The Washington critic., 1888-05-26
HOW TO REMEMBER.
OF Ideas the Koy TO Coo
Memory.


nation, 'Oh, that reminds me = when
the mention of something in the
course Of conversation recalls to the
memory some other matter that had
been forgotten. Yet most people use
the expression unconscious of the
fact that one thing recalls another,
not through mere chance or haphaz-
ard, but in obedience to a fixed law of
the mind. Very often, too, when
thoughts or ideas seem to spring
spontaneously in the mind, we would
find, il we could trace the preceding
train Of mental impressions, that
those thoughts or ideas had not risen
spontaneously, but link by link in
obedience to the same law. Such is
the keynote of my system Of culti-
waiting the memory"
This was said to reporter by
lecturer on the art of memorizing who
offers the following exposition of his
method.
This method of memorization,
he continued, has this advantage,
that 1t can cultivate naturally de-
fective memory up to state of
comparative proficiency with even
greater ease than it can increase the
capacity Of naturally excellent one.
Persons with bad memories are al
most invariably more imaginative
than persons with good memories.
Now, it is by utilizing this stronger
faculty, the imagination, to assist its
weaker companion, that the method
l teach is enabled to do so much.
And this is done by Installation.
Take your notebook, for instance,
and set down, say, fifty simple words,
the names Of wholly disconnected
things just as they chance to suggest
themselves"
The reporter complied, and, obtain
ing his suggestions from the multifa-
rious objects surrounding him, hastily
iotted down fifty words, beginning
with boy, table, stove, gaslight, per-
fumery and chickens.
FORMING MENTAL PICTURES.
"Now," pursued the Professor,
"you will observe that the words you
have set down are the names of OBJ
iects that may be readily visualized,
or pictured in the minds eye. In
order to commit the list to memory it
is not necessary to employ the ordi-
nary and tedious method Of frequent
repetition, or learning by rote, You
can impress it upon your mind at one
reading by totally different means.
Now begin with pictures conveyed by
your first two words - boy, table.
Picture in your imagination boy and
table, in any connection you choose
peaceful, dramatic or ludicrous. Have
the boy standing on his head on the
table, for instance, for often the more
grotesque or ridiculous the situation
the more strongly will it impress the
mind"
"All right" said the reporter, max.
ing a mental photograph.
"Now, let that picture pass away, be-
ing careful not to burden the mind by
trying to remember anything, and sim
ply follow my directions. Let the first
Sord, boy, drop from your mind en-
tirely, and proceed as before to form a
new and distinct mental picture of the
two ideas-table, stove. A table, for IN
stance, may be pictured as leaning and
smoking against red-hot stove, or the
stove may be standing on the table,
or the table on the stove; or connect
them in any way your fancy may
suggest. Let your mind dwell
upon this picture until it is properly
impressed, and then let this picture
also pass away. Now drop the first
word of your last pair, table, from
your mind, and, taking up the next
pair, stove and gaslight, associate
them in mental picture as before.
Proceed in the same way through the
entire list. In this manner, even il
there be hundreds of words to mem.
&c,, 1,o ,,,,1J ~, II,
for there will never be more than
two ideas in the mind at once.
A SIMPLE EXERCISE.
The reporter followed these in
structions throughout his list of fifty
words.
"Now," continued the Professor
"in repeating the series from mem
DRY do not say, Boy standing on heaG
on table; table leaning against ho'
stove. &C., but, although mentally
recalling the pictures one by one
speak aloud only the words contained
in the list, which will hold while
you repeat, Go on.
The reporter did so, and found tha
he could repeat the whole list witt
ease and without single break
Then, at the Professors suggestion
and without any further study, he re
versed the order and found that hC
could repeat the series just as easily
backward.
THE RUDIMENTs.
'There you are !" exclaimed tn,
Professor, "You have already mas
tered a rudimentary step, namely
association of ideas, which, with
little practice, VIII prepare you t.
proceed swiftly and understandings,
through the evolutions of my method
In the same manner that you hav
been enabled 70 recall at will, afte
one reading, those fifty names of ma
terial objects, other words which d,
not so readily suggest mental pic
tllres - words expressing abstrac
ideas, such as hope, despair, beauty
hideousness--may likewise, by prac
tice, be distinctly associated by Wis
ualization in a symbolic way, and re
called to their regular order will
equal facility. In thus assooiating
train of ideas, and the words tha
represent them, the first step is t
have well-remembered post or fixet
idea to which to fasten the end of tn,
chain, so that the whole, no matte
what its length is, may be recovered
link by link from the abyss of forget
fulness.
Memoranda of errands or engage
ments may be thus impressed upoi
the mind for long time. Then, il
preparing for an elaborate interview
foti hA1 al