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We find another illustration of this rule in the reading of history.- -There is such a multitude of facts in historical writings, that to endeavor to remember them all is fruitless; and if it could be done, would be of very small advantage. Hence, in reading the history of any country, fix upon two or three of the most interesting epochs ; make them the subject of particular attention; learn the spirit of the age, and the private life and fortunes of prominent individuals; in a word, study these periods not only as annalists, but as philosophers. When they are thus studied, the mind can hardly fail to retain them; they will be a sort of landmarks; and all the other events in the history of the country, before and afterwards, will naturally arrange themselves in reference to them. The memory will strongly seize the prominent periods, in consequence of the great interest felt in them; and the less important parts of the history of the country will be likely to be retained, so far as is necessary, by the aid of the principle of contiguity, and without giving them great attention. Further, historical charts or genealogical trees of history are of some assistance for a similar reason, that maps, globes, &c. are in geography.

This rule for strengthening the memory will apply also to the more abstract sciences.-"In every science, (says Stewart, Elements, CH. VI, §. 3,) the ideas, about which it is peculiarly conversant, are connected together by some associating principle; in one science, for instance, by associations founded on the relation of cause and effect; in another, by the associations founded on the necessary relations of mathematical truths."

§. 256. Further directions for the improvement of the memory. (IV)-The order, in which things are laid up in the memory, should be the order of nature.In nature every thing has its appropriate place, connections, and relations. Nothing is insulated, and wholly cut off, as it were, from everything else; but whatever exists or takes place falls naturally into its allotted position within the great sphere of creation and events. Hence the rule, that knowledge, as far forth as possible, should exist mentally or subjectively in the same order as the corresponding objective reality exists. The laws of

the mind will be found in their operation to act in harmony with the laws of external nature. They are, in some sense, the counterparts of each other. We might illustrate the benefits of the application of this rule by referring to almost any well digested scientific article, historical narration, poem, &c. But perhaps its full import will be more readily understood by an instance of its utter violation.

A person was one day boasting, in the presence of Foote the comedian, of the wonderful facility, with which he could commit any thing to memory, when the modern Aristophanes said he would write down a dozen lines in prose, which he could not commit to memory in as many minutes. The man of great memory accepted the challenge; a wager was laid, and Foote produced the following." So she went into the garden to cut a cabbage-leaf to make an apple pie; and at the same time a great she-bear, coming up the street, pops its head into the shop. What, no soap? What, no soap? So he died, and she very imprudently married the barber; and there were present the Piciniunies, and the Joblillies, and the Garyulies, and the grand Panjandrum himself, with the little round button at the top; and they all fell to playing catch as catch can, till the gunpowder ran out of the heels of their boots." -The story adds that Foote won the wager. And it is very evident that statements of this description, utterly disregarding the order of nature and events, must defy, if carried to any great length, the strongest memory.

(V.)-The memory may be strengthened by exercise.Our minds, when left to sloth and inactivity, lose their vigor; but when they are kept in exercise, and, after performing what was before them, are tasked with new requisitions, it is not easy to assign limits to their ability. This seems to be a general and ultimate law of our nature. It is applicable equally to every original susceptibility, and to every combination of mental action. In repeated instances we have had occasion to refer to its results both on the body and the mind. The power of perception is found to acquire strength and acuteness by exercise. There are habits of conception and of association, as well as of perception; and we shall be able to detect the existence and operation of the same great principle, when we come to speak of reasoning, imagination, &c.

As this principle applies equally to the memory, we are able to secure its beneficial results, by practising that repetition or exercise, on which they are founded.

§. 257. Of observance of the truth in connection with memory.

Another help to the memory, which has seldom been noticed, and certainly not so much as its importance demands, is the conscientious and strict observance of the truth.—It will be found on inquiry, that those, who are scrupulous in this respect, will be more prompt and exact in their recollections, within the sphere of what they undertake to remember, than others. A man of this description may possibly not remember so much as others; for the same conscientiousness, which is the basis of his veracity, would instinctively teach him to reject from his intellectual store house a great deal of worthless trash. But within the limits, which for good reasons undoubtedly he sets to his recollections, he will be much more exact, much more to be relied on, provided there is no original or constitutional ground of difference. It has been suggested in regard to Dr. Johnson, that his rigid attention to veracity, his conscientious determination to be exact in his statements, was the reason, in a considerable degree, that his memory was so remarkably tenacious and minute. And the suggestion is based in sound philosophy. If a man's deep and conscientious regard for the truth be such, that he cannot consistently with the requisitions of his moral nature, repeat to others mere vaguenesses and uncertainties, he will naturally give such strict and serious attention to the present objects of inquiry and knowledge, that they will remain in his memory afterwards with remarkable distinctness and permanency.

§. 258. Of committing to writing as a means of aiding memory. Among other means of aiding the memory, it is often recommended to commit to writing the knowledge, which we acquire. This practice, if not carried too far, so as greatly to supersede the direct exercise of the memory, is attended with certain advantages, which justify an occasional resorting to it.-(1) Often in the course of a person's opportunities of reading and of intercourse with the world, he becomes acquainted with facts, with which he is unwilling to burden

his memory, and which he is equally unwilling to lose. Here it is proper to resort to this method, which, at the same time, leaves the memory free for other subjects, and retains what may be found at some future period important.--(2) In the progress of a person's experience and investigations, he arrives at certain important conclusions; for in literature, and in the departments of science, and in the philosophy of human conduct, there are certain principles to be ascertained, which hold a first rank, and exert their influence on all collateral inquiries. The means or process, by which he arrived at them, is permitted to fade away from the mind, because he has no desire to remember it. But it may often be found desirable to call in the aid of writing in order to prevent the possibility of a like result with those important principles, which he has established with no small labor. These occasional records will not only secure the great truths he has gained; but will furnish land-marks of the gradual developement of the mind, and profitable intimations concerning the laws, by which it is governed.

§. 259. Of mnemonics or systems of artificial memory.

We shall conclude these suggestions on the subject of aiding and improving the memory, by a remark or two on the method or system of MNEMONICS. By a system of mnemonics or of artificial memory is meant "a method of connecting in the mind things difficult to be remembered, with things easily remembered, so as to enable it to retain and recollect the former by means of the latter."The things easy to be remembered are short and simple verses, or the walls or compartments of a room, or grotesque pictures, and the like. Important facts are to be connected with these, in the expectation that the former will be remembered because the latter are.

It is no doubt possible to give a temporary aid to the memory by such arbitrary arrangements; by associating our ideas with a set of sounds, places, and images. Such assistance may occasionally be of some advantage to public speakers, and to persons, who are called to remember a large number of insulated facts. But there is reason to fear that the benefit is more than counterbalanced by burdening and

distracting the memory with what is allowedly frivolous and perhaps ridiculous. However this may be, it is generally admitted to be the fact, that those systems, that are proposed for use at the present time, are too complicated for plans, which profess to render the acquisition of knowledge more easy. They can never be adopted into general use, unless they are rendered more simple; nor do we apprehend, that a person, who follows the rules for strengthening and applying the memory, which have been laid down in this chapter, will stand greatly in need of any other helps in recollecting most things, that will be useful and important.

CHAPTER NINTH.

DURATION OF MEMORY.

§. 260. Restoration of thoughts and feelings, supposed to be forgotten.

BEFORE quitting the subject of Memory, there is another point of view, not wholly wanting in interest, in which it is susceptible of being considered; and that is the permanency or duration of its power to call up its past experiences. It is said to have been an opinion of Lord Bacon, that no thoughts are lost, that they continue virtually to exist, and that the soul possesses within itself laws, which, whenever fully brought into action, will be found capable of producing the prompt and perfect restoration of the collected acts and feelings of its whole past existence.

This opinion, which other able writers have fallen in with, is clearly worthy of examination, especially when we consider, that it has a practical bearing, and involves important moral and religious consequences. Some one will perhaps inquire, is it possible, is it in the nature of things, that we should be able to recall the million of little acts and feelings, which have transpired in the whole course of our lives? Let such an inquirer be induced to consider, in the first place,

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