The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-05-20


As morning clouds before the noon
AS early dew which fees away Hos. vi. iv.
MAY u, 1868.
Remarkable Powers Of Memory.
Writers upon mental science have carefully pre-
served many instances of the most amazing powers OF
memory. Cyrus it is said, knew the name of every
officer Pny that of every soldier that served under
him. Tbemistocles could call by each of
the twenty thousand citizens Of Athens. Horensius
could sit all day at auction, and at nj gilt give an
account Of everything sold, the purchaser and the
price. Muretus at Padua young Corscan, who
could repeat without hcstatiOD thirty-six thousand
in the order in which he heard them, and then
reverse the order and proceed back to the first.
Dr. Wallis, of Oxford on one occasion, at light, in
bed proposed to himself number of fifty three places
and found i.s square of twenty places and
without writing down numbers at all dictated the re-
suit from memory twenty days afterwards. 1t was
not unusual with him to perform aritlmetcal opera
tons in the dark, the extraction of roots, e., to
forty decimal places. The distinguished Euler blind
from early life bad always in his memory table Of
the first six powers of ali numbers, from one
hundred On one occasion two of bis pupils, calcula
ting converging SERIES reaching the seventeenth
term, found their results differing by unit at the
hftieth figure, and in order to decide which cor
rect Euler went the whole in his head and his
decision afterwards found correct. Pascal for
got nothing of what he had read or heard or seen.
Perhaps the most remarkable instance Of great
DRY in modern times is the of the celebrated Mag
liabechi, librarian of the Duke of Tuscany. He would
inform any one who consulted him. not only who had
directly treated on any particular subject, but who had
indirectly touched upon it in treating OF other sub
jects, to the number Of perhaps, hundred differ
ent authors, giving the name of the book the words
often the page where they were TO- be found and with
the greatest cXactness. &..
To test his memory, one day gentleman of Flor
ence lent him at one time manuscript he had pre-
pared for the press and some time aerward came to
him with sorrowful face, AID pretended to have lost
his manuscript by accident. The poor author seemed
inCOnsoable and begged 2abech to recoilect what
he could and write it down. He assured the unforu-
nate man that he would, and setting about it, wrote
Qut the entire manuscript, without missing word
He had a local memory also, and knew where every
book stood One day the Grand Duke sent for him to
inquire if he could secure book which was very
scarce. no, sir said Magabech 't is impossible;
there is but one in the world; that is in the Grand
Seignors library at Constantinope, and is the seventh
book on the seventh shelf on the right hand you
60 in"
The question has been discussed BY writer's upon
the human faculties how far the power of memory
may be regarded test Of intellectual ability"
Some have commended that extraordinary memory
is incompatible with sound Judgment and even that
unusual development of the faculty is attended
with corresponding deficiency of some other mental
power. Others, and it is believed the majority of
sound writer's the subject entirely controver this
idea contending that the men of tile most active and
commanding intellect have been also of tenacious and
parkable instance in point.
BRUcE's Ok STORY CoNFlRMED.-The Abyssinian
correspondent Of London journal makes tue follow
ing statement:
Three Of the officers OF the Fourth Regiment saw
the other day, at Fokada operation which de-
Rcrbed by Bruce, but which has been denied by all
subsequent travellers, and by the Abyssinans them
selves. This was the operation OF cutting a steak
- from the body Of living OK. They upon the
as o
The unfortunate bullock thrown down. and its
four legs tied together. The operator then in
cison in the skin, the spine, just behind the hip
joint. He blew into this to separate the skin from
the flesh, and then cut two other incsons at right
angles to the first and then lifted flap of skin four
or FIVE inches square, From this he cut out lump Of
flesh, cutting with the knife under the skin that the
amount Of flesh taken was larger than the portion
uncovered. The operator then filled up the hole with
COW dung, replaced the flap Of skim plastered it up
with mud, united the feet of the poor animal, who
had kept up low moaning while the operation was
going on, gave it kick to make it get up, and the
whole thing was over. l should mention that the
operator cut two three gashes in the neehborlood
Of the wound, apparently sign that the animal
had been operated on in that part. The officer OBJ
served that several cattle in the same herd were
marked in precisely the same They returned
in half an hour and found the animal walking about
and feeding quietly | have not mentioned that it
hled very little at the time the operation being
performed.
SENATOR SCMNER's House AT WAsHINGroN-Noth-
ing marks the SOCIAL change in Washington since the
rebellion than the style and convenience of the
new residences In this direction Northern civsa-
ton is rapidly -has alread y-taken possession of the
capital We can't begin to tell the number of new
houses that, for the of members of Congress and
other Northern officials, have been built Of them
all however, We doubt if there is one that has more
attractveness to the visitor than Senator Summers.
Not that it is at all paatia, over-ex pensive in
teria workmanship but that it is the very perfec-
ton of convenience and tasteful arrangement No
such art gallery is in all Washington as comprises the
Senator'S His busts his engravings, lis few
paintings, his bronzes, lis books all of the choc
character and they hung and placed with rare
apposlteness OF companlonShip, and OF course with
she highest artistic effect So of his book cases. his
writing DESK his drawing and dning-room furniture
all bespeak the work of thorough artisans and an ap
preciativn owners suggestions. And if the genial oc
cupant be- found him, in possession of hours
leisure, late in the evening, his visitor may be ac-
counted enviabe in the delightful season of personal
intercourse that is sure to follow. Mr. Sumner main
tains his establishment with proverbal Boston hospi-
taly-a dinner always ready after the senatorial la
bors of the day, for chance friend two, and the
varied details of Hell-ordered household moving
like clock work. without annoyance to himself
Letter to Commonw ealth.
BUTLER AND ViDoCQ.-It is not generally known
but it is nevertheless true that Butler conducts de-
which he keeps himself informed of the most secret
acts and dongs prominent public men, and of great
many who are neither prominent nor public. His
proteges in Office in ta departments are spies upon
the Cabinet and President, and he has several of
them. He has secret agents around Grants head
quarters, too; and told on the best authority
that he has in his possession diary containing dav
and date for every time Grant has refreshed" him
self in the past four years Several instances in which
conversations about him. occurring in the sreet-cars
ore yhara tho pitu how hmm
accurately reported him are within my knowledge A
few months ago Massachusetts gentleman when
crossing the Jersey City ferry at New York, told
friend that he had left home to avoid voting for Ben
Butler, and added that he had locked up lis spoons
before starting. Some weeks afterward Butler met
this unwilling constituent and astonished him by re
peating the exact language of the ferryboa confab
Mack.
Pen SEETeHEs OF SENATORS Alfred Towns
end sketches certain Senators as follows:
Morton, of Indiana is like Cromwell dark and re-
l!gons, and fit to half armor. Conklng is a DO
mad nl;a