The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-12-24
THE ART OF REMEMBERING.
Hints for the BeneAt OF Those who arc
Troubled with Forxctn,luess.

very interesting account OF the wonder
full fea's Of calculation performed by Jacques
lnaudi in Belgium was printed in a letter in
The SUN on Now 20. Another correspondent
sends us the following.
Tho account of the marvellous performances
by jacques lnaudi suggests few remarks
upon the cultivation OF the memory-tho fac
uiy OF MI others most capable of improve
mrnt. The science oi iunemOnicS is rs old ns
the Egyptians but Cicero tells us that il was
first reduced 70 n system by the poet Simondns
OF Cos about 300 h. g, The story is that he. wa.
called from banquet Just botore the roof fell
in and crushed the remaining guests beyond
rocosniton. Smqnidct identified the bodies
by remembering their places AT table, and this
suggested to him the association OF thoughts
and words and things with pUces. images and
herch Dc krypse in 1888 Guiemp Grataroli in
loG2, Maraiprtius in lGO2 Lambert Srheukol
ii i6" ana J%Pn Wells n iai; all published
lnsI useless, tor assisting the memory. Tho
henl9r.a ieGh"wd of Richard Grey, first pub
llshcd in 1880 appears to isr tho first System Of
nnch practical value. tonsonAUtS represent
ilSures. and are formed into words by connect
forming the Initials of certain historical per
sons ana events into w"r'is, and hnve never
-four OF Marhorougl's battles in the order in
WtlIrh ih"y wer" fought, form tho word H'Ou-
b!'nhelm ia,milics. n9icnarde, and MalpM,
uHGt. Tho sv.tem OF falnaigle, who lecturod
at the beginning Of this century. l. very com
pliratrd and requires, one would Imagine,
To impress the matters with which it deals
at first hand upon the memory. Dr. Stokes
who is now teaching In London, il said to pos
sGSs simple and mora practically useful sys-
tom tlnn any which has gone before.
believe, however, that the true method OF
nSth"nlng the memory is to cultivate a
haht of close and careful attention. What IL
road, heard or seen should not be dismissed
instantanoousiy. but should be-. ~ it were re-
y1lyed in The mind for moment. This may ut
first provo n little irkSomn, and may give a Ger
tain npp1arhnce of sluggish apprehension. but
II viii not long M SO. ana the gain will ba found
incalculablc Robert llpudin, the great French
conlurcr and mcchHncan gives an interesting
account OF tho origin OF tho second sight"
which he invented and which was brought to
such n pitch of perfect ion by the late Prof.
Heller. lie says that rs he and his son walked
along tn" streets they would look at windows
crowded with toys or jrwelry. Then they would
each write down rs many articles rs they could
reco!lcct having seen, and. going back. would
verify their lists. Very soon. hs says his son
could with one comprehensive glanc. take in
every article in n large wcli-furnishcd window.
liouiin then conceived the idea of tho second
sight prepared an elaborate system Of mue-
monies. aud made his fortune Miss Hellers
exploits in the same line are almost incredible.
IL Is needless to Insist upon the extreme valuo
OF Il good and trustworthy memory Petty an
noyances rs well as serious Inconvenience are
the result of torgctfulncss. and most forgctful-
ness IL the result not Of any organic defect or
morbid condition, but Of simple hccdlessncss
and the habit of letting things in ut one ear
and out at tho other"