# The Practical Memory System

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The ∙ Practical ∙ Memory ∙ System.
by Prof. G. FREDERIC LESTER
THE
Practical Memory System.
BY PROF. G. FREDERIC LESTER.
Ост. 1, 1887.
BOSTON: PRESS OF L. BARTA & CO. 1888.
PREFACE.
I don't claim that I have invented an entirely new system for cultivating and improving the memory, only that I am teaching a modern system based upon natural principles; the association of ideas.
Of all the intellectual powers with which man is endowed, there is none the cultivation of which is more important than that of memory, and, by a happy coincidence, there is none more susceptible of cultivation and improvement. Valuable aids to memory were in use long before the Christian era, and numerous attempts have since been made to simplify and render them generally available; but, being so cumbrous and indefinite a nature, were pronounced valueless. It is for this reason that a vague ​notion seems to exist that any system of memory must be extremely difficult to master.
Dr. Watts, in his "Essay on the Improvement of the Mind," speaks strongly on anything which may assist the mind in a question of knowledge, and alludes in highest terms to the systematic training of the memory.
I am going to follow and guide you through this system till you are familiar with it. I do not propose to enter into any details as historical or scientific facts, but make it concise as possible. The following pages are arranged to instruct the pupil rather than to fill them with flourishing language and obscure expressions. I have undertaken to place the subject within the reach of all classes, that it may be interesting as well as instructive and beneficial.
If our memory is able to retain important details, our business capacity will be increased proportionately.
Any one familiar with shorthand will find the system easy to master, and, in fact, the ​system will be a valuable aid in the study of shorthand. By its aid any one of average ability and intellect may compete with those highly talented by carrying out this method, which in time so strengthens the memory that the system is no longer required. The gaining of this power is not a tedious process, at variance with the natural working of the mind, but its acquirement is certified as easy and pleasant. A fair trial of the process will convince you of its value.
LESSON ONE.
We will now commence to master the system.
All the sounds of the letters of the alphabet represent figures, except the vowels a, e, i, o, u, and w, h, and y, and can be used for figures to an unlimited extent.
Figures, when standing alone, represent nothing unless they are used as numerators of objects.
It is very difficult to remember a large number of figures. How can we get over this difficulty?
Any amount of figures can be retained by expressing them by words or familiar phrases. The resemblance between the letters and figures will aid us to a great extent in the remembrance of them.
The following sounds represent the figures I to the o:—
​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/10 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/11 ​The following table are words called links, pegs, or prompters. The value of them will be seen in the following lessons. Figures from 1 to 100 are represented by words. The rule for representing figures by words once understood will enable you to remember any number of figures.
| 1 hat. | 26 inch. | 51 lady. | 76 cage. |
| 2 honey. | 27 ink. | 52 lawn. | 77 keg. |
| 3 home. | 28 knife. | 53 elm. | 78 calf. |
| 4 hero. | 29 knap. | 54 lawyer. | 79 cab. |
| 5 hill. | 30 mouse. | 55 lily. | 80 face. |
| 6 hash. | 31 Meat. | 56 lash. | 81 foot. |
| 7 hack. | 32 Man. | 57 elk. | 82 fan. |
| 8 hoof. | 33 Mummy. | 58 loaf. | 83 foam. |
| 9 hip. | 34 mire. | 59 lip. | 84 fur. |
| 10 woods. | 35 mill. | 60 cheese. | 85 fowl. |
| 11 tide. | 36 match. | 61 shed. | 86 fish. |
| 12 tin. | 37 mug. | 62 chain. | 87 fig. |
| 13 tomb. | 38 muff. | 63 gem. | 88 fife. |
| 14 deer. | 39 map. | 64 cherry. | 89 fibe. |
| 15 dale. | 40 horse. | 65 jelly. | 90 posy. |
| 16 dish. | 41 Road. | 66 judge. | 91 pad. |
| 17 deck. | 42 rain. | 67 cheek. | 92 pin. |
| 18 dove. | 43 room. | 68 chaff. | 93 poem. |
| 19 top. | 44 warrior. | 69 ship. | 94 lower. |
| 20 news. | 45 rail. | 70 kiss. | 95 bell. |
| 21 wind. | 46 Irish. | 71 cat. | 96 bush. ​ |
| 22 nun. | 47 rock. | 72 gun. | 97 bug. |
| 23 name. | 48 roof. | 73 game. | 98 beef. |
| 24 Norway. | 49 harp. | 74 core. | 99 bib. |
| 25 nail. | 50 lass. | 75 gale. | 100 doses. |
This table should be so well committed to memory, that you will be able to mention the corresponding word when the figure is given, and figure when the word is given. Commit to memory the following words:—
| 1 campaign. | 9 physician. |
| 2 industry. | 10 ship. |
| 3 liberty. | 11 hotel. |
| 4 child. | 12 store. |
| 5 book. | 13 flowers. |
| 6 babel. | 14 guide. |
| 7 train. | 15 dew. |
| 8 carriage. | |
Associate the word to be remembered with the prompter. An intermediate association will be very convenient sometimes.
First prompter is Hat. First word is Campaign.
1 Hat suggests CAMPAIGN Hat.
2 Honey suggests Bees, and bees suggest INDUSTRY.
3 Home—Country. Country—LIBERTY.
4 Hero—Rescue. Rescue—CHILD.
​5 Hill—Geography. Geography—Study. Study—Book.
6 Hash—Clatter. Clatter—Confusion. Confusion—Tongues. Tongues—BABEL.
7 Hack—Hurry. Hurry—TRAIN.
8 Hoof—Horse. Horse—CARRIAGE.
9 Hip—Disease. Disease—PHYSICIAN.
10 Woods—Trees. Trees—Bark. Bark—SHIP.
11 Tide—Seashore. Seashore—HOTEL.
12 Tin—Kitchen Utensils. Kitchen Utensils—STORE
13 Tomb—Decorated. Decorated—FLOWERS.
14 Deer Hunter. Hunter—GUIDE.
15 Dale-Wet. Wet—DEW.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE REMEMBRANCE OF CHRONOLOGY.
For all the Tables of Modern Chronology, including European and American History, Modern and American Battles since 1200, we find it convenient, in many cases, to have the link or association represent three figures only, and complete the date by prefixing a figure I to the translation.
EXAMPLE.
Captain Kidd commenced his piracies. 1698
Kid and Leather, Leather and Shipper. Shipper and S$^6$hiP$^9$ oFF$^8$.
By some attention to chronology, the learner will readily perceive which general period, ancient, middle age, or modern, an event belongs to, and thus know whether the figure I is to be prefixed or not. Prefixing 1 adds 1000 years to the translation, We shall not often make a mistake of 1000 years by supplying the figure in ancient or middle age chronology, or by omitting it in modern events. In many cases a desirable word will express them all.
I will give you an idea of the process by ​giving you a few examples, and leave the rest for the study of the pupil. You can readily see how one word suggests the other; it may mean the same, or it may mean just the opposite. Words that are opposite to each other are easily remembered as Sweet-Sour. Steamer-Raft. The association of ideas is the mainspring of memory.
We take the same process in the remembrance of astronomical statistics, historical events both modern and ancient, latitudes and longitudes of places, heights of mountains, lengths of rivers, mythology, etc.
OTHER BATTLES FOR PRACTICE OF PUPILS.
| Queenstown | 1812 |
| Frenchtown | 1813 |
| Sackets Harbor | 1813 |
| Lake Erie | 1813 |
| Thames | 1813 |
| Chippewa | 1814 |
| Bridgewater | 1814 |
| Bladensburg | 1814 |
| Lake Champlain | 1814 |
| Plattsburg | 1814 |
| Baltimore | 1814 |
| New Orleans | 1815 |
| San Jacinto | 1836 |
| Palo Alto | 1846 |
| Resaca de la Palma | 1846 |
| Monterey | 1846 |
| Buena Vista | 1847 |
| Sacramento | 1847 |
| Vera Cruz | 1847 |
| Cerro Gordo | 1847 |
| Churubusco | 1847 |
| Chepultepec | 1847 |
| Mexico taken | 1847 |
These will be found a great aid in history.
​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/19 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/20 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/21 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/22 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/23 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/24 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/25 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/26 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/27 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/28 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/29 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/30 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/31 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/32 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/33 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/34 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/35 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/36 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/37 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/38 ​Page:The practical memory system (IA practicalmemorys00lest).pdf/39 ​brance of a book. In order to remember a subject correctly, it is absolutely necessary that the pupil's mind should be perfectly composed, so that it can be fully concentrated on it.
It is also essential not to allow the attention to wander into any soliloquies or reflections on the various topics, as the whole time is needed for seizing the striking ideas, and noting the others that depend on them. Contemplation of the subject must be left till afterwards.
Should success not attend the first, or even second effort, do not despair, but remember the time-worn quotation, "Practice makes perfect."
PROSE, POETRY, ETC.
Learners are often heard to say, "Really, my memory is very bad. I wish I could find some easy way to learn prose and poetry." We must remember one thing. There is no royal road to learning! Memory depends, to a certain extent, on attention and repetition. Our readers will not accomplish any​thing by the use of my memory aids, unless the student is determined to learn. The more the Mnemonic rules are applied, the easier they will be found. The following piece of composition has been selected for an example of the practical use which the system possesses.
MACAULAY'S ARMADA.
1—Attend, all ye who list to hear our noble England's praise;
2—I tell of the thrice famous deeds she wrought in ancient days,
3—When that great fleet invincible against her bore in vain,
4—The richest spoils of Mexico, the stoutest hearts of Spain.
We must associate the most prominent idea contained in each line with the next idea, and so on to the end of the piece of composition.
Attend and Hear. Hear and Noble England's Praise. Noble England's Praise and Famous Deeds. Famous Deeds and She Wrought in Ancient Days. Ancient Days ​and Great Fleet. Great Fleet and Invincible. Invincible and Richest Spoils of Mexico. Mexico and Stoutest Hearts of Spain must be associated together in the following manner.
"Attend" and "Hear," By "Attending" we "Hear." (Making questions out of the lines will be found of great assistance.) Hear and England's Praise. "Hear" what? Why, hear of "Noble England's Praise." Noble England's Praise and "Famous Deeds." England has performed "Famous Deeds." "Famous Decds" and "Ancient Days." What "Famous Deeds"? Answer, The Deeds "She wrought in Ancient Days." "Ancient Days" and "Great Fleet." In "Ancient Days" "Great Fleets" were scarce. "Great Fleet" and "Invincible." What kind of a "Great Fleet"? Answer, A "Great Fleet" "Invincible." "Invincible" and "Richest Spoils of Mexico." The "Richest Spoils of Mexico" are "Invincible." "Richest Spoils of Mexico" and the "Stoutest Hearts of Spain." The "Mexican" Spaniards have a heart as stout as the "Stoutest Hearts of Spain."
I think I have made this plain enough to ​show the pupil the idea. The following is another way:—
Associate the most prominent idea in each line with the corresponding prompter. (As—Hill and Attend, Honey and Famous Deeds). In this manner you will be able to mention any line as the number is called. But as this is of no particular advantage, and as it is a little more difficult and not so natural, I should advise pupils to use the former.
AMUSEMENT.
The following feats are appropriate for evening entertainments, fairs, etc.:—
Remembrance of a long list of words or figures.
Call a gentleman or lady from the audience to step upon the platform and write forty or fifty words, dictated by the audience, numbering each word in their order. Associate the first word with the first prompter, Hill; and the second with the second prompter, Honey, and so on. One hundred words or more may be easily remembered in this manner.
Buy twelve clock faces or dials and tack them up in a convenient place, numbering them from one to twelve. Let a person place them at different times. Twenty minutes past nine must be read 9.20. Make a word that will express the three figures, and associate it with the prompter that corresponds with the number of the clock. If the time has four figures, two words may be made.
FIGURES.
Write figures on the blackboard, dictated by the audience, taking care to place nine figures horizontally across the board. Four lines or thirty-six figures are generally enough to conveniently fill a blackboard of ordinary size. Translate every three figures into a word, and associate with the prompters.
740, 014, 941. 110, 484, 310. 594, 250, 100. 742, 940, 521.
Hat and 740—Cress. A Hat, the color of Cress. Honey and 014—Store. Honey may be bought in a Store. Home and 941—Abroad. Leaving home to go Abroad. Hero and 110—Deeds. A Hero is noted for his good Deeds. Hill and 484—River. A Hill is the rising point of a River. Hash and 310—Meats. A Hash is a combination of all Meats.
EXAMPLES.
June 8, 1845.—As 1845 is a standard year, there will be nothing to subtract. June is in the first square, therefore the first Sunday falls on the 1st. The second Sunday falls on seven days after the first, or the 8th; so June 8, 1845, falls on a Sunday.
March 20, 1836.—The nearest standard year to 1836 is 1834. 34 from 36 leaves 2 to be added to March 20, making it March 22. March is in the second square, and the first Sunday falls on the 2d—2, 9, 16, 23. If the 23d is Sunday, the 22d is one day before, or Saturday; so March 20, 1836, falls on Saturday.
THE ASSOCIATION OF IDEAS.—THE MAINSPRING OF MEMORY.
Association of ideas is very strong. We are often able to recollect people perhaps by something they very frequently say, or upon entering a place where you have spent many pleasant hours with them. If you are in a strange place, and happen to take notice of a store, house, or any object, you will soon be able to find your way round and make yourself familiar with the place, Rhyming is a great aid. It can be used in scientific terms, definitions, and proper names. Associations of sound are the strongest associations in language. Names can be remembered by making phrases or words that sound like them. When the name is required the phrase will immediately come up and suggest the name. Mr. Horsely sounds like horse. Mr. Horsely may be a strong, powerful man, and upon thinking of horse Mr. Horsely will be at once suggested. The following is another ​method. I know a gentleman whose name is Coldbaugh, and is connected with a bank. The valuables in a bank are kept behind a Cold—Bar. He also has his place of business on Water St. Cold—Water will also give his address.
If, by any reason, I have not fulfilled the wants of all in this little book, instructions in any particular point will be sent upon the receipt of twenty-five cents.
G. FREDERIC LESTER,
Boston, Mass.
This work was published before January 1, 1930, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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