The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-07-04
ART OF REMEMBERING WELL.

Rules Which, If Followed, VIII Aid in
strengthening the Memory.
To remember well, the thing must
first be well "membered." Distinct
ness of impressions and ideas is of prime
Importance for certainty in remember
ing. When we look at a distinct and
well-defined photograph of a friend, We
are able to promptly associate with it
the person whose likeness it is. But,
should the photograph be poor and con-
fused in its outlines, there will exist an
uncertainty as to whether it is the Ike
ness of Il given person. Hence the
necessity for the first impression to be
clear and well defined; for, so far as the
act of memory is concerned, n confused
idea may be as accurately reproduced
as a clear one, but the mind, in endeav-
oring to grasp it, will be thrown into 81
state of uncertainty as to the image
reproduced. This induces hesitation,
which may often be as unfortunate as
the entire loss of the power of recall
ing the image. This is clearly shown
in the case of n person of limited mental
training, the attempt is made to
quote something either heard or read,
and somewhat outside of their usual
line of thought. Having at first failed
TO master thoroughly the connected
ideas, when the attempt is made to
recall them, memory faithfully repro
duces the ideas confused and indistinct,
because the images impressed on the
centers were so; h~esitancy results, since
they do not know whether to interpret
their recollection as meaning one thing
for something different.
Another cause of failure of memory
is due to lack of Observing connec-
tions between related ideas. If the con
nections impressed be confused The mind
in recalling them will be in the Same
conditions of uncertainty, as when deal
ing with ill-defined ideas. Connections
must be as distinctly impressed as ideas
themselves; for when the first center
is caused to act it will start all related
centcrs into activity. Energy is then
saved by having to start but one rather
than all the centers in a series. Take
the learning of a theorem in geometry
as an instance of this. First, master
the theorem in detail, understanding
clearly what are the given conditions
and what their combinations is to prove.
lie uldSJGTy t1uil CltdI ilNNSs Cd1n
successive step and the logical connec-
ton binding them into a connected
demonstration. The result is, a sue
cession of connected ideas has been i'm
pressed, the first being The theorem,
and the last the statement of the thing
to be proved. The theorem being
given, the demonstration will readily
follow, just as the wheels in a watch are
set in motion when the balance wheel
begins to osciIlate.
Many persons can scarcely under
STAND how it Is possible to learn many
languages and keep them distinct. This
is rendered possible through the associ-
alton of ideas; when one thoroughly
commits all he learns about one Ian
guage ne may study as many as he
pleases without danger of confusion.
These same considerations apply to
reading to advantage. There is ceT-
tainly no advantage in reading a great
deal and not being able to remember it.
There is opportunity here to solve the
problem of maxim acquisition, with
due economy of time and mental FIX
ertion. The question is solved when
one can distinctly recollect whatis read
without getting different subjects
mixed up in a tumble. The method is
plain; understand what the author
states, select the leading ideas and note
carefully their connections, and the
book or article is the readers.
Obviously the same principles apply
to all the affairs of everyday life. by
being n los observer, and noting the
details and their relation accurately.
the confusion and labor of trying to re-
member will vanish.
Accepting, then, the definition that
memory is a repetition of n former men
tai act due to II recurrence of the ex-
citation which first gave rise to it, this
brief survey may serve to point out the
general lines of it's cultivation.-Popu-
lar Science News.