verse of the poet, Pope, who said: "Remembrance and -reflection how allied! What thin partitions sense from thought divide!" - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -CULTIVATION OF THE MEMORY. - - -This book is written with the fundamental intention and idea of pointing -out a rational and workable method whereby the memory may be developed, -trained and cultivated. Many persons seem to be under the impression -that memories are bestowed by nature, in a fixed degree or -possibilities, and that little more can be done for them--in short, that -memories are born, not made. But the fallacy of any such idea is -demonstrated by the investigations and experiments of all the leading -authorities, as well as by the results obtained by persons who have -developed and cultivated their own memories by individual effort without -the assistance of an instructor. But all such improvement, to be real, -must be along certain natural lines and in accordance with the well -established laws of psychology, instead of along artificial lines and in -defiance of psychological principles. Cultivation of the memory is a -far different thing from "trick memory," or feats of mental legerdemain -if the term is permissible. - -Kay says: "That the memory is capable of indefinite improvement, there -can be no manner of doubt; but with regard to the means by which this -improvement is to be effected mankind are still greatly in ignorance." -Dr. Noah Porter says: "The natural as opposed to the artificial memory -depends on the relations of sense and the relations of thought,--the -spontaneous memory of the eye and the ear availing itself of the obvious -conjunctions of objects which are furnished by space and time, and the -rational memory of those higher combinations which the rational -faculties superinduce upon those lower. The artificial memory proposes -to substitute for the natural and necessary relations under which all -objects must present and arrange themselves, an entirely new set of -relations that are purely arbitrary and mechanical, which excite little -or no other interest than that they are to aid us in remembering. It -follows that if the mind tasks itself to the special effort of -considering objects under these artificial relations, it will give less -attention to those which have a direct and legitimate interest for -itself." Granville says: "The defects of most methods which have been -devised and employed for improving the memory, lies in the fact that -while they serve to impress particular subjects on the mind, they do not -render the memory, as a whole, ready or attentive." Fuller says: "Surely -an art of memory may be made more destructive to natural memory than -spectacles are to eyes." These opinions of the best authorities might be -multiplied indefinitely--the consensus of the best opinion is decidedly -against the artificial systems, and in favor of the natural ones. - -Natural systems of memory culture are based upon the fundamental -conception so well expressed by Helvetius, several centuries ago, when -he said: "The extent of the memory depends, first, on the daily use we -make of it; secondly, upon the attention with which we consider the -objects we would impress upon it; and, thirdly, upon the order in which -we range our ideas." This then is the list of the three essentials in -the cultivation of the memory: (1) Use and exercise; review and -practice; (2) Attention and Interest; and (3) Intelligent Association. - -You will find that in the several chapters of this book dealing with the -various phases of memory, we urge, first, last, and all the time, the -importance of the use and employment of the memory, in the way of -employment, exercise, practice and review work. Like any other mental -faculty, or physical function, the memory will tend to atrophy by -disuse, and increase, strengthen and develop by rational exercise and -employment within the bounds of moderation. You develop a muscle by -exercise; you train any special faculty of the mind in the same way; and -you must pursue the same method in the case of the memory, if you would -develop it. Nature's laws are constant, and bear a close analogy to each -other. You will also notice the great stress that we lay upon the use of -the faculty of attention, accompanied by interest. By attention you -acquire the impressions that you file away in your mental record-file of -memory. And the degree of attention regulates the depth, clearness and -strength of the impression. Without a good record, you cannot expect to -obtain a good reproduction of it. A poor phonographic record results in -a poor reproduction, and the rule applies in the case of the memory as -well. You will also notice that we explain the laws of association, and -the principles which govern the subject, as well as the methods whereby -the proper associations may be made. Every association that you weld to -an idea or an impression, serves as a cross-reference in the index, -whereby the thing is found by remembrance or recollection when it is -needed. We call your attention to the fact that one's entire education -depends for its efficiency upon this law of association. It is a most -important feature in the rational cultivation of the memory, while at -the same time being the bane of the artificial systems. Natural -associations educate, while artificial ones tend to weaken the powers of -the mind, if carried to any great length. - -There is no Royal Road to Memory. The cultivation of the memory depends -upon the practice along certain scientific lines according to well -established psychological laws. Those who hope for a sure "short cut" -will be disappointed, for none such exists. As Halleck says: "The -student ought not to be disappointed to find that memory is no exception -to the rule of improvement by proper methodical and long continued -exercise. There is no royal road, no short cut, to the improvement of -either mind or muscle. But the student who follows the rules which -psychology has laid down may know that he is walking in the shortest -path, and not wandering aimlessly about. Using these rules, he will -advance much faster than those without chart, compass, or pilot. He will -find mnemonics of extremely limited use. Improvement comes by orderly -steps. Methods that dazzle at first sight never give solid results." - -The student is urged to pay attention to what we have to say in other -chapters of the book upon the subjects of attention and association. It -is not necessary to state here the particulars that we mention there. -The cultivation of the attention is a prerequisite for good memory, and -deficiency in this respect means deficiency not only in the field of -memory but also in the general field of mental work. In all branches of -The New Psychology there is found a constant repetition of the -injunction to cultivate the faculty of attention and concentration. -Halleck says: "Haziness of perception lies at the root of many a bad -memory. If perception is definite, the first step has been taken toward -insuring a good memory. If the first impression is vivid, its effect -upon the brain cells is more lasting. All persons ought to practice -their visualizing power. This will react upon perception and make it -more definite. Visualizing will also form a brain habit of remembering -things pictorially, and hence more exactly." - -The subject of association must also receive its proper share of -attention, for it is by means of association that the stored away -records of the memory may be recovered or re-collected. As Blackie says: -"Nothing helps the mind so much as order and classification. Classes are -few, individuals many: to know the class well is to know what is most -essential in the character of the individual, and what burdens the -memory least to retain." And as Halleck says regarding the subject of -association by relation: "Whenever we can discover any relation between -facts, it is far easier to remember them. The intelligent law of memory -may be summed up in these words: Endeavor to link by some thought -relation each new mental acquisition to an old one. Bind new facts to -other facts by relations of similarity, cause and effect, whole and -part, or by any logical relation, and we shall find that when an idea -occurs to us, a host of related ideas will flow into the mind. If we -wish to prepare a speech or write an article on any subject, pertinent -illustrations will suggest themselves. The person whose memory is merely -contiguous will wonder how we think of them." - -In your study for the cultivation of the memory, along the lines laid -down in this book, you have read the first chapter thereof and have -informed yourself thoroughly regarding the importance of the memory to -the individual, and what a large part it plays in the entire work of the -mind. Now carefully read the third chapter and acquaint yourself with -the possibilities in the direction of cultivating the memory to a high -degree, as evidenced by the instances related of the extreme case of -development noted therein. Then study the chapter on memory systems, and -realize that the only true method is the natural method, which requires -work, patience and practice--then make up your mind that you will follow -this plan as far as it will take you. Then acquaint yourself with the -secret of memory--the subconscious region of the mind, in which the -records of memory are kept, stored away and indexed, and in which the -little mental office-boys are busily at work. This will give you the key -to the method. Then take up the two chapters on attention, and -association, respectively, and acquaint yourself with these important -principles. Then study the chapter on the phases of memory, and take -mental stock of yourself, determining in which phase of memory you are -strongest, and in which you need development. Then read the two chapters -on training the eye and ear, respectively--you need this instruction. -Then read over the several chapters on the training of the special -phases of the memory, whether you need them or not--you may find -something of importance in them. Then read the concluding chapter, -which gives you some general advice and parting instruction. Then return -to the chapters dealing with the particular phases of memory in which -you have decided to develop yourself, studying the details of the -instruction carefully until you know every point of it. Then, most -important of all--_get to work_. The rest is a matter of practice, -practice, practice, and rehearsal. Go back to the chapters from time to -time, and refresh your mind regarding the details. Re-read each chapter -at intervals. Make the book your own, in every sense of the word, by -absorbing its contents. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -CELEBRATED CASES OF MEMORY. - - -In order that the student may appreciate the marvelous extent of -development possible to the memory, we have thought it advisable to -mention a number of celebrated cases, past and present. In so doing we -have no desire to hold up these cases as worthy of imitation, for they -are exceptional and not necessary in every-day life. We mention them -merely to show to what wonderful extent development along these lines is -possible. - -In India, in the past, the sacred books were committed to memory, and -handed down from teacher to student, for ages. And even to-day it is no -uncommon thing for the student to be able to repeat, word for word, some -voluminous religious work equal in extent to the New Testament. Max -Muller states that the entire text and glossary of Panini's Sanscrit -grammar, equal in extent to the entire Bible, were handed down orally -for several centuries before being committed to writing. There are -Brahmins to-day who have committed to memory, and who can repeat at -will, the entire collection of religious poems known as the -_Mahabarata_, consisting of over 300,000 _slokas_ or verses. Leland -states that, "the Slavonian minstrels of the present day have by heart -with remarkable accuracy immensely long epic poems. I have found the -same among Algonquin Indians whose sagas or mythic legends are -interminable, and yet are committed word by word accurately. I have -heard in England of a lady ninety years of age whose memory was -miraculous, and of which extraordinary instances are narrated by her -friends. She attributed it to the fact that when young she had been made -to learn a verse from the Bible every day, and then constantly review -it. As her memory improved, she learned more, the result being that in -the end she could repeat from memory any verse or chapter called for in -the whole Scripture." - -It is related that Mithridates, the ancient warrior-king, knew the name -of every soldier in his great army, and conversed fluently in -twenty-two dialects. Pliny relates that Charmides could repeat the -contents of every book in his large library. Hortensius, the Roman -orator, had a remarkable memory which enabled him to retain and -recollect the exact words of his opponent's argument, without making a -single notation. On a wager, he attended a great auction sale which -lasted over an entire day, and then called off in their proper order -every object sold, the name of its purchaser, and the price thereof. -Seneca is said to have acquired the ability to memorize several thousand -proper names, and to repeat them in the order in which they had been -given him, and also to reverse the order and call off the list backward. -He also accomplished the feat of listening to several hundred persons, -each of whom gave him a verse; memorizing the same as they proceeded; -and then repeating them word for word in the exact order of their -delivery--and then reversing the process, with complete success. -Eusebius stated that only the memory of Esdras saved the Hebrew -Scriptures to the world, for when the Chaldeans destroyed the -manuscripts Esdras was able to repeat them, word by word to the -scribes, who then reproduced them. The Mohammedan scholars are able to -repeat the entire text of the Koran, letter perfect. Scaliger committed -the entire text of the Iliad and the Odyssey, in three weeks. Ben Jonson -is said to have been able to repeat all of his own works from memory, -with the greatest ease. - -Bulwer could repeat the Odes of Horace from memory. Pascal could repeat -the entire Bible, from beginning to end, as well as being able to recall -any given paragraph, verse, line, or chapter. Landor is said to have -read a book but once, when he would dispose of it, having impressed it -upon his memory, to be recalled years after, if necessary. Byron could -recite all of his own poems. Buffon could repeat his works from -beginning to end. Bryant possessed the same ability to repeat his own -works. Bishop Saunderson could repeat the greater part of Juvenal and -Perseus, all of Tully, and all of Horace. Fedosova, a Russian peasant, -could repeat over 25,000 poems, folk-songs, legends, fairy-tales, war -stories, etc., when she was over seventy years of age. The celebrated -"Blind Alick," an aged Scottish beggar, could repeat any verse in the -Bible called for, as well as the entire text of all the chapters and -books. The newspapers, a few years ago, contained the accounts of a man -named Clark who lived in New York City. He is said to have been able to -give the exact presidential vote in each State of the Union since the -first election. He could give the population in every town of any size -in the world either present or in the past providing there was a record -of the same. He could quote from Shakespeare for hours at a time -beginning at any given point in any play. He could recite the entire -text of the Iliad in the original Greek. - -The historical case of the unnamed Dutchman is known to all students of -memory. This man is said to have been able to take up a fresh newspaper; -to read it all through, including the advertisements; and then to repeat -its contents, word for word, from beginning to end. On one occasion he -is said to have heaped wonder upon wonder, by repeating the contents of -the paper backward, beginning with the last word and ending with the -first. Lyon, the English actor, is said to have duplicated this feat, -using a large London paper and including the market quotations, reports -of the debates in Parliament, the railroad time-tables and the -advertisements. A London waiter is said to have performed a similar -feat, on a wager, he memorizing and correctly repeating the contents of -an eight-page paper. One of the most remarkable instances of -extraordinary memory known to history is that of the child Christian -Meinecken. When less than four years of age he could repeat the entire -Bible; two hundred hymns; five thousand Latin words; and much -ecclesiastical history, theory, dogmas, arguments; and an encyclopaedic -quantity of theological literature. He is said to have practically -retained every word that was read to him. His case was abnormal, and he -died at an early age. - -John Stuart Mill is said to have acquired a fair knowledge of Greek, at -the age of three years, and to have memorized Hume, Gibbon, and other -historians, at the age of eight. Shortly after he mastered and -memorized Herodotus, Xenophon, some of Socrates, and six of Plato's -"Dialogues." Richard Porson is said to have memorized the entire text of -Homer, Horace, Cicero, Virgil, Livy, Shakespeare, Milton, and Gibbon. He -is said to have been able to memorize any ordinary novel at one careful -reading; and to have several times performed the feat of memorizing the -entire contents of some English monthly review. De Rossi was able to -perform the feat of repeating a hundred lines from any of the four great -Italian poets, provided he was given a line at random from their -works--his hundred lines following immediately after the given line. Of -course this feat required the memorizing of the entire works of those -poets, and the ability to take up the repetition from any given point, -the latter feature being as remarkable as the former. There have been -cases of printers being able to repeat, word for word, books of which -they had set the type. Professor Lawson was able to teach his classes on -the Scriptures without referring to the book. He claimed that if the -entire stock of Bibles were to be destroyed, he could restore the book -entire, from his memory. - -Rev. Thomas Fuller is said to have been able to walk down a long London -street, reading the names of the signs on both sides; then recalling -them in the order in which they had been seen, and then by reversing the -order. There are many cases on record of persons who memorized the words -of every known tongue of civilization, as well as a great number of -dialects, languages, and tongues of savage races. Bossuet had memorized -the entire Bible, and Homer, Horace and Virgil beside. Niebuhr, the -historian, was once employed in a government office, the records of -which were destroyed. He, thereupon, restored the entire contents of the -book of records which he had written--all from his memory. Asa Gray knew -the names of ten thousand plants. Milton had a vocabulary of twenty -thousand words, and Shakespeare one of twenty-five thousand. Cuvier and -Agassiz are said to have memorized lists of several thousand species and -varieties of animals. Magliabechi, the librarian of Florence, is said -to have known the location of every volume in the large library of which -he was in charge; and the complete list of works along certain lines in -all the other great libraries. He once claimed that he was able to -repeat titles of over a half-million of books in many languages, and -upon many subjects. - -In nearly every walk of life are to be found persons with memories -wonderfully developed along the lines of their particular occupation. -Librarians possess this faculty to an unusual degree. Skilled workers in -the finer lines of manufacture also manifest a wonderful memory for the -tiny parts of the manufactured article, etc. Bank officers have a -wonderful memory for names and faces. Some lawyers are able to recall -cases quoted in the authorities, years after they have read them. -Perhaps the most common, and yet the most remarkable, instances of -memorizing in one's daily work is to be found in the cases of the -theatrical profession. In some cases members of stock companies must not -only be able to repeat the lines of the play they are engaged in acting -at the time, but also the one that they are rehearsing for the following -week, and possibly the one for the second week. And in repertoire -companies the actors are required to be "letter-perfect" in a dozen or -more plays--surely a wonderful feat, and yet one so common that no -notice is given to it. - -In some of the celebrated cases, the degree of recollection manifested -is undoubtedly abnormal, but in the majority of the cases it may be seen -that the result has been obtained only by the use of natural methods and -persistent exercise. That wonderful memories may be acquired by anyone -who will devote to the task patience, time and work, is a fact generally -acknowledged by all students of the subject. It is not a _gift_, but -something to be won by effort and work along scientific lines. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -MEMORY SYSTEMS. - - -The subject of Memory Development is not a new one by any means. For two -thousand years, at least, there has been much thought devoted to the -subject; many books written thereupon; and many methods or "systems" -invented, the purpose of which has been the artificial training of the -memory. Instead of endeavoring to develop the memory by scientific -training and rational practice and exercise along natural lines, there -seems to have always been an idea that one could improve on Nature's -methods, and that a plan might be devised by the use of some "trick" the -memory might be taught to give up her hidden treasures. The law of -Association has been used in the majority of these systems, often to a -ridiculous degree. Fanciful systems have been built up, all artificial -in their character and nature, the use of which to any great extent is -calculated to result in a decrease of the natural powers of remembrance -and recollection, just as in the case of natural "aids" to the physical -system there is always found a decrease in the natural powers. Nature -prefers to do her own work, unaided. She may be trained, led, directed -and harnessed, but she insists upon doing the work herself, or dropping -the task. The principle of Association is an important one, and forms a -part of natural memory training, and should be so used. But when pressed -into service in many of the artificial systems, the result is the -erection of a complex and unnatural mental mechanism which is no more an -improvement upon the natural methods, than a wooden leg is an -improvement upon the original limb. There are many points in some of -these "systems" which may be employed to advantage in natural memory -training, by divorcing them from their fantastic rules and complex -arrangement. We ask you to run over the list of the principal "systems" -with us, that you may discard the useless material by recognizing it as -such; and cull the valuable for your own use. - -The ancient Greeks were fond of memory systems. Simonides, the Greek -poet who lived about 500 B.C. was one of the early authorities, and his -work has influenced nearly all of the many memory systems that have -sprung up since that time. There is a romantic story connected with the -foundation of his system. It is related that the poet was present at a -large banquet attended by some of the principal men of the place. He was -called out by a message from home, and left before the close of the -meal. Shortly after he left, the ceiling of the banquet hall fell upon -the guests, killing all present in the room, and mutilating their bodies -so terribly that their friends were unable to recognize them. Simonides, -having a well-developed memory for places and position, was able to -recall the exact order in which each guest had been seated, and -therefore was able to aid in the identification of the remains. This -occurrence impressed him so forcibly that he devised a system of memory -based upon the idea of position, which attained great popularity in -Greece, and the leading writers of the day highly recommended it. - -The system of Simonides was based upon the idea of position--it was -known as "the topical system." His students were taught to picture in -the mind a large building divided into sections, and then into rooms, -halls, etc. The thing to be remembered was "visualized" as occupying -some certain space or place in that building, the grouping being made -according to association and resemblance. When one wished to recall the -things to consciousness, all that was necessary was to visualize the -mental building and then take an imaginary trip from room to room, -calling off the various things as they had been placed. The Greeks -thought very highly of this plan, and many variations of it were -employed. Cicero said: "By those who would improve the memory, certain -places must be fixed upon, and of those things which they desire to keep -in memory symbols must be conceived in the mind and ranged, as it were, -in those places; thus, the order of places would preserve the order of -things, and the symbols of the things would denote the things -themselves; so that we should use the places as waxen tablets and the -symbols as letters." Quintillian advises students to "fix in their minds -places of the greatest possible extent, diversified by considerable -variety, such as a large house, for example, divided into many -apartments. Whatever is remarkable in it is carefully impressed on the -mind, so that the thought may run over every part of it without -hesitation or delay.... Places we must have, either fancied or selected, -and images or symbols which we may invent at pleasure. These symbols are -marks by which we may distinguish the particulars which we have to get -by heart." - -Many modern systems have been erected upon the foundation of Simonides -and in some of which cases students have been charged high prices "for -the secret." The following outline given by Kay gives the "secret" of -many a high priced system of this class: "Select a number of rooms, and -divide the walls and floor of each, in imagination, into nine equal -parts or squares, three in a row. On the front wall--that opposite the -entrance--of the first room, are the units; on the right-hand wall the -tens; on the left hand the twenties; on the fourth wall the thirties; -and on the floor the forties. Numbers 10, 20, 30 and 40, each find a -place on the roof above their respective walls, while 50 occupies the -centre of the room. One room will thus furnish 50 places, and ten rooms -as many as 500. Having fixed these clearly in the mind, so as to be able -readily and at once to tell exactly the position of each place or -number, it is then necessary to associate with each of them some -familiar object (or symbol) so that the object being suggested its place -may be instantly remembered, or when the place be before the mind its -object may immediately spring up. When this has been done thoroughly, -the objects can be run over in any order from beginning to end, or from -end to beginning, or the place of any particular one can at once be -given. All that is further necessary is to associate the ideas we wish -to remember with the objects in the various places, by which means they -are easily remembered, and can be gone over in any order. In this way -one may learn to repeat several hundred disconnected words or ideas in -any order after hearing them only once." We do not consider it necessary -to argue in detail the fact that this system is artificial and -cumbersome to a great degree. While the idea of "position" may be -employed to some advantage in grouping together in the memory several -associated facts, ideas, or words, still the idea of employing a process -such as the above in the ordinary affairs of life is ridiculous, and any -system based upon it has a value only as a curiosity, or a mental -acrobatic feat. - -Akin to the above is the idea underlying many other "systems," and -"secret methods"--the idea of Contiguity, in which words are strung -together by fanciful connecting links. Feinagle describes this -underlying idea, or principle, as follows: "The recollection of them is -assisted by associating some idea of relation between the two; and as we -find by experience that whatever is ludicrous is calculated to make a -strong impression on the mind, the more ridiculous the association is -the better." The systems founded upon this idea may be employed to -repeat a long string of disconnected words, and similar things, but have -but little practical value, notwithstanding the high prices charged for -them. They serve merely as curiosities, or methods of performing -"tricks" to amuse one's friends. Dr. Kothe, a German teacher, about the -middle of the nineteenth century founded this last school of memory -training, his ideas serving as the foundation for many teachers of -high-priced "systems" or "secret methods" since that time. The above -description of Feinagle gives the key to the principle employed. The -working of the principle is accomplished by the employment of -"intermediates" or "correlatives" as they are called; for instance, the -words "chimney" and "leaf" would be connected as follows: -"_Chimney_--smoke--wood--tree--_Leaf_." - -Then there are systems or methods based on the old principle of the -"Figure Alphabet," in which one is taught to remember dates by -associating them with letters or words. For instance, one of the -teachers of this class of systems, wished his pupils to remember the -year 1480 by the word "BiG RaT," the capitals representing the figures -in the date. Comment is unnecessary! - -The student will find that nearly all the "systems" or "secret methods" -that are being offered for sale in "courses," often at a very high -price, are merely variations, improvements upon, or combinations of the -three forms of artificial methods named above. New changes are -constantly being worked on these old plans; new tunes played on the same -old instruments; new chimes sounded from the same old bells. And the -result is ever the same, in these cases--disappointment and disgust. -There are a few natural systems on the market, nearly all of which -contain information and instruction that makes them worth the price at -which they are sold. As for the others--well, judge for yourself after -purchasing them, if you so desire. - -Regarding these artificial and fanciful systems, Kay says: "All such -systems for the improvement of the memory belong to what we have -considered the first or lowest form of it. They are for the most part -based on light or foolish associations which have little foundation in -nature, and are hence of little practical utility; and they do not tend -to improve or strengthen the memory as a whole." Bacon says that these -systems are "barren and useless," adding: "For immediately to repeat a -multitude of names or words once repeated before, I esteem no more than -rope-dancing, antic postures, and feats of activity; and, indeed, they -are nearly the same things, the one being the abuse of the bodily as the -other of the mental powers; and though they may cause admiration, they -cannot be highly esteemed." And as another authority has said: "The -systems of mnemonics as taught, are no better than crutches, useful to -those who cannot walk, but impediments and hindrances to those who have -the use of their limbs, and who only require to exercise them properly -in order to have the full use of them." - -In this work, there shall be no attempt to teach any of these "trick -systems" that the student may perform for the amusement of his friends. -Instead, there is only the desire to aid in developing the power to -receive impressions, to register them upon the memory, and readily to -reproduce them at will, naturally and easily. The lines of natural -mental action will be followed throughout. The idea of this work is not -to teach how one may perform "feats" of memory; but, instead, to -instruct in the intelligent and practical use of the memory in the -affairs of every-day life and work. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -THE SUBCONSCIOUS RECORD-FILE. - - -The old writers on the subject were wont to consider the memory as a -separate faculty of the mind, but this idea disappeared before the -advancing tide of knowledge which resulted in the acceptance of the -conception now known as The New Psychology. This new conception -recognizes the existence of a vast "out of consciousness" region of the -mind, one phase of which is known as the subconscious mind, or the -subconscious field of mental activities. In this field of mentation the -activities of memory have their seat. A careful consideration of the -subject brings the certainty that the entire work of the memory is -performed in this subconscious region of the mind. Only when the -subconscious record is represented to the conscious field, and -recollection or remembrance results, does the memorized idea or -impression emerge from the subconscious region. An understanding of -this fact simplifies the entire subject of the memory, and enables us to -perfect plans and methods whereby the memory may be developed, improved -and trained, by means of the direction of the subconscious activities by -the use of the conscious faculties and the will. - -Hering says: "Memory is a faculty not only of our conscious states, but -also, and much more so, of our unconscious ones." Kay says: "It is -impossible to understand the true nature of memory, or how to train it -aright, unless we have a clear conception of the fact that there is much -in the mind of which we are unconscious.... The highest form of memory, -as of all the mental powers, is the unconscious--when what we wish to -recall comes to us spontaneously, without any conscious thought or -search for it. Frequently when we wish to recall something that has -previously been in the mind we are unable to do so by any conscious -effort of the will; but we turn the attention to something else, and -after a time the desired information comes up spontaneously when we are -not consciously thinking of it." Carpenter says: "There is the working -of a mechanism beneath the consciousness which, when once set going, -runs on of itself, and which is more likely to evolve the desired result -when the conscious activity of the mind is exerted in a direction -altogether different." - -This subconscious region of the mind is the great record-file of -everything we have ever experienced, thought or known. Everything is -recorded there. The best authorities now generally agree that there is -no such thing as an absolute forgetting of even the most minute -impression, notwithstanding the fact that we may be unable to recollect -or remember it, owing to its faintness, or lack of associated -"indexing." It is held that everything is to be found in that -subconscious index-file, if we can only manage to find its place. Kay -says: "In like manner we believe that every impression or thought that -has once been before consciousness remains ever afterward impressed upon -the mind. It may never again come up before consciousness, but it will -doubtless remain in that vast ultra-conscious region of the mind, -unconsciously moulding and fashioning our subsequent thoughts and -actions. It is only a small part of what exists in the mind that we are -conscious of. There is always much that is known to be in the mind that -exists in it unconsciously, and must be stored away somewhere. We may be -able to recall it into consciousness when we wish to do so; but at other -times the mind is unconscious of its existence. Further, every one's -experience must tell him that there is much in his mind that he cannot -always recall when he may wish to do so,--much that he can recover only -after a labored search, or that he may search for in vain at the time, -but which may occur to him afterwards when perhaps he is not thinking -about it. Again, much that we probably would never be able to recall, or -that would not recur to us under ordinary circumstances, we may remember -to have had in the mind when it is mentioned to us by others. In such a -case there must still have remained some trace or scintilla of it in the -mind before we could recognize it as having been there before." - -Morell says: "We have every reason to believe that mental power when -once called forth follows the analogy of everything we see in the -material universe in the fact of its perpetuity. Every single effort of -mind is a creation which can never go back again into nonentity. It may -slumber in the depths of forgetfulness as light and heat slumber in the -coal seams, but there it is, ready at the bidding of some appropriate -stimulus to come again out of the darkness into the light of -consciousness." Beattie says: "That which has been long forgotten, nay, -that which we have often in vain endeavored to recollect, will sometimes -without an effort of ours occur to us on a sudden, and, if I may so -speak, of its own accord." Hamilton says: "The mind frequently contains -whole systems of knowledge which, though in our normal state they may -have faded into absolute oblivion, may in certain abnormal states, as -madness, delirium, somnambulism, catalepsy, etc., flash out into -luminous consciousness.... For example, there are cases in which the -extinct memory of whole languages were suddenly restored." Lecky says: -"It is now fully established that a multitude of events which are so -completely forgotten that no effort of the will can revive them, and -that the statement of them calls up no reminiscences, may nevertheless -be, so to speak, embedded in the memory, and may be reproduced with -intense vividness under certain physical conditions." - -In proof of the above, the authorities give many instances recorded in -scientific annals. Coleridge relates the well-known case of the old -woman who could neither read nor write, who when in the delirium of -fever incessantly recited in very pompous tones long passages from the -Latin, Greek and Hebrew, with a distinct enunciation and precise -rendition. Notes of her ravings were taken down by shorthand, and caused -much wonderment, until it was afterwards found that in her youth she had -been employed as a servant in the house of a clergyman who was in the -habit of walking up and down in his study reading aloud from his -favorite classical and religious writers. In his books were found marked -passages corresponding to the notes taken from the girl's ravings. Her -subconscious memory had stored up the sounds of these passages heard in -her early youth, but of which she had no recollection in her normal -state. Beaufort, describing his sensations just before being rescued -from drowning says: "Every incident of my former life seemed to glance -across my recollection in a retrograde procession, not in mere outline, -but in a picture filled with every minute and collateral feature, thus -forming a panoramic view of my whole existence." - -Kay truly observes: "By adopting the opinion that every thought or -impression that had once been consciously before the mind is ever -afterwards retained, we obtain light on many obscure mental phenomena; -and especially do we draw from it the conclusion of the perfectibility -of the memory to an almost unlimited extent. We cannot doubt that, could -we penetrate to the lowest depths of our mental nature, we should there -find traces of every impression we have received, every thought we have -entertained, and every act we have done through our past life, each one -making its influence felt in the way of building up our present -knowledge, or in guiding our every-day actions; and if they persist in -the mind, might it not be possible to recall most if not all of them -into consciousness when we wished to do so, if our memories or powers of -recollection were what they should be?" - -As we have said, this great subconscious region of the mind--this Memory -region--may be thought of as a great record file, with an intricate -system of indexes, and office boys whose business it is to file away the -records; to index them; and to find them when needed. The records record -only what we have impressed upon them by the attention, the degree of -depth and clearness depending entirely upon the degree of attention -which we bestowed upon the original impression. We can never expect to -have the office boys of the memory bring up anything that they have not -been given to file away. The indexing, and cross-references are supplied -by the association existing between the various impressions. The more -cross-references, or associations that are connected with an idea, -thought or impression that is filed away in the memory, the greater the -chances of it being found readily when wanted. These two features of -attention and association, and the parts they play in the phenomena of -memory, are mentioned in detail in other chapters of this book. - -These little office boys of the memory are an industrious and willing -lot of little chaps, but like all boys they do their best work when kept -in practice. Idleness and lack of exercise cause them to become slothful -and careless, and forgetful of the records under their charge. A little -fresh exercise and work soon take the cobwebs out of their brains, and -they spring eagerly to their tasks. They become familiar with their work -when exercised properly, and soon become very expert. They have a -tendency to remember, on their own part, and when a certain record is -called for often they grow accustomed to its place, and can find it -without referring to the indexes at all. But their trouble comes from -faint and almost illegible records, caused by poor attention--these -they can scarcely decipher when they do succeed in finding them. Lack of -proper indexing by associations causes them much worry and extra work, -and sometimes they are unable to find the records at all from this -neglect. Often, however, after they have told you that they could not -find a thing, and you have left the place in disgust, they will continue -their search and hours afterward will surprise you by handing you the -desired idea, or impression, which they had found carelessly indexed or -improperly filed away. In these chapters you will be helped, if you will -carry in your mind these little office boys of the memory record file, -and the hard work they have to do for you, much of which is made doubly -burdensome by your own neglect and carelessness. Treat these little -fellows right and they will work overtime for you, willingly and -joyfully. But they need your assistance and encouragement, and an -occasional word of praise and commendation. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -ATTENTION. - - -As we have seen in the preceding chapters, before one can expect to -recall or remember a thing, that thing must have been impressed upon the -records of his subconsciousness, distinctly and clearly. And the main -factor of the recording of impressions is that quality of the mind that -we call Attention. All the leading authorities on the subject of memory -recognize and teach the value of attention in the cultivation and -development of the memory. Tupper says: "Memory, the daughter of -Attention, is the teeming mother of wisdom." Lowell says: "Attention is -the stuff that Memory is made of, and Memory is accumulated Genius." -Hall says: "In the power of fixing the attention lies the most precious -of the intellectual habits." Locke says: "When the ideas that offer -themselves are taken notice of, and, as it were, registered in the -memory, it is Attention." Stewart says: "The permanence of the -impression which anything leaves on the memory, is proportionate to the -degree of attention which was originally given to it." Thompson says: -"The experiences most permanently impressed upon consciousness are those -upon which the greatest amount of attention has been fixed." Beattie -says: "The force wherewith anything strikes the mind is generally in -proportion to the degree of attention bestowed upon it. The great art of -memory is attention.... Inattentive people have always bad memories." -Kay says: "It is generally held by philosophers that without some degree -of attention no impression of any duration could be made on the mind, or -laid up in the memory." Hamilton says: "It is a law of the mind that the -intensity of the present consciousness determines the vivacity of the -future memory; memory and consciousness are thus in the direct ratio of -each other. Vivid consciousness, long memory; faint consciousness, short -memory; no consciousness, no memory.... An act of attention, that is an -act of concentration, seems thus necessary to every exertion of -consciousness, as a certain contraction of the pupil is requisite to -every exertion of vision. Attention, then, is to consciousness what the -contraction of the pupil is to sight, or to the eye of the mind what the -microscope or telescope is to the bodily eye. It constitutes the better -half of all intellectual power." - -We have quoted from the above authorities at considerable length, for -the purpose of impressing upon your mind the importance of this subject -of Attention. The subconscious regions of the mind are the great -storehouses of the mental records of impressions from within and -without. Its great systems of filing, recording and indexing these -records constitute that which we call memory. But before any of this -work is possible, impressions must first have been received. And, as you -may see from the quotations just given, these impressions depend upon -the power of attention given to the things making the impressions. If -there has been given great attention, there will be clear and deep -impressions; if there has been given but average attention, there will -be but average impressions; if there has been given but faint attention, -there will be but faint impressions; if there has been given no -attention, there will be no records. - -One of the most common causes of poor attention is to be found in the -lack of interest. We are apt to remember the things in which we have -been most interested, because in that outpouring of interest there has -been a high degree of attention manifested. A man may have a very poor -memory for many things, but when it comes to the things in which his -interest is involved he often remembers the most minute details. What is -called involuntary attention is that form of attention that follows upon -interest, curiosity, or desire--no special effort of the will being -required in it. What is called voluntary attention is that form of -attention that is bestowed upon objects not necessarily interesting, -curious, or attractive--this requires the application of the will, and -is a mark of a developed character. Every person has more or less -involuntary attention, while but few possess developed voluntary -attention. The former is instinctive--the latter comes only by practice -and training. - -But there is this important point to be remembered, that _interest may -be developed by voluntary attention_ bestowed and held upon an object. -Things that are originally lacking in sufficient interest to attract the -involuntary attention may develop a secondary interest if the voluntary -attention be placed upon and held upon them. As Halleck says on this -point: "When it is said that attention will not take a firm hold on an -uninteresting thing, we must not forget that anyone not shallow and -fickle can soon discover something interesting in most objects. Here -cultivated minds show their especial superiority, for the attention -which they are able to give generally ends in finding a pearl in the -most uninteresting looking oyster. When an object necessarily loses -interest from one point of view, such minds discover in it new -attributes. The essence of genius is to present an old thing in new -ways, whether it be some force in nature or some aspect of humanity." - -It is very difficult to teach another person how to cultivate the -attention. This because the whole thing consists so largely in the use -of the will, and by faithful practice and persistent application. The -first requisite is _the determination to use the will_. You must argue -it out with yourself, until you become convinced that it is necessary -and desirable for you to acquire the art of voluntary attention--you -must convince yourself beyond reasonable doubt. This is the first step -and one more difficult than it would seem at first sight. The principal -difficulty in it lies in the fact that to do the thing you must do some -active earnest thinking, and the majority of people are too lazy to -indulge in such mental effort. Having mastered this first step, you must -induce a strong burning desire to acquire the art of voluntary -attention--you must learn to want it hard. In this way you induce a -condition of interest and attractiveness where it was previously -lacking. Third and last, you must hold your will firmly and persistently -to the task, and practice faithfully. - -Begin by turning your attention upon some uninteresting thing and -studying its details until you are able to describe them. This will -prove very tiresome at first but you must stick to it. Do not practice -too long at a time at first; take a rest and try it again later. You -will soon find that it comes easier, and that a new interest is -beginning to manifest itself in the task. Examine this book, as -practice, learn how many pages there are in it; how many chapters; how -many pages in each chapter; the details of type, printing and -binding--all the little things about it--so that you could give another -person a full account of the minor details of the book. This may seem -uninteresting--and so it will be at first--but a little practice will -create a new interest in the petty details, and you will be surprised at -the number of little things that you will notice. This plan, practiced -on many things, in spare hours, will develop the power of voluntary -attention and perception in anyone, no matter how deficient he may have -been in these things. If you can get some one else to join in the -game-task with you, and then each endeavor to excel the other in -finding details, the task will be much easier, and better work will be -accomplished. Begin to take notice of things about you; the places you -visit; the things in the rooms, etc. In this way you will start the -habit of "noticing things," which is the first requisite for memory -development. - -Halleck gives the following excellent advice on this subject: "To look -at a thing intelligently is the most difficult of all arts. The first -rule for the cultivation of accurate perception is: Do not try to -perceive the whole of a complex object at once. Take the human face as -an example. A man, holding an important position to which he had been -elected, offended many people because he could not remember faces, and -hence failed to recognize individuals the second time he met them. His -trouble was in looking at the countenance as a whole. When he changed -his method of observation, and noticed carefully the nose, mouth, eyes, -chin, and color of hair, he at once began to find recognition easier. He -was no longer in difficulty of mistaking A for B, since he remembered -that the shape of B's nose was different, or the color of his hair at -least three shades lighter. This example shows that another rule can be -formulated: Pay careful attention to details. We are perhaps asked to -give a minute description of the exterior of a somewhat noted suburban -house that we have lately seen. We reply in general terms, giving the -size and color of the house. Perhaps we also have an idea of part of the -material used in the exterior construction. We are asked to be exact -about the shape of the door, porch, roof, chimneys and windows; whether -the windows are plain or circular, whether they have cornices, or -whether the trimmings around them are of the same material as the rest -of the house. A friend, who will be unable to see the house, wishes to -know definitely about the angles of the roof, and the way the windows -are arranged with reference to them. Unless we can answer these -questions exactly, we merely tantalize our friends by telling them we -have seen the house. To see an object merely as an undiscriminated mass -of something in a certain place, is to do no more than a donkey -accomplishes as he trots along." - -There are three general rules that may be given in this matter of -bestowing the voluntary attention in the direction of actually _seeing_ -things, instead of merely looking at them. The first is: Make yourself -take an interest in the thing. The second: See it as if you were taking -note of it in order to repeat its details to a friend--this will force -you to "take notice." The third: Give to your subconsciousness a mental -command to take note of what you are looking at--say to it; "Here, you -take note of this and remember it for me!" This last consists of a -peculiar "knack" that can be attained by a little practice--it will -"come to you" suddenly after a few trials. - -Regarding this third rule whereby the subconsciousness is made to work -for you, Charles Leland has the following to say, although he uses it to -illustrate another point: "As I understand it, it is a kind of impulse -or projection of will into the coming work. I may here illustrate this -with a curious fact in physics. If the reader wished to ring a doorbell -so as to produce as much sound as possible, he would probably pull it -as far back as he could, and then let it go. But if he would, in letting -it go, simply give it a tap with his forefinger, he would actually -redouble the sound. Or, to shoot an arrow as far as possible, it is not -enough to _merely_ draw the bow to its utmost span or tension. If, just -as it goes, you will give the bow a quick push, though the effort be -trifling, the arrow will fly almost as far again as it would have done -without it. Or, if, as is well known in wielding a very sharp sabre, we -make the draw cut; that is, if to the blow or chop, as with an axe, we -also add a certain slight pull, simultaneously, we can cut through a -silk handkerchief or a sheep. Forethought (command to the -subconsciousness) is the tap on the bell; the push on the bow; the draw -on the sabre. It is the deliberate but yet rapid action of the mind when -before dismissing thought, we bid the mind to consequently respond. It -is more than merely thinking what we are to do; it is the bidding or -ordering the Self to fulfill a task before willing it." - -Remember first, last and always, that before you can remember, or -recollect, you must first _perceive_; and that perception is possible -only through attention, and responds in degree to the latter. Therefore, -it has truly been said that: "The great Art of Memory is Attention." - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -ASSOCIATION. - - -In the preceding chapters we have seen that in order that a thing may be -remembered, it must be impressed clearly upon the mind in the first -place; and that in order to obtain a clear impression there must be a -manifestation of attention. So much for the recording of the -impressions. But when we come to recalling, recollecting or remembering -the impressions we are brought face to face with another important law -of memory--the law of Association. Association plays a part analogous to -the indexing and cross-indexing of a book; a library; or another system -in which the aim is to readily find something that has been filed away, -or contained in some way in a collection of similar things. As Kay says: -"In order that what is in the memory may be recalled or brought again -before consciousness, it is necessary that it be regarded in connection, -or in association with one or more other things or ideas, and as a rule -the greater the number of other things with which it is associated the -greater the likelihood of its recall. The two processes are involved in -every act of memory. We must first impress, and then we must associate. -Without a clear impression being formed, that which is recalled will be -indistinct and inaccurate; and unless it is associated with something -else in the mind, it cannot be recalled. If we may suppose an idea -existing in the mind by itself, unconnected with any other idea, its -recall would be impossible." - -All the best authorities recognize and teach the importance of this law -of association, in connection with the memory. Abercrombie says: "Next -to the effect of attention is the remarkable influence produced upon -memory by association." Carpenter says: "The recording power of memory -mainly depends upon the degree of attention we give to the idea to be -remembered. The reproducing power again altogether depends upon the -nature of the associations by which the new idea has been linked on to -other ideas which have been previously recorded." Ribot says: "The most -fundamental law which regulates psychological phenomena is the law of -association. In its comprehensive character it is comparable to the law -of attraction in the physical world." Mill says: "That which the law of -gravitation is to astronomy; that which the elementary properties of the -tissues are to physiology; the law of association of ideas is to -psychology." Stewart says: "The connection between memory and the -association of ideas is so striking that it has been supposed by some -that the whole of the phenomena might be resolved into this principle. -The association of ideas connects our various thoughts with each other, -so as to present them to the mind in a certain order; but it presupposes -the existence of those thoughts in the mind,--in other words it -presupposes a faculty of retaining the knowledge which we acquire. On -the other hand, it is evident that without the associating principle, -the power of retaining our thoughts, and of recognizing them when they -occur to us, would have been of little use; for the most important -articles of our knowledge might have remained latent in the mind, even -when those occasions presented themselves to which they were immediately -applicable." - -Association of ideas depends upon two principles known, respectively, as -(1) the law of contiguity; and (2) the law of similarity. Association by -contiguity is that form of association by which an idea is linked, -connected, or associated with the sensation, thought, or idea -immediately preceding it, and that which directly follows it. Each idea, -or thought, is a link in a great chain of thought being connected with -the preceding link and the succeeding link. Association by similarity is -that form of association by which an idea, thought, or sensation is -linked, connected, or associated with ideas, thoughts, or sensations of -a similar kind, which have occurred previously or subsequently. The -first form of association is the relation of sequence--the second the -relation of kind. - -Association by contiguity is the great law of thought, as well as of -memory. As Kay says: "The great law of mental association is that of -contiguity, by means of which sensations and ideas that have been in the -mind together or in close succession, tend to unite together, or cohere -in such a way that the one can afterward recall the other. The -connection that naturally subsists between a sensation or idea in the -mind, and that which immediately preceded or followed it, is of the -strongest and most intimate nature. The two, strictly speaking, are but -one, forming one complete thought." As Taine says: "To speak correctly, -there is no isolated or separate sensation. A sensation is a state which -begins as a continuation of preceding ones, and ends by losing itself -in those following it; it is by an arbitrary severing, and for the -convenience of language, that we set it apart as we do; its beginning -is the end of another, and its ending the beginning of another." As -Ribot says: "When we read or hear a sentence, for example, at -the commencement of the fifth word something of the fourth word -still remains. Association by contiguity may be separated into two -sub-classes--contiguity in time; and contiguity in space. In contiguity -in time there is manifested the tendency of the memory to recall the -impressions in the same order in which they were received--the first -impression suggesting the second, and that the third, and so on. In this -way the child learns to repeat the alphabet, and the adult the -succeeding lines of a poem." As Priestly says: "In a poem, the end of -each preceding word being connected with the beginning of the succeeding -one, we can easily repeat them in that order, but we are not able to -repeat them backwards till they have been frequently named in that -order." Memory of words, or groups of words, depends upon this form of -contigious association. Some persons are able to repeat long poems from -beginning to end, with perfect ease, but are unable to repeat any -particular sentence, or verse, without working down to it from the -beginning. Contiguity in space is manifested in forms of recollection or -remembrance by "position." Thus by remembering the things connected with -the position of a particular thing, we are enabled to recall the thing -itself. As we have seen in a preceding chapter, some forms of memory -systems have been based on this law. If you will recall some house or -room in which you have been, you will find that you will remember one -object after another, in the order of the relative positions, or -contiguity in space, or position. Beginning with the front hall, you may -travel in memory from one room to another, recalling each with the -objects it contains, according to the degree of attention you bestowed -upon them originally. Kay says of association by contiguity: "It is on -this principle of contiguity that mnemonical systems are constructed, as -when what we wish to remember is associated in the mind with a certain -object or locality, the ideas associated will at once come up; or when -each word or idea is associated with the one immediately preceding it, -so that when the one is recalled the other comes up along with it, and -thus long lists of names or long passages of books can be readily learnt -by heart." - -From the foregoing, it will be seen that it is of great importance that -we correlate our impressions with those preceding and following. The -more closely knitted together our impressions are, the more closely will -they cohere, and the greater will be the facility of remembering or -recollecting them. We should endeavor to form our impressions of things -so that they will be associated with other impressions, in time and -space. Every other thing that is associated in the mind with a given -thing, serves as a "loose end" of memory, which if once grasped and -followed up will lead us to the thing we desire to recall to mind. - -Association by similarity is the linking together of impressions of a -similar kind, irrespective of time and place. Carpenter expresses it as -follows: "The law of similarity expresses the general fact that any -present state of consciousness tends to revive previous states which are -similar to it.... Rational or philosophical association is when a fact -or statement on which the attention is fixed is associated with some -fact previously known, to which it has a relation, or with some subject -which it is calculated to illustrate." And as Kay says: "The similars -may be widely apart in space or in time, but they are brought together -and associated through their resemblance to each other. Thus, a -circumstance of to-day may recall circumstances of a similar nature that -occurred perhaps at very different times, and they will become -associated together in the mind, so that afterwards the presence of one -will tend to recall the others." Abercrombie says of this phase of -association: "The habit of correct association--that is, connecting -facts in the mind according to their true relations, and to the manner -in which they tend to illustrate each other, is one of the principle -means of improving the memory, particularly that kind of memory which is -an essential quality of a cultivated mind--namely, that which is founded -not upon incidental connections, but on true and important relations." - -As Beattie says: "The more relations or likenesses that we find or can -establish between objects, the more easily will the view of one lead us -to recollect the rest." And as Kay says: "In order to fix a thing in -the memory, we must associate it with something in the mind already, -and the more closely that which we wish to remember resembles that with -which it is associated, the better is it fixed in the memory, and the -more readily is it recalled. If the two strongly resemble each other, or -are not to be distinguished from each other, then the association is of -the strongest kind.... The memory is able to retain and replace a vastly -greater number of ideas, if they are associated or arranged on some -principle of similarity, than if they are presented merely as isolated -facts. It is not by the multitude of ideas, but the want of arrangement -among them, that the memory is burdened and its powers weakened." As -Arnott says: "The ignorant man may be said to have charged his hundred -hooks of knowledge (to use a rude simile), with single objects, while -the informed man makes each hook support a long chain to which thousands -of kindred and useful things are attached." - -We ask each student of this book to acquaint himself with the general -idea of the working features of the law of association as given in this -chapter for the reason that much of the instruction to be given under -the head of the several phases and classes of memory is based upon an -application of the Law of Association, in connection with the law of -Attention. These fundamental principles should be clearly grasped before -one proceeds to the details of practice and exercise. One should know -not only "how" to use the mind and memory in certain ways, but also -"why" it is to be used in that particular way. By understanding the -"reason of it," one is better able to follow out the directions. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -PHASES OF MEMORY. - - -One of the first things apt to be noticed by the student of memory is -the fact that there are several different phases of the manifestation of -memory. That is to say, that there are several general classes into -which the phenomena of memory may be grouped. And accordingly we find -some persons quite highly developed in certain phases of memory, and -quite deficient in others. If there were but one phase or class of -memory, then a person who had developed his memory along any particular -line would have at the same time developed it equally along all the -other lines. But this is far from being the true state of affairs. We -find men who are quite proficient in recalling the impression of faces, -while they find it very difficult to recall the names of the persons -whose faces they remember. Others can remember faces, and not names. -Others have an excellent recollection of localities, while others are -constantly losing themselves. Others remember dates, prices, numbers, -and figures generally, while deficient in other forms of recollection. -Others remember tales, incidents, anecdotes etc., while forgetting other -things. And so on, each person being apt to possess a memory good in -some phases, while deficient in others. - -The phases of memory may be divided into two general classes, namely (1) -Memory of Sense Impressions; and (2) Memory of Ideas. This -classification is somewhat arbitrary, for the reason that sense -impressions develop into ideas, and ideas are composed to a considerable -extent of sense impressions, but in a general way the classification -serves its purpose, which is the grouping together of certain phases of -the phenomena of memory. - -Memory of Sense Impressions of course includes the impressions received -from all of the five senses: sight; hearing; taste; touch; and smell. -But when we come down to a practical examination of sense impressions -retained in the memory, we find that the majority of such impressions -are those obtained through the two respective senses of sight and -hearing. The impressions received from the sense of taste, touch and -smell, respectively, are comparatively small, except in the cases of -certain experts in special lines, whose occupation consists in acquiring -a very delicate sense of taste, smell or touch, and correspondingly a -fine sense of memory along these particular lines. For instance, the -wine-taster and tea-tasters, who are able to distinguish between the -various grades of merchandise handled by them, have developed not only -very fine senses of taste and smell, but also a remarkable memory of the -impressions previously received, the power of discrimination depending -as much upon the memory as upon the special sense. In the same way the -skilled surgeon as well as the skilled mechanic acquires a fine sense of -touch and a correspondingly highly developed memory of touch -impressions. - -But, as we have said, the greater part of the sense impressions stored -away in our memories are those previously received through the senses -of sight and hearing, respectively. The majority of sense impressions, -stored away in the memory, have been received more or less -involuntarily, that is with the application of but a slight degree of -attention. They are more or less indistinct and hazy, and are recalled -with difficulty, the remembrance of them generally coming about without -conscious effort, according to the law of association. That is, they -come principally when we are thinking about something else upon which we -have given thought and attention, and with which they have been -associated. There is quite a difference between the remembrance of sense -impressions received in this way, and those which we record by the -bestowal of attention, interest and concentration. - -The sense impressions of sight are by far the most numerous in our -subconscious storehouse. We are constantly exercising our sense of -sight, and receiving thousands of different sight impressions every -hour. But the majority of these impressions are but faintly recorded -upon the memory, because we give to them but little attention or -interest. But it is astonishing, at times, when we find that when we -recall some important event or incident we also recall many faint sight -impressions of which we did not dream we had any record. To realize the -important part played by sight impressions in the phenomena of memory, -recall some particular time or event in your life, and see how many more -things that you _saw_ are remembered, compared with the number of things -that you _heard_, or tasted, or felt or smelled. - -Second in number, however, are the impressions received through the -sense of hearing, and consequently the memory stores away a great number -of sound impressions. In some cases the impressions of sight and sound -are joined together, as for instance in the case of words, in which not -only the sound but the shape of the letters composing the word, or -rather the word-shape itself, are stored away together, and consequently -are far more readily remembered or recollected than things of which but -one sense impression is recorded. Teachers of memory use this fact as a -means of helping their students to memorize words by speaking them -aloud, and then writing them down. Many persons memorize names in this -way, the impression of the written word being added to the impression of -the sound, thus doubling the record. The more impressions that you can -make regarding a thing, the greater are the chances of your easily -recollecting it. Likewise it is very important to attach an impression -of a weaker sense, to that of a stronger one, in order that the former -may be memorized. For instance, if you have a good eye memory, and a -poor ear memory, it is well to attach your sound impressions to the -sight impressions. And if you have a poor eye memory, and a good ear -memory it is important to attach your sight impressions to your sound -impressions. In this way you take advantage of the law of association, -of which we have told you. - -Under the sub-class of sight impressions, are found the smaller -divisions of memory known as memory of locality; memory of figures; -memory of form; memory of color; and memory of written or printed -words. Under the sub-class of sound impressions are found the smaller -divisions of memory known as memory of spoken words; memory of names; -memory of stories; memory of music, etc. We shall pay special attention -to these forms of memory, in succeeding chapters. - -The second general class of memory,--memory of ideas,--includes the -memory of facts, events, thoughts, lines of reasoning, etc., and is -regarded as higher in the scale than the memory of sense impressions, -although not more necessary nor useful to the average person. This form -of memory of course accompanies the higher lines of intellectual effort -and activities, and constitutes a large part of what is known as true -education, that is education which teaches one to think instead of to -merely memorize certain things taught in books or lectures. - -The well-rounded man, mentally, is he who has developed his memory on -all sides, rather than the one who has developed but one special phase -of the faculty. It is true that a man's interest and occupation -certainly tend to develop his memory according to his daily needs and -requirements, but it is well that he should give to the other parts of -his memory field some exercise, in order that he may not grow one-sided. -As Halleck has said: "Many persons think that memory is mainly due to -sight; but we have as many different kinds of memory as we have senses. -To sight, the watermelon is a long greenish body, but this is its least -important quality. Sight alone gives the poorest idea of the watermelon. -We approach the vine where the fruit is growing, and in order to -decide whether it is ripe, we tap the rind and judge by the sound. -We must remember that a ripe watermelon has a certain resonance. By -passing our hands over the melon, we learn that it has certain touch -characteristics. We cut it open and learn the qualities of taste and -smell. All this knowledge afforded by the different senses must enter -into a perfected memory image. Hence we see that many complex processes -go to form an idea of a thing. Napoleon was not content with only -hearing a name. He wrote it down, and having satisfied his eye memory -as well as his ear memory, he threw the paper away." - -In this book we shall point out the methods and processes calculated to -round out the memory of the student. As a rule his strong phases of -memory need but little attention, although even in these a little -scientific knowledge will be of use. But in the weaker phases, those -phases in which his memory is "poor," he should exert a new energy and -activity, to the end that these weaker regions of the memory may be -cultivated and fertilized, and well stored with the seed impressions, -which will bear a good crop in time. There is no phase, field, or class -of memory that is not capable of being highly developed by intelligent -application. It requires practice, exercise and work--but the reward is -great. Many a man is handicapped by being deficient in certain phases of -memory, while proficient in others. The remedy is in his own hands, and -we feel that in this book we have given to each the means whereby he may -acquire a "good" memory along any or all lines. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -TRAINING THE EYE. - - -Before the memory can be stored with sight impressions--before the mind -can recollect or remember such impressions--the eye must be used under -the direction of the attention. We think that we see things when we look -at them, but in reality we _see_ but few things, in the sense of -registering clear and distinct impressions of them upon the tablets of -the subconscious mind. We _look at_ them rather than _see_ them. - -Halleck says regarding this "sight without seeing" idea: "A body may be -imaged on the retina without insuring perception. There must be an -effort to concentrate the attention upon the many things which the world -presents to our senses. A man once said to the pupils of a large school, -all of whom had seen cows: 'I should like to find out how many of you -know whether a cow's ears are above, below, behind, or in front of her -horns. I want only those pupils to raise their hands who are sure about -the position and who will promise to give a dollar to charity if they -answer wrong.' Only two hands were raised. Their owners had drawn cows -and in order to do that had been forced to concentrate their attention -upon the animals. Fifteen pupils were sure that they had seen cats climb -trees and descend them. There was unanimity of opinion that the cats -went up heads first. When asked whether the cats came down head or tail -first, the majority were sure that the cats descended as they were never -known to do. Any one who had ever noticed the shape of the claws of any -beast of prey could have answered the question without seeing an actual -descent. Farmers' boys who have often seen cows and horses lie down and -rise, are seldom sure whether the animals rise with their fore or hind -feet first, or whether the habit of the horse agrees with that of the -cow in this respect. The elm tree has about its leaf a peculiarity which -all ought to notice the first time they see it, and yet only about five -per cent of a certain school could incorporate in a drawing this -peculiarity, although it is so easily outlined on paper. Perception, to -achieve satisfactory results, must summon the will to its aid to -concentrate the attention. Only the smallest part of what falls upon our -senses at any time is actually perceived." - -The way to train the mind to receive clear sight-impressions, and -therefore to retain them in the memory is simply to concentrate the will -and attention upon objects of sight, endeavoring to _see_ them plainly -and distinctly, and then to practice recalling the details of the object -some time afterward. It is astonishing how rapidly one may improve in -this respect by a little practice. And it is amazing how great a degree -of proficiency in this practice one may attain in a short time. You have -doubtless heard the old story of Houdin, the French conjurer, who -cultivated his memory of sight impressions by following a simple plan. -He started in to practice by observing the number of small objects in -the Paris shop windows he could see and remember in one quick glance as -he rapidly walked past the window. He followed the plan of noting down -on paper the things that he saw and remembered. At first he could -remember but two or three articles in the window. Then he began to see -and remember more, and so on, each day adding to his power of perception -and memory, until finally he was able to see and remember nearly every -small article in a large shop window, after bestowing but one glance -upon it. Others have found this plan an excellent one, and have -developed their power of perception greatly, and at the same time -cultivated an amazingly retentive memory of objects thus seen. It is all -a matter of use and practice. The experiment of Houdin may be varied -infinitely, with excellent results. - -The Hindus train their children along these lines, by playing the "sight -game" with them. This game is played by exposing to the sight of the -children a number of small objects, at which they gaze intently, and -which are then withdrawn from their sight. The children then endeavor to -excel each other in writing down the names of the objects which they -have seen. The number of objects is small to begin with, but is -increased each day, until an astonishing number are perceived and -remembered. - -Rudyard Kipling in his great book, "Kim," gives an instance of this -game, played by "Kim" and a trained native youth. Lurgan Sahib exposes -to the sight of the two boys a tray filled with jewels and gems, -allowing them to gaze upon it a few moments before it is withdrawn from -sight. Then the competition begins, as follows: "'There are under that -paper five blue stones, one big, one smaller, and three small,' said Kim -in all haste. There are four green stones, and one with a hole in it; -there is one yellow stone that I can see through, and one like a pipe -stem. There are two red stones, and--and--give me time.'" But Kim had -reached the limit of his powers. Then came the turn of the native boy. -"'Hear my count,' cried the native child. 'First are two flawed -sapphires, one of two ruttes and one of four, as I should judge. The -four rutte sapphire is chipped at the edge. There is one Turkestan -turquoise, plain with green veins, and there are two inscribed--one with -the name of God in gilt, and the other being cracked across, for it came -out of an old ring, I cannot read. We have now the five blue stones; -four flamed emeralds there are, but one is drilled in two places, and -one is a little carven.' 'Their weight?' said Lurgan Sahib, impassively. -'Three--five--five and four ruttees, as I judge it. There is one piece -of old greenish amber, and a cheap cut topaz from Europe. There is one -ruby of Burma, one of two ruttees, without a flaw. And there is a ballas -ruby, flawed, of two ruttees. There is a carved ivory from China, -representing a rat sucking an egg; and there is last--Ah--ha!--a ball of -crystal as big as a bean set in gold leaf.'" Kim is mortified at his bad -beating, and asks the secret. The answer is: "By doing it many times -over, till it is done perfectly, for it is worth doing." - -Many teachers have followed plans similar to that just related. A number -of small articles are exposed, and the pupils are trained to see and -remember them, the process being gradually made more and more difficult. -A well known American teacher was in the habit of rapidly making a -number of dots on the blackboard, and then erasing them before the -pupils could count them in the ordinary way. The children then -endeavored to count their mental impressions, and before long they -could correctly name the number up to ten or more, with ease. They said -they could "see six," or "see ten," as the case may be, automatically -and apparently without the labor of consciously counting them. It is -related in works dealing with the detection of crime, that in the -celebrated "thieves schools" in Europe, the young thieves are trained in -a similar way, the old scoundrels acting as teachers exposing a number -of small articles to the young ones, and requiring them to repeat -exactly what they had seen. Then follows a higher course in which the -young thieves are required to memorize the objects in a room; the plan -of houses, etc. They are sent forth to "spy out the land" for future -robberies, in the guise of beggars soliciting alms, and thus getting a -rapid peep into houses, offices, and stores. It is said that in a single -glance they will perceive the location of all of the doors, windows, -locks, bolts, etc. - -Many nations have boys' games in which the youngsters are required to -see and remember after taking a peep. The Italians have a game called -"Morro" in which one boy throws out a number of fingers, which must be -instantly named by the other boy, a failure resulting in a forfeit. The -Chinese youths have a similar game, while the Japanese boys reduce this -to a science. A well trained Japanese youth will be able to remember the -entire contents of a room after one keen glance around it. Many of the -Orientals have developed this faculty to a degree almost beyond belief. -But the principle is the same in all cases--the gradual practice and -exercise, beginning with a small number of simple things, and then -increasing the number and complexity of the objects. - -The faculty is not so rare as one might imagine at first thought. Take a -man in a small business, and let him enter the store of a competitor, -and see how many things he will observe and remember after a few minutes -in the place. Let an actor visit a play in another theatre, and see how -many details of the performance he will notice and remember. Let some -women pay a visit to a new neighbor, and then see how many things about -that house they will have seen and remembered to be retailed to their -confidential friends afterward. It is the old story of attention -following the interest, and memory following the attention. An expert -whist player will see and remember every card played in the game, and -just who played it. A chess or checker player will see and remember the -previous moves in the game, if he be expert, and can relate them -afterward. A woman will go shopping and will see and remember thousands -of things that a man would never have seen, much less remembered. As -Houdin said: "Thus, for instance, I can safely assert that a lady seeing -another pass at full speed in a carriage will have had time to analyze -her toilette from her bonnet to her shoes, and be able to describe not -only the fashion and quality of the stuffs, but also say if the lace be -real or only machine made. I have known ladies to do this." - -But, remember this--for it is important: Whatever can be done in this -direction by means of attention, inspired by interest, may be duplicated -by _attention directed by will_. In other words, the desire to -accomplish the task adds and creates an artificial interest just as -effective as the natural feeling. And, as you progress, the interest in -the game-task will add new interest, and you will be able to duplicate -any of the feats mentioned above. It is all a matter of attention, -interest (natural or induced) and practice. Begin with a set of -dominoes, if you like, and try to remember the spots on one of them -rapidly glanced at--then two--then three. By increasing the number -gradually, you will attain a power of perception and a memory of -sight-impressions that will appear almost marvelous. And not only will -you begin to remember dominoes, but you will also be able to perceive -and remember thousands of little details of interest, in everything, -that have heretofore escaped your notice. The principle is very simple, -but the results that may be obtained by practice are wonderful. - -The trouble with most of you is that you have been looking without -seeing--gazing but not observing. The objects around you have been out -of your mental focus. If you will but change your mental focus, by means -of will and attention, you will be able to cure yourself of the careless -methods of seeing and observing that have been hindrances to your -success. You have been blaming it on your memory, but the fault is with -your perception. How can the memory remember, when it is not given -anything in the way of clear impressions? You have been like young -infants in this matter--now it is time for you to begin to "sit up and -take notice," no matter how old you may be. The whole thing in a -nut-shell is this: In order to remember the things that pass before your -sight, you must begin to _see with your mind_, instead of with your -retina. Let the impression get beyond your retina and into your mind. If -you will do this, you will find that memory will "do the rest." - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -TRAINING THE EAR. - - -The sense of hearing is one of the highest of the senses or channels -whereby we receive impressions from the outside world. In fact, it ranks -almost as high as the sense of sight. In the senses of taste, touch, and -smell there is a direct contact between the sensitive recipient nerve -substance and the particles of the object sensed, while in the sense of -sight and the sense of hearing the impression is received through the -medium of waves in the ether (in the case of sight), or waves in the air -(in the sense of hearing.) Moreover in taste, smell and touch the -objects sensed are brought into direct contact with the terminal nerve -apparatus, while in seeing and hearing the nerves terminate in peculiar -and delicate sacs which contain a fluidic substance through which the -impression is conveyed to the nerve proper. Loss of this fluidic -substance destroys the faculty to receive impressions, and deafness or -blindness ensues. As Foster says: "Waves of sound falling upon the -auditory nerve itself produces no effect whatever; it is only when, by -the medium of the endolymph, they are brought to bear on the delicate -and peculiar epithelium cells which constitute the peripheral -terminations of the nerve, that sensations of sound arise." - -Just as it is true that it is the mind and not the eye that really -_sees_; so is it true that it is the mind and not the ear that really -_hears_. Many sounds reach the ear that are not registered by the mind. -We pass along a crowded street, the waves of many sounds reaching the -nerves of the ear, and yet the mind _accepts_ the sounds of but few -things, particularly when the novelty of the sounds has passed away. It -is a matter of interest and attention in this case, as well as in the -case of hearing. As Halleck says: "If we sit by an open window in the -country on a summer day, we may have many stimuli knocking at the gate -of attention: the ticking of a clock, the sound of the wind, the -cackling of fowl, the quacking of ducks, the barking of dogs, the lowing -of cows, the cries of children at play, the rustling of leaves, the -songs of birds, the rumbling of wagons, etc. If attention is centered -upon any one of these, that for the time being acquires the importance -of a king upon the throne of our mental world." - -Many persons complain of not being able to remember sounds, or things -reaching the mind through the sense of hearing, and attribute the -trouble to some defect in the organs of hearing. But in so doing they -overlook the real cause of the trouble, for it is a scientific fact that -many of such persons are found to have hearing apparatus perfectly -developed and in the best working order--their trouble arising from a -lack of training of the mental faculty of hearing. In other words the -trouble is in their mind instead of in the organs of hearing. To acquire -the faculty of correct hearing, and correct memory of things heard, the -mental faculty of hearing must be exercised, trained and developed. -Given a number of people whose hearing apparatus are equally perfect, we -will find that some "hear" much better than others; and some hear -certain things better than they do certain other things; and that there -is a great difference in the grades and degrees of memory of the things -heard. As Kay says: "Great differences exist among individuals with -regard to the acuteness of this sense (hearing) and some possess it in -greater perfection in certain directions than in others. One whose -hearing is good for sound in general may yet have but little ear for -musical tones; and, on the other hand, one with a good ear for music may -yet be deficient as regards hearing in general." The secret of this is -to be found in the degree of interest and attention bestowed upon the -particular thing giving forth the sound. - -It is a fact that the mind will hear the faintest sounds from things in -which is centered interest and attention, while at the same time -ignoring things in which there is no interest and to which the attention -is not turned. A sleeping mother will awaken at the slightest whimper -from her babe, while the rumbling of a heavy wagon on the street, or -even the discharge of a gun in the neighborhood may not be noticed by -her. An engineer will detect the slightest difference in the whir or hum -of his engine, while failing to notice a very loud noise outside. A -musician will note the slightest discord occurring in a concert in which -there are a great number of instruments being played, and in which there -is a great volume of sound reaching the ear, while other sounds may be -unheard by him. The man who taps the wheels of your railroad car is able -to detect the slightest difference in tone, and is thus informed that -there is a crack or flaw in the wheel. One who handles large quantities -of coin will have his attention drawn to the slightest difference in the -"ring" of a piece of gold or silver, that informs him that there is -something wrong with the coin. A train engineer will distinguish the -strange whir of something wrong with the train behind him, amidst all -the thundering rattle and roar in which it is merged. The foreman in a -machine shop in the same manner detects the little strange noise that -informs him that something is amiss, and he rings off the power at once. -Telegraphers are able to detect the almost imperceptible differences in -the sound of their instruments that inform them that a new operator is -on the wire; or just who is sending the message; and, in some cases, -the mood or temper of the person transmitting it. Trainmen and steamboat -men recognize the differences between every engine or boat on their -line, or river, as the case may be. A skilled physician will detect the -faint sounds denoting a respiratory trouble or a "heart murmur" in the -patients. And yet these very people who are able to detect the faint -differences in sound, above mentioned, are often known as "poor hearers" -in other things. Why? Simply because they hear only that in which they -are interested, and to which their attention has been directed. That is -the whole secret, and in it is also to be found the secret of training -of the ear-perception. It is all a matter of interest and attention--the -details depend upon these principles. - -In view of the facts just stated, it will be seen that the remedy for -"poor hearing," and poor memory of things heard is to be found in the -use of the will in the direction of voluntary attention and interest. So -true is this that some authorities go so far as to claim that many cases -of supposed slight deafness are really but the result of lack of -attention and concentration on the part of the person so troubled. Kay -says: "What is commonly called deafness is not infrequently to be -attributed to this cause--the sounds being heard but not being -interpreted or recognized ... sounds may be distinctly heard when the -attention is directed toward them, that in ordinary circumstances would -be imperceptible; and people often fail to hear what is said to them -because they are not paying attention." Harvey says: "That one-half of -the deafness that exists is the result of inattention cannot be -doubted." There are but few persons who have not had the experience of -listening to some bore, whose words were distinctly heard but the -meaning of which was entirely lost because of inattention and lack of -interest. Kirkes sums the matter up in these words: "In hearing we must -distinguish two different points--the audible sensation as it is -developed without any intellectual interference, and the conception -which we form in consequence of that sensation." - -The reason that many persons do not remember things that they have heard -is simply because they have not _listened_ properly. Poor listening is -far more common than one would suppose at first. A little -self-examination will reveal to you the fact that you have fallen into -the bad habit of inattention. One cannot listen to everything, of -course--it would not be advisable. But one should acquire the habit of -either really listening or else refusing to listen at all. The -compromise of careless listening brings about deplorable results, and is -really the reason why so many people "can't remember" what they have -heard. It is all a matter of habit. Persons who have poor memories of -ear-impressions should begin to "listen" in earnest. In order to -reacquire their lost habit of proper listening, they must exercise -voluntary attention and develop interest. The following suggestions may -be useful in that direction. - -Try to memorize words that are spoken to you in conversation--a few -sentences, or even one, at a time. You will find that the effort made to -fasten the sentence on your memory will result in a concentration of the -attention on the words of the speaker. Do the same thing when you are -listening to a preacher, actor or lecturer. Pick out the first sentence -for memorizing, and make up your mind that your memory will be as wax to -receive the impression and as steel to retain it. Listen to the stray -scraps of conversation that come to your ears while walking on the -street, and endeavor to memorize a sentence or two, as if you were to -repeat it later in the day. Study the various tones, expressions and -inflections in the voices of persons speaking to you--you will find this -most interesting and helpful. You will be surprised at the details that -such analysis will reveal. Listen to the footsteps of different persons -and endeavor to distinguish between them--each has its peculiarities. -Get some one to read a line or two of poetry or prose to you, and then -endeavor to remember it. A little practice of this kind will greatly -develop the power of voluntary attention to sounds and spoken words. But -above everything else, practice repeating the words and sounds that you -have memorized, so far as is possible--for by so doing you will get the -mind into the habit of taking an interest in sound impressions. In this -way you not only improve the sense of hearing, but also the faculty of -remembering. - -If you will analyze, and boil down the above remarks and directions, you -will find that the gist of the whole matter is that one should _actually -use, employ and exercise_ the mental faculty of hearing, actively and -intelligently. Nature has a way of putting to sleep, or atrophying any -faculty that is not used or exercised; and also of encouraging, -developing and strengthening any faculty that is properly employed and -exercised. In this you have the secret. Use it. If you will listen well, -you will hear well and remember well that which you have heard. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -HOW TO REMEMBER NAMES. - - -The phase of memory connected with the remembrance or recollection of -names probably is of greater interest to the majority of persons than -are any of the associated phases of the subject. On all hands are to be -found people who are embarassed by their failure to recall the name of -some one whom they feel they know, but whose name has escaped them. This -failure to remember the names of persons undoubtedly interferes with the -business and professional success of many persons; and, on the other -hand, the ability to recall names readily has aided many persons in the -struggle for success. It would seem that there are a greater number of -persons deficient in this phase of memory than in any other. As Holbrook -has said: "The memory of names is a subject with which most persons must -have a more than passing interest.... The number of persons who never or -rarely forget a name is exceedingly small, the number of those who have -a poor memory for them is very large. The reason for this is partly a -defect of mental development and partly a matter of habit. In either -case it may be overcome by effort.... I have satisfied myself by -experience and observation that a memory for names may be increased not -only two, _but a hundredfold_." - -You will find that the majority of successful men have been able to -recall the faces and names of those with whom they came in contact, and -it is an interesting subject for speculation as to just how much of -their success was due to this faculty. Socrates is said to have easily -remembered the names of all of his students, and his classes numbered -thousands in the course of a year. Xenophon is said to have known the -name of every one of his soldiers, which faculty was shared by -Washington and Napoleon, also. Trajan is said to have known the names of -all the Praetorian Guards, numbering about 12,000. Pericles knew the -face and name of every one of the citizens of Athens. Cineas is said to -have known the names of all the citizens of Rome. Themistocles knew the -names of 20,000 Athenians. Lucius Scipio could call by name every -citizen of Rome. John Wesley could recall the names of thousands of -persons whom he had met in his travels. Henry Clay was specially -developed in this phase of memory, and there was a tradition among his -followers that he remembered every one whom he met. Blaine had a similar -reputation. - -There have been many theories advanced, and explanations offered to -account for the fact that the recollection of names is far more -difficult than any other form of the activities of the memory. We shall -not take up your time in going over these theories, but shall proceed -upon the theory now generally accepted by the best authorities; i.e. -that the difficulty in the recollection of names is caused by the fact -that names in themselves are _uninteresting_ and therefore do not -attract or hold the attention as do other objects presented to the mind. -There is of course to be remembered the fact that sound impressions are -apt to be more difficult of recollection than sight impressions, but the -lack of interesting qualities in names is believed to be the principal -obstacle and difficulty. Fuller says of this matter: "A proper noun, or -name, when considered independently of accidental features of -coincidence with something that is familiar, _doesn't mean anything_; -for this reason a mental picture of it is not easily formed, which -accounts for the fact that the primitive, tedious way of rote, or -repetition, is that ordinarily employed to impress a proper noun on the -memory, while a common noun, being represented by some object having -shape, or appearance, in the physical or mental perception, can thus be -_seen or imagined_: in other words _a mental image_ of it can be formed -and the _name_ identified afterwards, through associating it with this -mental image." We think that the case is fully stated in this quotation. - -But in spite of this difficulty, persons have and can greatly improve -their memory of names. Many who were originally very deficient in this -respect have not only improved the faculty far beyond its former -condition, but have also developed exceptional ability in this special -phase of memory so that they became noted for their unfailing -recollection of the names of those with whom they came in contact. - -Perhaps the best way to impress upon you the various methods that may be -used for this purpose would be to relate to you the actual experience of -a gentleman employed in a bank in one of the large cities of this -country, who made a close study of the subject and developed himself far -beyond the ordinary. Starting with a remarkably poor memory for names, -he is now known to his associates as "the man who never forgets a name." -This gentleman first took a number of "courses" in secret "methods" of -developing the memory; but after thus spending much money he expressed -his disgust with the whole idea of artificial memory training. He then -started in to study the subject from the point-of-view of The New -Psychology, putting into effect all of the tested principles, and -improving upon some of their details. We have had a number of -conversations with this gentleman, and have found that his experience -confirms many of our own ideas and theories, and the fact that he has -demonstrated the correctness of the principles to such a remarkable -degree renders his case one worthy of being stated in the direction of -affording a guide and "method" for others who wish to develop their -memory of names. - -The gentleman, whom we shall call "Mr. X.," decided that the first thing -for him to do was to develop his faculty of receiving clear and distinct -sound impressions. In doing this he followed the plan outlined by us in -our chapter on "Training the Ear." He persevered and practiced along -these lines until his "hearing" became very acute. He made a study of -voices, until he could classify them and analyze their characteristics. -Then he found that he could _hear_ names in a manner before impossible -to him. That is, instead of merely catching a vague sound of a name, he -would hear it so clearly and distinctly that a firm registration would -be obtained on the records of his memory. For the first time in his life -names began to _mean something_ to him. He paid attention to every name -he heard, just as he did to every note he handled. He would repeat a -name to himself, after hearing it, and would thus strengthen the -impression. If he came across an unusual name, he would write it down -several times, at the first opportunity, thus obtaining the benefit of a -double sense impression, adding eye impression to ear impression. All -this, of course, aroused his interest in the subject of names in -general, which led him to the next step in his progress. - -Mr. X. then began to study names, their origin, their peculiarities, -their differences, points of resemblances, etc. He made a hobby of -names, and evinced all the joy of a collector when he was able to stick -the pin of attention through the specimen of a new and unfamiliar -species of name. He began to collect names, just as others collect -beetles, stamps, coins, etc., and took quite a pride in his collection -and in his knowledge of the subject. He read books on names, from the -libraries, giving their origin, etc. He had the Dickens' delight in -"queer" names, and would amuse his friends by relating the funny names -he had seen on signs, and otherwise. He took a small City Directory home -with him, and would run over the pages in the evening, looking up new -names, and classifying old ones into groups. He found that some names -were derived from animals, and put these into a class by themselves--the -Lyons, Wolfs, Foxes, Lambs, Hares, etc. Others were put into the color -group--Blacks, Greens, Whites, Greys, Blues, etc. Others belonged to the -bird family--Crows, Hawks, Birds, Drakes, Cranes, Doves, Jays, etc. -Others belonged to trades--Millers, Smiths, Coopers, Maltsters, -Carpenters, Bakers, Painters, etc. Others were trees--Chestnuts, -Oakleys, Walnuts, Cherrys, Pines, etc. Then there were Hills and Dales; -Fields and Mountains; Lanes and Brooks. Some were Strong; others were -Gay; others were Savage; others Noble. And so on. It would take a whole -book to tell you what that man found out about names. He came near -becoming a "crank" on the subject. But his hobby began to manifest -excellent results, for his _interest_ had been awakened to an unusual -degree, and he was becoming very proficient in his recollection of -names, for they now meant something to him. He easily recalled all the -regular customers at his bank,--quite a number by the way for the bank -was a large one--and many occasional depositors were delighted to have -themselves called by name by our friend. Occasionally he would meet with -a name that balked him, in which case he would repeat it over to -himself, and write it a number of times until he had mastered it--after -that it never escaped him. - -Mr. X. would always repeat a name when it was spoken, and would at the -same time look intently at the person bearing it, thus seeming to fix -the two together in his mind at the same time--when he wanted them they -would be found in each other's company. He also acquired the habit of -_visualizing_ the name--that is, he would see its letters in his mind's -eye, as a picture. This he regarded as a most important point, and we -thoroughly agree with him. He used the Law of Association in the -direction of associating a new man with a well-remembered man of the -same name. A new Mr. Schmidtzenberger would be associated with an old -customer of the same name--when he would see the new man, he would think -of the old one, and the name would flash into his mind. To sum up the -whole method, however, it may be said that the gist of the thing was in -_taking an interest_ in names in general. In this way an uninteresting -subject was made interesting--and a man always has a good memory for the -things in which he is interested. - -The case of Mr. X. is an extreme one--and the results obtained were -beyond the ordinary. But if you will take a leaf from his book, you may -obtain the same results in the degree that you work for it. Make a study -of names--start a collection--and you will have no trouble in developing -a memory for them. This is the whole thing in a nut-shell. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -HOW TO REMEMBER FACES. - - -The memory of faces is closely connected with the memory of names, and -yet the two are not always associated, for there are many people who -easily remember faces, and yet forget names, and vice versa. In some -ways, however, the memory of faces is a necessary precedent for the -recollection of the names of people. For unless we recall the face, we -are unable to make the necessary association with the name of the -person. We have given a number of instances of face-memory, in our -chapter on name-memory, in which are given instances of the wonderful -memory of celebrated individuals who acquired a knowledge and memory of -the thousands of citizens of a town, or city, or the soldiers of an -army. In this chapter, however, we shall pay attention only to the -subject of the recollection of the features of persons, irrespective of -their names. This faculty is possessed by all persons, but in varying -degrees. Those in whom it is well developed seem to recognize the faces -of persons whom they have met years before, and to associate them with -the circumstances in which they last met them, even where the name -escapes the memory. Others seem to forget a face the moment it passes -from view, and fail to recognize the same persons whom they met only a -few hours before, much to their mortification and chagrin. - -Detectives, newspaper reporters, and others who come in contact with -many people, usually have this faculty largely developed, for it becomes -a necessity of their work, and their interest and attention is rendered -active thereby. Public men often have this faculty largely developed by -reason of the necessities of their life. It is said that James G. Blaine -never forgot the face of anyone whom he had met and conversed with a few -moments. This faculty rendered him very popular in political life. In -this respect he resembled Henry Clay, who was noted for his memory of -faces. It is related of Clay that he once paid a visit of a few hours to -a small town in Mississippi, on an electioneering tour. Amidst the -throng surrounding him was an old man, with one eye missing. The old -fellow pressed forward crying out that he was sure that Henry Clay would -remember him. Clay took a sharp look at him and said: "I met you in -Kentucky many years ago, did I not?" "Yes," replied the man. "Did you -lose your eye since then?" asked Clay. "Yes, several years after," -replied the old man. "Turn your face side-ways, so that I can see your -profile," said Clay. The man did so. Then Clay smiled, triumphantly, -saying: "I've got you now--weren't you on that jury in the Innes case at -Frankfort, that I tried in the United States Court over twenty years -ago?" "Yes siree!" said the man, "I knowed that ye know me, 'n I told -'em you would." And the crowd gave a whoop, and Clay knew that he was -safe in that town and county. - -Vidocq, the celebrated French detective, is said to have never forgotten -a face of a criminal whom he had once seen. A celebrated instance of -this power on his part is that of the case of Delafranche the forger who -escaped from prison and dwelt in foreign lands for over twenty years. -After that time he returned to Paris feeling secure from detection, -having become bald, losing an eye, and having his nose badly mutilated. -Moreover he disguised himself and wore a beard, in order to still -further evade detection. One day Vidocq met him on the street, and -recognized him at once, his arrest and return to prison following. -Instances of this kind could be multiplied indefinitely, but the student -will have had a sufficient acquaintance with persons who possess this -faculty developed to a large degree, so that further illustration is -scarcely necessary. - -The way to develop this phase of memory is akin to that urged in the -development of other phases--the cultivation of interest, and the -bestowal of attention. Faces as a whole are not apt to prove -interesting. It is only by analyzing and classifying them that the study -begins to grow of interest to us. The study of a good elementary work on -physiognomy is recommended to those wishing to develop the faculty of -remembering faces, for in such a work the student is led to notice the -different kinds of noses, ears, eyes, chins, foreheads, etc., such -notice and recognition tending to induce an interest in the subject of -features. A rudimentary course of study in drawing faces, particularly -in profile, will also tend to make one "take notice" and will awaken -interest. If you are required to draw a nose, particularly from memory, -you will be apt to give to it your interested attention. The matter of -interest is vital. If you were shown a man and told that the next time -you met and recognized him he would hand you over $500, you would be -very apt to study his face carefully, and to recognize him later on; -whereas the same man if introduced casually as a "Mr. Jones," would -arouse no interest and the chances of recognition would be slim. - -Halleck says: "Every time we enter a street car we see different types -of people, and there is a great deal to be noticed about each type. -Every human countenance shows its past history to one who knows how to -look.... Successful gamblers often become so expert in noticing the -slightest change of an opponent's facial expression that they will -estimate the strength of his hand by the involuntary signs which appear -in the face and which are frequently checked the instant they appear." - -Of all classes, perhaps artists are more apt to form a clear cut image -of the features of persons whom they meet--particularly if they are -portrait painters. There are instances of celebrated portrait painters -who were able to execute a good portrait after having once carefully -studied the face of the sitter, their memory enabling them to visualize -the features at will. Some celebrated teachers of drawing have -instructed their scholars to take a sharp hasty glance at a nose, an -eye, an ear, or chin, and then to so clearly visualize it that they -could draw it perfectly. It is all a matter of interest, attention, _and -practice_. Sir Francis Galton cites the instance of a French teacher who -trained his pupils so thoroughly in this direction that after a few -months' practice they had no difficulty in summoning images at will; in -holding them steady; and in drawing them correctly. He says of the -faculty of visualization thus used: "A faculty that is of importance in -all technical and artistic occupations, that gives accuracy to our -perceptions, and justice to our generalizations, is starved by lazy -disuse, instead of being cultivated judiciously in such a way as will, -on the whole, bring the best return. I believe that a serious study of -the best means of developing and utilizing this faculty, without -prejudice to the practice of abstract thought in symbols, is one of the -many pressing desiderata in the yet unformed science of education." - -Fuller relates the method of a celebrated painter, which method has been -since taught by many teachers of both drawing and memory. He relates it -as follows: "The celebrated painter Leonardo da Vinci invented a most -ingenious method for identifying faces, and by it is said to have been -able to reproduce from memory any face that he had once carefully -scrutinized. He drew all the possible forms of the nose, mouth, chin, -eyes, ears and forehead, numbered them 1, 2, 3, 4, etc., and committed -them thoroughly to memory; then, whenever he saw a face that he wished -to draw or paint from memory, he noted in his mind that it was chin 4, -eyes 2, nose 5, ears 6,--or whatever the combinations might be--and by -retaining the analysis in his memory he could reconstruct the face at -any time." We could scarcely ask the student to attempt so complicated a -system, and yet a modification of it would prove useful. That is, if you -would begin to form a classification of several kind of noses, say about -seven, the well-known Roman, Jewish, Grecian, giving you the general -classes, in connection with straight, crooked, pug and all the other -varieties, you would soon recognize noses when you saw them. And the -same with mouths, a few classes being found to cover the majority of -cases. But of all the features, the eye is the most expressive, and the -one most easily remembered, when clearly noticed. Detectives rely much -upon _the expression of the eye_. If you ever fully catch the -_expression_ of a person's eye, you will be very apt to recognize it -thereafter. Therefore concentrate on eyes in studying faces. - -A good plan in developing this faculty is to visualize the faces of -persons you have met during the day, in the evening. Try to develop the -faculty of visualizing the features of those whom you know--this will -start you off right. Draw them in your mind--see them with your mind's -eye, until you can visualize the features of very old friends; then do -the same with acquaintances, and so on, until you are able to visualize -the features of every one you "know." Then start on to add to your list -by recalling in the imagination, the features of strangers whom you -meet. By a little practice of this kind you will develop a great -interest in faces and your memory of them, and the power to recall them -will increase rapidly. The secret is to study faces--to be interested in -them. In this way you add zest to the task, and make a pleasure of a -drudgery. The study of photographs is also a great aid in this work--but -study them in detail, not as a whole. If you can arouse sufficient -interest in features and faces, you will have no trouble in remembering -and recalling them. The two things go together. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -HOW TO REMEMBER PLACES. - - -There is a great difference in the various degrees of development of -"the sense of locality" in different persons. But these differences may -be traced directly to the degree of memory of that particular phase or -faculty of the mind, which in turn depends upon the degree of attention, -interest, and use which has been bestowed upon the faculty in question. -The authorities on phrenology define the faculty of "locality" as -follows: "Cognizance of place; recollection of the looks of places, -roads, scenery, and the location of objects; where on a page ideas are -to be found, and position generally; the geographical faculty; the -desire to see places, and have the ability to find them." Persons in -whom this faculty is developed to the highest degree seem to have an -almost intuitive idea of direction, place and position. They never get -lost or "mixed up" regarding direction or place. They remember the -places they visit and their relation in space to each other. Their minds -are like maps upon which are engraved the various roads, streets and -objects of sight in every direction. When these people think of China, -Labrador, Terra del Fuego, Norway, Cape of Good Hope, Thibet, or any -other place, they seem to think of it in "_this_ direction or _that_ -direction" rather than as a vague place situated in a vague direction. -Their minds think "north, south, east or west" as the case may be when -they consider a given place. Shading down by degrees we find people at -the other pole of the faculty who seem to find it impossible to remember -any direction, or locality or relation in space. Such people are -constantly losing themselves in their own towns, and fear to trust -themselves in a strange place. They have no sense of direction, or -place, and fail to recognize a street or scene which they have visited -recently, not to speak of those which they traveled over in time past. -Between these two poles or degrees there is a vast difference, and it is -difficult to realize that it is all a matter of use, interest and -attention. That it is but this may be proven by anyone who will take -the trouble and pains to develop the faculty and memory of locality -within his mind. Many have done this, and anyone else may do likewise if -the proper methods be employed. - -The secret of the development of the faculty and memory of place and -locality is akin to that mentioned in the preceding chapter, in -connection with the development of the memory for names. The first thing -necessary is to develop an _interest_ in the subject. One should begin -to "take notice" of the direction of the streets or roads over which he -travels; the landmarks; the turns of the road; the natural objects along -the way. He should study maps, until he awakens a new interest in them, -just as did the man who used the directory in order to take an interest -in names. He should procure a small geography and study direction, -distances, location, shape and form of countries, etc., not as a mere -mechanical thing but as a live subject of interest. If there were a -large sum of money awaiting your coming in certain sections of the -globe, you would manifest a decided interest in the direction, locality -and position of those places, and the best way to reach them. Before -long you would be a veritable reference book regarding those special -places. Or, if your sweetheart were waiting for you in some such place, -you would do likewise. The whole thing lies in the degree of "want to" -regarding the matter. Desire awakens interest; interest employs -attention; and attention brings use, development and memory. Therefore -you must first _want to_ develop the faculty of Locality--and want to -"hard enough." The rest is a mere matter of detail. - -One of the first things to do, after arousing an interest, is to -carefully note the landmarks and relative positions of the streets or -roads over which you travel. So many people travel along a new street or -road in an absent-minded manner, taking no notice of the lay of the land -as they proceed. This is fatal to place-memory. You must take notice of -the thoroughfares and the things along the way. Pause at the cross -roads, or the street-corners and note the landmarks, and the general -directions and relative positions, until they are firmly imprinted on -your mind. Begin to see how many things you can remember regarding even -a little exercise walk. And when you have returned home, go over the -trip in your mind, and see how much of the direction and how many of the -landmarks you are able to remember. Take out your pencil, and endeavor -to _make a map_ of your route, giving the general directions, and noting -the street names, and principal objects of interest. Fix the idea of -"North" in your mind when starting, and keep your bearings by it during -your whole trip, and in your map making. You will be surprised how much -interest you will soon develop in this map-making. It will get to be -quite a game, and you will experience pleasure in your increasing -proficiency in it. When you go out for a walk, go in a round-about way, -taking as many turns and twists as possible, in order to exercise your -faculty of locality and direction--but always note carefully direction -and general course, so that you may reproduce it correctly on your map -when you return. If you have a city map, compare it with your own little -map, and also re-trace your route, in imagination, on the map. With a -city map, or road-map, you may get lots of amusement by re-traveling -the route of your little journeys. - -Always note the names of the various streets over which you travel, as -well as those which you cross during your walk. Note them down upon your -map, and you will find that you will develop a rapidly improving memory -in this direction--because you have awakened interest and bestowed -attention. Take a pride in your map making. If you have a companion, -endeavor to beat each other at this game--both traveling over the same -route together, and then seeing which one can remember the greatest -number of details of the journey. - -Akin to this, and supplementary to it, is the plan of selecting a route -to be traveled, on your city map, endeavoring to fix in your mind the -general directions, names of streets, turns, return journey, etc., -before you start. Begin by mapping out a short trip in this way, and -then increase it every day. After mapping out a trip, lay aside your map -and travel it in person. If you like, take along the map and puzzle out -variations, from time to time. Get the map habit in every possible -variation and form, but do not depend upon the map exclusively; but -instead, endeavor to correlate the printed map with the mental map that -you are building in your brain. - -If you are about to take a journey to a strange place, study your maps -carefully before you go, and exercise your memory in reproducing them -with a pencil. Then as you travel along, compare places with your map, -and you will find that you will take an entirely new interest in the -trip--it will begin by meaning something to you. If about to visit a -strange city, procure a map of it before starting, and begin by noting -the cardinal points of the compass, study the map--the directions of the -principal streets and the relative positions of the principal points of -interest, buildings, etc. In this way you not only develop your memory -of places, and render yourself proof against being lost, but you also -provide a source of new and great interest in your visit. - -The above suggestions are capable of the greatest expansion and -variation on the part of anyone who practices them. The whole thing -depends upon the "taking notice" and using the attention, and those -things in turn depend upon the taking of interest in the subject. If -anyone will "wake up and take interest" in the subject of locality and -direction he may develop himself along the lines of place-memory to an -almost incredible degree, in a comparatively short time at that. There -is no other phase of memory that so quickly responds to use and exercise -as this one. We have in mind a lady who was notoriously deficient in the -memory of place, and was sure to lose herself a few blocks from her -stopping place, wherever she might be. She seemed absolutely devoid of -the sense of direction or locality and often lost herself in the hotel -corridors, notwithstanding the fact that she traveled all over the -world, with her husband, for years. The trouble undoubtedly arose from -the fact that she depended altogether upon her husband as a pilot, the -couple being inseparable. Well, the husband died, and the lady lost her -pilot. Instead of giving up in despair, she began to rise to the -occasion--having no pilot, she had to pilot herself. And she was forced -to "wake up and take notice." She was compelled to travel for a couple -of years, in order to close up certain business matters of her -husband's--for she was a good business woman in spite of her lack of -development along this one line--and in order to get around safely, she -was forced to take an interest in where she was going. Before the two -years' travels were over, she was as good a traveler as her husband had -ever been, and was frequently called upon as a guide by others in whose -company she chanced to be. She explained it by saying "Why, I don't know -just how I did it--I just _had to_, that's all--I just _did_ it." -Another example of a woman's "because," you see. What this good lady -"just did," was accomplished by an instinctive following of the plan -which we have suggested to you. She "just _had_ to" use maps and to -"take notice." That is the whole story. - -So true are the principles underlying this method of developing the -place-memory, that one deficient in it, providing he will arouse intense -interest and will stick to it, may develop the faculty to such an extent -that he may almost rival the cat which "always came back," or the dog -which "you couldn't lose." The Indians, Arabs, Gypsies and other people -of the plain, forest, desert, and mountains, have this faculty so highly -developed that it seems almost like an extra sense. It is all this -matter of "taking notice" sharpened by continuous need, use and -exercise, to a high degree. The mind will respond to the need if the -person like the lady, "just _has to_." The laws of Attention and -Association will work wonders when actively called into play by Interest -or need, followed by exercise and use. There is no magic in the -process--just "want to" and "keep at it," that's all. Do you want to -hard enough--have you the determination to keep at it? - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -HOW TO REMEMBER NUMBERS. - - -The faculty of Number--that is the faculty of knowing, recognizing and -remembering figures in the abstract and in their relation to each other, -differs very materially among different individuals. To some, figures -and numbers are apprehended and remembered with ease, while to others -they possess no interest, attraction or affinity, and consequently are -not apt to be remembered. It is generally admitted by the best -authorities that the memorizing of dates, figures, numbers, etc., is the -most difficult of any of the phases of memory. But all agree that the -faculty may be developed by practice and interest. There have been -instances of persons having this faculty of the mind developed to a -degree almost incredible; and other instances of persons having started -with an aversion to figures and then developing an interest which -resulted in their acquiring a remarkable degree of proficiency along -these lines. - -Many of the celebrated mathematicians and astronomers developed -wonderful memories for figures. Herschel is said to have been able to -remember all the details of intricate calculations in his astronomical -computations, even to the figures of the fractions. It is said that he -was able to perform the most intricate calculations mentally, without -the use of pen or pencil, and then dictated to his assistant the entire -details of the process, including the final results. Tycho Brahe, the -astronomer, also possessed a similar memory. It is said that he rebelled -at being compelled to refer to the printed tables of square roots and -cube roots, and set to work to memorize the entire set of tables, which -almost incredible task he accomplished in a half day--this required the -memorizing of over 75,000 figures, and their relations to each other. -Euler the mathematician became blind in his old age, and being unable to -refer to his tables, memorized them. It is said that he was able to -repeat from recollection the first six powers of all the numbers from -one to one hundred. - -Wallis the mathematician was a prodigy in this respect. He is reported -to have been able to mentally extract the square root of a number to -forty decimal places, and on one occasion mentally extracted the cube -root of a number consisting of thirty figures. Dase is said to have -mentally multiplied two numbers of one hundred figures each. A youth -named Mangiamele was able to perform the most remarkable feats in mental -arithmetic. The reports show that upon a celebrated test before members -of the French Academy of Sciences he was able to extract the cube root -of 3,796,416 in thirty seconds; and the tenth root of 282,475,289 in -three minutes. He also immediately solved the following question put to -him by Arago: "What number has the following proportion: That if five -times the number be subtracted from the cube plus five times the square -of the number, and nine times the square of the number be subtracted -from that result, the remainder will be 0?" The answer, "5" was given -immediately, without putting down a figure on paper or board. It is -related that a cashier of a Chicago bank was able to mentally restore -the accounts of the bank, which had been destroyed in the great fire in -that city, and his account which was accepted by the bank and the -depositors, was found to agree perfectly with the other memoranda in the -case, the work performed by him being solely the work of his memory. - -Bidder was able to tell instantly the number of farthings in the sum of -L868, 42s, 121d. Buxton mentally calculated the number of cubical -eighths of an inch there were in a quadrangular mass 23,145,789 yards -long, 2,642,732 yards wide and 54,965 yards in thickness. He also -figured out mentally, the dimensions of an irregular estate of about a -thousand acres, giving the contents in acres and perches, then reducing -them to square inches, and then reducing them to square hair-breadths, -estimating 2,304 to the square inch, 48 to each side. The mathematical -prodigy, Zerah Colburn, was perhaps the most remarkable of any of these -remarkable people. When a mere child, he began to develop the most -amazing qualities of mind regarding figures. He was able to instantly -make the mental calculation of the exact number of seconds or minutes -there was in a given time. On one occasion he calculated the number of -minutes and seconds contained in forty-eight years, the answer: -"25,228,800 minutes, and 1,513,728,000 seconds," being given almost -instantaneously. He could instantly multiply any number of one to three -figures, by another number consisting of the same number of figures; the -factors of any number consisting of six or seven figures; the square, -and cube roots, and the prime numbers of any numbers given him. He -mentally raised the number 8, progressively, to its sixteenth power, the -result being 281,474,976,710,656; and gave the square root of 106,929, -which was 5. He mentally extracted the cube root of 268,336,125; and the -squares of 244,999,755 and 1,224,998,755. In five seconds he calculated -the cube root of 413,993,348,677. He found the factors of 4,294,967,297, -which had previously been considered to be a prime number. He mentally -calculated the square of 999,999, which is 999,998,000,001 and then -multiplied that number by 49, and the product by the same number, and -the whole by 25--the latter as extra measure. - -The great difficulty in remembering numbers, to the majority of persons, -is the fact that numbers "do not mean anything to them"--that is, that -numbers are thought of only in their abstract phase and nature, and are -consequently far more difficult to remember than are impressions -received from the senses of sight or sound. The remedy, however, becomes -apparent when we recognize the source of the difficulty. The remedy is: -_Make the number the subject of sound and sight impressions._ Attach the -abstract idea of the numbers to the sense of impressions of sight or -sound, or both, according to which are the best developed in your -particular case. It may be difficult for you to remember "1848" as an -abstract thing, but comparatively easy for you to remember the _sound_ -of "eighteen forty-eight," or the _shape and appearance_ of "1848." If -you will repeat a number to yourself, so that you grasp the sound -impression of it, or else visualize it so that you can remember having -_seen_ it--then you will be far more apt to remember it than if you -merely think of it without reference to sound or form. You may forget -that the number of a certain store or house is 3948, but you may easily -remember the sound of the spoken words "thirty-nine forty-eight," or the -form of "3948" as it appeared to your sight on the door of the place. In -the latter case, you associate the number with the door and when you -visualize the door you visualize the number. - -Kay, speaking of visualization, or the reproduction of mental images of -things to be remembered, says: "Those who have been distinguished for -their power to carry out long and intricate processes of mental -calculation owe it to the same cause." Taine says: "Children accustomed -to calculate in their heads write mentally with chalk on an imaginary -board the figures in question, then all their partial operations, then -the final sum, so that they see internally the different lines of white -figures with which they are concerned. Young Colburn, who had never been -at school and did not know how to read or write, said that, when making -his calculations 'he saw them clearly before him.' Another said that he -'saw the numbers he was working with as if they had been written on a -slate.'" Bidder said: "If I perform a sum mentally, it always proceeds -in a visible form in my mind; indeed, I can conceive of no other way -possible of doing mental arithmetic." - -We have known office boys who could never remember the number of an -address until it were distinctly repeated to them several times--then -they memorized the _sound_ and never forget it. Others forget the -sounds, or failed to register them in the mind, but after once seeing -the number on the door of an office or store, could repeat it at a -moments notice, saying that they mentally "could see the figures on the -door." You will find by a little questioning that the majority of people -remember figures or numbers in this way, and that very few can remember -them as abstract things. For that matter it is difficult for the -majority of persons to even think of a number, abstractly. Try it -yourself, and ascertain whether you do not remember the number as either -a _sound of words_, or else as the mental image or visualization of the -_form of the figures_. And, by the way, which ever it happens to be, -sight or sound, that particular kind of remembrance is _your_ best way -of remembering numbers, and consequently gives you the lines upon which -you should proceed to develop this phase of memory. - -The law of Association may be used advantageously in memorizing numbers; -for instance we know of a person who remembered the number 186,000 (the -number of miles per second traveled by light-waves in the ether) by -associating it with the number of his father's former place of business, -"186." Another remembered his telephone number "1876" by recalling the -date of the Declaration of Independence. Another, the number of States -in the Union, by associating it with the last two figures of the number -of his place of business. But by far the better way to memorize dates, -special numbers connected with events, etc., is to visualize the picture -of the event with the picture of the date or number, thus combining the -two things into a mental picture, the association of which will be -preserved when the picture is recalled. Verse of doggerel, such as "In -fourteen hundred and ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue;" or "In -eighteen hundred and sixty-one, our country's Civil war begun," etc., -have their places and uses. But it is far better to cultivate the "sight -or sound" of a number, than to depend upon cumbersome associative -methods based on artificial links and pegs. - -Finally, as we have said in the preceding chapters, before one can -develop a good memory of a subject, he must first cultivate an interest -in that subject. Therefore, if you will keep your interest in figures -alive by working out a few problems in mathematics, once in a while, you -will find that figures will begin to have a new interest for you. A -little elementary arithmetic, used with interest, will do more to start -you on the road to "How to Remember Numbers" than a dozen text books on -the subject. In memory, the three rules are: "Interest, Attention and -Exercise"--and the last is the most important, for without it the others -fail. You will be surprised to see how many interesting things there are -in figures, as you proceed. The task of going over the elementary -arithmetic will not be nearly so "dry" as when you were a child. You -will uncover all sorts of "queer" things in relation to numbers. Just as -a "sample" let us call your attention to a few: - -Take the figure "1" and place behind it a number of "naughts," thus: -1,000,000,000,000,--as many "naughts" or ciphers as you wish. Then -divide the number by the figure "7." You will find that the result is -always this "142,857" then another "142,857," and so on to infinity, if -you wish to carry the calculation that far. These six figures will be -repeated over and over again. Then multiply this "142,857" by the figure -"7," and your product will be _all nines_. Then take any number, and set -it down, placing beneath it a reversal of itself and subtract the latter -from the former, thus: - - 117,761,909 - 90,916,771 - ----------- - 26,845,138 - -and you will find that the result will always reduce to nine, and is -always a multiple of 9. Take any number composed of two or more figures, -and subtract from it the added sum of its separate figures, and the -result is always a multiple of 9, thus: - - 184 - 1 + 8 + 4 = 13 - ---- - 171 / 9 = 19 - -We mention these familiar examples merely to remind you that there is -much more of interest in mere figures than many would suppose. If you -can arouse your interest in them, then you will be well started on the -road to the memorizing of numbers. Let figures and numbers "mean -something" to you, and the rest will be merely a matter of detail. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - -HOW TO REMEMBER MUSIC. - - -Like all of the other faculties of the mind, that of music or tune is -manifested in varying degrees by different individuals. To some music -seems to be almost instinctively grasped, while to others it is acquired -only by great effort and much labor. To some harmony is natural, and -inharmony a matter of repulsion, while others fail to recognize the -difference between the two except in extreme cases. Some seem to be the -very soul of music, while others have no conception of what the soul of -music may be. Then there is manifested the different phases of the -knowledge of music. Some play correctly by ear, but are clumsy and -inefficient when it comes to playing by note. Others play very correctly -in a mechanical manner, but fail to retain the memory of music which -they have heard. It is indeed a good musician who combines within -himself, or herself, both of the two last mentioned faculties--the ear -perception of music and the ability to execute correctly from notes. - -There are many cases of record in which extraordinary powers of memory -of music have been manifested. Fuller relates the following instances of -this particular phase of memory: Carolan, the greatest of Irish bards, -once met a noted musician and challenged him to a test of their -respective musical abilities. The _defi_ was accepted and Carolan's -rival played on his violin one of Vivaldi's most difficult concertos. On -the conclusion of the performance, Carolan, who had never heard the -piece before, took his harp and played the concerto through from -beginning to end without making a single error. His rival thereupon -yielded the palm, thoroughly satisfied of Carolan's superiority, as well -he might be. Beethoven could retain in his memory any musical -composition, however complex, that he had listened to, and could -reproduce most of it. He could play from memory every one of the -compositions in Bach's 'Well Tempered Clavichord,' there being -forty-eight preludes and the same number of fugues which in intricacy -of movement and difficulty of execution are almost unexampled, as each -of these compositions is written in the most abstruse style of -counterpoint. - -"Mozart, at four years of age, could remember note for note, elaborate -solos in concertos which he had heard; he could learn a minuet in half -an hour, and even composed short pieces at that early age. At six he was -able to compose without the aid of an instrument, and continued to -advance rapidly in musical memory and knowledge. When fourteen years old -he went to Rome in Holy Week. At the Sistine Chapel was performed each -day, Allegri's 'Miserere,' the score of which Mozart wished to obtain, -but he learned that no copies were allowed to be made. He listened -attentively to the performance, at the conclusion of which he wrote the -whole score from memory without an error. Another time, Mozart was -engaged to contribute an original composition to be performed by a noted -violinist and himself at Vienna before the Emperor Joseph. On arriving -at the appointed place Mozart discovered that he had forgotten to bring -his part. Nothing dismayed, he placed a blank sheet of paper before -him, and played his part through from memory without a mistake. When the -opera of 'Don Giovanni' was first performed there was no time to copy -the score for the harpsichord, but Mozart was equal to the occasion; he -conducted the entire opera and played the harpsichord accompaniment to -the songs and choruses without a note before him. There are many -well-attested instances of Mendelssohn's remarkable musical memory. He -once gave a grand concert in London, at which his Overture to 'Midsummer -Night's Dream' was produced. There was only one copy of the full score, -which was taken charge of by the organist of St. Paul's Cathedral, who -unfortunately left it in a hackney coach--whereupon Mendelssohn wrote -out another score from memory, without an error. At another time, when -about to direct a public performance of Bach's 'Passion Music,' he found -on mounting the conductor's platform that instead of the score of the -work to be performed, that of another composition had been brought by -mistake. Without hesitation Mendelssohn successfully conducted this -complicated work from memory, automatically turning over leaf after -leaf of the score before him as the performance progressed, so that no -feeling of uneasiness might enter the minds of the orchestra and -singers. Gottschalk, it is said, could play from memory several thousand -compositions, including many of the works of Bach. The noted conductor, -Vianesi, rarely has the score before him in conducting an opera, knowing -every note of many operas from memory." - -It will be seen that two phases of memory must enter into the "memory of -music"--the memory of tune and the memory of the notes. The memory of -tune of course falls into the class of ear-impressions, and what has -been said regarding them is also applicable to this case. The memory of -notes falls into the classification of eye-impressions, and the rules of -this class of memory applies in this case. As to the cultivation of the -memory of tune, the principle advice to be given is that the student -take an active interest in all that pertains to the sound of music, and -also takes every opportunity for listening to good music, and -endeavoring to reproduce it in the imagination or memory. Endeavor to -enter into the spirit of the music until it becomes a part of yourself. -Rest not content with merely hearing it, but lend yourself to a -_feeling_ of its meaning. The more the music "means to you," the more -easily will you remember it. The plan followed by many students, -particularly those of vocal music, is to have a few bars of a piece -played over to them several times, until they are able to hum it -correctly; then a few more are added; and then a few more and so on. -Each addition must be reviewed in connection with that which was learned -before, so that the chain of association may be kept unbroken. The -principle is the same as the child learning his A-B-C--he remembers "B" -because it follows "A." By this constant addition of "just a little bit -more," accompanied by frequent reviews, long and difficult pieces may be -memorized. - -The memory of notes may be developed by the method above named--the -method of learning a few bars well, and then adding a few more, and -frequently reviewing as far as you have learned, forging the links of -association as you go along, by frequent practice. The method being -entirely that of eye-impression and subject to its rules, you must -observe the idea of visualization--that is learning each bar until you -can _see_ it "in your mind's eye" as you proceed. But in this, as in -many other eye-impressions, you will find that you will be greatly aided -by your memory of the _sound_ of the notes, in addition to their -appearance. Try to associate the two as much as possible, so that when -you _see_ a note, you will _hear_ the sound of it, and when you _hear_ a -note sounded, you will _see_ it as it appears on the score. This -combining of the impressions of both sight and sound will give you the -benefit of the double sense impression, which results in doubling your -memory efficiency. In addition to visualizing the notes themselves, the -student should add the appearance of the various symbols denoting the -key, the time, the movement, expression, etc., so that he may hum the -air from the visualized notes, with expression and with correct -interpretation. Changes of key, time or movement should be carefully -noted in the memorization of the notes. And above everything else, -memorize the _feeling_ of that particular portion of the score, that you -may not only see and hear, but also _feel_ that which you are recalling. - -We would advise the student to practice memorizing simple songs at -first, for various reasons. One of these reasons is that these songs -lend themselves readily to memorizing, and the chain of easy association -is usually maintained throughout. - -In this phase of memory, as in all others, we add the advice to: Take -interest; bestow Attention; and Practice and Exercise as often as -possible. You may have tired of these words--but they constitute the -main principles of the development of a retentive memory. Things must be -impressed upon the memory, before they may be recalled. This should be -remembered in every consideration of the subject. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -HOW TO REMEMBER OCCURRENCES. - - -The phase of memory which manifests in the recording of and recollection -of the occurrences and details of one's every-day life is far more -important than would appear at first thought. The average person is -under the impression that he remembers very well the occurrences of his -every-day business, professional or social life, and is apt to be -surprised to have it suggested to him that he really remembers but very -little of what happens to him during his waking hours. In order to prove -how very little of this kind is really remembered, let each student lay -down this book, at this place, and then quieting his mind let him -endeavor to recall the incidents of the same day of the preceding week. -He will be surprised to see how very little of what happened on that day -he is really capable of recollecting. Then let him try the same -experiment with the occurrences of yesterday--this result will also -excite surprise. It is true that if he is reminded of some particular -occurrence, he will recall it, more or less distinctly, but beyond that -he will remember nothing. Let him imagine himself called upon to testify -in court, regarding the happenings of the previous day, or the day of -the week before, and he will realize his position. - -The reason for his failure to easily remember the events referred to is -to be found in the fact that he made no effort at the time to impress -these happenings upon his subconscious mentality. He allowed them to -pass from his attention like the proverbial "water from the duck's -back." He did not wish to be bothered with the recollection of trifles, -and in endeavoring to escape from them, he made the mistake of failing -to store them away. There is a vast difference between dwelling on the -past, and storing away past records for possible future reference. To -allow the records of each day to be destroyed is like tearing up the -important business papers in an office in order to avoid giving them a -little space in the files. - -It is not advisable to expend much mental effort in fastening each -important detail of the day upon the mind, as it occurs; but there is an -easier way that will accomplish the purpose, if one will but take a -little trouble in that direction. We refer to the practice of -_reviewing_ the occurrences of each day, after the active work of the -day is over. If you will give to the occurrences of each day a mental -review in the evening, you will find that the act of reviewing will -employ the attention to such an extent as to register the happenings in -such a manner that they will be available if ever needed thereafter. It -is akin to the filing of the business papers of the day, for possible -future reference. Besides this advantage, these reviews will serve you -well as a reminder of many little things of immediate importance which -have escaped your recollection by reason of something that followed them -in the field of attention. - -You will find that a little practice will enable you to review the -events of the day, in a very short space of time, with a surprising -degree of accuracy of detail. It seems that the mind will readily -respond to this demand upon it. The process appears to be akin to a -mental digestion, or rather a mental rumination, similar to that of the -cow when it "chews the cud" that it has previously gathered. The thing -is largely a "knack" easily acquired by a little practice. It will pay -you for the little trouble and time that you expend upon it. As we have -said, not only do you gain the advantage of storing away these records -of the day for future use, but you also have your attention called to -many important details that have escaped you, and you will find that -many ideas of importance will come to you in your moments of leisure -"rumination." Let this work be done in the evening, when you feel at -ease--but do not do it after you retire. The bed is made for sleep, not -for thinking. You will find that the subconsciousness will awaken to the -fact that it will be called upon later for the records of the day, and -will, accordingly, "take notice" of what happens, in a far more diligent -and faithful manner. The subconsciousness responds to a call made upon -it in an astonishing manner, when it once understands just what is -required of it. You will see that much of the virtue of the plan -recommended consists in the fact that in the review there is an -employment of the attention in a manner impossible during the haste and -rush of the day's work. The faint impressions are brought out for -examination, and the attention of the examination and review greatly -deepen the impression in each case, so that it may be reproduced -thereafter. In a sentence: it is _the deepening of the faint impressions -of the day_. - -Thurlow Weed, a well-known politician of the last century, testifies to -the efficacy of the above mentioned method, in his "Memoirs." His plan -was slightly different from that mentioned by us, but you will at once -see that it involves the same principles--the same psychology. Mr. Weed -says: "Some of my friends used to think that I was 'cut out' for a -politician, but I saw at once a fatal weakness. My memory was a sieve. I -could remember nothing. Dates, names, appointments, faces--everything -escaped me. I said to my wife, 'Catherine, I shall never make a -successful politician, for I cannot remember, and that is a prime -necessity of politicians. A politician who sees a man once should -remember him forever.' My wife told me that I must train my memory. So -when I came home that night I sat down alone and spent fifteen minutes -trying silently to recall with accuracy the principal events of the day. -I could remember but little at first--now I remember that I could not -then recall what I had for breakfast. After a few days' practice I found -I could recall more. Events came back to me more minutely, more -accurately, and more vividly than at first. After a fortnight or so of -this, Catherine said 'why don't you relate to me the events of the day -instead of recalling them to yourself? It would be interesting and my -interest in it would be a stimulus to you.' Having great respect for my -wife's opinion, I began a habit of oral confession, as it were, which -was continued for almost fifty years. Every night, the last thing before -retiring, I told her everything I could remember that had happened to -me, or about me, during the day. I generally recalled the very dishes I -had for breakfast, dinner and tea; the people I had seen, and what they -had said; the editorials I had written for my paper, giving her a brief -abstract of them; I mentioned all the letters I had seen and received, -and the very language used, as nearly as possible; when I had walked or -ridden--I told her everything that had come within my observation. I -found that I could say my lessons better and better every year, and -instead of the practice growing irksome, it became a pleasure to go over -again the events of the day. I am indebted to this discipline for a -memory of unusual tenacity, and I recommend the practice to all who wish -to store up facts, or expect to have much to do with influencing men." - -The careful student, after reading these words of Thurlow Weed, will see -that in them he has not only given a method of recalling the particular -class of occurrences mentioned in this lesson, but has also pointed out -a way whereby the entire field of memory may be trained and developed. -The habit of reviewing and "telling" the things that one perceives, does -and thinks during the day, naturally sharpens the powers of future -observation, attention and perception. If you are witnessing a thing -which you know that you will be called upon to describe to another -person, you will instinctively apply your attention to it. The knowledge -that you will be called upon for a description of a thing will give the -zest of interest or necessity to it, which may be lacking otherwise. If -you will "sense" things with the knowledge that you will be called upon -to tell of them later on, you will give the interest and attention that -go to make sharp, clear and deep impressions on the memory. In this case -the seeing and hearing has "a meaning" to you, and a purpose. In -addition to this, the work of review establishes a desirable habit of -mind. If you don't care to relate the occurrences to another -person--learn to tell them to yourself in the evening. Play the part -yourself. There is a valuable secret of memory imbedded in this -chapter--if you are wise enough to apply it. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -HOW TO REMEMBER FACTS. - - -In speaking of this phase of memory we use the word "fact" in the sense -of "an ascertained item of knowledge," rather than in the sense of "a -happening," etc. In this sense the Memory of Facts is the ability to -store away and recollect items of knowledge bearing upon some particular -thing under consideration. If we are considering the subject of "Horse," -the "facts" that we wish to remember are the various items of -information and knowledge regarding the horse, that we have acquired -during our experience--facts that we have seen, heard or read, regarding -the animal in question and to that which concerns it. We are continually -acquiring items of information regarding all kinds of subjects, and yet -when we wish to collect them we often find the task rather difficult, -even though the original impressions were quite clear. The difficulty is -largely due to the fact that the various facts are associated in our -minds only by contiguity in time or place, or both, the associations of -relation being lacking. In other words we have not properly classified -and indexed our bits of information, and do not know where to begin to -search for them. It is like the confusion of the business man who kept -all of his papers in a barrel, without index, or order. He knew that -"they are all _there_" but he had hard work to find any one of them when -it was required. Or, we are like the compositor whose type has become -"pied," and then thrown into a big box--when he attempts to set up a -book page, he will find it very difficult, if not impossible--whereas, -if each letter were in its proper "box," he would set up the page in a -short time. - -This matter of association by relation is one of the most important -things in the whole subject of thought, and the degree of correct and -efficient thinking depends materially upon it. It does not suffice us to -merely "know" a thing--we must know where to find it when we want it. As -old Judge Sharswood, of Pennsylvania, once said: "It is not so much to -know the law, as to know _where to find it_." Kay says: "Over the -associations formed by contiguity in time or space we have but little -control. They are in a manner accidental, depending upon the order in -which the objects present themselves to the mind. On the other hand, -association by similarity is largely put in our own power; for we, in a -measure, select those objects that are to be associated, and bring them -together in the mind. We must be careful, however, only to associate -together such things as we wish to be associated together and to recall -each other; and the associations we form should be based on fundamental -and essential, and not upon mere superficial or casual resemblances. -When things are associated by their accidental, and not by their -essential qualities,--by their superficial, and not by their fundamental -relations, they will not be available when wanted, and will be of little -real use. When we associate what is new with what most nearly resembles -it in the mind already, we give it its proper place in our fabric of -thought. By means of association by similarity, we tie up our ideas, as -it were, in separate bundles, and it is of the utmost importance that -all the ideas that most nearly resemble each other be in one bundle." - -The best way to acquire correct associations, and many of them, for a -separate fact that you wish to store away so that it may be recollected -when needed--some useful bit of information or interesting bit of -knowledge, that "may come in handy" later on--is to _analyze_ it and its -relations. This may be done by asking yourself questions about it--each -thing that you associate it with in your answers being just one -additional "cross-index" whereby you may find it readily when you want -it. As Kay says: "The principle of asking questions and obtaining -answers to them, may be said to characterize all intellectual effort." -This is the method by which Socrates and Plato drew out the knowledge of -their pupils, filling in the gaps and attaching new facts to those -already known. When you wish to so consider a fact, ask yourself the -following questions about it: - - I. Where did it come from or originate? - - II. What caused it? - - III. What history or record has it? - - IV. What are its attributes, qualities and characteristics? - - V. What things can I most readily associate with it? What is it like? - - VI. What is it good for--how may it be used--what can I do with it? - - VII. What does it prove--what can be deduced from it? - - VIII. What are its natural results--what happens because of it? - - IX. What is its future; and its natural or probable end or finish? - - X. What do I think of it, on the whole--what are my general - impressions regarding it? - - XI. What do I know about it, in the way of general information? - - XII. What have I heard about it, and from whom, and when? - -If you will take the trouble to put any "fact" through the above rigid -examination, you will not only attach it to hundreds of convenient and -familiar other facts, so that you will remember it readily upon -occasion, but you will also create a new subject of general information -in your mind of which this particular fact will be the central thought. -Similar systems of analysis have been published and sold by various -teachers, at high prices--and many men have considered that the results -justified the expenditure. So do not pass it by lightly. - -The more other facts that you manage to associate with any one fact, the -more pegs will you have to hang your facts upon--the more "loose ends" -will you have whereby to pull that fact into the field of -consciousness--the more cross indexes will you have whereby you may "run -down" the fact when you need it. The more associations you attach to a -fact, the more "meaning" does that fact have for you, and the more -interest will be created regarding it in your mind. Moreover, by so -doing, you make very probable the "automatic" or involuntary -recollection of that fact when you are thinking of some of its -associated subjects; that is, it will come into your mind naturally in -connection with something else--in a "that reminds me" fashion. And the -oftener that you are involuntarily "reminded" of it, the clearer and -deeper does its impression become on the records of your memory. The -oftener you use a fact, the easier does it become to recall it when -needed. The favorite pen of a man is always at his hand in a remembered -position, while the less used eraser or similar thing has to be searched -for, often without success. And the more associations that you bestow -upon a fact, the oftener is it likely to be used. - -Another point to be remembered is that the future association of a fact -depends very much upon your system of filing away facts. If you will -think of this when endeavoring to store away a fact for future -reference, you will be very apt to find the best mental pigeon-hole for -it. File it away with _the thing it most resembles_, or to which it has -the most familiar relationship. The child does this, involuntarily--it -is nature's own way. For instance, the child sees a zebra, it files away -that animal as "a donkey with stripes;" a giraffe as a "long-necked -horse;" a camel as a "horse with long, crooked legs, long neck and humps -on its back." The child always attaches its new knowledge or fact on to -some familiar fact or bit of knowledge--sometimes the result is -startling, but the child remembers by means of it nevertheless. The -grown up children will do well to build similar connecting links of -memory. Attach the new thing to some old familiar thing. It is easy when -you once have the knack of it. The table of questions given a little -farther back will bring to mind many connecting links. Use them. - -If you need any proof of the importance of association by relation, and -of the laws governing its action, you have but to recall the ordinary -"train of thought" or "chain of images" in the mind, of which we become -conscious when we are day-dreaming or indulging in reverie, or even in -general thought regarding any subject. You will see that every mental -image or idea, or recollection is associated with and connected to the -preceding thought and the one following it. It is a chain that is -endless, until something breaks into the subject from outside. A fact -flashes into your mind, apparently from space and without any reference -to anything else. In such cases you will find that it occurs either -because you had previously set your subconscious mentality at work upon -some problem, or bit of recollection, and the flash was the belated and -delayed result; or else that the fact came into your mind because of its -association with some other fact, which in turn came from a precedent -one, and so on. You hear a distant railroad whistle and you think of a -train; then of a journey; then of some distant place; then of some one -in that place; then of some event in the life of that person; then of a -similar event in the life of another person; then of that other person; -then of his or her brother; then of that brother's last business -venture; then of that business; then of some other business resembling -it; then of some people in that other business; then of their dealings -with a man you know; then of the fact that another man of a similar name -to the last man owes you some money; then of your determination to get -that money; then you make a memorandum to place the claim in the hands -of a lawyer to see whether it cannot be collected now, although the man -was "execution proof" last year--from distant locomotive whistle to the -possible collection of the account. And yet, the links forgotten, the -man will say that he "just happened to think of" the debtor, or that -"it somehow flashed right into my mind," etc. But it was nothing but the -law of association--that's all. Moreover, you will now find that -whenever you hear mentioned the term "association of mental ideas," -etc., you will remember the above illustration or part of it. We have -forged a new link in the chain of association for you, and years from -now it will appear in your thoughts. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -HOW TO REMEMBER WORDS, ETC. - - -In a preceding chapter we gave a number of instances of persons who had -highly developed their memory of words, sentences, etc. History is full -of instances of this kind. The moderns fall far behind the ancients in -this respect; probably because there does not exist the present -necessity for the feats of memory which were once accepted as -commonplace and not out of the ordinary. Among ancient people, when -printing was unknown and manuscripts scarce and valuable, it was the -common custom of the people to learn "by heart" the various sacred -teachings of their respective religions. The sacred books of the Hindus -were transmitted in this way, and it was a common thing among the -Hebrews to be able to recite the books of Moses and the Prophets -entirely from memory. Even to this day the faithful Mohammedans are -taught to commit the entire Koran to memory. And investigation reveals, -always, that there has been used the identical process of committing -these sacred books to memory, and recalling them at will--the natural -method, instead of an artificial one. And therefore we shall devote this -chapter solely to this method whereby poems or prose may be committed to -memory and recalled readily. - -This natural method of memorizing words, sentences, or verses is no -royal road. It is a system which must be mastered by steady work and -faithful review. One must start at the beginning and work his way up. -But the result of such work will astonish anyone not familiar with it. -It is the very same method that the Hindus, Hebrews, Mohammedans, -Norsemen, and the rest of the races, memorized their thousands of verses -and hundreds of chapters of the sacred books of their people. It is the -method of the successful actor, and the popular elocutionist, not to -mention those speakers who carefully commit to memory their "impromptu" -addresses and "extemporaneous" speeches. - -This natural system of memorizing is based upon the principle which has -already been alluded to in this book, and by which every child learns -its alphabet and its multiplication table, as well as the little "piece" -that it recites for the entertainment of its fond parents and the bored -friends of the family. That principle consists of the learning of one -line at a time, and reviewing that line; then learning a second line and -reviewing that; and then reviewing the two lines together; and so on, -each addition being reviewed in connection with those that went before. -The child learns the sound of "A;" then it learns "B;" then it -associates the sounds of "A, B" in its first review; the "C" is added -and the review runs: "A, B, C." And so on until "Z" is reached and the -child is able to review the entire list from "A to Z," inclusive. The -multiplication table begins with its "twice 1 is 2," then "twice 2 is -4," and so on, a little at a time until the "twos" are finished and the -"threes" begun. This process is kept up, by constant addition and -constant review, until "12 twelves" finishes up the list, and the child -is able to repeat the "tables" from first to last from memory. - -But there is more to it, in the case of the child, than merely learning -to repeat the alphabet or the multiplication table--there is also the -strengthening of the memory as a result of its exercise and use. Memory, -like every faculty of the mind, or every muscle of the body, improves -and develops by intelligent and reasonable use and exercise. Not only -does this exercise and use develop the memory along the particular line -of the faculty used, but also along _every_ line and faculty. This is so -because the exercise develops the power of concentration, and the use of -the voluntary attention. - -We suggest that the student who wishes to acquire a good memory for -words, sentences, etc., begin at once, selecting some favorite poem for -the purpose of the demonstration. Then let him memorize one verse of not -over four to six lines to begin with. Let him learn this verse -perfectly, line by line, until he is able to repeat it without a -mistake. Let him be sure to be "letter perfect" in that verse--so -perfect that he will "see" even the capital letters and the punctuation -marks when he recites it. Then let him stop for the day. The next day -let him repeat the verse learned the day before, and then let him -memorize a second verse in the same way, and just as perfectly. Then let -him review the first and second verses together. This addition of the -second verse to the first serves to weld the two together by -association, and each review of them together serves to add a little bit -to the weld, until they become joined in the mind as are "A, B, C." The -third day let him learn a third verse, in the same way and then review -the three. Continue this for say a month, adding a new verse each day -and adding it to the verses preceding it. But constantly review them -from beginning to end. He cannot review them too often. He will be able -to have them flow along like the letters of the alphabet, from "A" to -"Z" if he reviews properly and often enough. - -Then, if he can spare the time, let him begin the second month by -learning _two verses_ each day, and adding to those that precede them, -with constant and faithful reviews. He will find that he can memorize -two verses, in the second month, as easily as he did the one verse in -the first month. His memory has been trained to this extent. And so, he -may proceed from month to month, adding an extra verse to his daily -task, until he is unable to spare the time for all the work, or until he -feels satisfied with what he has accomplished. Let him use moderation -and not try to become a phenomenon. Let him avoid overstraining. After -he has memorized the entire poem, let him start with a new one, but not -forget to revive the old one at frequent intervals. If he finds it -impossible to add the necessary number of new verses, by reason of other -occupation, etc., let him not fail to keep up his review work. The -exercise and review is more important than the mere addition of so many -new verses. - -Let him vary the verses, or poems with prose selections. He will find -the verses of the Bible very well adapted for such exercise, as they -lend themselves easily to registration in the memory. Shakespeare may be -used to advantage in this work. The "Rubaiyat" of Omar Khayyam; or the -"Lady of the Lake" by Scott; or the "Song Celestial" or "Light of Asia" -both by Edwin Arnold, will be found to be well adapted to this system -of memorizing, the verses of each being apt to "stick in the memory," -and each poem being sufficiently long to satisfy the requirements of -even the most ambitious student. To look at the complete poem (any of -those mentioned) it would seem almost impossible that one would ever be -able to memorize and recite it from beginning to end, letter perfect. -But on the principle of the continual dripping of water wearing away the -stone; or the snowball increasing at each roll; this practice of a -little being associated to what he already has will soon allow him to -accumulate a wonderfully large store of memorized verses, poems, -recitations, etc. It is an actual demonstration of the catchy words of -the popular song which informs one that: "Every little bit, added to -what you've got, makes just a little bit more." - -After he has acquired quite a large assortment of memorized selections, -he will find it impossible to review them all at one time. But he should -be sure to review them all at intervals, no matter how many days may -elapse between each review. - -The student who has familiarized himself with the principles upon which -memory depends, as given in the preceding chapters, will at once see -that the three principles of attention, association and repetition are -employed in the natural method herein recommended. Attention must be -given in order to memorize each verse in the first place; association is -employed in the relationship created between the old verses and the new -ones; and repetition is employed by the frequent reviewing, which serves -to deepen the memory impression each time the poem is repeated. -Moreover, the principle of interest is invoked, in the gradual progress -made, and the accomplishment of what at first seemed to be an impossible -task--the game element is thus supplied, which serves as an incentive. -These combined principles render this method an ideal one, and it is not -to be wondered that the race has so recognized it from the earliest -times. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - -HOW TO REMEMBER BOOKS, PLAYS, TALES, ETC. - - -In the preceding chapters we have given you suggestions for the -development of the principal forms of memory. But there are still other -phases or forms of memory, which while coming under the general -classification may be still considered as worthy of special -consideration. For instance there may be suggestions given regarding the -memorization of the contents of the books you read, the stories you -hear, etc. And so we have thought it advisable to devote one chapter to -a consideration of these various phases of memory that have been "left -out" of the other chapters. - -Many of us fail to remember the important things in the books we read, -and are often mortified by our ignorance regarding the contents of the -works of leading authors, or of popular novels, which although we have -read, we have failed to impress upon the records of our memory. Of -course we must begin by reminding you of the ever present necessity of -interest and attention--we cannot escape from these principles of the -memory. The trouble with the majority of people is that they read books -"to kill time," as a sort of mental narcotic or anaesthetic, instead of -for the purpose of obtaining something of interest from them. By this -course we not only lose all that may be of importance or value in the -book, but also acquire the habit of careless reading and inattention. -The prevalence of the habit of reading many newspapers and trashy novels -is responsible for the apparent inability of many persons to -intelligently absorb and remember the contents of a book "worth while" -when they do happen to take up such a one. But, still, even the most -careless reader may improve himself and cure the habit of inattention -and careless reading. - -Noah Porter says: "We have not _read_ an author till we have seen his -object, whatever it may be, as he _saw_ it." Also: "Read with attention. -This is the rule that takes precedence of all others. It stands instead -of a score of minor directions. Indeed it comprehends them all, and is -the golden rule.... The page should be read as if it were never to be -seen a second time; the mental eye should be fixed as if there were no -other object to think of; the memory should grasp the facts like a vise; -the impressions should be distinctly and sharply received." It is not -necessary, nor is it advisable to attempt to _memorize_ the text of a -book, excepting, perhaps, a few passages that may seem worthy to be -treasured up word for word. The principal thing to be remembered about a -book is its _meaning_--what it is about. Then may follow the general -outline, and the details of the story, essay, treatise or whatever it -may be. The question that should be asked oneself, after the book is -completed, or after the completion of some particular part of the book, -is: "What was the writer's idea--what did he wish to say?" Get the -_idea_ of the writer. By taking this mental attitude you practically -place yourself in the place of the writer, and thus _take part_ in the -idea of the book. You thus view it from the inside, rather than from the -outside. You place yourself at the centre of the thing, instead of upon -its circumference. - -If the book be a history, biography, autobiography, narrative, or story -of fact or fiction, you will find it of value to visualize its -occurrences as the story unfolds. That is, endeavor to form at least a -faint mental picture of the events related, so that you see them "in -your mind's eye," or imagination. Use your imagination in connection -with the mechanical reading. In this way you build up a series of mental -pictures, which will be impressed upon your mind, and which will be -remembered just as are the scenes of a play that you have witnessed, or -an actual event that you have seen, only less distinct of course. -Particularly should you endeavor to form a clear mental picture of each -character, until each one is endowed with at least a semblance of -reality to you. By doing this you will impart a naturalness to the -events of the story and you will obtain a new pleasure from your -reading. Of course, this plan will make you read more slowly, and many -trashy tales will cease to interest you, for they do not contain the -real elements of interest--but this is no loss, but is a decided gain -for you. At the end of each reading, take the time to mentally review -the progress of the story--let the characters and scenes pass before -your mental vision as in a moving picture. And when the book is finally -completed, review it as a whole. By following this course, you will not -only acquire the habit of easily remembering the tales and books that -you have read, but will also obtain much pleasure by re-reading favorite -stories in your imagination, years after. You will find that your -favorite characters will take on a new reality for you, and will become -as old friends in whose company you may enjoy yourself at any time, and -whom you may dismiss when they tire you, without offense. - -In the case of scientific treatises, essays, etc., you may follow a -similar plan by dividing the work into small sections and mentally -reviewing the _thought_--(not the words) of each section until you make -it your own; and then by adding new sections to your review, you may -gradually absorb and master the entire work. All this requires time, -work and patience, but you will be repaid for your expenditure. You -will find that this plan will soon render you impatient at books of -little consequence, and will drive you to the best books on any given -subject. You will begin to begrudge your time and attention, and -hesitate about bestowing them upon any but the very best books. But in -this you gain. - -In order to fully acquaint yourself with a book, before reading it you -should familiarize yourself with its general character. To do this you -should pay attention to the full title, and the sub-title, if there be -any; the name of the author and the list of other books that he has -written, if they are noted on the title page, or the one preceding it, -according to the usual custom. You should read the preface and study -carefully the table of contents, that you may know the field or general -subject covered by the book--in other words endeavor to get the general -outline of the book, into which you may afterwards fill in the details. - -In reading a book of serious import, you should make it a point to fully -grasp the meaning of each paragraph before passing on to the next one. -Let nothing pass you that you do not understand, at least in a general -way. Consult the dictionary for words not familiar to you, so that you -may grasp the full idea intended to be expressed. At the end of each -chapter, section and part, you should review that which you have read, -until you are able to form a mental picture of the general ideas -contained therein. - -To those who wish to remember the dramatic productions that they have -attended, we would say that the principles above mentioned may be -applied to this form of memory as well as to the memory of books. By -taking an interest in each character as it appears; by studying -carefully each action and scene, and then reviewing each act in the -intervals between the acts; and by finally reviewing the entire play -after your return home; you will fasten the whole play as a complete -mental picture, on the records of your memory. If you have acquainted -yourself with what we have just said regarding the recollection of the -contents of books, you will be able to modify and adapt them to the -purpose of recollecting plays and dramatic productions. You will find -that the oftener you review a play, the more clearly will you remember -it. Many little details overlooked at first will come into the field of -consciousness and fit into their proper places. - -Sermons, lectures and other discourses may be remembered by bestowing -interest and attention upon them, and by attempting to grasp each -general idea advanced, and by noting the passage from one general idea -to another. If you will practice this a few times, you will find that -when you come to review the discourse (and this you should always do--it -is the natural way of developing memory) the little details will come up -and fit into their proper places. In this form of memory, the important -thing is to train the memory by exercise and review. You will find that -at each review of a discourse you will have made progress. By practice -and exercise, the subconscious mentality will do better work, and will -show that it is rising to its new responsibilities. You have allowed it -to sleep during the many discourses to which you have listened, and it -must be taught new habits. Let it know that it is expected to retain -that which it hears, and then exercise it frequently by reviews of -discourses, and you will be surprised at the degree of the work it will -perform for you. Not only will you remember better, but you will _hear_ -better and more intelligently. The subconsciousness, knowing that it -will be called upon later on to recollect what is being said, will urge -you to bestow the attention necessary to supply it with the proper -material. - -To those who have had trouble in remembering discourses, we urge that -they should begin to attend lectures and other forms of discourse, with -the distinct purpose of developing that form of memory. Give to the -subconscious mentality the positive command that it shall attend to what -is being said, and shall record the same in such a way that when you -review the discourse afterward you will be presented with a good synopsis -or syllabus of it. You should avoid any attempt to memorize the _words_ of -the discourse--your purpose being to absorb and record the _ideas_ and -general thought expressed. Interest--Attention--Practice--Review--these -are the important points in memory. - -To remember stories, anecdotes, fables, etc., the principles given above -are to be employed. The main thing in memorizing an anecdote is to be -able to catch the _fundamental idea_ underlying it, and the epigrammatic -sentence, or central phrase which forms the "point" of the story. Be -sure that you catch these perfectly, and then commit the "point" to -memory. If necessary make a memorandum of the point, until you have -opportunity to review the story in your mind. Then carefully review it -mentally, letting the mental image of the idea pass before you in -review, and then repeating it to yourself in your own words. By -rehearsing and reviewing the story, you make it your own and will be -able to relate it afterward just as you would something that you had -actually experienced. So true is this principle, that when carried too -far it endows the story with a false sense of actuality--who has not -known men who told a story so often that they came actually to believe -it themselves? Do not carry the principle to this extreme but use it in -moderation. The trouble with many men is that they attempt to repeat a -tale, long after they have heard it, without reviewing or rehearsing in -the meantime. Consequently they omit many important points, because they -have failed to impress the story as a whole upon the memory. In order to -_know_ an anecdote properly, one should be able to _see_ its characters -and incidents, just as he does when he sees an illustrated joke in a -comic paper. If you can make a mental picture of an anecdote, you will -be apt to remember it with ease. The noted story tellers review and -rehearse their jokes, and have been known to try them on their -unsuspecting friends in order to get the benefit of practice before -relating them in public--this practice has been called by flippant -people: "trying it on the dog." But it has its good points, and -advantages. It at least saves one the mortification of being compelled -to finish up a long-drawn out tale by an: "Er--well, um-m-m--I'm afraid -I've forgotten just how that story ended--but it was a good one!" - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - -GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS. - - -In this chapter we shall call your attention to certain of the general -principles already mentioned in the preceding chapters, for the purpose -of further impressing them upon your mind, and in order that you may be -able to think of and to consider them independent of the details of the -special phases of memory. This chapter may be considered in the nature -of a general review of certain fundamental principles mentioned in the -body of the work. - -POINT I. _Give to the thing that you wish to memorize, as great a degree -of concentrated attention as possible._ - -We have explained the reason for this advice in many places in the book. -The degree of concentrated attention bestowed upon the object under -consideration, determines the strength, clearness and depth of the -impression received and stored away in the subconsciousness. The -character of these stored away impressions determines the degree of -ease in remembrance and recollection. - -POINT II. _In considering an object to be memorized, endeavor to obtain -the impressions through as many faculties and senses as possible._ - -The reason for this advice should be apparent to you, if you have -carefully read the preceding chapters. An impression received through -both sound and sight is doubly as strong as one received through but one -of these channels. You may remember a name, or word, either by having -seen it in writing or print; or else by reason of having heard it; but -if you have both _seen and heard_ it you have a double impression, and -possess two possible ways of reviving the impression. You are able to -remember an orange by reason of having seen it, smelt it, felt it and -tasted it, and having heard its name pronounced. Endeavor to know a -thing from as many sense impressions as possible--use the eye to assist -ear-impressions; and the ear to assist in eye-impressions. See the thing -from as many angles as possible. - -POINT III. _Sense impressions may be strengthened by exercising the -particular faculty through which the weak impressions are received._ - -You will find that either your eye memory is better than your ear -memory, or vice versa. The remedy lies in exercising the weaker faculty, -so as to bring it up to the standard of the stronger. The chapters of -eye and ear training will help you along these lines. The same rule -applies to the several phases of memory--develop the weak ones, and the -strong ones will take care of themselves. The only way to develop a -sense or faculty is to intelligently train, exercise and use it. Use, -exercise and practice will work miracles in this direction. - -POINT IV. _Make your first impression strong and firm enough to serve as -a basis for subsequent ones._ - -Get into the habit of fixing a clear, strong impression of a thing to be -considered, from the first. Otherwise you are trying to build up a large -structure upon a poor foundation. Each time you revive an impression you -deepen it, but if you have only a dim impression to begin with, the -deepened impressions will not include details omitted in the first one. -It is like taking a good sharp negative of a picture that you intend to -enlarge afterward. The details lacking in the small picture will not -appear in the enlargement; but those that _do_ appear in the small one, -will be enlarged with the picture. - -POINT V. _Revive your impressions frequently and thus deepen them._ - -You will know more of a picture by seeing it a few minutes every day for -a week, than you would by spending several hours before it at one time. -So it is with the memory. By recalling an impression a number of times, -you fix it indelibly in your mind in such a way that it may be readily -found when needed. Such impressions are like favorite tools which you -need every little while--they are not apt to be mislaid as are those -which are but seldom used. Use your imagination in "going over" a thing -that you wish to remember. If you are studying a thing, you will find -that this "going over" in your imagination will help you materially in -disclosing the things that you have not remembered about it. By thus -recognizing your weak points of memory, you may be able to pick up the -missing details when you study the object itself the next time. - -POINT VI. _Use your memory and place confidence in it._ - -One of the important things in the cultivation of the memory is the -actual use of it. Begin to trust it a little, and then more, and then -still more, and it will rise to the occasion. The man who has to tie a -string around his finger in order to remember certain things, soon -begins to cease to use his memory, and in the end forgets to remember -the string, or what it is for. There are many details, of course, with -which it is folly to charge the memory, but one should never allow his -memory to fall into disuse. If you are in an occupation in which the -work is done by mechanical helps, then you should exercise the memory by -learning verses, or other things, in order to keep it in active -practice. Do not allow your memory to atrophy. - -POINT VII. _Establish as many associations for an impression, as -possible._ - -If you have studied the preceding chapters, you will recognize the -value of this point. Association is memory's method of indexing and -cross-indexing. Each association renders it easier to remember or -recollect the thing. Each association gives you another string to your -mental bow. Endeavor to associate a new bit of knowledge with something -already known by, and familiar to you. In this way to avoid the danger -of having the thing isolated and alone in your mind--without a label, or -index number and name, connect your object or thought to be remembered -with other objects or thoughts, by the association of contiguity in -space and time, and by relationship of kind, resemblance or -oppositeness. Sometimes the latter is very useful, as in the case of the -man who said that "Smith reminds me so much of Brown--he's so -_different_." You will often be able to remember a thing by remembering -something else that happened at the same place, or about the same -time--these things give you the "loose ends" of recollection whereby you -may unwind the ball of memory. In the same way, one is often able to -recollect names by slowly running over the alphabet, with a pencil, -until the sight of the capital first letter of the name brings the -memory of those following it--this, however, only when the name has -previously been memorized by _sight_. In the same way the first few -notes of a musical selection will enable you to remember the whole air; -or the first words of a sentence, the entire speech or selection -following it. In trying to remember a thing which has escaped you, you -will find it helpful to think of something associated with that thing, -even remotely. A little practice will enable you to recollect the thing -along the lines of the faintest association or clue. Some men are adept -memory detectives, following this plan. The "loose end" in memory is all -the expert requires. Any associations furnish these loose ends. An -interesting and important fact to remember in this connection is that if -you have some one thing that tends to escape your memory, you may -counteract the trouble by noting the associated things that have -previously served to bring it into mind with you. The associated thing -once noted, may thereafter be used as a loose end with which to unwind -the elusive fact or impression. This idea of association is quite -fascinating when you begin to employ it in your memory exercises and -work. And you will find many little methods of using it. But always use -natural association, and avoid the temptation of endeavoring to tie your -memory up with the red-tape of the artificial systems. - -POINT VIII. _Group your impressions._ - -This is but a form of association, but is very important. If you can -arrange your bits of knowledge and fact into logical groups, you will -always be master of your subject. By associating your knowledge with -other knowledge along the same general lines, both by resemblances and -by opposites, you will be able to find what you need just when you need -it. Napoleon Bonaparte had a mind trained along these lines. He said -that his memory was like a large case of small drawers and pigeon-holes, -in which he filed his information according to its kind. In order to do -this he used the methods mentioned in this book of comparing the new -thing with the old ones, and then deciding into which group it naturally -fitted. This is largely a matter of practice and knack, but it may be -acquired by a little thought and care, aided by practice. And it will -repay one well for the trouble in acquiring it. The following table will -be found useful in classifying objects, ideas, facts, etc., so as to -correlate and associate them with other facts of a like kind. The table -is to be used in the line of questions addressed to oneself regarding -the thing under consideration. It somewhat resembles the table of -questions given in Chapter XVII, of this book, but has the advantage of -brevity. Memorize this table and use it. You will be delighted at the -results, after you have caught the knack of applying it. - -QUERY TABLE. _Ask yourself the following questions regarding the thing -under consideration. It will draw out many bits of information and -associated knowledge in your mind_: - - (1) WHAT? - (2) WHENCE? - (3) WHERE? - (4) WHEN? - (5) HOW? - (6) WHY? - (7) WHITHER? - -While the above Seven Queries are given you as a means of acquiring -clear impressions and associations, they will also serve as a Magic Key -to Knowledge, if you use them intelligently. If you can answer these -questions regarding anything, you will know a great deal about that -particular thing. And after you have answered them fully, there will be -but little unexpressed knowledge regarding that thing left in your -memory. Try them on some one thing--you cannot understand them -otherwise, unless you have a very good imagination. - - - - - * * * * * - - - - -Transcriber's note: - -Obvious typographical errors and printer errors have been corrected -without comment. Other than obvious errors, the spelling, grammar, -and use of punctuation are preserved as they appear in the original -publication. - -Inconsistencies in spelling which remain unchanged include: - - rutte/ ruttes and ruttee/ ruttees - -In addition to obvious errors, the following changes were made: - - 1. Page 15: changed "it" to "is" in the phrase, "... first thing to do - is to find...." - - 2. Page 140: changed "it" to "is" in the phrase, "... is to - visualize...." - - 3. On page 75 there was no closing quote mark to match the opening - quote at the phrase, "As Priestly says: "In a poem,..." 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