VI. To those, on the other hand, who speak with a view to con- CHA P. vince or to inform others, it is of confequence that the topics which they mean to illuftrate, should be arranged in an order equally favourable to their own recollection and to that of their hearers. For this purpose, nothing is effectual, but that method which is suggested by the order of their own investigations; a method which leads the mind from one idea to another, either by means of obvious and ftriking affociations, or by those relations which connect the different steps of a clear and accurate process of reasoning. It is thus only that the attention of an audience can be completely and inceffantly engaged, and that the fubstance of a long difcourfe can be remembered without effort. And it is thus only that a speaker, after a mature confideration of his fubject, can possess a just confidence in his own powers of recollection, in stating all the different premises which lead to the conclufion he wishes to establish. IN modern times, fuch contrivances have been very little, if at all, made use of by public speakers; but various ingenious attempts have been made, to affift the memory, in acquiring and retaining those branches of knowledge which it has been fuppofed neceffary for a scholar to carry always about with him ; and which, at the fame time, from the number of particular details which they involve, are not calculated, of themselves, to make a very lafting impreffion on the mind. Of this fort is the Memoria Technica of Mr. Grey, in which a great deal of historical, chronological, and geographical knowledge is comprised in a set of verses, which the ftudent is supposed to make as familiar to himself as fchool-boys do the rules of grammar. CHA P. grammar. These verses are, in general, a mere affemblage of proper names, disposed in a rude fort of measure; fome flight alterations being occafionally made on the final fyllables of the words, so as to be fignificant (according to certain principles laid down in the beginning of the work) of important dates, or of other particulars which it appeared to the author useful to affociate with the names. I HAVE heard very oppofite opinions with respect to the utility of this ingenious fyftem. The prevailing opinion is, I believe, against it; although it has been mentioned in terms of high approbation by fome writers of eminence. Dr. Priestley, whofe judgment, in matters of this fort, is certainly entitled to refpect, has faid, that "it is a method fo eafily learned, and "which may be of fo much ufe in recollecting dates, when "other methods are not at hand, that he thinks all perfons of a "liberal education inexcufable, who will not take the small de gree of pains that is neceffary to make themselves masters of it; or who think any thing mean, or unworthy of their no"tice, which is fo useful and convenient *" IN judging of the utility of this, or of any other contrivance of the fame kind, to a particular perfon, a great deal muft depend on the species of memory which he has received from nature, or has acquired in the course of his early education. Some men, as I already remarked, (especially among those who have been habitually exercised in childhood in getting by heart grammar rules,) have an extraordinary facility in acquiring and retaining * Lectures on History, p. 157. the VI. the most barbarous and the most insignificant verses; which CHAP. another person would find as difficult to remember, as the geographical and chronological details of which it is the object of this art to relieve the memory. Allowing, therefore, the general utilty of the art, no one method, perhaps, is entitled to an exclufive preference; as one contrivance may be beft fuited to the faculties of one perfon, and a very different one to those of another. ONE important objection applies to all of them, that they accustom the mind to affociate ideas by accidental and arbitrary connexions; and, therefore, how much foever they may contribute, in the course of conversation, to an oftentatious difplay of acquired knowledge, they are, perhaps, of little real fervice to us, when we are seriously engaged in the pursuit of truth. I own, too, I am very doubtful with respect to the utility of a great part of that information which they are commonly employed to imprefs on the memory, and on which the generality of learned men are disposed to value themselves. It certainly is of no use, but in fo far as it is fubfervient to the gratification of their vanity; and the acquisition of it confumes a great deal of time and attention, which might have been employed in extending the boundaries of human knowledge. To thofe, however, who are of a different opinion, fuch contrivances as Mr. Grey's may be extremely useful: and to all men they may be of service, in fixing in the memory those infulated and uninterefting particulars, which it is either neceffary for them to be acquainted with, from their fituation; or which cuftom has rendered, in the common opinion, effential branches of a liberal education. I 9 would, VI. CHAP. would, in particular, recommend this author's method of recollecting dates, by fubftituting letters for the numeral cyphers; and forming these letters into words, and the words into verses. I have found it, at leaft in my own cafe, the most effectual of all fuch contrivances of which I have had experience. SECTION VII. Continuation of the fame Subject. Importance of making a proper Selection among the Objects of our Knowledge, in order to derive Advantage from the Acquifitions of Memory. THE cultivation of Memory, with all the helps that we can derive to it from art, will be of little ufe to us, unless we make a proper felection of the particulars to be remembered. Such a selection is neceffary to enable us to profit by reading; and ftill more fo, to enable us to profit by obfervation, to which every man is indebted for by far the most valuable part of his knowledge. WHEN We first enter on any new literary purfuit, we commonly find our efforts of attention painful and unfatisfactory. We have no difcrimination in our curiofity; and by grasping at every thing, we fail in making those moderate acquifitions which are fuited to our limited faculties. As our knowledge extends, we learn to know what particulars are likely to be of ufe 1 VI. ufe to us; and acquire a habit of dire&ing our examination to CHA P. these, without distracting the attention with others. It is partly owing to a fimilar circumftance, that most readers complain of a defect of memory, when they first enter on the study of history. They cannot feparate important from trifling facts, and find themselves unable to retain any thing, from their anxiety to fecure the whole. In order to give a proper direction to our attention in the course of our studies, it is ufeful, before engaging in particular purfuits, to acquire as familiar an acquaintance as poffible with the great outlines of the different branches of science; with the most important conclufions which have hitherto been formed in them, and with the most important defiderata which remain to be fupplied. In the cafe too of those parts of knowledge, which are not yet ripe for the formation of philosophical systems, it may be of use to study the various hypothetical theories which have been propofed for connecting together and arranging the phenomena. By such general views alone we can prevent ourselves from being loft, amidst a labyrinth of particulars, or can engage in a course of extensive and various reading, with an enlightened and difcriminating attention. While they withdraw our notice from barren and infulated facts, they direct it to fuch as tend to illustrate principles which have either been already established, or which, fromhaving that degree of connection among themselves, which is neceffary to give plaufibility to a hypothetical theory, are likely to furnish, in time, the materials of a jufter system. |