# A New and Improved System of Mnemonics/Chapter 9

Layout 2
CHAP IX.
HISTORY.
"Her ample page"
"Rich with the spoils of time."
We come now to our last chapter, with which, we trust, the student will be amply gratified. Instead of perplexing the attention with eighteen rooms, with four walls to every room, we require only one room, with three walls, for Modern History. Thus, on your left-hand wall you will have six windows, and the same number on your second, or front wall, having six also on your third, or right-hand wall. The first window on the first wall will contain the events of the second century; the second window, those of the third; and so on progressively to the eighteenth, which will have only sixteen places ​filled up (to the present year, 1816), for the nineteenth century. For the events of the first century, (or before A. D. 101,) you must imagine your floor to be divided into 100 compartments or places. Your first window may be distinguished by the Tower of Babel, for No. 1 on the top; your second by Dr. Faustus, and so on to No. 18; or you may employ for the first twelve, the signs of the Zodiac; and for the remainder six of the constellations, as your fancy may lead. The best method will be to rule a large sheet of paper for each century, in the form of the frontispiece; pin this to the wall; then till in the events of each century, either by hieroglyphics or letters; for example—Henry VIII. ascended the throne 1509; this would be placed in the fifteenth window, ninth compartment, symbol Tired Veteran; and we might observe, that there are two Tired Veterans, of opposite characters. With Henry VIII. we arrange lus contemporaries, and we may suppose him entertaining at his court Charles V. king of Spain, and Gustavus Vasa, of Sweden.
If you wish to impress particular facts upon your memory, use an hieroglyphic; thus, for the Reformation in Henry VIII., I sketch a crooked cross, denoting Luther, or minister of Christ—a crown, King Henry—the Rose on it, VIII. (we could not say 88)—a Candle, the Light of the Reformation—a fallen Tiura, the Victory over Papal Superstition. This may or may not be associated with the proper symbol; and the method is both elegant and certain. Fainsigle has given a most admirable specimen. We may indeed dispense with the symbols, and form nouns from the dates themselves; thus, 103, Stag, and associate au event with it; 1003 would be Wag, &c.; taking cure only that, when you have once formed words, you duly note them.
It is also to be preferred that every place should be filled up, as you can then (making the central ​symbol distinguishable either for size or colour) localise the symbols for each century; and thus there will be an unbroken chain of events; for the selection of which, care should be taken lest you store up trifles. Mr. Thomas has published an excellent synopsis of Universal History on one sheet, and here allow me to recommend it. Miss Rundall's Symbolic History of England, from what has been said of it, is also an excellent help: so are "The Stream of Time," and "Guy's Chart of Universal History."
Ancient History may be divided by the student into distinct periods; thus—
1st—Period from the Creation to the Foundation of Rome.
2d—to the Death of Alexander.
3d—to the Birth of Christ.
And, for general purposes, one window will contain the principal facts of Ancient History, forming the dates into words.
But as many persons are fond of the picturesque, and may not hesitate to be at the expence of having a room painted for the express purpose, we would suggest the following:
On the first wall let there be three pyramids, the middle larger than the other two—a scroll of the 100 symbols attached to ench; at the foot of the first is a Turk, having a scroll in his hand, for the idea of windows is now abandoned at the foot of the second, an elegant European lady, writing on another scroll; and, at the foot of the third, au African, exhibiting another for your inspection. Thus the pyramids will be numbered 1 to 3, and the persons 4 to 6, on your first wall.
On the second wall you have a steep Hill, on the top of which is the Temple of Fame, on which you place three celebrated characters,—Homer, Vir​gil, and Milton, (if you please,) No. 7 to 9, each having a scroll. At the foot on the left is a Female, and on the right a Male, each pressing forward, (for the sake of effect;) between these place a fountain, or, instead, imagine yourself with a scroll; the last three will be numbered 10, 11, 12. On the third wall may be painted Greenwich Hospital; behind it, on the Hill, No. 13, is the Royal Observatory, let the hieroglyphics be delineated on the flag upon it. For 14, let a man be placed at the right wing of the Hospital; 15, a woman on the centre; 16, a man on the left wing; 17, a scroll on a boat in the river; 18, another on a ship of war; 19, on the Lord Mayor's barge on the right, &c.
We shall now conclude in the words of Grataroli—"It sufficeth, therefore, that we have expressed a methode or compendious waye, the which whosoever followeth shall easeyle (so that exercise be not lackynge) get and attaine the certeine and sure remembraunce of manye and sundrye things as due occasion shall require." At the same time, the Author is sensible that much more might have been adduced in elucidation of the subject in question, but the whole, in a future edition, (should it be called for,) shall undergo a strict revision.