The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-02-09
MARVELS OF MEMORY.


Some Remarkable Examples of Old and
Modern Times-William Wotton and
Lord Macaulay.
| In his introduction to Anne of Geiers-
tein Scott wrote, "No, doctor, have no
command of my NJ inory; it only re-
tains what happt hit my fancy;
and like enough, sal, ii you were to
preach to me for couple of hours on
end, I might be unable at the close of
the discourse to remember one word of
it, This was not omplimentary; in
deed the sentence, ut only retains what
happens to hit my fancy" almost rem
ders the latter part of the paragraph a
direful insult; nevertheless, how many
and how great a majority of us are in
like case, says the London Standard.
The magnitude of the majority is such
that the reputation for possessing a
good memory is really one of the easiest
to obtain, though it is oft conferred
when compared to the prodigies Of
which we would have you read, to
those hardly deserving the honor. The
incidental recollection, such as the "triv-
al fond records" that Hamlet deter
mined to wipe from the tables of his
memory, so provocative of the phrase
what a marvellous memory is yours"
possesses in reality no claim to the adj
jectve; memories such as william Wot-
ton. DR.. Fuller and Lord Macaulay pos
sessed alone deserve the epthet.'
The reverend gentleman who figures
first on our list was born in the year
1866, and took his B. A. degree at Cam
bridge some twelve years and five
months later; he could remember al
most any sermon he heard, and on one
occasion repeated every word a certain
bishop had just delivered from the pull
pit in the course of his address. AS the
bishop was his auditor doubtless the
wonderful retentive faculty OF his mind
was duly appreciated. The brother of
the publisher of the letters of Junius,
another William and another W.
Woodfall-had so wonderful memory
that he could attend debate and
without notes accurately reproduce the
same the following morning. In this in
stance the faculty was of particular
value, for until 1772, when he became the
editor of the Morning Chronicle, he was
by profession parliamentary reporter
No doubt Wotton could have recalled
every word of a parliamentary debate
had he tried, and Woodfall presumably
could have repeated sermons he had
heard but once until his auditors wea-
ried of them, or possibly before, but
strangely enough the faculty they pos
sessed lives in our remembrance in con-
nection with their professions DIR,
Thomas Fuller, the writer of the 'Histo-
ry of the Worthless of England 1862,
could, however, In addition to repeating
sermons at which he was an adept,
though not in libellous sense, dissoci-
ate himself from his professional sur
and perform prodigiea of
memory quite foreign to his calling.
For instance, he could repeat five hun
dred words in an unknown tongue after
hearing them twice, and on one occa
sion he undertook to walk from Temple
Bar to the farthest end of Cheapside,
and to repeat on his return every sign
on either side of the street in the order
of their occurrence.
1t is related of Fuller that he had once
TO attend a [ a court OIL sequeS trat lon,
and, naturally enough, the subject of his
marvellous memory cropped up. "'Tis
true, gentlemen" said the doctor, that
fame has given me the report of being a
and, if you please, I will give
you a specimen of it," The council
thereupon suspended further business
and settled down with relish to enjoy an
entertainment Gentle
men," continued the worthy, you want
4 specimen of my memory and you shall
have one Your WOrships have thought
fit to sequestrate a poor but honest par
son, who is my neighbor, and commit
him to prison. If you will have the
goodness to release him out of prison, /
pledge myself never to forget the kind
less while live" This pretty wit SO