# Ideatypics; or, an Art of Memory

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IMESON'S IDEATYPICS.
FRONTISPIECE.
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IDEATYPICS;
OR, AN
ART OF MEMORY.
BY
W. T. IMESON.
"He who has a memory that can seize with an iron grasp and retain what he reads—the ideas simply, without the language—and judgment to compare and balance, will scarcely fail of being distinguished. Many are afraid of strengthening the memory, lest it should destroy their inducement and power to originate ideas—lest the light should be altogether borrowed light. The danger does not seem to me to be very great, especially since I have noticed that those who are so fearful of employing this faculty are by no means to be envied for their originality."—Todd's Student's Manual.
LONDON:
SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, AND CO.
RAMSGATE:
W. A. HUNT, QUEEN-STREET.
1844.
ENTERED AT STATIONERS HALL.
Ramsgate: W. A. Hunt, Printer, Queen-Street.
PREFACE.
In the publication of this Work, I am desirous of making known certain principles of very old date; also the System I have wrought out of these materials, calculated to lead to surprising results in its application. It would only be deemed empiricism if instances were detailed. One instance, however, may be given. A boy was allotted forty figures to get by memory; he readily complied with the wishes of his preceptor, and acquired them perfectly. On the second morning following, he was unable to say three figures successively: he was then set to the task of acquiring one thousand figures, in the same time, by Ideatypics; and it was done so effectually that any figure could be adverted to with facility. The impression becomes stronger with time, even without repetition, except that which arises from mental spontaneity, or by way of exercise.
​The learned, in every age, as it is recorded in numerous instances, assisted the powers of their mind by certain contrivances, based upon principles of acknowledged value. The desire of being useful in their day and generation, induced some to publish their systems. These aids, however, have been more or less efficacious to others, according to the particular genius, mental character or condition of those who employed them. This circumstance has led me to seek after general principles, and to diversify their application, that they might be understood. The highest flight of genius, and the weakest mental act of the simplest child of nature, are not, according to Hazlett, so far removed from each other as men suppose. Yet let no one think that I am about to set the intellectual and the imbecile on the same footing of ability by the mere cultivation of the memory.—There will be mediocrity and two wide extremes in every popular mental progress. In this Work, I propose the means of improving the retentive condition of mind, but it is in connection with the Discipline of Education, and the maturity of the judgment in that process.
The examples and the exercises are designed to help the understanding and assist the recollection, but not to supply deficient powers of thought.
The principles help not only to associate facts ​and data, but, what a Professor of eminence lately said would be a desideratum, it helps to associate the various political and moral changes, and the more remote causes and effects detailed in History; also the abstractions of metaphysical reasoning. In short, as an Educator, I have endeavoured to treat the subject in its bearing upon general Education. The importance of the subject, and its peculiar mode of treatment, as well as the desire to advance others, must be my apology for sending this Work to press.
In a few instances, there is an introduction of comic associations; but it has been my object, as much as possible, to exclude technicalities, nonsense, and false exercises. In the examples, I have attempted to supply information on subjects that could not be treated of more at length in this Work. In these and the exercises, I have applied the principles to Systematic Tables, Geography, History, Chronology, Languages, Natural History, Botany, Anatomy, Physiology, Chemistry, Logarithms, Latitudes and Longitudes, Weights and Measures, Specific Gravities, etc. etc. There are many other things that might be thought useful, that could not be introduced for want of room.
In applying the System to any subject not adverted to, the reader will generally find some analogous subject to direct him.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
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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