Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-20
TaE ART OF REMEMBERING.

A very interesting account of the won
derful feats of calculation performed by
Jacques Inaudi in Belgium was printed in
| letter in the San of November Goth.
| Another correspondent sends us the follow
ing The account of the marvellous per.
formances by Jacques maud suggests a
| few remarks upon the cultivation of the
memory-the faculty of all others most ca
pable of Improvement The science OF
mnemonics is as old as the Egyptians, but
Cicero tells us that it was first reduced to
system by the poet Simondies of Cos,
about 500 B. c.. The story is that he was
called from banquet just before the roof
fell in and crushed the remaining guests
beyond recognition. Simonides identified
the bodies by remembering their places at
the table, and this suggested to him the as
ISOLATION of thoughts and words and things
with places, images and signs. Petrus
Ravennus in l49l, John Romberch de
Krypse in 1888, Guliemo Grataroli in 1862
Marafortius In 1902, Lambert Schenkel
in 1909, and John Wallis in 1918, all pub
lshed plans more or less complicated, and
more or less useless, for assisting the mem
ory. The Memorid Technical of Richard
Grey FIRST published in 1870, appears to be
the first system of much practical value.
Conscnants represent figures, and are
forme1 into words by connecting them
with vowels. remember at school form
ing the initials of certain historical persons
and events into words, and have never for
gotten history thus learned. For example,
tour OF Marlborough's battles, in the order
in which they were fought, from the word
Brom = Blenheim, Families, Oudenarde
aud Melplaquet. The system of Fainaigle,
who lectured at the beginning of this CEN
fury, is very complicated, and requires,
one would imagine, more labor for its IN asst.
cry than would suffice to impress the mat.
tiers with which it deals at first hand upon
the memory. DR.. Stokes, who is now
teaching in London, is said to possess a
simple and more practically useful system
than any which has gone before. believe,
however, that the true method OF strength
ing the memory is to cultivate a habit of
close and careful attention. What is read.
heard or seen should not be dismissed in
staneously, but should be, as it were, re-
volved in the mind for a moment. This
may at first prove little irksome, and
may give certain appearance of sluggish
apprehension, but it viii not long be so,
and the gain will be found incaIculable.
Robert Houdln, the great French coniarer
and magician, gives an interesting account
of the origin Of the " second sight" which
he invented, and which was brought to such
a pitch of perfection by the late Professor
Heller. He says that as he and bis SOD
walked along the streets they would look
at windows crowded with toys or iewelry.
Then they would each write down as many
articles as they could recollect having seen,
and, going back, would verify their lists
Very soon, he says, his son could with one
comprehensive glance take in every article
in large, well-furnished window. Houdin
then conceived the idea of the second sight,
prepared an elaborate system OF mnemo-
MICS, and made his fortune. Miss Heller's
exploits in the same line are almost incred-
ible. Is is needless to insist upon the ex-
IRENE value Of good trustworthy mem
DRY. Petty annoyances as well as serious
inconvenience are the result Of forgetful'
nets, and most forgetfulness is the result
not OF any organic defec. or morbid condi-
ton, but of simple heedlessness, and the
habit of letting things In at one ear and
out at the other"