The Princeton union., 1898-10-27
Wonderful Memories.

scahger, the philologist of the six
teenth century, who edited several of
the classics, was so certain of his mem
ory, says writer in the London Stand
ara, tnat he undertook to repeat long
passages from Latin works with a dag
ger at his breast, which was to be used
against him in the event of his memory
1alllng; while Seneca, the tutor of Ne
TO, could repeat two thousand words
exactly as he heard them. Pope could
Z turn at once to any passage which had
struck him when reading; and Leyden,
the Scottish poet, who died in the early
part OF the century,, was also remarka-
BILE for his memory. When congratu-
lated on one occasion upon his aptitude
Tor remembering things Dryden replied
stnat ne often found his memory
source Of Inconvenience. Surprise was
expressed at this, Whereupon the poet
replied that he often wished to recall
particular passage, but could not do
SO until he had repeated the whole
poem, from the beginning to where the
passage occurred which he wished to
recall
Leyden is also credited with having
been able to repeat an act of Parlia-
ment or a lengthy legal document aft
er having heard it once. The news
papers of January, 1920, contain fire.
quent illusions to the case of a man
named Thomson. who drew plans of a
dozen London parishes. including every
church, chapel, yard, court, monument,
sllasm1p-post, and innumerable trees and
pumps without reference to single
Dook, and without. asking single
question; and an English clergyman
mentions man of weak intellect who
lived about the same time, who could
remember the names and ages of
every map, woman and child who had
been buried in the parish during thir-
ty-hve years, together with the dates
OF burial and the names Of the mourn
ers present at the funeral. That great
memories are not the product of ciyili-
zatlon is proved by an instance record
ed by DR.. Moffatt, the great African
missionary. N DR.. Moffatt once preached
sermon to group of negroes, and
was shortly afterward attracted by the
gestlculat1ons of a. young savage ad-
dressing a number Of blacks. On going
up to the group he was amazed to hear
the savage reproducing his own SER
mon word for word
An Extraordinary Volcanic ERUPTION.
A writer in McClure's Magazine gives
the fullest and most Interesting account
Of the great Krakatoa eruption that
has yet been printed in popular form.
This extraordinary convulsion occurred
on that little island in the Straits Of
Sunda. between Java and Sumatra on
Aug. 26 and 27, 1888 The island was
not Inhabited and its highest peak was
only 5000 feet, while nearby there are
Of 10000 feet. The volcano
had been quiescent for two hundred
years. In May, 1888. it began to show
signs Of uneasiness, and by the last Of
August the walls of the craters had SO
crum crumbled away that the ocean began to
doW in, and a tremendous warfare be-
tween water and fire began. On the /
9th came the blow-up, the greatest ex-
plosion the world has known since rec
ords were made. The noise was heard
at the island Of Rodriguez, which is
1858 miles distant. That is equal In
j noise at Philadelphia being heard at
San Francisco! Mapping out the area
over which the noise was heard. 1t is
:ound to be one-thirte Of the sur
ace OF the globe The sea waves that