vAlLIBRARYQ^^ ,^WE•ll^llVERV/) v^lOSANCElfX;* o ^^mmyi^^. ^smm-m^ '^•^mK\m^ .^OFCALIFO% AmUNIVERJ/Zi AvlOSANCElfJV. %a3AiNa3WV^ o ■^aHAINrtJWV ^^^lllBRARY^/r ^tllBRARY^/ -^ Oe ^OJUVDJO"^ ^OFCAllFOftfc %0JnV3JO^ ^OFCAllFOff^ ^OAavaan-^^ ^>^UIBRARYGr aWEUNIVERS'//- ^lOSANCElfjVx o ^^^ ' ^ ;WSANCElfj> o ^lOSANCElfj> ^IIIBRARYQ^. A^llIBRARYQ^^ "^AaaAiNfljwv^ ^aojiTVD-jo-'^ ^«ifOJnv3JO'S ^OFCALIFO/?^ ^OFCALIFORj^ ioi^"^ %a3AiNn3y^^ "^^AHvaaii^ "^^AavaaiH^ '^YOc. -^^IIIBRARYQ^^ ^ X, ^ ^ ^ ' JC •JO'^ %0JI1V3J0^ "O/iV ^OFCAtlFOff^ ^AWEUNIVERVa _ o ^^WE•UNIVE^/^ ^lOSANCElfj> '%a3AiNn-3v\v ^lOSANCElfj^ o b. Hugo Car'Jbnnell 282 RaymundLully 282,283 Andrew Valieri 282 Adrian le Cuirot ib. Joh. Conrade Dannliawcr 283 Meyssonerus • ib. Hejiry Herdson 286 John Belot 307 Anon. ib. Athanasius Kirchcr ib. Johannes Austriacus 308 John Shaw 309 Simon Wastell ib. Anon. 328 Jo. Brancaccio 239 Marius D'Assigny ' 330 Thomas Erhardt 338 Claude de Buffier ib. Richard Grey 340 Solomon Lowe 363 Dan. Geo. Morhof 404 Fr. B. J. Feyjoo -405 Anacardina, Aguilera, Epiphanius de Moirans, Conti, Mesji'^orus A. Ferreya de Vera 406 XVI CONTENTS. III. INSTANCES OF THE EXTRAORDINARY POWERS OF NATURAL MEMORY. Hortensius Page 407 Seneca 408 Aviceima ib. Joseph Scaliger 409 Bishop Jewell ib. Lipsius 410 Muret ^ 411 Famianus Strada 412 Thomas Fuller 413 Humphry Burton 414 Dr. Wallis 415 Antonio Magliabechi , , 4l6 William Lyon 419 Jedediah Buxton 420 Zerah Colburn 437 Directions respecting the Plates. Portrait to face the Title. Plate I p. 38 II 53 III 64 IV 69 V ibid. %• Before the reader uses Plates II. III. IV, and V. it will be mdvisable to fake them out 0/ the volume and paste them on stiff paper. If the white paper be cut aunty, it will fold up, so as accu- rately to represent the floor, four walls, and deling of a room. Mti of i$temor». fntro&uction. ]\t EMORY, in the sense in which it is to be understood in the present work, (for it is not employed always in the same precise sense) can- not, perhaps, be better defined than in the words of Mr. DuGALD Stewart, " It is that fa- culty which enables us to treasure up, and pre- serve for future use, the knowledge we acquire ; a faculty (he adds) which is obviously the great foundation of all intellectual improvement, and without which, no advantage could be derived from the most enlarged experience." With the various metaphysical theories con- cerning Memory which have been advanced by different philosophers, we shall not pretend to meddle; as such an investigation would not much assist our present purposes. Whatever may be the relation in which the Memory stands to the other principles of our constitution, it is B 2 NEW ART OF MEMORY. beyond all controversy, a most necessary and ex- cellent faculty : so much so, that, as Dr. Watts observes, " all other abilities of the mind borrow from hence their beauty and per- fection ; for other capacities of the soul are al- most useless without this. To what purpose (as the same eminent author inquires) are all our labours in knowledge and wisdom, if we want Memory to preserve and use what we have ac- quired ? What signify all other intellectual or spiritual improvements, if they are lost as soon as they are obtained ? It is Memory alone that enriches the mind, by preserving what our labour and industry daily collect. In a word, there can be neither knowledge, nor arts, nor sciences, without memory ; nor can there be any improve- ment of mankind in virtue or morals, or the practice of religion, without the assistance and influence of this power. Without memory, the soul of man would be but a poor, destitute, naked being, with an everlasting blank spread over it, except the fleeting ideas of the present moment." This faculty exists, however, in very difi^erent degrees, indiff'erent men. Some persons possess astonishing vigour of memory,* while others are * For many remarkable instances of the extraordinary powers of natural memory, the reader is referred to the conclusion of this volume. INTRODUCTION. 3 deplorably deficient in this faculty; or, as Mr. Locke has beautifully expressed the same idea, ** in some persons, the mind retains the charac- ters drawn on it like marble, in others like free- stone, and in others, little better than sand."* Theniistocles, the Athenian, indeed, is saidf to have been oppressed by the strength and tenacity of his memory, and to have wished for the pos- session of the faculty of oblivion, rather than an increase of the powers of remembrance ; but it is * IMr. Locke, speaking of the continual decay of our ideas, says, " The ideas, as well as cliildren, of our youth, often die before us : and our minds represent those tombs, to which we are approaching; wiiere though the brass and marble remain, yet the inscriptions are effaced by time, and thp imagery moiiUI/^rs awoy. The pictures drawn in our minds are laid in fading colours, and if not sometimes refreshed, vanish and disappear. How much the constitution of our bodies, and the make of our animal spirits are concerned in this, and whether the tem- per of the brain makes this dift'erence, that in some it re- tains the characlers drawn on it like marble, in others like free- stone, and in others, little belter than sand ; I shall not here inquire : though it may seem probable, that the constitu- tion of the body does sometimes influence the memory j since we oftentimes find a disease quite strip the mind of all its ideas, and the flames of a fever in a few days calcine all those images to dust and confusion, which seemed to be as lasting as*if graved in marble." IVorks, vol. i. p. 76. ed. 4to. 1777. t Plutarch Apophtl). 4 NEW ART OF MEMORY. more than probable that, in this respect, if the anecdote be true, he stands an exception from all the re.n of mankind. Plenus rimanim sum, may be truly, and without reproach, said by al- most every man, with regard to his memory : and that not only concerning matters difficult to be retained, but even concerning the most ordi- nary occurrences of life. To remedy this inconvenience, and provide as effectually as possible against the mischiefs of forgetful ness, various artifices have, at different times, been resorted to. Of these, the topical memory of the antients stands first, both in point of date and of celebrity ; and as its principles are very analogous to those of the present system, we shall give some account of the origin and general plan of that invention. And, as PRO- FESSOR Barron, has Jilread trodden this path, ho apology will be offered to the reader for presenting to him, that author's very excellent account of the subject, prefaced by some of the ingenious remarks with which he has introduced it. '" The recollection* which ordinary memo- ries possess, appears to be resolvable into two principal sources, the vivacity of the impression and association. ***** * Barron's Lect. on Belles Lettres and Logic, v. 1. p. 609. INTRODUCTIyON. 5 " But the principal expedient for assisting the memory is derived from association. For in- stance, when I see a house, I naturally recollect the inhabitants, their manner of life, and the in- tercourse I have had with them. The sight of a book prompts the memory of its contents, and the pleasure, or profit, I have received from the perusal of it. A view of the sea may suggest the idea of a storm, and the painful recollection of the loss of property, or of the life of a friend, by shipwreck. The act, then, of aiding recol- lection by association, is to connect thoughts re- mote, or abstract, with others more obvious and familiar, that the recurrence of the latter may bring along with it the memory of the former. Thus the sight of my ring, which I cannot miss to observe, reminds me of the action, to suggest the remembrance of which I moved it from one finger to another. The ringing of the bell, or the sounding of the clock, prompts the recollec- tion of the business [ had resolved to perform at these times. A glimpse of the first words of a paragraph, or a page, introduces the recollec- tion of the whole. In a word, we must connect the things we wish to remember with the imme- diate objects of our senses, tiiat offer themselves daily to our attention, but particularly with the objects of our sight, the most vigorous and lively of all our senses, and of which the objects are, B 3 6 NEW AIIT OF MEMORY. perhaps, more numerous than those of all our other senses put together. " This theory is the foundation of all contri- vances which have been, or, perhaps, can be, employed to help recollection. It is the ground- work of the famous artificial memory of Simo- NiDES, a lyric poet, of the island of Ceos, one of the Cyclades, who flourished in the sixty-first olympiad, about five hundred and thirty-five years before the birth of Christ, and [who] is ce- lebrated by Cicero and Qu ;NCTi LI AN. Both these authors relate the folkvving mythological incident, on the occasion which suggested the. invention. Simonides was employed by Scopas, a rich Thessalian, to compose a panegyric on him for a ce; iu; sum of money ; was invited to a festival, given by Scopas to his fi lends, in order to rehearse it, but was sordidly refused more than iialf the stipulated compensation, — be- cause puzzled; perhaps, with the sterilify of the principal subject, he had introduced a long epi- sode, amounting to half the poem, in praise of Castor and Pollux. Simonides so'»n found an avenger of the insult. He was immediately sum- moned froMi the company by two young men on horseback, supposed to be Castor and Polhix in disguise, who appeared to protect their favourite poet ; and who, as soon as they had saved Simo- nides, made the roof fall on Scopas and his INTRODUCtlON. 7 company, bruising them so to death that not a lineament of them could be known. Simonides, by recollecting the manner in which they sat at table, was enabled to distinguish them, and to deliver them to their friends for burial. The aid which the recollection of the poet received, on this occasion, is said to have suggested the idea of an artificial memory. " The principle of the scheme of Simonides, is to transfer a train of ideas, the archetypes of which are not the objects of sense, and are, therefore, of difficult recollection, to another train which we cannot miss to recollect, because the archetypes are not only objects of sense, but objects of sight, with which archetypes we are perfectly familiar; or which may be placed ac- tually before our eyes. Suppose then Simo- nides were to commit to memory a discourse, consisting of speculations concerning govern- ment, finance:!, naval affairs, or wisdom, none of the archetypes of which could be made objects of sense, at least, at the time of delivery ; and to assist his recollection, he were to connect the series of ideas, in that discourse, with a series of objects, which he could either place in sight, or with which he was so familiar, that he could not fail to recollect them ; he would proceed in the following manner. He would take a house, for instance, either the one in which he might deli- ver the discourse, or another ; with every part of 8 NEW AltT OF MEMORY. which he was perfectly acquamted. He would begin at some fixed point of that house, suppose the right side of the door, and he would proceed round it in a circular line, till he arrived at the point from which he set out. He would divide the circumference of the house into as many parts as there were different topics, or para- graphs, in the discourse. He would distinguish each paragraph by some symbol of the subject it contained ; that on government, by the symbol of a crown, or a sceptre ; that on finances, by the symbol of some current coin ; that on naval affairs, by tiie figure of a ship ; that on wisdom, by the figure of the goddess who presided over it. He would either actually transfer, or sup- pose transferred, these symbols to the different compartments of the house, and then all he had to do, in order to recollect the subject of any paragraph, was, either to cast his eye on the symbol during delivery, or to remember upon what division the symbol was placed. The memory, by this contrivance, easily recalled the discourse. The orator eidier saw, or could not fail to remember the compartments, because he was perfectly familiar with them. Neither could he forget the symbols of each paragraph, because they were no more than hieroglyphical paintings of the sense. "In the place of a house, we may assume, according to Quinctilian, a public building, the INTKODUCTION. 9 walls of a city, a well known road, or a picture, to divisions of which we may refer our symbols. Metrodorns assumed the circle of the zodiac, which he divided into 360 compartments, equal to the number of degrees of which it consists, making a compartment of each degree. " Some people carried this art so far as to comprehend the words of a discourse, by con- structing symbols for each of them, and refer- ring, in like manner, these symbols to compart- ments. This seems to have constituted nearly what we call short-hand writing, except that our short-hand writers oblige themselves to commit to memory the meaning of their symbols, and pretend not to refer these to any more familiar objects. Quinctilian accordingly observes, that this pretended improvement terminated in confu- sion, and embarrassed, much more than it assisted, recollection. However much, therefore, he might prize the scheme of Simonides, he rejected this supplement as nugatory, or detrimental." This system of Mnemonics was a favourite pursuit with the Greeks ; — and was cultivated with success by the Romans, among whom Cras- sus, Julius Cagsar, and Seneca, are said to have particularly excelled in this art Such were the origin and principles of tiie cele- brated topical memori/ of the antients : from which source are derived all the various modern systems of local and symbolical memory, that It) NEW ART OF MEMORY. have been promulgated from the thirteenth to the eighteenth century. We shall here briefly reca- pitulate the names of the principal zcriters on the subject, referring our readers lO another part of this volume for an acj^count of the different sys- tems. That luminary of science, Haymund Lully, born in 1236, seems to have been the first mo- dern who brought the art of memory into notice, after it had lain dormant for so many ages. This art was termed transcendental, aiid distinguished by his name. In the Jifteenth century mnemonics seem to have occupied the attention oi PnhliciuSy Priis, Peter of Cologne, and Peter of Ravenna, who successively published systems of local and sym- bolical memory. In the year 15S3, Romberch published his Congcstorium Artijiciosct Memorici, which con- tains a very complete view of his predecessors' labours, with many important additions. Gra~ taro/i, an Italian physician, was the next writer on this subject, who in 1555, put forth a trea- tise, * de memoria reparanda etc.* This was translated into English by William Fulwod, under the title of ' the Castel of Memorie ;' and afterwards rendered into French by Stephen Cope. The treatise of Grataroli contains nuich curious matter. The works of Spangenberg, Rosselius, Bruno, INTRODUCTION. U Albert, Porta, Marajioti, and others, appear- ed about the close of the sixteenth century, but they contained nothing very materially new on the mnemonic art. The seventeenth century was remarkable for the number and variety of mnemonistic works which issued from the presses of the continent. England also had her share in this honour, anil produced one or two books worthy of examina- tion. The system of Schenckel occupied the greatest share of attention in France and Ger- many. Schenckel was followed by Alsted, Brux, RaveUin, and Nau/uis. Brux also wrote an essay upon the * art of forgetfulness,' and gave numerous rules for acquiring perfection in this useful science. The principal work published in Englayid, on the subject of the local memory, appeared in 16 18, under the title oiMnenionica; shears Meminiscendi, etc. by John Willis ; and was trans-^ lated in I66I, by one Sowersby, a bookseller. This curious and rare volume is replete with in- formation respecting- mnemonics, and discourses at large concerning every particular which re- quires the attention of the student. In the year l651, Henri/ Herdson, who styles himself a Professor by Public x\uthority in the University of Cambridge, published his Ars MnemonicOfSive Herdsonus Bnixiatus, etc. in 12 NEW AKT OF MEMORY. Latl» and Euglish. It is merely a republication of part of Brux's Simonides Redivivus. The mnemonical essays published on the con- tinent from 1620 to 1702, were principally by Azevedo, Carbonel, Cuirot, Dannhazver, Belotf and Brancaccio : — several anonymous systems were put forth also during this period. Er- hardt's Ars Memoriae, appeared in 1715, and Morhof^wdi Father Feyjoo, have, both, disserta- tions expressly upon the subject ; the one in his Polyhistor, and the other in his Cartas Eruditas y Curiosas. From the time of Feyjoo (1781) to I8O6, (if we except a German translation of Schenckel by Kliiber) the local and symbolical memory seems to have lain completely dormant. In the Philosophical Magazine for December, I8O6, there is the following notice : — " A new branch of science is begun to be stu- died in Germany. It is the science called by the antients mnemonica, or the art of memory. We find in Herodotus, that it was carefully taught and practised in Egypt, whence it was trans- planted into Greece. This historian attributes the invention of it to Simonides ; but this opi- nion is refuted in a dissertation published by M, Morgenstern, of Dorpat, upon mnemonica. He there asserts, that this science is more intimately connected with the Egyptian hieroglyphics than INTRODUCTION. 13 is generally thought, and that this connection may help to explain them. However the case may be, this singular art, so long neglected, has reappeared in Germany with some eclat. M. Aretin, who may be accounted the restorer of it, has recently had M. Kaestner, a clergyman, as his pupil, whom he has permitted to teach his new doctrine at Leipzic ; at the same time exact- ing a promise from him not to suffer his pupils to write down his lectures. M. Kaestner travels about like Dr. Gall. " According to a book written, it is said, by a child of twelve years of age, and mentioned in the Leipzic catalogue for the last September fair, mnemonica is a true science, and may be taught by means of seventeen different rules, and which will give a memory to individuals of every age." In March 1807, M. Gregor Von Fein- AiGLE, a native of Baden, visited Paris, and delivered Lectures on his ' New System of Mnemonics and Methodics.' In the PhilosO' phical Magazine for June, 1807,* there is the following extract from a letter written by M. FiCHTEL, at Paris, to a friend in London, giving some account of M. Von Feinaigle's exhibitions there. * Vol. xxviii. p. 92. C 14 NEW ART OF MEMORY. " Paris, 2d March, l807. " During my residence in this metropolis I heard a great deal of a new method of mnemo- nique, or of a method to assist and fix our me- mory, invented by Gregor de Feinaigle. Not- withstanding the simplicity with which he an- nounced his lectures in the papers, I could not determine myself to become a pupil of his, as I thought to find a quack or mountebank, and to be laughed at by my friends for having thrown away my cash in such a foolish manner. Per- haps I should hesitate to this moment about the utility of this new invented method to assist our natural memory, had I not had the pleasure of dining at his excellency's the Count of !RIetter- nich, the Austrian ambassador, who followed, with all his secretaries, the whole course of lec- tures : they all spoke very advantageously of it, likewise several other persons of the first rank I met there: in consequence of this I was inserted into the list of pupils, and I follow, at this mo- ment, the lectures. All I can tell you about this method is : it is a very simple one, and easy to be learned, adapted to all ages and sexes : all difficulties in such sciences as requiie an extraor- dinary good memory, for instance, the names and epochs in history, are at once overcome and obviated. There is not one branch of science to which this method cannot be applied. It is easy Introduction. 15 to be perceived that such an invention cannot pass without some critique, and even sarcasms, in the public prints : some of them were very injurious, and plausible enough to mislead the public, who, knowing nothing of the method, are always more ready to condemn than to assist. Mr. Feinaigle, to answer all these critics at once, adopted a method not less public for Paris than the public papers, but less public for the rest of Europe : he gave, the 22d of last month, a public exhibition to about 2000 spectators, in . which he did not appear at all, only about 12 \)r \5 of his pupils : each of them made such an t!pplication of the method as his situation in life required. The principal parts were the follow- ing : history about names and years ; geography, with respect to longitude, latitude, number of inhabitants, square miles, &c. &c.; grammar in various languages, about different editions of the same work ; pandects, their division, and title of each book, title, &.c. ; different systems of botany, poetry, arithmetic, &c. &c. At lait one desired the company to give him one thou- sand words, without any connection whatsoever, and without numeric order ; for instance, the word astronomer, for No. 6*2 ; zvood, for No. 188; loveli/, for No. 370; dj/nasti/, for No. 23 ; David, for No. 90, &c. Sec. till all the 16 NEW ART OF MEMORY. numbers were filled : and he repeated the whole (notwithstanding he heard these words, without order, and but once,) in the numerical order ; or he told you what word was given against any one number, or what number any one word bore. It is still more striking, but certainly, likewise, more difficult, to retain as many num- bers however great they may be. For words and numbers I could venture myself, with the greatest safety, as far as one hundred of each ; and I am sure, after having fixed them once, which is done in less than ten minutes, I could repeat tliem to you at any period, without ever thinking any more of them. *' M. Feinaigle is about to visit England." To the testimony of M. Fichtel may be added that of the celebrated French astronomer, M. Lalande, who says, " I have witnessed the extraordinary effects produced on the memory, by the method of M. de Feinaigle : one of his pupils is able to repeat, in any order, without the least mistake, a table of fifty cities in all parts of the world, with the degrees of longitude and latitude in which they are situated ; the same is the case with chronology : in the Annuaire, I have inserted 240 dates from antient and modern history, and M. de Feinaigle's Scholars repeat INTRODUCTION. 1? them all — an astonishing aid in the study of geo- graphy and history !" In the Monthly Magazine for September, 1 807,* there is a letter under the signature of Common Sense, which, though somewhat illi- beral in its remarks, displays considerable know- ledge of tha principles of the * local and symbo- lical Memory.' " Any person (says this writer) who wishes to try an experiment on the powerof association, need only make use of the succession of rooms, closets, stair-cases, landing-places, and other remarkable spots or divisions, of his own house, with all the parts of which he may be supposed to be very fa- miliar. Let him apply any word or any idea to the sevorul parts of the house, in any. determined order of their succession, and he will find it almost impossible, in recalling the same order of the parts of the house, not to associate the idea or word which he had previously annexed to each part. Thus, for' example, a person may learn the succession of the Kuigs of England in ten minutes, by annexing the names of each suc- ceeding monarch to the successive rooms, clo- sets, and principal parts of his own house, beginning at the upper story, and regularly de- * Vol. xxiv. p. lOj. € 3 18 NEW ART OF MEMORY. scending ; or, at the lower story, and regularly ascending. " Any other permanent and familiar class of ob- jects will, in general, answer the purpose better than the rooms of a house. I was myself edu- cated in the vicinity of Oxford-street, and the streets running out of that street south and north (beginning at Charles-street, Soho-square, and proceeding to Dean-street, Chapel- street, and so on to Park-lane, and down on the other side to Rathbone-place and Hanway-yard) are the permanent and familiar set of objects, which I make use of for my own purpose of successive association. Tiie counties in England, the king- doms and the countries throughout the world, the villages, and other objects on a great road, or the streets of a city, are all well suited to this business of association ; and either of them may be taken indiflferently by various persons, accord- ing to their acquaintance with them. The greater the variety of ideas connected with this set of objects, which may be called the associating key, the more easy, and the more certain is -the power of recollection. " If I do not hazard a charge of egotism, I shall mention, as illustrative facts, that by this new art I once committed to memory, in a sin- gle murning, the whole of the propositions con- tained in the three first books of Euclid, and INTUODUCTION. ly with such perfection, that I could for years after- wards specify the number of the book on hearing the proposition named, and could recite the proposition on hearing the number and the book; and I have frequently, in mixed companies, re- peated backwards and forwards from fifty to au hundred unconnected words, which have been but once called over to me. 1 may also add, to prove the simplicity of the plan, that I taught two of my own children to repeat fifty uncon- nected words in a first lesson, of not more than half an hour's continuance." M. VoN Feinaigle visited England some time in the early part of 181 1. In order to exhi- bit a detail of his progresses in this country, we have made some extracts from the Periodical Works and Public Papers which gave an account of his various experiments. " On the22d of June, 181 1, M.VouFeinaigle* gave at the Royal Imtitulion, a public experi- ment of the efficacy of his Method of facili- tating and ai>sisting Memory. The Managers of lite Institution, in consequence of the appli- cation of the Committee of Literature and Sci- ence, granted permission for this public display of the art, without, however, making themselves in any way responsible as to Us character. The * Gent. Mag. vol. Ixxxi. part 1. p. .281. dlO NEW ART OF MEMORY. exhibition took place before an assembly of se- veral hundred Ladies and Gentlemen, who were astonished and delighted with the result of the experiment. Four children, two boys and two girls, all under 14 years of age, had been put under Mr. Feinaigle's care but two or three days before : he had one of the girls but an hour and a half; and the longest tuition that any of them had received was but four hours and a half. — One of them repeated Goldsmith's Her- mit backward and forward, and stated the stanza, the line, and the order of any remarkable word required of him. — One liille girl answered to questions in t!ie chronology of tlie Roman Em- perors ; and another multiplied, without slate or paper, two sums of eight rig,ures by eight, and declared that she had not previously been taught arithmetic. — A boy determined the geographical situation by degrees and minutes, of 50 different cities; and on a planisphere chalked out on a board, marked down the true situation of places named to him. — Mr. Fincher, of the Institution, also recited the Mineialogical Tables of Ilauy, tiie second part of which he had taught himself on Mr. Feinaigle's system, together with the fust part of Brisson's Ornithologic System ; and he declared, from his own experience, that the principles of Mr. Feinaigle's art were equally calculated to give facility in the acquisition, and INTRODUCTION. 21 certainty in the retention, of the tables of any other science — a fact which was confirmed by several Gentlemen present, who have attended the private courses of the Professor. — ^The exa- minations were carried on by Mr. Disney, Chair- man of the Literary and Scientific Committee ; and for a great part of the time, Mr. Feinaigle retired from the Lecture-room. Nothing could be more satisfactory than the result of the expe- riments ; and the company returned Mr. Fein- aigle their thanks. — The Professor, Aug. 26, repeated the experiment at Liverpool, where the Rev. Jonathan Brookes, at the request of the Mayor, selected from the diflferent charity- schools of the town, children upon whom the experiment might be made. The exhibition took place before a very numerous assembly. Four children had been put under Mr. Feinaigle's tui- tion but three days before, two boys and two girls, and none of them had received more than two hours' instruction; neither of the girls could make or read a figure when first presented to him. The examinations (which were carried on by the Rev. Jonathan Brookes) were precisely of the same nature as those at the Royal Insti- tution ; and the results were equally satisfac- tory. " On the 6th of April, 1812, the effects of M. Von Feinaigle's system were exemplified at 22 NEAV ART OF MEMORY. the Surry Institution, before a numerous as- sembly of Proprietors and Subscribers, by the examination of five young persons, who had previously been committed to the care of M. Von Feinaigle.* " 1. Master H. S. (13 years of age) deter- mined the geographical situation oi Jifty princi- pal towns in different parts of the globe, assign- ing to each its longitude and latitude in degrees and minutes, and named the country in which it is found. He also marked on a blank plani- sphere the true situation of the towns named to him. 2. Miss P. K. (11 years of age) repeated fifty stanzas of four lines each, from the second part of Mrs. More's ' Sir Eldred of the Bower.' These she repeated consecutively, and in any order desired. On any remarkable word being mentioned, she determined the stanza, the line, and the place of the line, in which it was to be found ; and also how many times the same word occured in the Poem. " 3. Miss M. A. K. (15 years of age) an- SM'ered to all the decleiisions, as well of sub- stances as of adjectives, of the Latin Language ; and gave a full account of all the conjugations. • Tlie whole of this report is 1,iken from the Mvrnin^- Post of April 18th, 1812. INTRODUCTION. 23 both active and passive, witliout any previous knowledge of that language. ** 4. Miss S. S. (of the same age with the preceding pupil) answered to the declensions and conjugations of tlie Greek Language, and de- clined and conjugated several regular nouns and verbs proposed to her. This pupil had never seen a Greek character till put under the care of the Professor, " The whole instruction received hij th^ above pupils consisted oj" Jive lessons only, of one hour each. " Master S. H. explained the physical, ma- thematical, and chemical characters of minerals, after Hauy's system, assigning the systematical order of any character v.hatever proposed to him, and showing in what manner any mineral ought to be examined and tried, to ascertain its nature. This pupil received only two hours' instruction from M. Feinaigle. " Master S. H. afterwards requested the audi- ence to give twenty words, or names, without any order or connection whatever. These words were written on a board, and numbered from one to twenty as follows : — 1. Tower. 5. Chapel. 2. Gate. G. Institution. 3. Steeple. 7. Crotch. 4. Church. 8. Grey. 24 NEW ART OF MEMORY. 9. Regent. 15. Hill. 10. Feinaigle. 16. Nelson. 11. Syracuse. 17. Archimedes. 12. Wellington, 18. Palestine. 13. Graham. 19. Button. 14. Ten. 20. Reform. " After inspecting the number and words for a space of time, not exceeding three minutes, the pupil named every word in the series, both forward and backwards : to any number that m as proposed to him, he assigned the proper word, and vice versa. " A series of twenty-eight figures, named pro- miscuously by the audience, was then written down, as, 8. 5. 1. 0. 5. 0. 2. 9- 6. 8cc. &c. &c. These the pupil surveyed attentively, for about five minutes, and then repeated them forwards and backwards. He afterwards declared how- many 8s. 2s. 93. &.C. occurred in the series, and the relative situation of each figure. " In consequence of the disappointment of many of the Proprietors and Subscribers, who could not obtain admittance into the Lecture Room on the 6th instant, the above experiments were repeated on Wednesday evening last to a crowded auditory. On this evening the follow- ing additional evidences of the utility and uni- versality of M. Feinaigle's System were ad- duced. I'NTRODUCTION. 85 ''' 1. Master J. C. answered to two sums in multiplication of 8 numbers, by 8 numbers each. Each sum containing 8 separate products, be- sides the total product ; he repeated any pro- duct required of him. The separate operations being represented on a board, by cyphers — on any one cypher, or line of cypliers, on either sum being effaced, he replaced them by the ap- propriate figures. This pupil was employed for ten minutes only, in committing the figures to memory. " 2. Miss S. T. answered to the Chronology of the Kings of England, from William the Con- queror, down to his present Majesty, in any order that was desired. She also named the predecessor and successor of any King pointed out to her. This pupil received four lessons of one hour each. *' Master S. H. after one hour's appIicatioUf repeated a Greek word from Aristophanes, con- sisting of seventy-six syllables and \65 letters, both forwards and backwards ; he also named any syllable in any order desired, determining its numerical situation."* At these public experiments, M. Von Fei- • Similar experiments liave been given at the Russell Institution, Freemasons' Hall, the London Tavern, etc, etc. etc. D 26 NEW ART OF MEMORY. NAIGLE distributed a syllahuSy in which the nature of the pupil's examination was stated ; and the six following notes, or explanations, of the objects of his * New System of Mnemonics and Methodics,' were subjoined. *' 1. Sijstematic Tables. A method that is at once speedy and effectual for acquiring the perfect knowledge of systematical tables, is an object of higher value and greater importance than at first it might appear. How often are we attending courses of lectures upon particular sciences, without being able to form a clear idea of the whole, or to give ourselves an account of what we are learning ! When, by the means here recommended, we are enabled to know previously the great divisions and subdivisions of a system, it is not difficult to refer to those fixed points all our ideas, and at once to secure our knowledge aheady attained, and to accelerate our progress in the science. A system acquired by this me- thod is not a dry and sterile series of words ; h is a well-arranged classification of real know- ledge. We learn in like manner all the systems of any science, whatever ; however complicated they may appear. " 2. Languages. The learning and teaching of languages are not only facilitated by the sys- tem of Mnemonics, but acquire more light and more solidity than ever they were thought sus- INTRODUCTION. 5? ceptible of. It is a fact well known to all my pupils, that, almost in any language whatever, the declensions may be learnt in a single hour, and all the conjugations in another. It can easily be conceived, that all the rest may be ac- quired with the same facility : but this is not all the advantage of my system : anomalies, irre- gularities of verbs, and similar difficulties which have been hitherto the torment of the scholars, become, by this system, the most pleasing and most instructive part of the language. My pu- pils are convinced, by the most satisfactory ex- perience, that grammar is to be learned in the language, not the language in the grammar ; and when the true way is once known, it becomes delightful to them to go on with ease and promp- titude, by themselves, from one language to ano- ther. *' 3. Prose atid Poetry. When we know pieces of prose or of poetry in such perfection that we are able to answer at pleasure to any single word, it is not to be imagined that in learning them we have to fix one word after another ; but what- ever we commit to our memory is there in such an order that we are sure to find it again when- ever we may wish fur it. The matter and the diction are necessarily distinguished, and every thing treated after its own nature, and we are therefore sure neither to omit any thing that is S9 NEW ART OF MEMORY. to be said, nor any word by which it ia to be ex- pressed. Persons who could never before get by heart either prose or poetry, have, by a short practice of this method, acquired the greatest readiness and facility. " 4, Geography, Tliis part of geography* has only been learned by ray common manner of fixing in the memory proper names in general, and that of noting the arithmetical figures wher- ever we meet them. The true system of geo- graphy is the object of more than one of my lectures ; and by this new system the study ac- quires a degree of facility, and the science itself a degree of perfection, of which it was never thought susceptible, and yet without which it can never be essentially what it ought to be. Those who w ould think it needless, or of no use, to know the situation of every remarkable point of the globe by degrees of longitude and latitude, have to consider, if without these degrees, geo- graphy itself, or any geographical chart, could ever exist ; and, if not, they surely cannot main- tain that what is essential to geography itself may be neglected in the study of geography. This perfection is not only given to the science by my system, but is also attained with greater facility • This refers to the longitude and latitade of the fifty cities repeated by the pupil. INTRODUCTION. 29 and certainty than even the former imperfect knowledge could be acquired by any other method whatever. The same principles are applicable with equal efficacy to all th^i subsidiary parts' of a perfect geographical knowledge, and it is shown how to fix in the memory, for instance, the government, the extent, the population, and the military power, the products, the commerce, the manufactures, the arts and sciences, 8cc. of every state. Those who are acquainted with the principles of the present arrangement, cannot but feel how much easier it must be to compare, according to this plan, one kingdom with another by simple memory, than after any other plan, with all the assistance of books and systematic tables. ** 5. Chronology. What is done with regard to the kings of England may be done with any chronological series of sovereigns ; and though such a series presented nothing more than what may be consideied as great epochs of history, even of those the present system offers a greater number than any other system of chronology, and fixes them more easily than it has ever been possible to do by all those ingenious historical tables which have been invented to assist the memory in this interesting sivv\y. But the high- est perfection of historical knowledge is cejrtainly to know the whole history, not only by great D 3' so NEW ART OF MEMOllY. epochs, but year by year, and fact by fact ; and this perfection no other system has ever been able to afford. " 6. Multiplication. To make a multiplica- tion, consisting of a greater number of figures in the multiplier as well as in the multiplicand, only by memory, without writing any thing, may certainly in many cases be desirable, or of great utility, and is at least a certain proof that the prmciples of the present method reach every where, and that to its means nothing is too dif- ficult or too complicated. It is undoubtedly of the highest importance to be able to fix in our minds the numbers in general. Statistic geo- graphy, history, mathematics, in short, almost evei7 science is full of numerical figures. Mul- tiplication tables, square and cube numbers, loga- ' rithms, algebraic formulae, and all the mathema- tics can be submitted to those rules." Since the period of M. Von Feinaigle's arrival in this country, he has been delivering a variety of courses of fifteen or sixteen lectures each, for which the charge of five guineas has been made ; but the pupil is at liberty to attend any particular lecture, a second time, 'should he not sulficicntiy comprehend it at the first hearing. M. Von J'einaigle has not confined his visits to the metropolis: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liver- pool, etc. etc. have, in the summer season, been, successively, the theatre of his exertions. CHAP. I. ^rinctple0* Xhe memory may be compared to a ware- house* stored with merchandise. A methodical arrangement of the contents of such a repositor}', enables its owner to find any article tliat he may require, with the utmost readiness. With a general knowledge of the contents of a library, and of the manner in which the books are distributed, a person may, even when absent from the spot, determine, with certainty, the situation of any particular book.-j- " ^Medallists," says Mr. * Memory is, as it were, thcstorchor.se of our ideas; for the narrow'niind of man not bting capable of having many ideas under view an it is to be considered in relation to the total num- ber of the subdivisions. For example, if the situation of number 48 be required ; according to the last mentioned division of the rooms, it is ^o be found by considering the projxortion which that number bears to 36, the total number of the compartments in this arrangement. If the num- ber in question be less than this total, the place inquired after will be obvious; thus 12 being within the number o6, must, of necessity, be in the first room : being above 9, it is equally clear that it cannot be on the'first wall ; and being less than 18, it must, necessarily, be on some part of the second wall : and as it exceeds the number of the first wall by 3, it follows, of course, that its S6 NEW ART OF MEkORY. place must be in the third compartment of the second wall. If the number in question be higher than the number of the compartments in one room, its place will be readily found by dividing it by that number. Thus, suppose 48 to be the number whose place is required : 36)48(1. 2 9)12(1. 2 3 As 48 exceeds 36, we know that it cannot be- in the first room, the 1 is therefore changed into 2 ; and the fraction remaining, shows it to be in the twelfth compartment. There being nine compartments on every wall, this remainder, or number of the compartment, is dfvided by 9? for the purpose of ascertaining the wall. Now, as the divisor is contained more than once, but not twice, in the dividend, it follows that the com- partment sought must be on the second wall; tlie remainder gives the specific compartment. This operation, then, shows that 48 is in the third compartment, on the second wall, in the second room. This was the plan adopted by the antients when they divided their rooms into parts ; bu! being both complicated and difficult, it has been rejected in the present system, and another scheme has been introduced in its place, which is more simple in its construction — less difficult in its appli- cation — and much more extensive in its powers. PRINCIPLES. 37 We shall now proceed to explain the mode of dividing a room according to the New System of Memory, and to develop the principles of the art. It is, however, necessary to premise, that the pupil must not attempt too much at first, but should proceed gradually in the acquisition of this system ; for his ultimate success in it will greatly depend upon a perfect knowledge of the first principles.* As in mathematics no problem can be demonstrated without understanding all the preceding demonstrations, — so every advance in this art, must be grounded on the full posses- sion of all the antecedent doctrines. We shall divide a wall in the following manner: 1 t 2 1 3 4 1 5 1 6 7 1 8 1 9 These figures are arranged from left to right, in the usual manner of writing ; and for the more easily remembering their situation, it will be found that if two lines be drawn diagonally, from the four corners of the figure, they will intersect * Assumcudus usns paulatim, ut pauca primum complcc* tanmr animo, quae reddi fideliter possint : mox per iucre- menta tarn modica, ut onciaii se labor ille non sentiat, augenda usu, et exercitatione innlta contincnda est, quae quidem maxima ex parte meraoria constat. — Qidnct. Inst, Orat. lib. X, Opera, tom^ II. p 253. Ed. Bipont, 1784. £ 58 NEW AKT OF MEMORY. all the odd numbers. (See Plate I. fig. 1 .) There is now a single wall divided into nine squares or compartments ; these we shall name places, and say, the first place, second place, third place, etc. etc. The same mode must be pursued with the three remaining walls in this room ; by these means, four walls are obtained — each being divided into nine places. In order to find the number 36 in this room, we should naturally say four times nine will be 36, and should, of course, conclude that 36 would be in the last place of the last side or fourth wall of the room : but this calculation is erroneous ; 6 must ever be in the same situation, which will be that occupied by the point in the following figure : The place occupied by the number 6, in all the four walls, would be thus designated ; 16 26 I L "FT 36 / J , '■■ - ." L '• '' /•"ff - y ,A^i' » ^ v- V/i 1 \ \^X ^ - 'w ; / / \ \, / \ ^^\ ^ / \ \l c luni ii'vvi vnvniK xxixn ■> ^ ■ .' " " ~ 1 ' s ' 1 J « 1 J '•' 7 « 11 ' /< » n ~ " " " " '■/ " •3 ... ~ — " '■-" " i-l •) ,1 « ~ "~ ■a „ V 12 •■-' >J " „ '3 ' ~ u « rf w ..6 bj «« — ii ff. A kJ i m L L L L Li_ _ D Ai PRINCIPLES. 59 It must now be determined how we are to reckon these walls : if we stand in a room with our back to the windows, the first wall is on our left, the second before us, the tliird on our right, and the fpurth behind us. We shall, however, commence with the floor, and divide it into nine parts in the same manner as the walls. Where are 10, 20, 30, 40, etc. to be placed ? Every decade begins a new spries, and the decimal is placed on the cieling of the room ovei its proper wall ; thus, the first decimal, or 10, will be over the first wall ; the second decimal, or 20, will be over the second wall ; the third decimal, or 30, will be over the third wall ; the fourth decimal, or 40, will be over the fourth wall ; the fifth de- cimal, or 50, as its tenth part exceeds the num- ber of walls, will be assigned to the cieling of the room, and will consequently be the highest number in the first room, forming the connecting link betw.eeu this room and the second. 40 NEW AUT OF MEMORY. FIRST ROOM. Second mill. K 20 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 3 5^ ~o a> 1 2 •a •{^ H» o s-> ifi' 00 4 Floor 5 6 00 Ul tc o ^ ■* t^ 7 6 8 9 -o Oi u> 8 Z 9 f- € 6 T Of g Fourth Wall. rSOCieling As one room will not supply us with suffi- cient numbers, a second room must be provided. The floor of the second room is denominated the yifth wall, the wall on the left, tlie sixth ; the wall before us, the seventh ; that on our right, the eighth ; and the one behind us, the ninth ; and as the number 50 was upon the cieling of the first, so the number 100 will be upon the cieling of the second room. PRINCIPLES. 41 SECOND ROOM, Seventh Wall. % 70 -id 1 o 5 3 4 6, 7'; 8;^ c? C-5 O C-. 1 2 3 •s rf^ M te- o 0» >« c© 4 5* 6 05 u. ^o ar © '••a-- 1 TH '^ i> 7 8 9 •-0 C-. Oi 6 9 Z 9 G I o S X 06 Ninth fPull. I 100 Cieling. | Numbers, probably, originated . from holding wp the fingers of tlie haad thus : | , [ | , [ | J ,j j I I I ; live was made by holding up the thumb and little finger, with the ether fingprs. down, tlms/'"^"'':;V^'"«'''; forming the numeral V ; six was made by, erecting another finger and cou-. linuing the former position ; thus VI and VII, * Floor or fifth Wall. E 3 42 NEW ART OF MEMORY. VIII and Vim, in the same way, by adding a finger each time : ten was formed from two fives, y thus, making X. A ° The learner should now exercise himself in finding the situation of the diiferent numbers in the two rooms. Where, for example, are QQ, 47, 35, 21, 62, 82, 99, etc. The room must be first ascertained ; as to this there can be no diffi- culty, for as 50 is the lesser number in the first room, all the numbers exceeding 50, and as far as 100, will be found in the second room. Having found the room, the left hand figure will denote the zcall, and the right hand figure will show the place ; thus, 29 is in the first room, second wall, and ninth place; 47, fourth wall, seventh place ; by cutting off the left hand figure, the numerical order of the wall is given, and the remaining figure acquaints us with the place. In order to remember a series of words, they are put in the several squares, or places, and the recollection of them is assisted by asso- ciating some idea of relation between the objects and their situation ; and, as we find by expe- rience, that whatever is ludicrous, is calculated to make a strong impression upon the mind, the more ridiculous the association the better. Being provided with two rooms, we will take the floor of the first room, and place some- PRINCIPLES. 43 thing in each of the nine squares. In illustra- tion of this experiment, sensible objects will be given, as the association of ideas between them and the places is most striking. 1 Apple 2 Monkoy 3 Man 4 Ship 3 Pipe 6 Cap 7 Tankard 3 Boat 9 Tree The ideas of these images must be connected together, and it will then be almost impossible to forget the order in which they are arranged. The first is an apple, the second a monkey; this monkey, takes the apple, eats, and offers it to the man who is in the third place ; the man is just going to embark on a long voyage, and for this purpose a ship will be in the fourth place ; but he will smoke his pipe before he leaves his native country ; — pipe is in the fifth place ; — and when he has finished smoking, he calls for his jiight'Cap, which will be found in the sixth place ; before he retires to rest, he wishes for another tankard of ale ; tankard occupies the seventh place. In the morning when this man awakes, a boat is ready to convey him to the ship ; this boat is in the eighth place ; a tree a found in the ninih place— it shall be a 44 NEW ART OF MEMORY. willow-tree, and iDust grow by the water-side, on the very identical bank from which the man embarks in the boat. Any different objects may be taken promiscuously, and the connec- tion made between them, at the moment, as chance or fancy bids. The chief use of this example is to induce a habit of fixing certain ob- jects in a regular order, that we may always know where to find them. For this purpose the pupil should exercise himself iu the numerical situation of the different objects, and be enabled to determine it quickly. The floor and the walls are localities on which the figures and words must be arranged, in the several places or squares, iii the order above described. Were a series of twenty -six figures to be taken, for instance, the following : , .Uj^';n.^.A.^ ^2, 6 3 1, 4.5 2 "8 796.578964314 Or a series of consonants thus : f I I m n g m fprsti'srn (Full many a gem of purest ray, serine.) • or any other series of figures, or consonants, it would be found very difficult to remember them. The figures, and the letters^ are merely signs of PRINCIPLES. 45 signs, and cannot easily be fixed in the memory ; the understanding having no exercise. The ele- ments of words must, therefore, be sought for. Dr. Grey changed figures into letters, and thus made words ; but these words could not be fixed in the memory without constant repeti- tion, and strenuous application ; the different words required to be remembered in his MeDio- via TechnicUf being almost equally burthensome with the facts and dates which they were intend- ed to imprint upon the memory. The mode of changing figures into letters was known long before the time^of Dr. Grey. The substitution of letters for figures was practised by most anti- ent nations ; in the Hebrew and Greek languages, there are no arithmetical signs, but the letters of the alphabet are used in iheir place. Shop- keepeis and others, from an early period, had been in the habit of marking the articres which they had to sell, with certain letters, as arbitrary symbols, for the prices in pounds, shillings, and pence. We now take the consonants, and attach one or more to the series of figures, 1, 2, 3, 4* 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, ; each figure having its ap- propriate consonant, (^ee Plate 1. fig. 2.) The consonants only are resorted to, for ihey com- pose, like the skeleton of the human body, the 4G NEW ART OF MEMORY. principal parts ; the vowels are but the liga- ments. The letters appropriated to the figures are not merely arbitrary, but are adapted as nearly as possible to the form of the figures,* t, like the figure 1, is a perpendicular, or down stroke, and differs only from it, in the ad- dition of the small horizontal line drawn across the upper part of it ; t is more like the figure 1, than any other consonant, if perhaps, we ex- cept the letter /. An additional reason for as- signing the letter Mo 1 is, that it occurs in the word uni^. 71, is the appropriate letter to represent 2, there are two down strokes in it. 7n, furnishes us with three down strokes, it will then give the idea of 3 : if we place a 3 thus CO > it will afford a tolerable outline of the letter m. ,,,,r, is to represent 4: r when written, (See * Dr. Grey who assigned both vowels and consonants to figures, in a manner perfectly arbitrary, lias the fol- lowing scale : a e i o u (tU oi ei ou 11 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 b d t ,/' I s P k n z Here a and h stand for l, e and d for 2, i and t for 3, etc. PRINCIPLES. 47 Plate T. fig. 2.) resembles somewhat a 4. The letter r occurs also in our word foia- ; in the German ybA/-; in the Dutch vier ; in the Latin quatuor; in the French quatre; in the Spanish and Portugueze, quatro ; in the Italian quattrch; in the Greek TBj o» <0 (M )> h. (« 'O co o n in 09 o^ , tH f.^ ■^ p o ■ O T-l It ■iH 1-^ o^ G> « C^ T-* ■n •n ■rt rH T-l rt •n Ti th Tl 6 ■c > "2 to" o c cS fe U4 ^ 1 z; c o ^_ ^ 13 ^ >^ r-^ ,2 JS u a a ^ ci a -H H^ s ^* s s l-H fc" HH o l-l a a ^ ■«; «1 >< u ;» ei >> « a tf B P. &3 IS i ^ < < ^ ^ CO i2 a: a a U fc tH 0^ «o •* irt en 9» rW « «n ■^ Ok »« CO o> rt CO CO o 'f* IC p rt CO ■>* •* -* T^ -Tit ■^ iO in lO lH ■n TH ■H T-t iH iH "3 'a 1 > CX •3 o fa s 3 o a pei s o Q o a < < -^ H o O C($ ■;^ > >- . >* K* "^ lJ ri "^ l-< !^ > "-I tJ S K» :: U H U s X K X B w 12; >< >• a et a O 2! » Sum W X X s» ** Q^ 62 NEW ART OF MEMORY. ** ao M vs ift o» S4 ■* ^- it 3 13 id Q i a St 15 a s 0" i2 5 '« C4 A Q ft c ^^/-w/ } ^ " i-T ^ iT Si tn~ ^ b sT S s •f o 1 s x: c 0^ 2 J2 ■3 01 ;3 -> s c »• a J2 00 00 W) A UJ r* ^^>* ■^ u ** ^ C , hH , •« 1-4 H^ )-« a^ S l-H >-< HH )v4 Hi4 C a U ca l-I >4 en »-4 »4 M id 1— C 1: w « « u ■-1 u « Bi Bi N >] S U •-s u _J^ o (O K 00 o» ,S *» »» *» 0* e< »« « = » CHAP. III. (gtosrapljj)^ In the application of the Art of Memory to Geography, this science will be considered under the following heads; (1.) Principles. (2.) Ge- neral Geography. (3.) Particular Geography. (4.) Statistics. Sect. 1. — Principles, Geographical charts represent the situation of cities, towns, seas, continents, etc. on the globe ; but we w II suppose that nothing of this kind has ever been fiibricated ; that there are no charts : if we wish to ascertain the relative situation of any places, the means must be invented to ac- complish what is required, beginning with the first principles. Whenever the memory is to be treated with, we siiould employ the powers of reason. The charts must be drawn in our intel- lect, and we should proceed step by step ; what is wanting in the memory, will be supplied by reason. 64 NEW ART OF MEMORT. The earth being a round body,* it is repr©= sented by a globe; but as both sides of this globe cannot be seen at the same time, it must be di- vided into hemispheres or halves ; there will then be an eastern and a western, or, a northern and a southern hemisphere. Suppose a circle to be described, and a point placed within it ; the situation of this point must be determined witii relation to some other part of the circle. If a horizontal line be drawn across the circle and divide it equally, the line appears to us straight ; but cannot, in reality, be so, because it is half the circumference of a globe. A perpendicular line is then drawn, and the hemisphere is divided into four equal quarters : each quarter containing 90° or one-fourth of 360"; every circle containing HGO". (See Plate I. fig. 3.) The horizontal line must be taken for the equator. The quarter then in which the dot or point ap- pears, should be divided by QO lines, but as this would completely conceal the surface of the diagram, and obliterate the little point itself, we will divide it into 9 parts. (See Plate I. fig. 4.) The point is now evidently within the first stripe or line, and if these lines be named ladders, • The earth is, as every one knows, an oblate spheroid, but it would be needless to descend to particulars, in a Seoeral illustration. GEOGHAPUY. 65 we shall say it is on tlie first ladder ; but its situa- tion is novv only half determhied. Tiiese ladders are divided into f^teps ; and each has nine steps. This will be effected by drawing 8 horizontal lines across those already made. (See Plate I. fig. 5.) The point is still on the first ladder, but on what step ? It is on the sixth step. Two rooms should be provided, with four walls in each ; in the upper room is to be placed the northern hemisphere, and the southern is to be supposed under the northern, in the lower room. We will begin with the northern hemisphere, di- viding it into four equal parts or quarters ; trans- ferring one quarter to the first wall. (See Plate I. fig. 6.) The former division of a wall was thus : 1 I '-M 3 -^ I ■> I 6 r i 8 I 9 It will not, however, be more diflicult to re- member nine figures in one line, than in three. The floor of the upper room in which we stand is the equator ; upon this we reckon the longi- tude. Prom the pole to the equator there are 90", but we only place 60" on the wall, the re- maining 30" being fixed in the cieling. In each of these squares, there are 10° of longitude, and 10" of latitude. 63 66 NEW ART OF MEMORY. The horizontal lines are parallels of latitude^ and the perpendicular lines afe meridians or cir- cles of longitude. The series of walls in the first room will be as follows : I. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 II. 10 11 12 13 14 15 J6 17 18 III. 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 IV. 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Upon referring to the globe, it will be found that the whole hemisphere, north of the equator, has been transferred into the first or upper room ; the southern hemisphere being reserved for the room beneath. Before we proceed further, the meridian must be fixed. Tiiis, in English charts, is taken from London, or more correctly fiom Greenwich, counting the longitude east and west from that place. The French place their meridian in P,ins, but they mark also in their maps the lon- gitude from Ferro, from which island, all the other European nations commence theirs ; by these means, die longitude which is laid down on a foreign n\ap is comprehensible by ihcm, and the Parisian mode is easily understood by any GEOGRAPHY. 6? other continental geographer, but o\ir maps are not intelligible any wliere but in England. In making our calculation we shall adopt the meridian of Ferro, because it divides the globe into those two equal parts or hemispheres, which are usually represented on niaps. Suppose a place to be in 254° of longitude, and 43° of latitude ; on what ladder, on what step, and on what wall will it occur ? We must take 254, (and as it will be remembered our hemisphere is divided only into tens of degrees) we must cut off the unit iigure, thus 25,4, and we have 25 left, but as the 25th ladder would include only those degrees under 250, and 254 being above that number, it is on the l6ih ladder. To ascertain on what wall this 26th ladder is, and its nume- rical situation there, ih* figures 2 and 6 n)ust be added together ; the product gives the number of the ladder. By counting the difference between 6 and 8, thus 6, 7, 8, three, the number of the wall is given. In the latitude 43, the 3 is re- jected, and 4S being past 40 it is on the fifth step. A place theii iu longitude 254 and lati- tude 43, will be found on the 26th ladder, fifth step ; or on the third wall, eighth ladder, and fifth step. If we read that an engagement had taken place bttvveen two ships in S24° longitude, 36° S. lati- tude, how shall we find on which wall this spot C8 NEW ART OF MEMORY. is situated ? We know that south latitude must be in the lower room, and that 3G being more than 30, must be on the 4th ladder step. For the longitude, as in the foregoing example, we cut off the unit 32,4 — 324 is more than 320, there- fore it must be on t!ie '33rd ladder; these two figures are now added together ; the product 6 gives the situation on the wall, and by counting from 3 to 6 — 3, 4, 5, 6, we get 4, which is the number of the wall. This event, therefore, took place near the mouth of the Rio de la Plata ; on the 4th wall, 6th ladder, and 4th step, of the southern room. Sect. 2. — General Geography, We are now provided with a geographical net, with which all the different places may be taken, from the smallest to the largest. What we have learned in the common way on globes is soon forgotten, there being no connecting media to bring the different countries to our recollection. Supposing we are looking at a globe, and we fix our eyes upon England, we cannot see its anti- podes ; places can be seen only in one direction. The Chinese, v\hen shown a map of the world, said, why put us up in a corner ? we are in the centre. In fact, every where is the centre, and Wltyyiay Jh4MUft»f. ty Jfun, ,-.'^. jre«4 X D [ JLS o c GEOGRAPHY. 69 the centre is every Mliere. The whole circum- ference is equally distant from us wherever we may be. The four quarters of the northern hemisphere being arranged on the four walls, Mhen we are in the room, we can, in an instant, see every part of the hemisphere. (See Plate IV.) On the Jirst wall will be a partof the Atlantic Ocean, the whole of Europe and a great part of Africa and Asia. On the second wall will be found the remain- der of Asia, and a large proportion of the North Pacific Ocean. On the third wall there is a continuance of the Northern Pacific Ocean, and a part of North America. On the fourth wall there is the remainder of North America, part of South America, the American Islands or West Indies, and a great part of the Atlantic or great Western Ocean. This completes the northern hemispliere, and occupies the first or upper room. In the second or /ower room, (see Plate V.) on the first wall, we have a part of the Southern Atlantic Ocean, part of Africa, and the Indian Ocean. The second wall is occupied by the remainder of the Indian Ocean, the Indian Archipelago, and by New Holland. 70 NEW ART OF MEMORY. The third wall contains tlie Southern Pacific Ocean, and tlie South Sea Islands. The fourth wall has nearly the whole of South America. Thus there are in the northern Room the whole Continent of Europe and Asia, the greater part of Africa, the whole of North, and part of South Araeri*^a; the Iowa; or Southern Room containing the remainder of Africa and South America, the Asiatic Islands, Polynesia and Australasia. Supposing the windows of our room to be on one side, if we stand with our back to them, the first wall is on the left ; this wall is divided into nine ladders, which show the longitude, and each ladder into nivie steps, giving the latitude. On the Jirst ladder,^/'s^ step, there is almost entirely sea, being a part of the Atlantic Ocean; a small portion of Africa, however, is disco- vered. On this part Sierra Leone is situated. The square on which this fails is known by the num- ber 1 ], (1st. ladder, 1st. step,) — here the symbol for 1 1 is, the Pillars of Hercules. These pil- lars are placed in the square; one pillar is fixed in the sea, the oUier on land. Leone will rccal to mind the name of a Lion ; a lion must be placed between die pillars, and the situation of this place will then be fixed in the memory. On the second step there is a part of the At- •EOGHAPHY. 71 lantic Ocean and of Africa ; upon this part of Africa are Senegal, Cape Verde, and Goree ; and the symbol for the l,2lh place (1st ladder, 2d step,) is David with the lion ; if it be said that David in tearing the sinews of the lion, is gored by the animal ; and that he has a green cap in his hand, these throe places will be fixed in this square. It is quite sufficient if the words given recal the names of the places to our me- mory. On the third step are the Canary Islands; these are somewhat like a cluster of birds (Ca- nary Birds) that must fly round the Pyramid, the symbol for 1, 3, (1st ladder, 3d step.) On lUe fourth step, there is part of Portugal, and the island of Madeua. The symbol for 14 is Diogenes with the lantern. This man is the proprietor of the island, and has come to Ma- deira from ijisbon, on purpose to drink a bottle of his favorite beverage. On the Ji/th step is Cape Fini'^terre. The symbol for 15 is iEsculapius with his serpent ; a serpent then shall be placed at the extremity of the \dU(\, ( Finis terr(B,) On the sixth step thtre is a small part of Ire- land. The symbol for l6 is Ceres, or the j^lean- er; she shall have a garland upon her head; gar-land and Ire- land are too much alike in sound to be easily forgotten. 74 NEW ART OF MEMORY. On the seventh step is Iceland, The sym- bol for 17 is Archimedes, or the Carpenter: he is breaking up the ice, and that we may re- niember the name of the celebrated mounti Hecla, we will say, that he acquits himself wi< vej7 great eclat. . \v- These illustrations seem amply sufficient l^' i:^ rect the pupil in the application of this * ni geography, so far as it relates to the use ot symbols, and the connecting ideas to be as ^ ciated with them. While we count our meridians all east from Ferro, it must be remembered, tliat in English maps, London, or rather Greenwich, is taken for the first meridian, from which the degrees are countetl 1 80° East, and 1 80° West. If a place be described in longitude 121° west of London; to reduce it to the meridian from Ferro, 12 1** must be substracled from 180°, (the whole number of degrees west,) the remainder is 59, which added to 180, aud the 18° difference between the cal- culation from London and Ferro, will give the product 275°. A place then which is 121° west of London, may be said to be 257" east oi Berro. The meridian of Paris is 20° east from Ferro, and 2 from the meridian of London. This process is at once simple and correct, and will allow us to use a general meridian which CtEOGKAPTIY. 75 will be intelligiUe on all maps, and to all per- sons. The best mode of learning the geography is to ..'j^ke a chart of Mercator's projection of the earth, in which the degrees of latitude and lougi- 'e are marked by tens, that it may coincide ^1 the divisions on the walls, each of the res there containing 100°; 10' both ways. i$^l.li the squares in the map must be covered ■.,>vith a sheet of paper, except one, that is the first step on the first ladder ; the space taken up by the land in this square should be noticed, and the outline of the land described ia the map, and traced upon a drawing, or diagram, of the first wall, divided into ladders, and ladder- steps, as seen before. Tliese squares should be sufficiently large to show some of the principal projections of the land, that the most remark- able places may be inserted ; thus constructing a small chart. In the lower room, which contains the south* ern hemisphere, we must count downzeardf 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, etc. still begimiing with the equator. Every one of the small squares may be divided into degrees. 74 NEW ART OE MEMORY. 1234567890 o OS _L I III III 1 1 ICIjIIjIII iii i iii iii" I . — I, ■ J Suppose the point in this square to represent Madeira. This point is about on' -fifth of the whole, therefore, it is iu 2° of longitufie, and a little less than one-fifth of the whole 10° of lati- tude, we see then 32*^ | of latitude, and 2" of longi- tude ; there is not an error of | of a degree. GEOGRAPHY* 75 To ascertain the relative situation of towns, some association must be formed between the towns and cities found in any one square. If a sort of narrative be invented, the me- mory will be materially assisted. We will tak« 25 for an example : in tliis are niany towns, as Madrid, Barceloua, Bourdeaux, Rociielle, Brest, Rouen, and Paris. The svmbol for 25 is Sancho Panza. Sancho then must set out oa his travels ; he departs from Madrid, and ar- rives at Barcelona, where he has to call for some parcels (Barcelona); lie then goes to Bourdeaux, and is very fond of drinking a bumper of good Bourdeaux zoiiie ; thence he travels to Rochelle, where he rests on a rock : being pressed for time at Brest, he departs for Rouen; and by rozcing down the Seine, arrives at last at Paris. To remove the appaient diffi- culty of fixing the names of so many squares, it must be observed that, the greater proportion of them is occupied by sea, where, of course, there is nothing to fix. It may also be sup- posed, that as there are no less than eight elevens, there will be much confusion in remembering the name of any particular place. An associa- tion has already been formed for the eleven in the first wall. In the eleven in the second wall is Ceijlon : it is not likely that we sliall ever com- mit so great an error as to place Ceylon on our 76 NEW ART OF MEMORY, first wall, or Sierra Leone, or Goree, on the second. The locality of each is so permanentljr fixed as to defy any thing like confusion. Sect. 3. — Particular Geography. In particular charts the divisions are different from those in general charts ; being divided into SBuch smaller parts. €1 €0 59 58 57 56 55 54 — 26 27 28 '29 30 31 32 33 34 35 TThe above is a chart with a series of figures. The figures which run along the bottom of this chart are the degrees of longitude ; those which run up tlie sides are tlie degrees of latitude. The Latitude must be counted North or South of the Equator, and the Longitude, East or West of the first meridian. There is here a scries of ladders GEOGRAPHY. 77 and steps, but very differently numbered from those which have been seen before. The square in longitude CJl)*, and latitude 55*, if brought to- gether will make 2955 ; the tens must be re- jected, and the units only left. We know that the squares in longitude, from 20 to 30, are on tlie third ladder, and tVoin SO to 40 on the fourth; and that the latitude begins on the sixth ladder step. To remember this, some word must be formed from the two figures. Having cut off the tens, we find 2955 becomes 9 longitude, and 5 lati- tude. The minutes are next to be determined. ' The distance from line to line is 60 minutes, one half will of course be 30 minutes; ^ — 15; | — 45; J — 12; ii—5. When the geography of Eng" land is to be learned, we should commence from the bottom or 3outh of the map, as England is above the equator : when any country is beneath the equator, we must of course count down- wards. Although the floor is not used in geo- graphy, it will be convenient to suppose this chart of England placed upon the floor, that the different counties may be arranged in order ; or it may be supposed to be on a table, &c. or on any other object. England is generally divided into Circuits, each of which contains a certain number of counties. H 3 T8 NEW ART Olf MEMORY. Circuits in England and Wales, I 11 III IV V VI VII VIII f 1 2 V5 w o The usual division of (he Counties is into Home Circuits, etc. etc. but this will not be adopted here. The following is our arrangement of them. I. South East. Sussex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Middlesex, Esses, Surrey. ir. South West. Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dor- setshire, Somersetshire, Devonshire, Cornwall. in. East. Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridge- shire, Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, Bucking- hamshire. IV. West. Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Glouces- tershire, Worcestershire, Monmouthshire, Here- fordshire, Shropshire. V. Midland. Northamptonshire, Rutland- GEOGRAPHY. 79 shire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, NoUingham- shire, Warwickshire, Derbysiiire, Staffordshire, Cheshire. VI. North. Yorkshire, Durham, Norlhuni'- berland, Lancashire, Westmoreland, Cumber- land. Vn. North Wales, Montgomeryshire, Den- bighshire, -Flintshire, Merionethshire, Caernar- vonshire, Anglesea. VHL South Wales. Glamorganshire, Breck- nockshire, Kadnorshire, Caermarthenshire, Car- diganshire, Pembrokeshire. All these Circuits are numbered in a series as ladders, and the counties are the steps ; there- fore 4,4 will be 4th circuit, 4th county, and so of the rest. — The symbol of 44 is a piano- forte ; if it be said that the keys of the instrument are bound with worsted, Worcestershire will be immediately brought to our recollection. In the same manner we must proceed with the others, fixing each on a symbol, and connecting some strange and ludicrous idea with this symbol. The student should be prepared with a small map of England which is not coloured ; and colour the circuits, each with a separate colour. The first, for Instance, blue ; the second, yel- low ; the third, green ; the fourth, red ; the fifth, lilac ; and when he comes to the sixth, 80 NEW ART OF MEMORY. begin again. When this is done, it must be remenibered that the numerical order of the Cir- cuits is represented by the dif^'erent colours. The first colour will be blue, the second yellow. When the counties are numbered, the pupil must count upwards, commencing with the lowest. The more effectually to distinguish their numerical order, we use the colours. The first county in the first circuit, must be bordered wiih blue ; the second county with \ellow; the timd with green, etc. and the like with die other remaining counties in the circuit. The numerical order of the counties will thus be firmly nnpressed on the memory. France contains one hundred and ten depart- ments. These are to be divided into eleven 7?e- gioiis, containing ten departments in each. The regions should be arranged in geograpliical order, commencing from ^ the equator, and counting upwards. The meridian is taken from Paris. West of this meridian we comiuence witii O, the region of the Pyrenees. On the East is I the Region of the Mediterranean, IT of Piedmont, III of Charente, IV of Lake Leman, V Central Region, VT Fuiisterre, Vtl Region of .luiat, Vlll of the Seine, IX of the Rhone, X northern Region. If we wish to know the thirty-fifth dcj)art- ment, it will be found in the third region, fifth GEOGRAPHY. 81 -department. To distinguish the region there are five colours; one colour serves for I and VI. a second for II and VII, a third for III and VIII. In the same manner one department is distin- guished from another. Sect. 3. — Statistics. " It has been shown that by the aid of the first principles of this science, it vvill not be difficult to find the situation of kingdoms, provinces, etc. and their respective longitude and latitude. There are, however, many other particulars which it is important to remember, as the num- ber of inhabitants, the natural products, the military power, the extent in square miles, the form of government, the state of commerce, of the arts, etc. etc. These may be all fixed in the memory with equal facility. Suppose that there is before us, a table, and that all the kingdoms of Europe, are placed upon it, and arranged according to their relative importance. This is shown in the following statistical table. NEW ART OF MEMORY. CO 1 *-< 1— 1 3 > 1 " 1 i 1 ' a. C/3 C it p << o >> IT s c o o ^ : o B i5 C CO c OEOORAPHY. 83 The first symbol he'in^ the Tozoer of Babel, it must be connected, in some manner, with the kingdom, which is placed first. This is Eng- land. Tlie Tower of Babel was the cause of the confu.'«ion of languages : in England are heard many different languages. Spain shall be II. The symbol for 2 is a Swan ; a swan then is placed in the sea, between Spain and Eng- land, and it will swim to Enghmd to convey intelligence. Ill is France, and is represented by the mountain, or Parnassus ; — the Pluses are banished from France. IV is Sweden, represented by a looking-glass, which hiay be emblematic of the smooth surface of the Baltic Sea, when calm, and at rest. By such compa- risons as these it will be easy to fix any thing that may be required. It novv remains to mention the objects in the particular squares or places. 1. Population. The symbol for this square is the Tozi'er of Babel. From the top of a tower, some idea may be formed of the popula- tion of a city, by the number of people walking in the streets. 2. Natural products. This square is repre- sented by the swan. A swan is an animal. Animals may be reckoned among the natural products of a country. 3. Mititan/ power. A fortification may be supposed to be on a moutttain ; and, as this is S4 NEW ART OP MEMORY. tlje symbol for 3, the military power will imme- diately occur to us. 4. Extent in square miles. The looking-glass^ which represents 4, will by its four-square figure, call to mind the square miles. 5. Government. It will not^ be difficult to connect the idea of a throne, wiih that of govern- ment, whether it be monarchial, republican, or any other form of government. A throne is the symbol for 5. 6. State of commerce. Commerce, the source of plenty, may well be represented by the Horn of Plenty, the symbol for 6. 7. Arts and Manufactures. To remember these it will be only necessary to think of the Glass-ljlower, the symbol for 7. a. The Sciences. The symbol for 8, Midas, or the man with long ears, is capacitated for the reception of all branches of science. There is here again a series of ladders and ladder-steps, which must be denominated by their respective num>>ers. In the number 2,4 there is 2 for Spain, and 4 for the extent in square miles, or the second ladder, fourth step : 4,6 is the Commerce of Sweden; fourth ladder, sixth step. In the statistical table may be placed every particular that it is necessary to know respecting GEOGEAPHY. 85 a nation. The manner of application for each square is now considered. 1. Population. This is changing every year ; the thousands and hundreds must therefore be omitted, and the millions only preserved. The population for England will be the number ], I, first ladder, first step : this is represented by the pillars of Hercules. England contains l6 mil- lions of Inhabitants.* This number will be fixed in the memory by changing the figures into a word; t d will be the consonants giving the num- ber ; — it may be said then, that there is a Toad crawling up the pillars of Hercules. 2. Natural Products. If a country be re- markable for the excellence of its horses, a rude outline of this animal may be drawn in the square belonging to the natural products. If it contain extensive salt mines, a barrel or basket of salt may be placed by the horse ; if good wine, two bottles of wine should be added ; iron may be represented by bars, and sheep by an outline, as with the horse. To connect these circumstances togetlier, some narrative should be invented, the more improbable and ludicrous the better. The horse being pressed by hunger, eats the salt, but becoming thirsty, in conse- • Accordiug to the last Population Returns, 16,5)2,144. I 86 NEW ART OF MEMORY. quence, drinks the wine ; the wine has an effect upon him, he becomes frantic, breaks the bars of iron, and endangers the safety of the sheep. The symbol for 12 is David with the Lion; David must hold the horse, and take especial care that the Lion does not devour the sheep. In the course of our reading, if it be required to commit to memory any remarkable circum- stance respecting a country, we should take a sheet of paper and divide it as our table is di- vided, placing in the appropriate squares a re- semblance, or rude outline, of the object or circumstance to be remembered. This mode will assist the memory very materially, and ex- cite a greater degree of attention than the mere idea which is presented to the mind by reading. 3. Military Power. The state of the mili- tary force, in time of peace as well as of war, must be considered, with the divisions into artil- lery, cavalry, and infantry ; or, any other ar-r rangement may be made which the nature of the military force, in any particular country, may demand. The square may be thus divided: Navy Artillery Cavalry Infantry CEOGRAPHY. 8? 4. Extent in Square Miles. Here we should divide the square into several parts, significant of the face of the country ; whether it be culti- vated or uncultivated, wood-land, meadow, or pasture, arable, etc. and what may be the ex- tent of water in the country. 5. Government. If die government be mo- narchial, a king may be supposed sitting upon the throne, attended by princes ; or, if of the mixed kind, he is supported by Lords aaid Commons. 6. Commerce. Tn this are arranged the prin- cipal exports and imports, and whatever relates to trade in general. 7. ^rts and Manufactures. Those of Eng- land might be represented in many ways. - It will be sufficient, perhaps, to place there the steam-engine and the cotton-mill, and there will be a visible remembrance of the arts and manu- factures of our own country. 8. The Sciences. To this square belong th« principal universities or foundations for the pro- pagation and increase of knowledge, with the various literary and scientific Institutions, as also the philosophers, poets, etc. etc. This general system of statistics is applicable, of course, to any particular country, and to its various subdivisions. In England, for instance, it might be applied to every county, m the sam« manner, as it is used for the whole kingdom. CHAP. IV. )mtox^. JL H E pupil having acquired some knowledge of the details of geography, including statistical ta- bles, and also of the mode of fixing in his me-<- mory the chronological succession of sovereigns, will proceed to the study of history with peculiar advantages. The following arrangement of some dates will introduce us to the application of the mnemoni- cal principles to history. Place 6 4 7 4 r 9 There are here units of years, tens of years, or decennials ; and hundreds or centuries. As the division into rooms already noticed, will be here resorted to, we cut off the first series of units, and call them places ; the next which are rejected Room Stripe 17 8 15 2 14 6 12 9 7 8 HISTORY. 69 are named stripes ; and the remaining figures, rooms. For example, 1786, would be seven- teenth room, eighth stripe, and sixtli place ; 1524, fifteenth room, second stripe, and fourth place, and so of the rest. 87 is in O room, or the room of units and tens,* eightii stripe and seventh place. When we view a choice collec- tion of pictures, some impressions of the excel- lence of a particular picture, and of its situation in the room or gallery, are generally fixed in the mind. The remembrance of one picture will suggest the situation of another, and in this manner it will not be ditiicult to fix the places of the more conspicuous paintings : and if there are many rooms, the particular room may be distinguished. Instead of a room being filled widi pictures, it is easy to imagine that it is oc- cupied by the events of a whole century : in this room are all the years, reduced to localities. A room is now taken with three walls, (see Plate I. fig. 7) each of nnIucIi is divided into three stripes ; and each stiipe into nine compart- ments or squares, as ue have, in some instances, done on our walls. Each of these stripes is now a ten; and before the first ten, there is O stripe, which is placed • Tne second io the room of centuries. 13 90 KEW ART OP MEMORY. on the floor : on this are put 1, 2, 3, etc. to 9. The number 100 must be placed on the cieling of the second room, which should be divided in the same way. This number will also serve as an inscription to designate the room. As it will be needful to appropriate a room to each century, there will be occasion for a series of rooms. This series will be thus arranged. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Here are the hundreds; and those before 100 are placed in the preceding or O room. There is now a necessity for a tenth room. To obviate this inconvenience it will be easy to suppose that the house is a double house. Thus we shall be furnished with rooms for 2000 years. But whence, it will be asked, are so many rooms to be procured ? Every one is familiar whh the apartments in his own house. All these rooms must be employed, and named, first, seventh, fourth, etc. and it will be better to choose rooms which are supplied with pic- tures, furniture, or some other remarkable ob- jects, upon which numbers may be fixed. Each room will be distinguished by one of the sym- bols. The Jirst room will have the tower of Babel painted Hpou it ; and to fix this more HISTORY. ^1 Strongly upon the memorv, it may be observed that the proprietor of the room h a great linguist, and the idea of the confusion of languages can- not fail to suggest to us the Tower of Babel, the distinguishing symbol of this room. The second room will be designated by the Swan ; the occupant of this room may be much attached to the study of ornithology ; he may be fond of birds, and possess an extensive aviary. The third room will have Parnassus or the Mountain; this room may be the habitation of a poety or of one who has a taste for poetry. If there 1)6 not a sufficient number of rooms in our own house, some of those belonging to our frienda may be engaged, whether they be at London, Edinburgh, or Vienna. Having placed them ideally, in order, we are now ready to fix what- ever is required to be remembered. For example, in the history of England it will be found that William the Conqueror began to reign in lOGQ. This date must be placed in the tenth room, sixth stripe, and sixth place. The tenth room will belong to Goliath, and we shall have associated this idea with the room, by comparing the possessor to Goliath in size and «hape, or in character for courage, bravery, or 92 NEW AKT OF MEMORY. any other similar quality. The second king is William Riifus, who ascended the throne in the year 1087; he will, of course, be placed in the same room, on the eighth stripe, and seventh place, and the whole of the stripes and places between this and the former, may be devoted to William the Conqueror. . Charlemagne, who was crowned Emperor in the year 800, is, naturally, placed on the cieling of the eighth room, — the room belonging to Midas. With Charlemagne may be arranged Egbert, or any king of another country whose reign was coeval with that of Charlemagne. When the present historical arrangement has become familiar, it will be proper to take -a sheet of paper for every century, forming a room and making the proper divisions of three walls and a floor, as above described. A particular fact may be then put upon paper, by sketching a rude outline of the circumstances, by figures of animate or inanimate beings ; this, though it may appear to some unnecessary, will imprmt the different facts upon the memory more forcibly than the usual mode of committing them to writing. This v'ill be sufficiently exemplified by the following bieroglyphic : ttlSTORV. 93 A \ It is thus explained. A convention was en- tered into in Eg)'pt, between General Khber, on the part of the French, and the Grand Vizier j on the part of the Sublime Porte, which was approved by the Cabinet of London. The straight line with the crescent on its top denotes the Grand Vizier, by its superior height to the perpendicular line which is to represent General Kleber ; the line drawn through the centre of this line forming 2 acute angels, is intended for the General's sword. To denote the convention two lines are drawn, which meet together in the centre, and represent the shaking of hands, or a meeting. The convention was formed in Egypt, which is signified by a pyramid. The Cabinet of London is typified by the outline of a cabinet on the right of the diagram ; the head of a ship placed in the square denotes London, as it is frequented more than any other port by ships. 94 KEW ART or MEMORY. It is not to be supposed that each division will become more difficult in proportion as it is filled with events. The reverse indeed will be the case. It is a much greater labor to retain a few facts scattered throughout the different squares, than it is to remember a multiplicity of them, each being arranged in order. If we take a few insulated facts, there can be but little connexion between them ; but when there is a multiplicity of events disposed in order, by associating them together, the one assists the remembrance of the other, and a strong connecting chain is formed, the links of which can scarcely be broken. The facility of committing these facts to memory is increased by their number. In selecting the facts we should be careful to take the simple facts ; and not to mistake their connecting cir- cumstances, or consequences, for the facts them- selves. It may be asked, perhaps, is there not occa- sion for a different room for every country ? Cer- tainly not. The history of one country must never be separated from the history of another country. We can .scarcely speak of an event of very great political importance which has hap- pened in England, without involvii)g the history of most of the European States, of the East Indies, etc. etc. The political interests of one country are almost always united with those of HISTORY. 95 another country. Sometimes, the events of one nation are of high importance; sometimes those of another nation. The gradual progress of a nation to power, and the gradual decline an^ extinction of that power must be familiar to every one who is, in the slightest degree, ac- quainted with history. The wheel of power, like the fabled wheel of fi>rtune, is continually revolving ; and, as one nation, in one century, takes the lead in importance and influence ; the next views it sunk into insignificance, and conse- quently yery unproductive of peculiar or striking events. Some, however, may object, that we shall not be able to distinguish any particular event, so as to assign this event to its proper country. There can be, however, no fear of this. Sou^e particular circumstances connected with, and inseparable from, the fact itself, cannot fail to distinguish the country in which this event hap- pened, whether in England, France, Spain, Ger- many, or any other part of the world. Hitherto, that period of time only has been considered which is posterior to the Birth of Christ. Antecedently to this period, however, there is a space of four thousand and four years. This time, though embracing a large number of years, is by no means so pregnant with events as that after the Birth of Christ. 0(5 KEW ART OF MEMORY. Plate I. fig. 8. represents the series of cen- turies, and on the left of this series are placed tke events that happened from the creation to the Birth of Christ. It would be easy to assign to each year its proper place ; but the first SOOO years are so barren of events, that it would be useless to do so ; and the difficulty of remembrance would be enhanced by the paucity of dates worthy of being committed to memory. We ought not to take rooms where there is nothing to fix. It is only necessary to know the true series of facts ; the years must be put into words. Thgre are but four years before the four thousandth year. In these the Creation, and the birth of Cain and Abel, are the principal events. From 4000 to 1000 there are not more than thirty principal facts. If there were 300, not more than three rooms would be required. The period which includes the histories of Greece and Rome, will produce a greater number of facts ; and there will be more certainty as to the dates. From the building of Rome then to the Birth of Christ, there will be occasion for seven rootns. (See Plate 1. fig. 9.) These remarks will suffice for the antient and modern history, — for the antediluvian and post- diluvian periods. We may, however, wish to remember not only the principal facts in general HISTORY, 97 history, but to enchain and fix the fleeting visions of tlie moment, — those passing incidents Avhich interest, amuse, or instruct us. " The sacred treasure of the past" is not the only *' substantial shadow" which will be registered in our ideal repository. We shall be enabled to arrange y«^«re events, and thus have an orderly disposition of every circumstance of business or pleasure, in which we may be engaged. In this repository may be placed passing events, those already entombed in the grave of time, and those which are yet to seek the same sepulchre. Our ideal almanack will enable us not only to regis- ter appointments — but to enrol the payment of bills and other mercantile concerns. To the diarist it will be a neverfailing source of profita- ble istruction and amusement. To fix the events of a whole year more places are required. Our year is divided into months, weeks, and days; and into four seasons. Every room has four sides. Every season contains three months, and each wall contains three stripes. (See Plate I. fig. 10.) The months are named first, second, third, fourth, and so on ; on each stripe are the days of the month, and consequently a sufficient number of squares or places, in which the facts and events may be arranged. To remember the first, second, and third mouths, the figures may be changed inta K 98 NEW ART OF MEMOEY. letters, and the letters into words, if necessary. If it be required to commit to memory some remarkable circumstance which happened on the' 25th of June, we should take the figures 6,25 (sixth month, 25th day,) and change them into letters ; these would he d n i; of this we might make Daniel, or any other word that would associate better with the nature of the event. If it be 6,8 (June 8th) we might say d v (dove) and connect it with the leading feature of the' event. The advantage of resorting to symbols for the representation of sensible objects, has, al- ready been insisted upon : it must, however, be repeated, that the rude outline of any one object, if drawn upon the paper, will contri- bute more essentially to imprint the circum- stance upon the memory, than whole pages of laboured description and minute detail. The Egyptian hieroglyphics were formed in this May, and the key to their interpretation (the combination of the different images) was a sacred trust reposited with the priests. The symbols which may be formed will serve the purpose of secret writing : for we may be well assured that they will be as unintelligible to every one but ourselves, as the piiest-writing was, to the profanum vulgus of Egypt. CHAP. V. I^ausuase* Sect. 1.— 0/i learnins Lanc^uafres, J. HE learning of Languages is, in these days, an object of such general pursuit, and at the same time of such real importance, that every plan of instruction which has for its object to abridge the labour of this study, or to give per- manence to its acquisitions, comes to our con- sideration with the strongest claims on our attention. The first approach to the study of Languages presents to view a long and dreary passage, but which must be travelled through ■with care and diligence, by those who wish to make any useful progress. Now it would cer- tainly be a great advantage to turn and shorten this toilsome road, and to be enabled to pursue our journey through the regions of science by more direct and less fatiguing advances. That any course of learning should be devised by which the acquisition of Languages shall be 100 NEW ART oy MEMORY. rendered an expeditious and unlaborious task, it would be presumptuous to expect. But it may be reasonably hoped, that, in the progressive im- provement of human experience, new methods of instruction may be introduced, in this as well as in other sciences, which may afford additional facilities to learning, and clear away many obsta- cles to improvement which former ages were unable to remove. ^ It is quite obvious that the difficulty in ac- quiring a foreign language consists in the consti- tutional difference of our native tongue, and that which we propose to learn. If the grammatical properties of the two languages were similar, the mere obtaining of a copia verborum would be an undertaking of no great difficulty. But how considerable a labour it is to obtain a perfect knowledge even of the genders and declensions of nouns, the conjugations of verbs, and other matters which are the very initials of language, any one who has had the least experience of the drudgery of teaching can well testify. It would seem, then, that one of the most extensive facilities which can be afforded in this matter, is to point out the affinities of different languages — to systematise, as far as can be, their similarities ; and, where it is practicable, to tjace and notify their variances. In other words. LANGUAGE. 101 if the expression may be allowed, to exhibit the uriivenalities of language. Something of this nature will be attempted in the present chapter. It is inserted, because it constitutes a part of M. Von Feinaigle's in- structions ; and because the Editor hopes that, it will be found to contain some useful matter. But he does not mean to delude the reader into an expectation that he will be here provided with a sort of talismanic key, which shall enable him, without labor and without loss of time, to un- lock the janua linguaruni. Indeed that (what- ever some interested enthusiasts may pretend) is what no intelligent reader would expect, nor any honest man venture to promise. All that will be here attempted will be, to exhibit some of the most important similarities of different languages — to show that, notwithstanding indivi- dual peculiarities, they still retain strong marks of affinity in many essential particulars. Facies non omnibus nna, Kec tamen diversa ; qualem decet esse sororum. Ov. Met. l. 2. V. 13. And, to bring the matter more home to practice, to offer some rules, by the assistance of which one language may be usefully applied to the ac- quisition of another. As we are about to consider some of the uni- k3 102 NEW ART OF MEMOllY. versal properties of language, it may not, per- haps, be thought improper to enter on the subject with a slight sketch of the origin of lan- guage. Sect. 2. — Sketch of the Origin of Language. *' We are informed by Scripture, that when the building of Babel was begun, about eighteen hundred years after the fall, tliewhoJe earth was of one speech. And had no miraculous inter- position taken place, it is probable, that some traces of it would have remained in every lan- guage to this day. For, though, in so long a time, many words must have been changed, many introduced, a»id many forgotten, in every country, yet men being all of the same family, and all deriving their speech from the only one primitive tongue, it may be presumed that some of the original words would still have been in use throughout the whole eaith : even as in all the modern languages of Europe, some Greek, and some Hebrew, and a great deal of Latin, is still discernible. But Providence thouglit lit to prevent this ; and by confounding the language of the builders of Babel, to establish in the world a variety of primitive tongues. •^ •fp W "F " Languages are either Primitive or Derived. LANGUAGE. 103 That those which are formed out of the «ame parent tongue should all resemble it and one ano- ther, and yet should all be different, is not more wonderful, than that children and tlieir parents should be marked with a general family likeness, and each distinguished by peculiar features. Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French, and a great deal of the English Tongue, are derived from the Latin ; with the addition of many new words, and new modes of termination and syntax which were introduced by the northern nations. And, therefore, all these languages resemble the LiBtin and one another ; and yet each is different from it, and from all the rest. But, if we could compare two original or primitive tongues toge- ther, the Hebrew for instance, with the Gothick or the Celtick, or the language of China, with that of the Hurons in North America, we should not discern, perhaps, the least similitude : which, considering that all mankind are of the same fa- mily, could not be fully accounted for without supposing, that some preternatural events like that at tlie confusion of Babel, had some time or other taken place. But this history solves all difficulties."* • Beattie on Language, in his Dissertations, pp. 304- 206, 4°. 104 NEW ART OF MfiMOftY. This is the general opinion respecting the ori- gin of ilie diversity of Languages; but it is not an uncontroverted doctriiie. Dr. Priestley* has argued upon this point in the following man- ner :— " The present diversity of language is gene- rally believed to have taken its rise from the building of Babel, and to have been brought about by the interposition of the Divine Being; but it is no uiipiety to suppose, that this (agree- able to most other operations of the Deity) might have been brought about by natural means. The possibility of this natural deviation seems to be deduced from the following considera- tions. " First. The primitive language, or that which was spoken by the first family of the human race, must have been very scanty, and insufficient for the purposes of their descendants, in their growing acquaintance with the world. " Second/^. Not being fixed by the practice of writing, it would be very liable to variation. " Thirdly. Supposing the primitive language to have had few inflections, (because few would have been sufficient,) it would easily admit any inflections, which chance or design might sug- * Lecture on the Theory of Language, p. 287, and leeq. LANGUA.OE, lOJ gest to the founders of different families, or to their successors. These different inflections would consequenily introduce different construc- tions of words, and different rules of syntax : and thus what are called the very stamina of languages, would be formed independently of one another, and admit of all possible varieties. " Fourthly. Considering into what different climates mankind were dispersed, furnished with the bare rudiments of the art of speech, into what different ways of living they fell, and how long they continued without the art of writing, (without which no language can be fixed,) it seems to be no woixier that languages should be so different as they are ; both with respect to the rules of inflection, with the fundamentals of grammar which depend upon them, and the words of which they consist. " Tiie difficulty which some allege there is, in conceiving hosv languages should arise in the world so very different, not only in the words, but in the manner of using them, seems to arise wholly from the supposition, that the primitive language was copiou'^, regular, and perfect in all its parts: the difficulty of changing such a lan- guage is allowed ; but the fact, is apprehended, is nuich easier accounted for upon the present hypoihusis. " To these arguments it may be added, that 106 NEW ART OF MfiMORY. to a person thoroughly acquainted with the pre-* sent state of mankind, ti.e prodigious diversity of human manners and customs may probably ap- pear almost as difficult to be accounted for, as the diversity of languages only." The late Dr. G. GRnGORY has obsefved on this subject, that it is impossible to say what was the nature of the confusion of language at Babe/ ; whether it consisted in the invention of new tortus, or in the improper use of the old. The miracle at Bahel, he adds, might be only a temporary confusion,* sufficient to set aside that useless and absurd undertaking : and it is more natural to suppose, that the consequent dispersion of mankind was the effect of dissen- tions occasioned by having misunderstood each other, than that ihey could not live together, be- cause they did not all continue to speak the same language. II. The origin of alphabetical writing is in- volved in as much doubt as that of the diversity * This conjecture, as Dr. Gregory states in a note, is fonfirmed by a criticism of Mr. Bryant, wlio remarks, in his analysis of Ancient Mytiiology, that ("THJli^ really signifies lip, and that consequently the niiia(;le was not any alteration in the language, but a failure or incapacity in labial utterance, which, soon after their separation, tlaey recovered. LANGUAGE. 107 of language ; and the controversies which have arisen on both subjects have been Mmilarly con- ducted — one side pretending to found their argu- ments on the authority of the Scriptures, and the other side denymg that those records furnish any such inference. They who have recourse to supernaturnl inter- position to account for the origin of writing, allege that the first alphabetical writings were the two tables of stone, which, as we are infoi med by Moses, were written by the finger of (iod himself. And it must be acknowledged (in the words of Dr. Priestley) that the oldest acco. nt we have concerning the use of letters in Asia and Greece is so circumstanced, as by no means to clash with this hypothesis. It seems Itkewise very probable from Robertson's compansou of Alphabets, that all the known ones might origi- nally have been derived from the llebiew, or Samaritan. But in opposition to these arguments it has been asked — If the Deity had taught or revealed such an art to mankind, why is it not explicitly noted in that complete history of revelation, which inspiration has handed down to us ? The writing on the tables at Mount Sinai is not spoken of as a new invention; and if it had been such, and particularly if it had been the imme* diate act of the Deity, is there the least proba- 108 NEW ART OF MEMORY. bility tl*t so important a fact would have been omitted by the sacred historian ? There are va- rious other arguments in this matter, but these form the hinge of the dispute ; and we shall close this subject with a very satisfactory observation of Dr. Priestley, who reniarks, that, the imper- fections of all alphabets, the Hebrew by no means excepted, seems to argue them not to have been the product of divine skill, but the result of such a concurrence of accident and gradual improvement as all human arts, and M'hat we call inventions, owe their birth to. For certainly, the alphabets in use bear no marks of the regularity and perfection of the works of na- ture : the more we consider the latter, the more reason we see to admire their beauty, just pro- portions, and consequent fitness to answer their respective ends ; whereas, the more we examine the former, the more defects, superfluities, and imperfections of all kinds we discover iu them. Besides, had there ever been a divine alphabet, it would certainly have established itself in the world by its manifest excellence, particularly as, upon this supposition, mankind were incapable of devising one themselves. Ill, But whatever may be the origin of «/- phabeticai zci iiing, it is certain that all alpha- bets are, more or less, defective. In the or- thography of modern languages, in particular, it LANGUAGE. 109 is a great inconvenience, as has feeen truly observed,* that the pronunciation does not cor- respond with the writing ; but that the same let- ters have different sounds, and the same sounds are often represented by different letters : some letters also, according to the pronunciation, are superfluous in some words, in others letters are wanting. This is chiefly a mark of their deriva- tion from other languages : since, in many of those differences, the speUing leans to the an- tients, when the pronunciation is modern. Tlius the (p) in the word receipt is not pronounced ; but it shows the derivation of the word from recipio in Latin. Some words of the same sound are spelled differently, to preserve a dis- tinction in writing, as air, heir : hair, hare, etc. Other words, on the contrary, which are spelled in the same manner, are pronounced differently, to preserve a distinction in speaking ; as I readr and I have read. Sect. 3. — Accmint of some attempts towards forming a universal Character or Alphabet. All the alphabets extant are charged by Bishop Wilkin s with great irregularities, * Priestley's Lectures on Language, p. 43. L no NEW ART OF MEMORY. with respect both to order, number, power, figure, etc. As to the order it appears, says he, inartificial, precarious, and confused, as the vowels and con- sonants are not reduced into classes, with such order of precedence and subsequence as their natures will bear. Of this imperfection the Greek alphabet, which is one of the least defec- tive, is far from being free : for instance, the Greeks should have separated the consonants from the vowels ; after the vowels they should have placed the diphthongs, and then the con- sonants ; whereas, in fact, the order is so per- verted, that we find the o the fifteenth letter in the order of the alphabet, and the &>, or long o, the tvi'enty-fourth and last : the e the fifth, and the n the seventh letter. With respect to number, they are both redun- dant and deficient; redundant by allotting the same sound to several letters, as in the Latin c and k,f and ph ; or by reckoning double letters among the simple elements of speech, as in the Greek I and ^|/, the Latin q or cu, x or ex, and the j consonant. They are deficient in many respects, particularly with regard to vowels, of which seven or eight kinds are commonly used, though the Latin alphabet takes notice only of five. Add to this, that the difference among LANGUAGE. Ill them with regard to long and short, is not suffi- ciently provided against. The powers again are not more exempt from confusion ; the vowels, for instance, are gene- rally acknowledged to have each of them several different sounds ; and among the consonants we need only bring as evidence of their different pro- nunciation the letter c in the word circa, and g in the word negligence. Hence it happens, that some words are diflferently written, though pro- nounced in the same manner, as cessio and sessio ; and others are different in pronunciation, which are the same in writing, as give, dare, and give, vinculum. Finally, he adds, the Jigtires are but ill con- certed, there is nothing in the characters of the vowels answerable to the different manner of pro- nunciation ; nor in the consonants analogous to their agreements, or disagreements. As we are on this subject, the reader may not be displeased, perhaps, to have the various schemes which have been proposed for the emen- dation and correction of the English Alphabet brought together in one concise view. ** There have been many schemes offered for the emendation and settlement of our ortho- graphy ; which, like that of other nations, being formed by chance, or according to the fancy of the earliest writers in rude ages, was at first verj 112 NEW ART OF MEMORY. various and uncertain, and is yet sufficiently irre- gular : of these reformers some have endeavoured to accommodate orthography better to the pro- nunciation, without considering that this is to measure by a shadow ; to take that for a modet or standard, which is changing while they apply it. Others, less absurdly indeed, but with equal unlikelihood of success, have endeavoured to proportion the number of letters to that of sounds, that every sound may have its own cha- racter, and every character a single sound. Such would be the orthography of a new language to be formed by a synod of grammarians upon prin- ciples of science. But who can hope to prevail on nations to change their practice, and make all the old books useless ? or what advantage would a new orthography procure equivalent to the con- fusion and perplexity of such an alteration. " One of the first who proposed a scheme of regular orthography, was Sir Thomas Smith, Secretary of Slate to Queen Elizabeth, a man of real learning, and nmch practised in grammatical disquisitions.* After him auother mode of • In the prefa;' ' ohnson's English Dictionary (from whWA this h. .iiatled) a f^peclmevi may be seen of .Ilia rfePoTMcrj or«if>g)«ifhy. Tke want ol" juoper ty,p98, itowever, renders >* y^">•^^'ii^h\t to etliibit this and ptji^r spe,ciaieu3 here. LANGUAGE. 113 writing was offered by Dr. Gill, the cele- brated Master of St. Paul's School in London. Dr. Gill was followed by Charles Butler, a man who did not want an understanding which might have qualified him for better employment. He seems to have been more sanguine than his predecessors, for he printed his book according to his own scheme. '* In the time of Charles I. there was a very prevalent inclination to change the ortho- graphy ; as appears, among other books, in such editions of the works of Milton as were published by himself. Of these reformers every man had his own scheme ; but they agreed in one general design of accommodating the letters (o the pronunciation, by ejecting such as they thought superfluous. Some of them would have written these lines thus : All the erth Shall then be paradis, far happier place Than this of Eden, and far happier dais. " Bishop Wilkins afterwards, in his great work of the philosophical language, proposed, without expecting to be followed, a regular or- thography ; by which the Lord's prayer is to be written thus : Y«r FSdher hsitsh art in h6ven, hfllloed bi dhyi nam, dhi cingdym cym, dhy sill bi dyn in erth as it is in heven, etc." l3 ili NEW ART OF MEMORY. Here Dr. Johnson has closed bis account, which we shall emleavour to complete by no- ticing some other philosophical speculations of a similar nature that have been submitted to the public. But we shall first present the reader with a more detailed accourit of Bishop Wilkins' plan of a universal and philosophical language. This account we shall give in an extract from Dr. Priestley's Lectures on the Theory of Language, because it contains the most clear and concise exposition of it, that can possibly be given. " Having in the first place, with prodigious labour and exactness, distributed all things to which names are given into classes ; under forty genuses or general heads, (some of which, however, are subordinate to others) he assigns a short and simple character to each of these forty genuses,---a definite variation of the character, to each difference under the genuses, — and a further variation for each species, etc. By this means, the characters, representing all things that have names, have the same analogies with one another that the things themselves have. " Characters being provaded for the names of things, the grammatical distinctions of words, numbers, tenses, persons, voices, etc. are denoted by some appendage to the character. " In this manner may we be furnished with an LANGUAGE. 115 universal character, which shall represent ideas directly, without the intervention of any sounds, and which may be equally understood by people using any language whatever.* " To make this character efFable, the Doctor (Wilkins) appropriates a single sound to the characters representing each genus and difterence, and also to each variation and appendage before mentioned : and they are so contrived, that the simple sounds adapted to all the parts of the most complex character may be pronounced with ease, as one word. " By tliis means any people, after they had applied this character to represent their ideas, might soon learn to read it in the same manner • Tbc languages of Europe have one instance of this kind of writiny;. Their aritkmeliculfiguus, which were de- rived from the Arabians, arc signiticantiBarks precisely of the sarae nature as the universal characters ai)Ove men* tioued. They have no depondcnte on words ; but each figure represents an object — represents the number for which it stands : and accordingly, on being presented to the eye, is equally understood by all the nations, who have agreed in the use of those cyphers — by Italians, Spaniards, French and English, however diflerent the languages of those nations are from one another, and whatever dift'erent names they give in tlieir respective languages, to each nu- merical cypher.— JB?«Jr on the Belles Lett. Led. vii. H6 NEW ART OF MEMORY. as any other people ; whereby, in conversation as well as in writing, they might make themselves perfectly understood by one another. " The elements of this character and language are so few, and the combination of them so easy, that the Doctor (VVilkins) says he has no doubt, that a person of a good capacity and me- mory may, in one month's space, attain to a good readiness of expressing his mind this way, either in the character or language. " As the names of individuals cannot be com- prehended in tables of genuses and their differ- ences, the Dt)ctor (VVilkins) hath contrived an ALPHABET of all the simple articulations of the human voice ; to which he hath assigned two sets of characters, to be used at pleasure : the one consists of short and plain strokes, the other is a kind of delineation of the position of the organs in forming the articulations." This plan Dr. Priestley considers the most rational of all the plans of a universal and phi* losophical language. And he adds, whenever this noble project is resumed, it seems to be im- possible to proceed upon a better plan than this. The principal thing that is wanting to the perfection of it is a more perfect distribution of things into classes than, perhaps, the present state of knowledge can enable us to make. LANGUAGE. 117 Mr. JiODWicK, in t\ie Philosophical TranS" actions* gives ' an Essay towards an universal Alphabet.' His plan was to contain an enume- ration of all such single sounds, as are used in any language : by means of which people should be able to pronounce truly and readily any lan- guage; to describe the pronunciation of any language that shall be pronounced in their hear- ing, so as others accustomed to this language, though they had never heard the language pro- nounced, shall at first be able truly to pronounce it : and lastly, this character was to serve to perpetuate the sounds of any language what- ever. The construction of " a new alphabet, and a reformed mode of spelling," has also occupied the attention of that celebrated Philosopher, Dr. Franklin. His plan may be seen in his mis- cellaneous works.'!" In this alphabet he has attempted to provide that no letter should have two sounds, and every sound should be repre- sented by a distinct letter. " It is to be observed (he says) that in all the letters, vowels, and con- sonants, wherever they are met with, or in what- ever company, their sound is always the same. r— ■ • Vol. xvi. p. 126. t Vol. ii. p. 357. ed. Lond. 1806. il8 NEW ART OF MEMORY. It is also intended, that there be no superfluous letters used in spelling ; i. e. no letter that is not sounded ; and this alphabet, by six new letters, provides that there be no distinct sounds in the language, without letters to express them. As to the difference between short and long vowels, it is naturally expressed by a single vowel, where short ; a double one, where long : as for mend, write mend; but for remaitied, write re- meen'd ; for did write did, but for deed write diid, etc." In this alphabet c is omitted as unnecessary ; k supplying its hard sound, and s the soft ; k also supplies well the place of z, and with an s added, the place of .r : q and x are therefore omitted. The vowel u, being sounded as oo, makes the w unnecessary. The ?/, where used simply, is supplied by i, and where as a diph- thong, by two vowels : that letter is therefore omitted as useless. The jod, j, is also omitted, its sound being supplied by a new letter, which serves other purposes. The philosophical construction of the alphabet may be best seen in the following account, writ* ten by himself, and entitled : LANGUAGE. IIQ " Remarks oh the alphabetical Table." ^It is endeavoured to give the alphabet a more nU' \ fund order ; beginning: first witli the simple sounds to <' formed by the breath, with none or very little huh J help of tongue, teeth, and lips, and produced r chiefly in the windpipe. C Then coming forward to tliose formed by the roof ^' ' i of the tongue next to the windpipe. j.^ „^ ^ Then to those, formed more forward, by the forc« t. d. i part of the tongue, against the roof of the mouth. {Then those formed still more forward in the mouth, by the tip of tlie tongue, applied first to the roots of the upper teeth. $.z. Then to those formed by the tip of the tongue, ap- plied to the ends or edges of the upper teeth. ^1 C Then to those formed still more forward, by the /• ^'' ^ under lip applied to the upper teeth. {Then to those formed yet more forward, by the upper and under lip opening to let out tiie sound- ing breath. / And lastly, ending with the shutting up of the m. J mouth, or closing the lips while any vowel is t.sO"uding. It is impossible for want of proper types to give a specimen here of the Doctor's reformed mode of spelling ; but several examples may be seen in the 3rd vol. of his works, p. S57, in which is inserted a correspondence which was 120 NEW ART OF MEMORY. carried on between the Doctor and Miss Ste- phenson, on this subject, and in which the former urges the utility of his scheme, and endeavours to answer the objections raised against it."* Mr. Noah Webster, another American author, has proposed a more moderate inno- vation, " to render our orthography sufficiently -regular and easy." 1. The omission of all superfluous or silent letters. Thus bread, head, give, bread, built, meant, realm, friend, would be spelt, bred, hed, giv, brest, bilt, ment, relm, frend. 2. A substitution of a character that has a certain definite sound, for one that is more vague and indeterminate. Thus, mean, near, speak, grieve, zeal, would become, meen, neer, speek, greeve, zeel. Thus key should be written kee ; laugh, laf; daughter, dawter ; blood, blud ; character, karacter; chorus, korus, etc. 3. A trifling alteration in a character, or the addition of a point would distinguish different sounds, without the substitution of a new cha- * Mr. Webster states, that the Doctor, amidst all his other employments, public and private, actually conl- piled aUictionai7 on this scheme of reform, and procured types to be cast for priiiting it. But it never was printed. LANGUAGE. HI racter. Thus a very small stroke across the would distinguish its two sounds. A point over a vowel might answer all the purposes of dif- ferent letters. And for the diphthong on, let the two letters be united by a small stroke, or both engraven on the same piece of metal, with the left hand line of the w united to the o. These, with a few other inconsiderable altera* tions, Mr. Webster thinks, " would answer every purpose, and render the orthography sufficiently correct and regular."* The only other scheme of reformation we shall notice is that put forth by Mr. Elphinston. We shall transcribe the first paragraph of his preface, f " Evvery tung iz independant ov evvery oddher. Hooewer seeks dhe anallogy (or nat- tural rule) ov anny tung, must dherfore find it at home; nor wil dhe seeker seek in vain. Inglish diccion dhen haz no laws, but her own. Yet, in her picturage, and consequently in much ov her livving practice ; hav anny oddher laws, or any lawlesues, been prefferably regarded. No more can anny language adopt dhe system ov any oddlier; dhan anny nacion, dhe hoal poUity ov * Dissertations on the English Language, p. 394. ♦ Propriety ascertained in her Picture, 4^. 122 NEW ART OF MEMORY". anoddher iiacioii : for such adopter wer no more a distinct nacion or language ; wer but a mon- grel, or an eccoe." Sect. 4. — Proposed Philosophical Arrange' merit of the Alphabet as applied to Language in general. The ordinary arrangement of the alphabet be- ing thus defective and unphilosophical, we shall propose another mode of disposing the letters, which we shall endeavour to justify, by assigning a reason for allotting to each letter the particular place which it occupies. We shall exhibit our alphabet, then, in this form : — a c b ph f c d *h V M m n o u P V X ' t According to this scheme, the letters are dis- tributed into four colunais, each column con- taining five letters. This arrangement is not an arbitrary one, but is made upon principles of philosophical propriety. LANGUAGE. 125 The first column contains the vowels. Y, is a vowel in Englisli, but it is by no means an essential part of the alphabet. It takes in general 'the sound of i, as in rhyme, cyder, system, synfax, etc. For this reason (as Mr. Walker has ob- served) printers, who have been the great cor- rectors of our orthography, have substllultd the i in its stead, in many instances. We shall dis- card ?/, therefore, fi cm our alphabet. The vowels are placed first, because they can be pronounced without the assistance of conso- nants, while consonants cannot be pronounced without the aid of vowels. In order to arcount for the arrangement of the vowels, thus ; a, e, i, 0, u; we must advert to the pronunciation of them. The French pronunciation is the most natural and pkilosophical ; for in the course of that pronun- ciation of the vowels, there is a regular gradation of sound from the most open to the closest, — ■ from high to low, — aw, a, ee, o, en. This h the order of nature. The sound of a is produced, by a very wide opening of the lips ; which are somewhat more closed in the pronunciation ofe,* and still more so in the utterance o( i. When o is pronounced, the lips approximate still more, and at the sound of u, they are almost closed. This subject may be further illustrated by the following extract from Mr. Walker's Princi- ples of Engli.'ih Pronunciation prefixed to his 124 NtW AUT OP MEMORT. Critical Pronouncing Dictionary. After ex- hibiting a detailed view of the organic formation of the vowels, not differing materially from that before stated, he renjarks that, in this view we fiid, that, a, e, and o, are the only simple or pure vowels : that i is a diphthong, and that w is a semi-consooant. If we were inclined (he adds) to contrive a scale for measuring the breadth or narrowness, or, as otliei s term it, the openness or closeness of the vowel, we might begin with t open, as Mr. Elphinston calls it, and which he announces to be the closest of all the vocal powers. In the pronunciation of this letter, we find the aperture of tlie mouth extended on each side ; the lips almost closed, and the sound issuing horizontally. The slender a in waste opens the mouth a little wider. The a in father opens the mouth still more, without contracting the corners. Tlie German a, heard in wall, not only opens the mouth wider than the former a, but contracts the corners of the mouth, so as to make the aperture approach nearer to a circle ; while die o opens the mouth still more, and con- tracts the corners so as to make it the os rotun- dum, a picture of the letter it sounds. Consonants are divided into different classes according to the seat of their intonation, or from those organs of speech which are chiefly em- ployed in forming them. The distinction which we LANGUAGE. 12S shall adopt, is .that which divides them into labials, gutturals, dentals, and palatals ; as they are formed by the lips, the throat, the teeth, or the palate : or, in other words, because the breath, in passing from the lungs, is intercepted in those seats or places, or at least is very strongly compressed there. In the second column are the consonants b, f, P, T>' jB is a labial : it is formed by intercepting the passage of the breath through the mouth, by closing the lips. F may be represented by ph. Ph occurs chiefly in words derived from the Greek, and written in that language ^. The Italians, in such words, write y,* thus, while we adhering strictly to derivation write philosopher, they write Jilosofo* P is a labial, formed (like h) by closing the lips ; but in a less forcible manner. The Ara- bians (says Mr. Wallis) have not this letter, but substitute for it either Be or Phe. The illiterate Jews in this country usually confound b and p in their pronunciation, using the one for the other. * Euudem olini (j)li) sonum habuisse ac/ inscriptiones veteres confinnant, in quibus altonun pro altcro proniiscue adhibeii {•erninms : ut pliidelis pro fiddis, — Middleion d€ ImI, Lxtcu Pron, Disc, m3 126 KEW ART OF MEMORY. F is a labial : it is formed by a touch of the upper teeth and the under lip. It is, indeed, the flat fj to which letter it bears the same relation as "p does to h. The Arabians and Persians have not this sound ; and Wallis is of opinion that the English-Saxons either had it not, or wrote it by f ; for they used, he says, no v consonant, and they wrote many words with f^ as the English did after them, for some ages, which are now written with v, as well as those which are now written withy.- as gij\ heofon, etc. which are now written give, heaven. And Priscian ac- knowledges, that the Latins formerly pronounced y with the same sound, with which afterwards the V consonant was pronounced. In the third column, are c, g, q, x. C and g are both gutturals ; c has the sound of s and k ; g of J and k. As the sound of k is usually given to c, there is great reason for sup- posing that this was its original sound.* In the less frequent sound of c, the guttural becomes a hissing sound. The hard sounds of c and g, (ka, ge) are produced by a stroke in the throat, and are consequently gutturals : g is the only weak sound of tch, as in church ; ch is a guttural as- pirated. • 'WalHs observes, that tl)e Latin k was formerly used for c : for the Komous wrote judiflfereutly Calendie and Kaknda. LANGUAGE^ 127 Q is the strong sound of c, which, as was be- fore observed, is a weak guttural. X is written egs, ecs, and eks ; it is a guttural aspirate, with a hissing termination. Aspirate and hissing are compound sounds. The fourth column contains d, h, t, t. D is a dental, or produced by pressing the tongue against the gums of the upper teeth, and then separating them. T is also a dental, and is similarly formed. H. This letter is no more than an aspiration, or breathing forcibly before the succeeding vowel. ^ is a hissing dental. It is the flat s, and bears the same relation to that letter as h does tojJ, andy'tou. It is formed by placing the tongue in the same position as in t and fZ, but not so close to the gums as to stop the breath : a space is left between the tongue and the palate for the breath to issue, which fojms the hissing or buzzing sound of the letter. X, //?, w, are placed in the centre because they are of a middle ilature between mutes and con- sonants. They are generally termed liquids, because, in pronunciation, they easily flow inta and combine with the mutes. X is a weak pala- tal, in is a labio-palatal, and n is a strong palatal. JR is not found in all languages, it is formed by the forcible expulsion of the air, which during its passage, causes a tremulous motion of the 123 NEW ART OF MEMORY. tongue. The Greeks sometimes wrote this let- ter with an aspiration, and we, follow their ex- ample ill rhetoric, rhythm, etc. aS is a hissing palatal, and is formed in the same manner as z. J and V are placed between the highest vowels and the weakest consonants. We shall subjoin the following tabular view of the powers and qualities of the consonants, accordinof to this system. Labials. Gutturals, 1 Dentals. 1 A B C D a labial with a weak touch a guttural witl] the sound of A; a weak touch a weak den- tal. E F G H a labial with a strong touch aspirated. a guttural; weak sound of che. a dental aspi- rated. I J k L M N a weak pala- tal. a labio-pala- tal. a strong pala- tal. O P Q r s T a labial with a' strong touch. thestrongsound of c. a strong den- ial. U V w X y z a labial with a guttural as-' I weak toucii,'pirated,with a )ut aspirated; hissing sound. It is the weak sound of'i)/t. 1 hissing den- tal. . 1 LA.NGUAGE. 120 As in the course of this chapter we have no- ticed the schemes of different autliois on this subject, it may be as well to insert here the fol- lowing tables of the consonants ; extracted from Dr. Wallis, Mr. Walker, and Mr. Elphiuston. (I. From Dr. AVallis *) Synopsis of the Letters. Mute Labial or Lip HaU" Mute B ( Half Vowel W M Mute c ^ Palatine or g ^ Palate a c < Half Mute D Half Vowel N f [utp C Guttural or Throat •\ Half Mute G Half Vowel wasisrh a Lowioi TH DH a shjli N CH G L R * Grammatica Angliamay p. 55. 1^ NEW ART OF MEMOBY. B o - -d LANGTJA«E. 131 {5. From Mr. Elphinston.*) TABEL OV AFFINNITY. DUE LICQUIDS. i Ungual, I guttural, I dental, \ labial^ DHE MUTES. direct ; dopri'saire ; simfd, k, c, f aspirate, th eb, si ch ch [tsh'] sinipel. aspirate. >labial. dh Vdental. \sibbilating, [zh]zi J / pallatal or ^■giittural. gb J J; o L - U Vcompouai 1 J We may conclude this part of our subject in the words of Mr. Walker on a similar occasion. " In this sketch of the formation and distribution • * Propriety ascertained is her Picture,' p. 3, 132 NEW ART OF MEMORY. of the consonants, it is curious to observe on how few radical principles, the almost infinite variety of combination in language depends. It is with some degree of wonder, we perceive that the slightest aspiration, the almost insensible inflexion of nearly similar sounds, often generate the most different and opposite meanings. In this view of nature, as in every other, we find uniformity and variety very conspicuous. The single Jiatf at first imprinted on the chaos, seems to operate on languages; which from the simplicity and paucity of their principles, and the extent and power of their co-mbinations, prove the goodness, wisdem, and omnipotence of their origin. " This analogical association of sounds is not only curious, but ustful : it gives us a compre- hensive view of the powers of the letters : and, from the smull number that are radically differ- ent, enables us to see the rules on which their varieties depend : it discovers to us the genius and propensities of several languages and dia- lects; and, when authority is silent, enables us t© decide agreeably to analogy." LANGUAGE* 133 Sect. J. — The derkation of French from Latirtf skozcn to consist, principally, in the change of certain letters according to established rules. When two difFeient nations have an inter- course together, either by means of war or com- merce, an attempt is made on both sides, to ren- der the language of each, mutually understood. For example, France was once conquered by the Romans. The French people were, of course, subject to the laws of tjitdr conquerors, and if they had any complaints to prefer before the courts, were, of necessity compelled to make them in Latin, - The people in acquiring this language, did nut resort to grammars; lhe\f had heard a part^ular name given to a particular object, another name to another, etc. and had con- stantly seen the objects characterised by these names. The French had heard the Romans mention a bridge, vvhich they called pons; they heard them speak of the expense of a bridge, (pontis) of going to a bridge, (ponti) of destroy- ing this bridge, (ponlem) of going far from it, (ponte) of more bridges, (pontes, pontium, pon- tibus, etc.) The common people seeing such terminatk)ns affixed to each word, and not caring to understand or remember ihem, rejected tlieia N 134 NEW ART OF MEMORY. off at once, preserving the body of the word pout, and forming tlie French ponte. The Spaniards and Italians followed the example. The terminations, which, in Latin, formed the declensions, were omitted ; and as in this last word, so in many other derivatives from Latin appellatives, the last vowel only was changed, and a great part of the original word remained. What is done in adjectives and substantives, also takes place in verbs. In Latin, the verbs have their infinitive moods terminaled in re; once preceded by a, once by e, and once by i, as are=ere=ire. It has been observed, that the consonants are weak, strong, aspirated, and hissing. All nations used the letters of the alphabet, but they changed the pronunciation according to the genius of their respective countries. The language of one peo- ple abounds with weak letters, others with strong, hissing, or gutteral letters, etc. The Latin word f rater when changed into French, has the letter a weakened, and it be- comes e — as in frere: the deep Roman a is taken away, and the weaker letter e is substi- tuted, as in mare, mer: chare, chere; pater, pere ; catena, chaine. As it is the genius of the French language to shorten their verbs, the Latin infinitive are, becomes er ; as in amare, uimer. In the third conjugation the final e only LANGUAGE. 135 is cut off, and the ir remains, as in fiiiire, Jinir ; ' venire, venir, etc. etc. In the second conjuga- tion which ends in ere, were the final e to be re- jected, er only would remain, which would be the sime termination as that of the first conjuga- tion. If it be changed into i, the third conjuga- tion will appear ; we seem then in danger of losing a wh jle conjugation. Tiiis inconvenience, however, will be soon obviated. The genius of the language requires that the sound should be shortened ; there remains, then, no other mode than to deprive the ere of the first vowel, and the second conjugation in re will be found, as perdere, perdre. By taking away the vowel that precedes the r, this letter would come into con- tact with a preceding consonant, with which, in some cases, it would be impossible for it to stnid. The verb valere, would, according to the rule just given, become valre ; but as / and r cannot stand together, one should be taken away. To connect them a sharp vosvel nmst be inserted, and this must be e, but then the conju- gation would be lost. Let us try i, and we shall find it will become oir. The Latin trea is changed into trois, for va- lere, there is valoir ; this cannot be an irregular conjugation, for all the remaining parts are con- jugated regularly ; as there is only the infinitive vu/uir, it is then neither regular, nor irregular, 136 NEW ART OF MEMORY. but regulated. This oir can only stand for the infinitive mood ; it is instead of valre : if the infinitive mood be not found regularly, the future cannot be given. As r is indispensable, we must part with the /. The Latin vvord ca/x, is made chalk in English, but in pronouncing this word, the I is opened and the pronunciation becomes (chawk) changing the c into ch. in Freflch^ calx becomes chaux; in the Latin word alter, the I is opened and alter is converted into autre > saltare into sautre. From the Latin pulvere, the French infinitive would be pulver,* but the / is resolved into eu, and V is changed into d; thus, pulvere becomes poudre; cinere, cindre. In vaudre, the / must be rejected, and au supplied ; thus valre — vau. In the future, the French do not say, as in Latin or English, / will do,— hut I have to do ; they take the present of avoir, add it to the infinitive, and thus form the future vaudr-ai, vaudr-as, vaudr-a ; we cannot say voulerai. In the pre- sent tense, in Latin, there is valet ; the e is re- jected, and as the / and t cannot stand together, / is opened as before, and we immediately have vaut. It has been shown already, that the infinitive moo^s of the Latin ending in are, ere, ire, are changed into er, re, ir, in French. The first and last conjugations are both made by rejecting LANGUAGE. 137 the final e. Afterwards we find a fourth conju- gation in oil'; it has been shown how this is formed, and that it is not a new conjugation, for no tense or person is formed from oir. If the Latin and French languages are com- pared together, it will be easy to prove how much one is derived from the other, and how very materially the study of the Latirt and French will facilitate the acquisition of other languages. Those who are acquainted with the Latin lan- guage know that mus is the termination of the first person pKual, so that from are we get amus, from ere, emus, from ire, imiis. ii the first person plural in French be required, the vowel must be omitted, and ms will be given* The French words iion, nom, noms, are all pro- nounced in the same manner; for when m is final, it is pronounced as h, which has a nasal sound : m, then, is no more necessary, for if we write according to the pronunciation it would be In the verb darner, for cxamp'e, the infini- tive termination er is changed into oris, and we have darisoiis. The second person in Latin, is^ known by the termination tis — atis — etis — if is:. the same principle that directed the French to shorten the forn>er person, induces them to pur- sue tlie same method here. The i is taken away vmd ts \a left, \vhich has tlie same sound as, a«d, 138 NEW ART OF MEMORY. may be supplied by, z. The word is written according to its pronunciation, and from darner is produced da?isez. The Latin termination ent is continued in French, but is mute ; they say dansent (danse) as if there were no eiit. In the next tense the past time occurs; we danced yesterday: again for the first person plural there is oris, but this would denote the present tense ; to distinguish, therefore, the im- perfect, from the present, tense, and to show that it is past, i is placed before ons, as ions ; and this is always found in the imperfect in all conjugations. In the second person, present, there is ez ; to denote the imperfect, i nmst be added, as iez. For the third person, ent with the i before it, ient ; but this requires some lit- tle addition ; o, therefore, is placed before the J, and oitrit i^ formed. This tense, then, is dan- dons, dansiez, dansoient. The future, we shall dance, will require some- thing more than ons; the whole iniinilive is here taken, and the termination ons is added ; thus ■ne have da user, danserons, danserez, and dan- sei'ont. From ont comes the infinitive danser^ to dance. This future also has an imperfect, / would dunce; i the sign for the imperfect being added> danieiions, daiiseriez, danser'oint, are obtaiiied. If the word danserions be analysed> Uiu5, danse \ r \ i \ ons^ it will be *bund tbafr LANGUAGE. 139 vNS is the sign of the third person plural ; i of the imperfect ; aiKl ;■ of the future. There are yet two more tenses to be consi- dered. The first is the preterperfect, 7ce have danced^ or we danced. In Latin, the termina- tions are }uiis, stis, runt ; the mus is softened into wes, as in parlames ; the stis was formerly written parlastes, but as the s was not sounded, it was entirely dropped, and the i being softened, formed parlates; and runt was softened into rent, as in parlerent. In the imperfect of the subjunctive mood, flie terminations are ssions, ssiez, and the third person would be ssaient ; but that would be a longer termination than the genius of the French language would allow, it is therefore shortened into ssent. If the person, tense, etc. of the word Juiiriez, be required, it nmst be remembered that ez is the sign of the second person plwral ; that i is the sign of an imperfect tense, and r of the fu- ture : it is liierefore the second person plural of the future imperfect. In rendroit, t is the sign of'the third person singular, oi is the sign of the imperfect, and r of the future ; it is then the third person singular of the future imperfect, and belongs to the conjugation ending in re. A French verb which is termed irrcrrular. is nevertheless derived regularly from the Latitt> For example the verb plaire^ This 140 NEW ART OF MEMORY. verb is evidently derived from the h-atm p/acere : to convert tliis word into French, it must be cur- tailed, and the first step towards this, will be to leave out the e before the /•; there will then be placre, but as c and r cannot combine together, and tile r is absolutely necessary, the c must be dispensed wiih ; the a being changed into the softer sound ai, which forms plaire. To form the different persons and tenses, it remains only to reject the final e, and add the proper termina- tions. The French verb connoitre is derived from the Latin cognoscere. We will now consider the vaiious changes which take place (iuring the pro- cess of derivation. In the word connoissance, which is also derived from cognoscere, the so is changed into ss, and the o is sliortened into oi, oiss : we then have cognoisseie ; but as there cannot be a double e, the first is taken away, be- cause the latter is wanteci for the infinitive ter- minaiion ; the word becomes then cognoissre : the r being too vvei.k by itself, it must be strenglhened by a d or t ; a t h preferred ; the g is changed into n, and the double s is lost — at last connoitre is obtained. In thej^utitre, the r is retained ; as counoitrai, coiinoitras, etc. but in other tenses, the r is changed into its original s — je cotuiois, tu <:o«- iioiSf etc. LANGUAGE. 141 Anollier example may be found in mourir. In the Latin, there is for the infinitive, some- times moriri, but generally mo/7'. To form mourir, the final i nmst be taken from moriri, and the softened into on ; for the future, the ir is rejected, and we have je mourai — tu mouras, etc. In the present, the infinitive termination is omitted, and an s is added, as je viours, tu mours; but as the ou is too long, it is changed into en, as je meurs, etc. In the same manner, when in the Latin word dolor there are two ihort o's, they are strengthened and converted into ou and eu ; as, dolor, douleur ; color, eouleur ; and from dolorosus comes douloureux. When the Latin word debere is to be sought in French, the b must be changed into v (devere,) the second e being rejected, it becomes devre, but as the v and r cannot combine together, the termination re is changed into oir, devoir. This verb then is not regular, but regulated. It is impossible to obtain the future from devoir, as it is irregular, and must be derived from the re- gular verb devre. In the present, the r is re- jected, and it becomes devs ; but, as v and *• cannot stand together, and as s is the personal character, it must remain, and the v be omitted ; the word des is then left, but as the e is too weak, it must be strengthened by changing it into oi : we have then dois — je dois, tu doisy il doit. When in 142 NEW ART OF MEMOTvY. the plural there are two syllables, tlie e is re- stored, and devons, devez, doive/if, are ob- tained. It remains ou]y to fix the conjugations. This may be easily done by observing which of the vowels, a, e, i, precedes the personal termina- tions rcns, rez, ront. The Latin conjugations may be learned in the same way. In the verb aller, we do not, in the present tense, Bayfa/Ie^ hut jevais; the v a is in not then derived from aller, but from tlie German, zcenden. It takes part of the present from one verb, and the re- mainder from another. When the Latin verb habere is to be converted into French, the b is changed info r, and hatere is formed ; the /* not being sounded in French, it is omitted, as avere; the first e is rejected, and the re being changed into oir, we have avoir. In the present, the oir would be s — avs; but V and s not combining together, the v must be omitted, and the a is softened into ai — making uis; the s not being pronounced, it is therefore dropped ; we have tiien ai — -jai : the future comes from the infinitive ax're ; the v being re- solved into u; as avrai — aurai — auras — aura. The second person singular always takes s for its character, as in Latin — habes — as=dehes — doi&. The third person has t from the Latin, but as this letter was not pronounced in some cases, it LANGUAGE. 143 has been dropped ; yet it is again brought into use, when the nominative case is put after the verb, wlien two vowels would come together, as aima-t-il? — moura-t-'U? When the nominative precedes the verb, the t is omitted. The following observations showing the pro- cess of derivation in some particular languages, and the mode by which one letter is substituted for another, will serve to illustrate the subject upon which we have been treating. Thty are taken from Dr. Rees' Cyclopaedia.* ** The substitution of a labial for an aspirate or a guttural, or a diphthong, forms a general principle which pervades the Latin tongue in its formation from die Greek. Hence vicus, a vil- lage, from oixoj; vinum, w^ine, from oivog\ oris, a sheep, from oig ; video, to see, from n^co. With respect to our own language a similar analogy prevails, which has converted a guttural into a labial ; thus laugh is pronounced la/f; enough, oiuff; and most of those words which begin or end with ?/ and zc, whether derived from He- brew, Greek, or Gothic, began or ended with a guttural. On tliis general principle year may safely be said to be derived directly, or indirect- ly, from yvfoj, a circle, and means a period, • Art. Etymology. 144 NEW ART OF MEMORY. or revolution of time ; wheel from «y^ u> .0 Jh s "S ^ ^0 .. ^ '% _s t3 2-^ Oi 4! u 'u, > .S eu '■S ^ ,4^ M ^ «; c § Is ^ «<5 ■- r- i- 1 "= V ►-5 .S '=< •^0 - > «.s 5'i^ rt-^ > S .E ;|'s=i ^2 Q. c 3* « i< -r Si k5 ■y? Sinsjiilar plural cud of all the scs in tli( dicative subj. moo o3 150 NEW Allf Oi MEMORY. V V ^ ^ ^ J3 O » 3 S ^ O ij ) tC ^ p.-. © s o «j {^ Si n Ri .s o ii c* u .a C 1 H tl 5^ ~ .:s o and the final m will point out to us Uiat they are in the accusative case. In this manner, we should proceed for two or three pages, and then read them for three or four times more, till we can translate with tolerable facility. We do not consult grammars to learn the rules, but merely to solve any difficulty that may occur. In the present mode, the grammar is learned in the lan- guage, anil not the language in the grammar. Every rule is an abstraction, and cannot be un- derstood without an example. Instead of long- rules we learn examples, and these should be fixed upon the walls of a room in proper order. The striking analogy between many modern lan- guages, and the consequent facility of acquiring several languages, at the same time, must be evident to every one. This is particularly the case with the English, German, Latin, French, Italian; Spanish, and Portugueze languages. CHAP. VI. )pstematic Cables. JL H E knowledge of systematic Tables is pecu- liarly important to the student in any branch of science, whether it be botany, zoology, chemis- try, mineralogy, etc. and the mode of fixing these tables in the memory, must be deemed of very great use to all who are concerned in such pursuits. The application of this art to such tables will be shown in the following Mineralo- gical Table of Hau y. The characters of Minerals are of three kinds, Physical, Geometrical, and Chemical, ; I. GENERAL. 1. Specific Gravity, (according to the Hy- drostatic balance of Nicholson.) 2. Cohesion. 1. In Solids is proved : I. By friction with a File, t Yielding. ii Not yielduig. 154 NEW aut of memory. Physical characters, continued. II. By rubbing the angular parts of one mi- neral against the angular parts of ano^ ther mineral. III. By Percussion with a hammer. i Dirticult to be broken. a Brittle. Hi Crumbling. IV. By a Steel. i Giving Fire< u Not giving Fire. V. By flexion or pressure. i Simply Flexible. 21 Elastic. Hi Ductile. iv Soft. 1. In its own nature. 2. Having imbibed a fluid. VI. By the force of Traction. 2. Liquids (yielding with the slightest pressure.) I. By moistening the hand. II. By not moistening it. II. PARTICULAR. (As found by the senses.) 1. Impression upon the Tongue. I. Bi/ Taste, i Salt. ii Astringent. Hi Sweetish. iv Pungent. V Bitter. vi Urinous. SYSTEMATIC TABLES. 155 Physical characters, continued. II. By adhesion. 2. Feeling. I. Unctuous and Greasy. II. Smooth, hut not greasy. III. Harsh. 3, Smell. J. By Breathing. II. By Rubbing. III. By Heating. i Aliaceous, or garlic-like. ii Bituminous. Hi Sulphureous. 4, Sound. I. By Percussion, II. By Bending. 5. Light. I. By Reflexion, (producing Colour.) i Colours of the mass. 1. In their species. 2. In their distribution. i Uniform. ii Variegated. 1. In stripes. 2. In spots. 3. In their action. 1. By change of colour. 2. By reflex irises. 156 NETf ART OE MEMOKY. Physical characters, continued. ii Colours of the Streak. 1. Similar, 2. Dissimilar. ill Colours of the Powder, 1. Similar. 2. Dissimilar. (Producing Lustre) i Brilliant. ii Dull. Hi Greasy. tv Silky. V Pearly. vi Metallic, vii Pseudo-Metallic, II. jBy Refraction. (Transparency.) 1. Limpid. 2. Transparent but coloured, 3. Translucid. 4. Opaque. iil« J5_y Phospltorescenct, i By heating, ii By rubbing, 6. Electricity, I. Passive. i By communication. ii By rubbing. 1. Vitreous. 3. Resinous. SYSTEMATIC TABLES. U7 Physical characters, continued. in By heating. (Vitreous on one side, and resiuoui on the other.) II. Active » t Vitreous. a Resinous. iii Neither vitreous nor resinous > f. Magnetism. I. Simple, II. Polar. 11. (geometrical €i^tmtt0, L FORM. 1. Determinable. I. Elementary. II. Secondary. J. Indeterminable. I. By rounding oflf the surfaces and angles. II. Striated and rough. III. Amorphous bodies, (i. e. bodies of an irregular form.) 3. Imitative. I. Bodies formed by concretion. II. Pseudoraorphous bodies, (i. e. such as have assumed the form of another body, for which they are substituted.) p IB9 NEW ART OF MEMORY, Geometrical characters, continufd. II. STRUCTURE, 1. Laminated. 2. Lamellated, ' 3. Stratiform, 4. Foliated, 5. Fibrous. j With parallel fibres^ it With radiated fibre?. 6. Granulated. J', Compact. 8. Cellular. in. FRACTURE, I. Directions, I, Longitudinal. II, Transverse. III, Indeterminate, g. Varieties. I. Conchoidal. II. Smooth. III. Rough. IV. Scaly. V. Articulated, , BY FIRE. 1. With Straw. I. Fusibility. II. The result of Fusiop, nu Tiie Reduction of metallic Substances. SYSTEMATIC TABLE«f« 159 Chemical characters, continued* 2. With red-hot Coals. I. Volatility. II. Detonation. " III. Decrepitation. IV. Ebullition. II. BY ACIDS, (and in particular by the Nitrli Acid.) i. Dissolution with effervescence. 2. Dissolution without efferves- cence. 3. Reduction into jelly. III. BY ALKALIES. 1. Dissolution of Copper by Ammonia, forming a beautiful blue Colour. 2. The Vapour of sulphuretted Ammo- nia, blackening the Carbonate of Lead. ^ The characters of minerals, as we have seen, are physical, geometrical, and chemical. The physical characters are general and particular; and both these are again subdivided. The ge- neral physical characters must be first consi- dered. In order to fix these, we should take a room \vhich is familiar to us, and place the va- rious divisions upon the different objects in that room, which are also well known to us, invent- ing some connecting circumstance by which w« 160 NEW ART OF MEMOKY. may be the better enabled to remember the par- ticular division of the table. Having a room in which there are four walla, "we take 'the first which is on our left hand, and commence with specific graviti/, the first divi- sion of the general characters, and to fix this in our minds a balance is placed on the top of the wall, near the cieling. The next division ia cohesion, which is put by the end of the balance } if we ask what preserves the whole wall in its present firm state, the answer will be cohesion. There is now occasion for a sopha, which is placed against the lower part of the wall ; upon which the solids must be put ; cohesion in solids is proved in six different ways. In one corner of the sopha, a file is placed, which will call to mind the first mode, friction with a file ; in ano- ther corner, some minerals of an angular shape ; and thus we must proceed to fix the six different divisions. The sub-divisions will be easily re- membered, if connected, in some way, with the principal outlines, which are thus permanently fixed. Having filled one wall with the general physical characters of minerals, the particular characters are next to be considered. The paV" ticular physical characters of minerals are known, 1. by taste, 2. by adhesion. Another wall is now needful, in which there may be a door : on this door a tongue is placed as the emblem of taste ; SYSTEMATIC TABLES. l6l the door being divided into six compartments, in tlie first is found a cube of salt, to convey the idea of saline ; on the second a stritig for astringent; in the third some sweetmeats for sweetish; in the fourth, a knife for sharp, which may cut the string in the second compartment ; bitter in the fifth division will come immediately under sweetish ; and cannot fail to be remem- bered by the contrast which it presents ; urinous is in the sixth and last division, and will need no symbol. In this way must the pupil proceed with the remaining divisions of the table, fixing each upon an object, and connecting some striking circumstance with the object, that will afford a permanent idea of the system \\hich he is desirous to acquire. PS CHAP. vn. anlj Brose. A HE first materials of a poetic edifice are to be found in metaphors, allegories, arid in various kinds of fiction ; , and, it is thus all images, comparisons, allusions, and figures, particularly those which personify moral subjects, concur in adorning such a structure. When these images are reduced into verse, ihe ear is delighted to a high degree, and the mind insensibly repeats them while the eye reads them. This is parti- cularly the case with rhyme. Cadence, har- mony, and especially rhyme, afford the greatest assistance to the memory that art can invent; and the images, or poetic fictions, that strike our senses, assist in engraving them deeply on our minds. When a historical narrative is related in prose f the facts only are stated in a plain, regular order, without any minute description of the different objects which occur in the course of the history. fOETRY AND PROSE. l63 The poet; however, proceeds differently. He describes, minutely, every object wliicli presents itself; if it be a mountain, we have a lively de- scription of its situation, the objects seen from it, and the trees or houses upon it. Should there be a castle on this mountain, its antient and present state is accurately described, toge- ther with the characters of its various possessors and their contests for the occupation of it : these descriptions we read with pleasure, and they are more firmly imprinted upon the memory by the variety and succession of images employed in them. In order to commit to memory any particular piece of poetry which may be divided into stan- zas, each consisting of four, six, eight, or ten lines, etc. it is necessary to take one stanza at a time, to read it over, and to select the principal objects or images, and combine them with the Jirst symbol ; attaching (he next stanza to the second symbol, and so on with the remaining stanzas. By these means we are not only ena- bled to recite the whole poem in regular order^ but to repeat any one or more stanzas in any order, — to determine the numerical situation of any line or vvord in the poem — and to say how often any particular WDid may occur. As we are able to repeat any stanza in the poem, it will 1(54 NEW AHT OF MEMORY. only be needful to count the lines or words, if it be required to determine the numerical situation of any line or word. It will not be d fficult to apply these princi« pies to the repetition of poetry. A single illus- tration, perhaps, will be sufficient \ and, for this purpose we take the first stanza of Goldsmith'* Edwin and Jiigeiina. " Turn, gentle hermit of the dale, " And guide my lonely way " To where yon taper cheers the vale " With hospitable ray." We must here reflect, and imagine that we sets a Hermit standing on the Tozcer of Babel, and turning round with inconceivable rapidity ; a very large taper is placed upon his head. An- gelina is walking by the tower and calling out loudly to the hermit ' to guide her lonely way ;' the taper cannot fail to suggest the remainder of the stanza. In a poem that is not divided into stanzas, we must take 4, 6, 8, or 10 lines, preserving the connection, and fix them upon a symbol. Se- veral small pieces of poetry may be readily im- printed upon the memory by placing them upon the pictures, or furniture, of the wall of a room with which we may be acquainted. Though the symbols are not here actually resorted tO;, yOKTRY AND PROSE. l65 yet the principle that is pursued, is precisely the same, for what are the symbols, but pictures which line the walls of our imaginary rooms f As a further illustration of the mode of com- mitting poetry to memory, we shall give the fol- lowing examples from Nolegar, as quoted by Feyjoo, iu his Cartas Eruditas,* First Example, Feuix Divina De tan hellas alas Humilde, y piadosd Al Cielo te ensalzas. Divine Phcenix, With such beautiful wings, Humble and Merciful, Thou laisest to Heaven. " The Pkanix in the first verse of this stanza, (says Noiegar) must be placed on the first predi- cament of the sphere,f on the right hand, and a papal crown, or tiara, or any other thing be- longing to the Church, must be put on its head ; because we cannot apply any other material ob- • Tom. i. t This will answer to the first place in the first wall of » room. 166 NEW ART OF MEMORY. ject, to represent the Word Divine; w6 majf then make a reflectioji or two on these images, and say, why has a Phcenix, the Papal Crown on its head ? It is a Divine Phoenix, a Divine Phmnix. Then the second predicament of the left hand shall be taken for the second verse, and a drum with a stick to beat it, may be placed there ; the stick may explain the word [t?e] with, * # #^ I imagine that the drummer being ready to beat it, says [<^e} with and the drum Itari] such ; in the same place, I would put two beautiful women silting by the drummer, who should have two wings lying at his feet ; and speaking of the second predicament, f would say, JDe tan hellas alas (with such beautiful wings.) " On the third predicament opposite th« first on the right, I would put a woman kneeling and soliciting the pardon of a poor man condemned to banishment, who should be there with a chain, and by this image I xvould recal to mind the words of the third verse, Humifde y piadosa (humble and merciful.) On the fourth predica- ment, I would place a piece of carpet, (alfomhra) or any thing whose name begins with al [to,] and I would only use this syllable, to which I would sew the tester of a bed, and would say (al eielo) to heaven; and for the word thou raisest I would put a Priest, raising the Host, to whom the Cu- rate (ayudantei) should hold some salt, saying POETRY AND PHOSE. l67 (ten sal alzas) take some salt, (thou raisest.) In tills last image the figure Apenthesis is formed, and reflecting, I should say (ensalzas) thou raisest. Second Example. Pongan, Scnor, el medio, y el gohitrm Lot altos alribtilos de tu Essencia. Sir, let >r«'tIiod and government be established By the high attributes of thy Essence, '' In order to commit these verses to memory, (says Nolegar,) on the right hand of the table upon which I am writing, and where my ink- stand is, I would place a slave, or a black wo- man, with a basket and two hens in it ; and cJos* to the slave a Marquis or Duke, who on enter- ing my room should attempt to frighten the hens, at which the slave must say (Po)tgan, Senor,) Let them lay, Sir. On the right hand of the slave I would place a Medi§ Ce/emin (half a Peck measure,) and on the left hand a Chairif signifying the letter (i/) (G) or some (hiel) Gall, For government, I would place oue of the many Governors of my acquaintance, who is astonished at what is going forward, I would reflect, and think that I heard him say, Ponganf Scnor, el medio y el gobierno. To represent ihs other Terse, I w ould put for (los altos) tWQ 168 NEW AUT OF MEMORY. or three pieces of timber with some tiles, taking these for the whole of the roof of a house, which consists of timber and tiles ; and for (atributos) attributes, I would place two tributary Princes, with an image of the letter (A) on the head of one, who must be going to collect tributes or taxes, and if his name be Andrew, the better ; because the (A) might be placed as an imi^e of the name. Then supposing our food to be dependent on the collection of the taxes, it would be easy to re- remember, that Andrew was bringing some attri- butes by the letter (A) ; now, at the feet of this collector, I would place an alembic of Quint- essences, or a Distiller, with a glass full of wa- ter, (Quintessence, already drawn,) who should mind not to break it with his feet ; and close to the glass I would place a small stick, or the stick of a drummer, made of iron, that we may remember it is not to be broken ; because it might be used as we have already said, for an abecedario, meaning (de tu) of thy. In this manner, whenever I write, I shall remember that I have this verse at my right hand; Pongan, Senor, el Medio, y Gobierno ; and on my left, the other ; Los altos atributos, de tu Es" sencia" When Prose is to be Committed to memory, the particular passage, or chapter, should be read over carefully two or three times, and POBTRY AND PROSE. l69 having selected the principal images or objects, it will be necessary to form a narrative by com- bining them with the different symbols. We should take a few lines only at a time, and pro- ceed gradually in fixing the various objects pre- sented to us. To remember the principal points in a Sermon which is regularly divided into parts, it is only needful to take the different heads or titles as they are given, and arrange them on the cieling of the church or chapel, placing some on the cornice, and others in various parts, in regular order.* Or, a sort of imaginary tree may be sup- posed springing from the centre of the cieling, and the proofs and illustrations adduced by the preacher, may be suspended on its branches. This method will be rendered more effectual, if a symbol of the idea be formed, as for • A plan somewhat analogous to this, is mentioned by Mr. I^ugald Stewart, who observes, " I have been told of a young woman, in a very low rank of life, who contiived a method of committing to memory the sermons which she was accustomed to hear, by fixing her atten- tion, during the different heads of the discourse, on dif- ferent compartments of the roof of the church ; in such a manner as that when she afterwards saw the roof, or re- collected the order in which its compartments were dis- posed of, she recollected the method which the preacher had observed in treating his subject.— Elements qf the PJiilosophy of the Human Mind, p. 456. 9 j70 new art of memory. Justice a pair of scales, etc. etc. This, hoW' ever, is not essential.* Mr. Stewart, speaking of the assistance ren- dered to an orator, or public speaker, by the topi- cal memory, in recollecting the plan and arrange- ment of his discourse, considers the accounts given of it by the antient rhetoricians, as abun- dantly satisfactory, and makes the following per- tinent observations on the subject. " Suppose (says this author) that I were to fix in my me- mory the different apartments in some very large building, and that I had accustomed myself to think of these apartments always in the same in- variable order. Suppose farther, tliat in pre- pnring myself for a public discourse, in which I had occasiou to treat of a great variety of parti- culars, I was anxious to fix in my memory, the order I proposed to observe in the communica- tion of my ideas. Tt is evident, that by a proper division of my subject into heads, and by con- ncctinaf each head with a particular apartment, (w.!ii( h I could easily do, by conceiving myself to be sitting in the apartment while I was study- ing the part of my discourse, I meant to connect * The chapter and verse of the text maybe soon fixed, }>y changing the nnnilnr of each into a hieroglyphic, and formjujf an association between the two. POETRY AND PROSE. Ifl with it,) the habitual order in which these apart-^ menls occurred to inv thoughts, would present to me, in tlicir proper arrangement, and without any effort on my part, the ideas of which I was to treat. It is a'so obvious, that a very little practice wou'd enable me to avail myself of this contrivance, toithout any embarrassment or dis- traction of mi/ attention." * A public speaker may arrange the arguments of his adversary on various parts of his person, and thus be enabled to review and answer a multiplicity of observations made by many different speakers. The first remark might be placed on his head, one in each eye, one in each ear, another on his nose, mouth, etc. etc. if it be required to remember a iiigh number, we need only resort to the symbols : for in- stance, 27,819 will be fixed by remember- ing the names of Don Quixote, Midas, and Robinson Crusoe, the 'i7th, 8th, and IQth symbols. The advantages of this part of the system to the different professions are very great. Tiie minister — the legal student, and the Member • Elements of the Philosiyphy of the Uumun Mind, pp. 456, 4,07. 172 NEW ART OE MEMORT. of Parliament, may all practise this method with success. The application of these principles will also render an essential service to the mer" chant and ihe man of business, iu the various couceriis ol life. CHAP. Vlll. Sititijmetic* Xhe application of Mnemonics to arithinetie was entirely omitted in the former edition of this work, becanse the editor did not conceive at that time, that the system could be rendered suffici- ently intelligible to the general reader. Anxious, however, to make this edition as complete as possible, he has given faithfully the substance of Mr. Feinaigle's Lecture on Arithmetic, without any attempt at illustration. As this Lecture has been accurately detailed in a recent publication,* it is extracted from that work, but without any of tlie reporter's commentaries and observations. " We have now to see how our methods will apply to Arithmetic. " In this subject we think we have, or may have evidence, for every particular proposition. But let us think a little ; in many cases we have cer- • Cross' Examination of Feinaigle's Arithmetic. S3 174 NEW ART OF MEMORY. tainty : but is certainty and evidence the same thing ? For instance we know that 6 multiplied by 6 gives 36 : this is certain ; but is it evident ? Ail we can say is that we have learned so : but where is the evidence that 6x6 gives just 36 ? When you say that 6 X 6 is 36, you answer that it is three tens and six units ; but see we this ? How are we convinced that it is just 36 and no other number ? It is only in our machine ; but how it comes we know not. We have these products given us in our multiplication tables, which we all know how difficult it is for children to learn ; nay, many grown persons cannot learn it, because it is founded only upon tlie poor na- tural memory, upon which we can never depend. We make it only an object of memory instead of presenting it to the intellect, and we have no evi- dence, because we want the first evidence. To find the first evidence we must cousider the fi- gures ihemselves. Let us see then what is in the figures : we have 123456789 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100, &c. 1000, &c. What conies after 9 ? Is it 10? No; 10 is a higher unit, and must therefore be placed before the 1 ; now what comes after 10? Is it 1 1 .? No ; it is 20. Thus we find those nations did ARITHMETIC. 175 who employed letters for numbers : after having used the first 9 they went on thus, 10, 20, 30, &c. and not 10, II, 12, &c. .Thus change these numbers as you please, you will always find they go from 1 to 9, and by considering the numbers in this way, the child sees at once that the rap- port of 10 to 60 is exactly the same with that of 1 to 6 ; and all the relations of these numbers are at once in his mind. The first thing then must surely be to give the evidence of those fi- gures ; after this every thing will be easy. In problems, the greatest difficulty is to understand . the question ; when we do that, the problem is half solved ; the mind then acts like an alge- braical formula. O I we see — put this here, and that there ; do this, and do that, and it is done. " Let us see then how we are to get the true idea of number. Let this be one, --------O Let it be one something, an apple, or an orange, or whatever, and let this be another, ---------Q Now what have we here ? Is this two ? 1 see only two ones ; an I we say that these are equal to one two: But how kn>)W we this?. Have we evi- dence in the tiling itself that two ones are the same with one two ^ I should see two things in one thus : --------- we have 6 tens, and one multiplied by ?>, or 3 units, that is 63. tjj ARITHMETIC. 179 And so 8 multiplied by 9, we have 7 tens, and one multiplied by two units or 72, and so in every odier case; only the rule ^' must be changed when we change the . object of the question. So that we see a child has no need of the mul- tiplication table ; he burdens not his mind with it; he sees not only the relation of the different numbers, but he sees all haw they affect and combine with each other; ail is in tlie nature of the thing ; the evidence is before liim. " Let us now go on to Division. Suppose we have to divide 63 by 7 ; let us see if this is not included in the nature of the thing. We have 7)63( If we subtract the 7 from 10, we have 3; and 180 KEW AKT OF MEMOHY. if we add this to 6, we have 9 the quotient. Divide 54 by 9. 9)54(6 Subtracting the 9 from 10, and adding the re- mainder to 5, we have 6 the quotient. 4 2 SO 6)48(8 8)72(9 and so on. And in cases where the dividend does not exactly contain the devisor, as in 9)76(8 we find by multiplication, that 8 mulkiplied by 9 gives 72, we have then 4 over, which is conse- quently 4 ninths. " Thus in every case we have always the answer to the nearest whole number. Here also we have no need of the multiplication table, which, as I said before, is so difficult to learn, as the numbers themselves give us the answer ; it is in their nature. You see then how easy it is to ad- vance by our method, and we charge not th« memory with what it is so difficult to fix." PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS ^irttficial iHemotp. CHRONOLOGICALLY ARRANGED. JlA-S many of the treatises on this subject are extremely rare, we shall give the title of each, and occasionally notice their contents ; but we shall not attempt a particular analysis of the early books, as the same principles will be found am- ply developed in those of a more recent date, from which copious extracts will be made. In some few instances, indeed, on account of its rarity, or usefulness, the whole work has been reprinted ; and, a slight sketch of the author's life has, when practicable, been introduced. The articles thus noticed are all numbered; the books are chronologically arranged, according to the dates of their publication ; and the MSS. are referred to that period in which their respective authors probably tlourished. 182 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF 1. ThomcB JBradwardini Ars 3Iemora- tiva. 3IS. This curious manuscript is No. 3744 in the Shane Collection, preserved in the British Mu- seum. It consists of three pages and a half of a small duodecimo size, and treats of places, and of images or symbols to be arranged in the places ; and, is evidently an attempt, though a feeble one, to form a system of topical memory, according to the plan of the antients. Thomas Bkadwardin was called the Profound Doctor, and was born in Sussex, about the beginning of the fourteenrfi century. He was educated at Merton College, Oxford, of which he was proctor in 1325. Being called to court by Stratford, archbishop of Canterbury, he was made confessor to Edward III. and presented with a canonry of Lincoln, and also with the chancellorship of St. Paul's, London. He ac- companied the king in his warlike expeditions; and to his sanctity of life and pious prayers, the superstition of the age attributed much of the suc- cess attending the arms of that monarch. His writings were partly theological ; and he appears to have been one of the most enlightened eccle- siastics of his age. He gained great credit by his mathematical works. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 183 2. Matheoli Perusini iractatus Artis Me- morativce, 8°. 1470. [BL Ictj This work was often reprinted in subsequent years. 3. Jacohi Puhlicii Ars Memorativa in- cipit feliciter, 4°. p&L IctJ 4. In 7iova mirahilique ac perfectissima Memorise Jacohi Puhlicii, prologus feliciter incipit, 4". [iJL Jct*] These two articles are without date, place, or printer's name. Panzer* has arranged No. 3. among the books printed at Cologne, by John Gnldenschaff, but does not assign any date to it. Publicius was the author of Ars conficiendi epis- tolas TulUano more, printed in 1488; and of Artis Oratories Epitom. Ars Epistolaris et Ars Memorise, printed in 1482. It is very proba- ble, then, that tlie article under consideration, was printed before the year 1482, and afterwards re- printed with, the two other tracts of Publicius. Tlie Ars Memorativa seems to have been the fountain from which every successive writer has taken copious draughts. It treats of the airange- • Aunales TypograpUici, torn. I., p, 343. eiL Norimh. iTSt- 184 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS Of ment of places and the combination of images. Several wood-cuts are given, of the most rude and grotesque description, representing the alphabet by symbols taken from diiFerent objects. 5. Ars 3Iemoraiiva per Johannem Priiss. foL Argent. 1488. [ijj. let.] 6. Petrus Colonia, Ars Memorativa, 4". [W. let.] No. 6. consists of eight leaves, with several badly executed wood-cuts, evidently the produc- tions of a very early period. It is without date, place, or name of the prmter. The arms of Cologne occupy the whole of the last page; from this circumstance, and from the addition of the author, it may be inferred that the work was printed at Cologne. The address to the reader notices the attempt of Publicins, and ex- presses the author's desire to form a compendious view of the Art of Memory for the use of all persons. There is, of course, but little differ- ence between the schemes of Publicius, and Pe- ter of Cologne. The wood-cuts, which are nu- merous, are interspersed with the letter-press, and are intended to represent images of particular ob- jects; as a carpenter, by a hammer ^ a cobier, ii by a shoe, etc, etc. ARTIFICIAL WEMORY. 18.^ 7. Incipit Ars Memoria venerabilis Sal- donini Sahodiensis Medicce Artis D act oris Eximii, 4°. Paris. [6L let ♦] This article is without date, place, or name of the printer. It is, in fact, a republication of Publicius, with some introductory rule&, which are dehvered in Latin hexameters, aceompanied by a prosaic comment and exposition. Manget, m his Bibliotheca Script or um Medicorum* has the following meagre information respecting this * venerable and illustrious medical Doctor.' * Baldovinus (Sabodie.mis), De eo erstat, Ars viemoricc carmine cum glossis. Varisiis^ in 4°.' 8. Fcenix Duni Petri Rauenatis Me- morice magistri, A°. Venetiis, 1491. 9. Memorice Ars quce Phcenix inscribitury 8". Paris, 1544. 10. Phcenix sen Artificiosa Memoria CI. J. V. D. et militis J>. Petri Raven- iiatis Juris Canonici olim in Pata- vino Gymnasio Professoris celeber- rimi, 4*"^ Vicentice, 1600. • Tom. L p. 224. S3 186 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF In this work, [Nos. 8, 9, 10.] the places and images are noticed at large, with various rules for forming, arranging, and combining them. If we would remember, says Peter, any particular cir- cumstances, we must form some vivid imagination of the event, and associate it with the names of some" pretty girls"ofouracquaintance! ! ! Iwould ^wish him that is melancholy, (says Burton) to study Cosmus Rosselius, Peter Ravennas, and ■ Schenckelius Detectus. 1 1 . Jacohi Colincei Campani de Memoria Arti/iciosa compendiosumopusctdnm. Jmpressit Ascensms, 4". ^Paris'] 1515. Venundatur in Aedihus Asccnsianis. 12. Nicholcd Chappusii de mente et me- moria lihellusntilissimus, 4*^. \^Paris\ 1515. Venundatur ubi impresstis : est in Aedibus Aseensianis. [hi. Jct.] The two preceding articles are little more than a repetition of the scheme of Peter of Ravenna, with some observations on the theory of natural memory. They are both beautiful specimens of early typography, and have in the title a large colophon [in wood] representing a room of a printing ofiice, in which are a compositor at work, ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 187 a press, a man laying on the ink, and another working the press. 13. Congestorium Artificiosce Memorice Joamiis Romberch de Kyrpse; — opus omnibus Tkeologis, predicatoribiis ; confessoribuSy advocatis, etuotariis; medicis, philosophis ; Arti liberalium professor ibus. Insuper mercatoribus, nuntiis, et tabellariis perfiecessarimn, 8°. Veneius,per 3Ielch. kUtessa, 1533. [hi let.] This work abounds with the most curious wood- cuts ; according to tlie title, it is intended for di- rines, preachers, confessors, advocates, notaries, physicians, philosopliers, and professors, of the liberal arts: it is also very necess-ary for mer- chants, messengers, and amanuensts. The au- thor speaks of natural memory, its seat, etc. and illustrates his observations by the representation of a head, on which the situations of thought, fancy, etc. are laid down with great care. Arter having treated of the necessity and use of places, and images, of visible places and fictitious places ; the author recommends the fixing of certain places upon the walls of the different rooms of a house, monastery, or other place : and, the better to re- member the situation of the places, puts symbols 188 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF there. A wood cut is given with the symbols for figures as hij^h as 30, niauy of which repre- sent very accurately the outline of the figure. The alphabet is represented in the same way by sym- bols ; and, in one instance, entirely by birds of different species. In speaking of languages, in order to fix the numbers and cases of nouns in the mind of the pupil, M. Romberch resorts to the fol- lowing expedient. A naked man is to personate the singular number ; ihe nominative case is to be placed on the head of this man, the genitive in his right hand, the dative in his left, the accusa- tive on his breast, the vocative on his middle, and the ablative on his knees. A man clothed gives the plural number, and the cases are to be disposed in the same manner, as on the naked man. Two chapters are devoted to the merchants; in the one, they are instructed to remember the weight and measure of their goods ; and in the other, the debts owing to them, the bills which they have to pay, etc. etc. I'hree chapters are dedicated to gam- ing; one explains tlie application of the art to dice, another to cards, and the last to chess. Another edition of Romberch's Congestorium was published at Franckfort, in iGO^, 8°. Xo- dovico Dolci translated this book into- Italian, but gave it a dialogue form j it was printed at ¥enice, iu 8". 1562.. , ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 189 14. DeMemoria reparanda, migenda, ser- vandaque lib. itmis ; et de locali vel ar- tificiosa Memoria lib. alter Cruill. Grataroli, 8°. JRomcc, 1555. A prior edition of this treatise was printed at Basle in lo54, with Grataroli's Opuscula, which were all corrected by himself. Many other edi- tions followed, and a translation into English was made by William Fulwod nnder the following title. 15. T/ic Castel of Memorie : iv herein is contemned the restoring, augment- ing, and conseruinge of the Memo- rie atid Remembrance, tvith the safest remedies, and best precepts thereunto in any icise apperteining : made by Gidielmus Gratarolus JBer- gomatis Doctor of Artes and Phy- sike. Englyshed by William Fid- ivod. The Contentes ivherof ap- pear in the Page next folowing. Imprinted at London in Fleete- streete by William How, dwelling at Temple barre. [bl. let.] iQO PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF An earlier edition of this extremely rare book is noticed in the Censura Literaria.* After the line in the title of this edition, * The contentes/ etc. there is a cut of the Printer's sign with the motto post tenebras lux. * Printed at London by Rouland Hall, dwellynge in Gutter-lane, at the signe of the Half Egle and the Keye, 1562, 12°.' The address to the reader is dated Nov. 20, 1562. The date to the edition from which our extracts have been made, is placed at the end of the ' address,' and is Nov. 20, 1573. An Epistle * dedicatorie' to Lord Dudley, '^Maister of the Queenes Maiesties horse,' follows the title. This epistle is in verse, very prolix and dull. After a studied eulogy on his patron, Mr. Fulwod enlarges upon the importance of memory, particularly to the Judge, Preacher, Captaine, Marchaunt, Lawyer, and Husband- man, and shrewdly observes. For what helps it good bookes to r«ade, or noble stories large : Excepte a pcrfecte Meraorie, do take thereof the charge ? What profits it most worthy thinj to see, or else to heare : If that the same come in at the one, and out at the other eare? Vol. vii, p. 209. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 191 An address from the translator to the reader, concludes with this sage admonition, lege et per- lege, ne quid temere. In the next place we have, THE BOOKES Verd'ute. ] A Castell stroug I doe present well furnished and sure : Munited eke with Arraoure bent For euer to endure. Which iiitherto long time hath ben In (Limbo patrum) hidde, But now at last may here bee scene, From daungers men to ridde : Procuring them a perfect state,* And safe securitie, Wherby they may fynde out the gate Of wisedome's lore. For why ? Hee that hath lost his Mcmorie, By mee may it rcnewe : And hee that wyll it amflifio. Shall find instructions trewe. And hee that will still keepe the same, That it shall not decay : By mee must learne the way to frame, And my pr«ccptes obej-. • Sapi. 6, 8. and 18. j 192 PRlNCirAL SYSTEMS OF Lo here yee see my full effecte : And that I doe entende The secretes tlierof to detect. That thereby wittes may mende. Then ludge mee^ As I am worthie. The Castel of Memorie is divided into seven chapters. The first ' declareth what memorie is, where it Jiorisheth, how profitable and ne- cessa7'ie it is.' The second * conteineth the chiefe causes wherby the memorie is hurt, with their signes and cures :' and, in treating of moist and cold brains, concerning the * nieates forbid- den the pacient,' there are the following curious directions :' " Let them also forbeare Marow (which is in bones) Cranes fleshe, fishe, especially if it be clammy and nourished in diches or holes, colde pot herbes, milke, cheese, especially much, or naughtie : fruites moist and not ripe or often but sometimes they maye eate sharper or tarter nieates, chiefly in the winter, as Garlike, Peni- royall, or Calamint, Capers being watered ; mustard is praised of Pithagoras, they must eate little and speciailye at supper : they must drink no water, except it be sod with hony, or cinna- mon, or some other pleasant spices. They must abstein from ouer mutch sleepe, and not to AKTlilClAL MEMORY. IQS sleepe in the daye time, nor upon the noddle of the head, nor upon to mutch fulnes of meate : let them also take heede of ouer great watch- inges, for it weakeneth the spirite, and resokieth it, and stuffeth the head." The third chapter ' sheweth the principall tsndajnages of the memorie in what sorte, so euer tliey bee.' The fourth * telleth likewise the perticuiar helpes of the Memorie.' The fifth * comprehendeth certain best approued and chosen medicinable compounded remedies and presertiatiues greatly encreasing the Memory ;* and containeth a receipt to make ' Pilles that are good for a languishing braine, especially in aged and olde folkes,' "an odoriferous or sweet smell- ing aple for the memorie' — ^ a comforting water or lee, for the washing of a colde and moist head, also it helpedi the Memorie, autl it must be of the ashes of Twigges, or of an oake.'— Another, and another follow. The sixth chap- ter * expresseth Philosnphicall .Judgements, Rules, and PreceplesofRememhraunce; these are twenty iu number; the nineteenth is as fol- lows : . " For the recreation of your myude and there- storing of your strengthes, you must not flye to fylthie and dishonest things, but you shall bring it to passe by changing of your studie ; for it is better somewhat to refresh your niynde, then altogether 194 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF to lose it. Yea, also the plaies, pastimes or en- terludes of Christians ought to be sage and ho- nest. Therefore after earneste and graue studies you muste repaire to lighter and easier, as to Histories or Musicall exercises, for it restoreth the strength and norisheth the conuenient reste, and also vertue is of more power after leasure and rest. There be some that had rather play, the which indeede is graunted and permitted, so that the playe bee a play and not an earnest or said thinge, and let it be shorte, honest, without deceite hurt or couetousnes. The Chestes playe (a Treatise whereof I lately translated into Eng- lishe) doth moue and stire up the wit, but in the same is often bestowed to much tyme and studye, the which ought to be better applied. The baule or Tenyce play, doth also profite the hole bodye (But above all the noble exercise of Shooting in the long Bowe is most commenda- ble) walking abroad is good chieflye for the heade ; but it is better to dispute together walk- ing up and downe and mouing the handes. This recreacion of the minde ought not to be daily nor often, and especially it must not be used at the hours or tyme of study." The seventh chapter * entreateth in fevve zeoordes of locall or artificiall MemorieJ " Artificiall Memorie is a disposyn or placing of sensible thinges in the mynde by imagination, AKTIFIcrAL MEMORY. 195 whereunto the naturall memorie hauing respect, is by them admonished, that it may be hable to call to mind more easely and distinctly suche thinges as are to bee remembred : and (as Cicero sayth in hys seconde to Herennius) it .consisteth of places, as it were of waxe or tables, and of images, as of figures and letters. For so it commeth to passe that such thinges, as we haue heard or learned, we reherse agayne, euen as though we read them. Nor it skilleth not muche whether we begynne at the first, or at the mjfie. The places themselves rMiis!; be set in order, for, yf there be a confusion in them, it foloweth of necessitie, that al the reste must be disordred. And it behoueth also that there be many places, that manye thinges maye be placed by the same exercise and practise. Cicero judged that there should be an hundreth in num- ber. Thomas A, when he died at the age of 52 He was author of a great number of works, som- ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 20? ©f which are honorable to his talents, and evince a large share of knowledge, but in otliers he shows an attachment to the absurdities of the alchemist, much superstition, and opinions which do not imply a sound judgment. His works, besides those which we have had occasion to mention, were, I. A Treatise on the Preser- vation of the Health of Magistrates, Travel- lers, and Students, in Latin, published at Frank- fort, in 1591, in 12°. — II. Da Vini Natura. Cologne, 1(371, in B°. — III. He was the editor of a collection of various works of Pomponatius : Basle, 1565, in 8°. He had been the pupil of this celebrated man, and adopted some of his notions. — IV. Vera Alchijmice Artisque Me- tallic^ Doctrine, etc.fol. Basil, 156l. — V. De pradictione rerum naturarumque hominum etc. — VI. De Temporum omnimoda mutatione, etc.* " It cannot be denied (says Baylc) tlvat Gra- taroli was a public-spirited man, since he not only sought remedies that he might be useful to magistrates, but also those that are proper for all sorts of travellers. He did not forget studious men ; for he endeavoured to enable them to pre- serve their health, and strengthen their memory. A man, who would supply their necessities on • Bavle— Diet. Hist. art. GralarolL €08 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF this account^ would deserve divine honors tit the republic of tetters, in which memory is almost as necessary as life." 17. AriiJlcioscE MemoricB libellus, antore Joann. Spaiigenherg, Herd. 8°» Witeberg, 1570. 18. Artis 3Iemoria:, seupotius Reminis- centicE pars secunda^ Autliore Joh, Sp, Herd. Franco/. 1603. This is a very useful mamiil, and is intended principally for tyros in the -dii. It unfolds, by question and answer, the principles of former writers on the jsufcject, and is equally remarkable for perspicuity and brevity, TJiis small tract is included in the Gazophylacium Artis Memorice, published in l6lO, under the title of Erotemata de Arte Memories seu Reminiscent ice, etc, J 9. Cosmi Rosselii Thesmirns Artifi- ciosce Memoriae, 4°. Venet. 1574. 20. Jordano Sruno de nmhris Idearum, Paris, 1582. 21. Artificiosce Memorise Libellus, Au- thore Thoma Watsono Oxonictisi, ARTIFICIAL MEMOItY. 20L) Juris Utriusque studioso. MS. lo83. This manuscript is No. 5731 in the Shane Collection, preserved in the Britisii Museum. It is divided into fifteen chapters, the titles of which are, 1. yJutoris Prologomenon el Methodus, 2. De Memoria et Heminiscentia. 3. De Me- moria Nnturali. 4. De ArtificiGsa Memo- ria. 0. De Dup/ici locorum gene re. G. De Legibas locorum. 7- De Imaginibus. 8. De Imagine rei aimplici. 9- De Imagine rei composita. 10. Qnales esse debeant imagines. 11. De Cathena. 12. De Fer- boruin memoria. \3. De praxi artis me- jHorativae et ofijectornm tarietate. 14. De U til it ate localis memorirt. 15. De Imjus artis acqnisitione, ( If I wish to remember five objects, (says Mr. Watson) as a stone, a tree, a fish, a bird, and a horse, I take some spacious wall well-known to me, and make five great divisions ; in the inst, I see a door ; in the second, a window ; in the third, a chest ; in the fourth, an iron book ; in the fifth, a large crack, or fissure. The stone , must be large enough to fill up the whole door- viay ; the tree has taken root, and almost con- t8 210 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF ceals the window by its branches ; the iish is ly- ing hid in the chest ; the bird is seizing the iron- hook with his beak, and is endeavouring to tear it from the wall ; the horse has put his tail into the fissure, and is fixed there. By these means, the objects, and their numerical situation are perma- nently remembered: other divisions of a wail are given: one into 3C, and the other into 100 compartments; the first is reckoned by eights, and the latter by tens. The connection of the different images is con- sidered of great importance, and the following illustration is given. If 1 wish to remember (continues the auihor) a man, a horse, a stone, a fire, a hog, and a tree, 1 must say, that the man finds a hoise and seizes it by the tail ; the horse is biting a large stone, from which fire is elicited by the teeth of the animal; this fire burns a hog, which had approached too near the horse ; the hog, mad with pain, runs against the tree, and overthrows it. Anthony Wood, in his Athencc OxonieU' ses* affords some information respecting this author. " Thomas Watson, a Londoner born, did spend some time in this University, not in Logic Vol. I. col. 262, 263. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 211 and Philosophy, as he ought to have done; but in the smooth and pleasant studies of poetry and romance, whereby he obtained an honourable name among the students in those faculties. Af- terwards retiring to the metropolis [he] studied the common law at riper years, and for a diver- sion wrote, Echgn in obitum D. Francisci Wals'mgham Esq. aur. Lond. loQO. yJminta, Gaudiu, Loud. 159'2, written in Lat. Hexa- meter, and dedicated to the incomparable Maty Countess of Pembroke, who was a patroness of his studies. He hath written other things of that nature, or strain, ami something pertaniing to pastoral, which I have not yet seen, and was highly valued among ingemous men, in the latter end of Q. Elizabeth." 22. Jordano Hfuno de Imaginum, et Idearum compositioue ad omnia in- venlmiem, et iMemorice genera tres lihri, 8°. Franc. 1591. 55. Joan. Mich. Alherti de omnibus in- sreniis ausrendce nwmoria libera 4". 13onon. 1591. 24. F. Philippi Gesvaldi Plutosojia, Patau. 1600. 212 PIllINCIPAL SYSTEMS GF 25. Ars Remiuiscendi Joan. Bapiista; Porta; Neapolitan i, i'^.Neap. 1602. Porta, like the authors aheady noticed, treats of pUices and images ; he also advises the pupil to commit poetry to memory, by forming ideal representations of the language, and placing them in order. He exchanges iigines for symbols, and represents a cipher for a globe ; 1 by a knife ; 2 by a sickle ; 3 by a bow ; 4 by a chopper ; 5 by a serpent ; 8 by a pair of spectacles ; 9 by a crosier, etc. etc. Letters are also represented by symbols, and two aljihubels are given ; in the one, the letters are formed from vaiious ob- jects ; and in the other, from different positions of the human body. John Baptist Porta was a Neapolitan gentleman, who acquired celebrity by his appli- cation to polite literature and the sciences, espe- cially those of mathematics, medicine, and natu- ral history. He often held at liis house meet- ings of literati, when they discussed the chi- merical secrets of magic. The Court of Rome, apprised of the object pursued by this little aca- demy, prohibited him from holding its meetings. Porta then cultivated the Muses, and composed several tragedies and comedies, which were re- ceived with some success. His house was al- ways the retreat of men of letters, and of foreign- ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 215 CIS, who admired the merit of Porta. He died in 15\5, aged 70 years. We are indebted to Porta for the invention of tlie Camera Obscura. His works are, 1. A Treatise ou Natural M;gic. 2. A Treatise on Physiognomy. 3. De occultis Litterarum notis ; a treatise on the art of con- cealing our thoughts in writing, or of discover- ing those of others. 4. P hi/tognomonica, seu Methodus cognoscendi ex inspectione vires abdi- tas cujmcumque rei. 5. De Distillationihus,* 26. F. Hieronymi MarafiotiPoUstinensis Calabri Theolou'i J^e Arte JRemi- niscenticBy per Inca^ et imagines^ ac per 7iotas etjiguras in manibus posi- tas, Q\^Franc. 1602. Places and images are the basis of Marafioti's system, but instead of putting tiie images upon the walls of a house, they are placed in different parts of the hands, both on the back and in the palm of the hand. By this mode a high number of places and images is obtained. This tract was reprinted in KJIO, in the Gazuphylaciam Artis Memorice. * Diet. Hist. art. Pvrtn. tI4 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF 37. Specimma duo Art is 3femoria ex- hibita Lutetice Parisiorum, 8°. Paris, 1607. This tract we have not seen, but suspect that it contains an account of Schenckel's experiments in Mnemonics at Paris ; of whose system some accuunt will be found in the next article. 28. Sckcnckelii 3Ielkodus de Latina Lingua intra 6 menses docenda, &\ Arsrerd. 1609. 29. GazopJiylaciiim Artis Meynori^e ; in quo duohus lihris omnia et singula ea quae ad absolutam hujns cogni- tioneM iuservimd, recondita haheii- tm\ per Lambertum Sc/ienckelium Dusilviiim. His accesserunt de eadeni Arte MemoriiB adkuc 3 opnscuJa; quorum 1. Joannis Aus- triaci. 2. Hleronymi 3IuraJioti. 3. Joh. Sp. Herd. 8". Argent. 1610. 30. Sckeuckclins delectus : sen, Blemoria Arfijicialis hactenus occultata ac a multis quamdiu desiderata : nunc ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 215 primiim in gratiam optimarum ar ■ tmm, ac sapieuticB studiosorum luc' douata, a J. P. G. \Joh. Paep Galhaicus] S. P. D. Heme artem principes et alii ?iobiles, cum Eccle- siastici, turn seculares addidicerunty exercuerunt et tnirijice probarunty ut ex sequent ihus notum Jiet. 8". Lugduni, 1617. 3 1 . Brevis Delineatio de utilitatihits et. effectihus admirahilihns Artis Me- moricBy 12°. Venet. \circ. 1610.] 32. 3Iemoria artificialis Lamherti Schenckqly . Omnibus literarum et sapientice amantibus luci donatay vnacum clauicula Illam legendi,mo- diim aperiente. Arnoldi Backhusy Lubece?isiSy 12". Colon. — Agrip. 1643. No. 28, ochenckel's method of learning the Latin language in six mouths, we have not seen. No. 29, contains Schenckel's Ait of Memory, and very considerable prolegomena which are not inserted in any subsequent reprint. No. SO, tlQ PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF is Schenckel's system only, without any intro- duction. The two last treatises are perfectly ueless to the uninitiated, on account of the arbi- trary signs and marks employed in them.* No. 31, is a reprint of No. 30, wish the addition of a kej/ which explains the arbitrary signs used in the work. It also contains a dedication to the learned Meibomius, and an address to the reader. This, consequently, is the most useful edition for prac- tical purposes. No. 31, is a treatise by Mar- tin Sommer, a contemporary and delegate of SchenckeJ. It is reprinted in No. '29, the Gazophylacium, and forms a part of the intro- duction to that work. Lambert, or Lcrmprecht Schenckel, born at Bois-le-Duc, in 1547, was the son of an apothecary and philologist. He went through his academical course at Lyons and Cologne, and afterwards became a teacher of rhetoric, prosody, and gymnastics, at Paris, Antwerp, Malines, and Rouen : not forgetting, as the custom of the age required, to claim his title to scholarship, by writing Latin verses. From • The Gazophylacium, liowcver, is valuable on account of the prefatory matter, and tlie thi ec tracts which it con- tains ; more particularly, as the original editions of the tracts are extremely rare. — See Monthly Slaguzine, fer Feb. 1810, for some part of this accovnt. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 417 tliese, however, he acquired no celebrity propor- tionate to that which was reared on his disco- ▼eries in the Mnemonic Art. The more efFec- tually to propagate these discoveries, he travelled through the Netherlands, Germany, and France ; where his method was inspected by the great, and transmitted from one university to another. Applause followed every where at his heels. Princes and nobles, ecclesiastics and layniCn, alike took soundings of his depth ; and S, ' "i- ckel brought himself through every ordeal, to the astonishment and admiration of his *'idges. The rector of the Sorbonne, at P;in , < g previ- ously made trial of his merits, peuiiitted him to teach his science at the university; and Marillon, Maitre des Requetes, havitig done the same, gave him an exclusive privilege" for practising Mne- monics throughout the French dominions. His auditors were, however, prohibited from com- municating this art to others, under a severe penalty. As his time now became too precious to admit of his making circuits, he delegated this branch of his patent to the licentiate Martin Sommer, and invested him with a regailar diplo- ma, as his plenipotentiary for circulating his art, under certain stipulations, through Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the neighbouring coun- tries. Sommer now first published a Latin trea- tise on this subject, which he dispersed hi every u 218 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF place he visited. [No. 31.] In this he announces^ himself as commissioned by Schenckel, to in- struct the whole world. '* A lawyer, (says he) who has a hundred causes and more to conduct, by the assistance of my Mnemonics, may stamp them so strongly on his memory, that he will know in what wise to answer each client, in any order, and at any hour, with as much precision, as if he had but just perused his brief. And in pleading, he will not only have the evidence and reasonings of his own party, at his fingers' ends, but all the grounds and refutations of his antagonist also ! Let a man go into a library, and read one book after ano- ther, yet shall he be able to write down every sentence of what he has read, many days after at home. The proficient in this science can dictate matters of the most opposite nature, to ten, or thirty writers, alternately. After four weeks' exercise, he will be able to class twenty-five thousand disarranged portraits within the saying of a paternoster : — aye, and he will do this ten times a day, without extraordinary exertion, and with more precision than another, who is igno- rant of the art, can do it in a whole year ! He will no longer stand in need of a library for re- ferring to. This course of study may be com- pleted in nine days, — and an hour's practice daily, will be sufficient : but, when the rules are ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 219 once acquired, they require but half an liour's exercise daily. Every pupil, who has afterwards well-grounded complaints to allege, shall not only have the premium paid in the first instance, returned to him, but an addition will be made to it. The professor of this art, makes but a short stay in every place. When called upon, he will submit proofs, adduce testimonials from the most eminent characters, and surprise the igno- rant, after four or six lessons, with tlie most in- credible displays." Here follow testimonials from the most celebrated universities. Nine alone are produced from learned men at Leipzic, and pre- cede others from Marpurg, and Frankfort on the Oder. On the 29th and 30th of Sept. and on the 1st of Oct. [O. S.] 1602, Schenckel exhibited some specimens of his art at Marpurg in Hesse.* the first experiment took place on the 29th of Sept. at eight o'clock in the morning, before a large assemblage of Divines, Lawyers, Physi- cians, and Philosophers. Schenckel having re- quested some one to dictate 0.5 Latin sentences, he wrote them down with a pen, and numbered ihem. He next read them aloud tv\'ice, with scarcely any pause, and having sat for a short * This account of Scbenckel's experiments is taken from his Memoria urtijiciality edited by Buckliusy. (See No. ,"2.) €20 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS or time in silence, he repealed the tvhole, from beginning to end, backwards and forwards, and in any order desired, without the slightest hesita- tion. It happened, however, that once or twice, Schenrkel substituted one word for another, as, lithits for ends; but being reminded of this, he immediately gave the word required. After- wards, any particular number being given, he repeated its appropriate sentence; and, on the first word of a sentence being named, gave the proper number. Schenckel being asked to re- peat 25 doctrinal sentences, replied, that he thought 15 would be sufficient; and, according- ly, that number having been dictated, written down, and read, he united them to the former 25 ■entences, and answered to the whole 40 in any order desired. On the 30th of Sept. another meeting was held at the house of a medicine-vender, when Jifty words were given and numbered from 1 to 50. Schenckel having considered for a short time, repeated the whole from beginning to end, in regular order, — from the last to the first, and in any order required. On any number being given, he named the appropriate word, — and vice-versa. Havnig asked the persons present to double the number of words, some of the literati replied, that he had given sufficient proof of his abilities, and that they had no doubt he would ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 221 be able to repeat many more words by the same method. A learned auditor expressed his regret to Schenckel, that he was not allowed to repeat Jifty sentences, and a It unci red words, being fully persuaded that he was capable of greater things. Schenckel having presented to his auditory two hundred sentences, in which a pupil of his, taken from the last meeting, had been exercised, together with the 40 sentences then given, the pupil, on any number being asked, repeated the appropriate sentence, and vice-versa, to the asto- nishment of all present : — more especially at the unconnected manner in which the numbers were proposed; as 235, 27, 9, 240, 128, 19, iB4, 3, 22.3, 2, 170, SQ, 7, etc. etc. This same pupil offered to the assembly 250 written words, which he had learned by some tuition from Schenckel, and by his ow n application. To these 250 words were added 50 others ; and, in a short time, the pupil answered to the whole 300, in the same manner as had been done before by the professor himself. In repeating the sentences, the pupil, once or twice, did not give the words regularly : — when this was intimated to him, he immediate- ly corrected himself, and repeated the words in their appropriate order. On the folio wing day, the 1st of October, similar experiments were tried, greatly to the satisfaction of all present i and, in consequence, Schenckel 222 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF received (without asking for it) a certificate of ap- probation, under hand and seal, from a learned physician, and some professors. This certificate concludes by observing, that ' the deponents^ were present at the different examinations, — that there was not a possibility of fraud or collusion — that they thought it but justice, thus, unsolicited, to express their approbation, — and to bear wit- ness to the truth of the facts stated in the docu- ment. The student, destitute of oral instruction, can- not expect to reap much benefit from a perusal of Schenckel's system in the Gazophylacium, or in Schenckdius delectus : he might as well seek for a knowledge of Mnemonics, by gazing at the hieroglyphics of an Egyptian obelisk. It is pretty evident that this Gazophylacium was designedly intended as a labyrinihal series : the author indeed closes his labors by confessing, that the work was to be entrusted only to his ■scholars, and referring for further elucidation to oral precepts. The very basis of his art is con- cealed beneath a jumble of signs and abbrevia- tions : thus, sect. 9. d. a sect. 99 ; " videlicet, locus, imago ordo locorum, memoria loci^ ima- gines." And further, in setting forth the most important points, he amuses himself by evinc- ing a multitude of jingling, and unintelligible words. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 2^3 In proof of this assertion it will be sufficient to give the ki'y from Backhusy's edition of Schenckel : it is a fair specimen of the obstacles which are presented to the student. Clauiculaseu cxplicatio libri. FALVCO NIVALCA. 1. Lcf^endum serom a focis barbaeho. t. Alplia & oincgd sunt lasos vitor. .1. Idqae etiam in diet, osi^is oiiiui. 4. Si in doliibacoui q. itaro cniccos 1 reg. amucoli no« habet, sed cygaus in ilia tantnna caballyso. 5. Hacbaei-etila singula sing. num. denotant. eaedem gemi. pi. 6. Gen. ca. mod. temp. & alia datus obirttas, ex lusncsi facile collignntur: a amnlube niacoue b osias c codrot d emuliica sibuco. e daitnem etnesi. f anuiit ecapso. g boganiin li aseirape: i vanosrcpo k emnsrodi 1 asumodi in imnis ftice orexes n asulugnas. e lairomemi p dannofc q osedesi r asiiarpe ' 6 asucoli t bogamiu II rogamis V usucolae! X farreto. y amnitios I amulucato epecera A efucis itcmhtiras. C emurtsaca D emiioite ocnita istdo E parti esenefa G. & Gr. facitamo emar- go I asuirano bigamie K emuxi fennoca « omutnemi badnufa 224 PRfNClPAL SYSTEMS OF N. asuremuiii P. Omuite galapo. R. boitis otcpera. T. asuruase hti V. aniuiiato euuloni. Adi. cimitac onuidas ct. foitatica. dct. roitato scidos diu. poisis euido cp. galoti osipcs L G. afiicigoli Mpli. asucisyiio epatem. Or: roitaros Ph. csHcisylipo {amPHOs enerpo vel laidos esorpo L asutali Rh. Laciros ethere <.Ru. satueinis eduro Sy. esisato anysi Ve eimibieui. rbaeieco 1. < salednaca L vanlns 2. asmigyco. 3. esuliige onaiite. 4. asnluga inaido aqua?. 5. esunanii. 6. falktsc. 7. lamtor i vcl asiruceso. 8. txilacu i*. diinroca rasulunnas 0. < ext'inoia V-cstiUKiito. Reliqu* sludiosus Lector facile colliget. CLAVICVLA. 1. Lcgcndum haebraico more. 2. Prima Sc vltima litcra sunt otiosae. 3. Idque etiani in dictionibiis diuersis. 4. Si in vocabulo Q occurat, prutia regula locum non ha- bet, sed prinium in taiitnm illasyllaba: cxcmphim sit in asnluga inardo aquas: hoc est Quadrangulus, quas vox nimierum quatcrnarium significat. > 5. Litera; singulae singnlarcm numerum denotant, easdem gcminatae, pluralem, €. Genus, casus, modus, tempus & alia attvibttta ex semn, facile colliguntur. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 'i'zo Literx signijUanf. a. Voca1)nIum b. Ars €. Ortlo d. Cubiculuni e. Sententia f. Spacium g. Imago „ b. Partes ' i. Persona k. Dorsum 1. Domus in. Exercitinm B. Angulus 0. Meiuoria p. Forma ([. Sedes r.^^Praxis s. Locas t. Imago u. Imago. V. Locus ■X. Terra y. Ostium 8. Reccptacnlum A. Aritbmeticiu C. Castrura D. Distinctio F. Fenestra G. Gr. Graminatica 1. Iniagiiiarius K. Couuexum N. Numerus. P. Palatium K. Repetitio S. Fundamentura T. Thesaurus V. Voluntarium Adi. Adiunctum (J). Citatio Diet. Dictatio Din. Diuisio Ep. Epistola. LG. Logicus Mpb. Metaphysicns Or. Oratio Ph. Physicus Pr. Pronomen Prosodia. La. Latus Rh. Rhetorica Ru. Rudimenta Sy. Syntaxis "Ve. Verbum. 1. Cadela, Cerea, Vina 2. Cygnus 3. Triaiiguhis 4. Quadrangului 5. IManns 6. Stella ' 7. Norma vel SecurU 8. Calix j; 9. Coniu. 11 10. Anulus, Reroex, Circulus. 226 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF The work of Schenckel is a singular produce tion. His development of the art does not con- fine itself to mechanical ideas alone. It sets the technical, symbolical, and logical faculties of the memory, in equal activity ; and requires that its powers should be at once ingenious and per- ceptive. Its acquirement is founded on the asso- ciation of ideas : nor does it fail to call wit and imagination in aid of natural memory. Som- mer's Compendium, consisting of eight sections, was printed for the use of his auditors. After his departure, permission is given to his scholars to communicate their mnemonistic doubts, ob- servations, and discoveries, to each other ; but no one can be present without legalizing himself previously, as one of the initiated, by prescribed signs: and he who fails in this, is excluded as a profaner. As Schenckel's work, besides being a literary curiosity, had, of late years, become extremely rare, Dr. Kliiber, in 1804, published a Ger- man translation of it, entitled, * Compendium der Mnenionikf etc' or, * Compendium ofMne' monies, or the Art of Memory, at the beginning of the seventeenth century, by L. Schenchel, and M. Sommer. Truyislatedfrom the Latin, Tenth a preface and remarks, by D. Kluber, 8°. Erlamien. 1804. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 2"27 33. De Memoria, ac Reminiscentia Dis- cerptafio Sempronii Laucioni Ho- mani ad went em Philosophorum. jyrincipum Platonis et • Aristotelis concinnata. Yerona, 1608. In this tract, are exhibited passages of divers authors, respecting the system of local memory as practised among the Greeks. 34. Joh. Henr. Alstedii Theatrum Scho- lasticum, 8°. Herborn. 1610. In this work is contained the Gymnasium Mnemonicum, or, treatise on the Art of Me- mory. 3-5. Jo7i. Henr. Alstedii Si/ sterna Mne- monicum^ 8". Franc. 1610. 36. Joh. Henr. Alstedii Triga; Cano- niece, S°. Franc. 1611. The first of these trigae is Artis Mnemonics explicatio. 37. Simonides redivivns; site Ars Me- moricE et ohlivionis (qnam hodie complures penitus ignorari scripse- 228 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF runt) tahulis expressce^ Authore AdamoBruxio Sproffasilesio Doct. et 3Ied. cut accessit nomenclator mnemonicus ejusdem aufhoris, 4°. Lips. IGIO. A gieat part ©f the Simonides Redimvus was reprinted at Leyden, by H. Herdson, in the year l65l, under the title of ^rs Mnemonicaf sive Herdsonus Bruxiatiu ; vel Bruxus Herdso- niatus. To this was appended a treatise in Eng- lish by Herdson, on the same subject, the whole of which may be seen at Nos. 51 and 53. After the title of No. 37, there is a wood-cut nearly the size of the page, very tolerably exe- cuted. It represents a tree loaded with fruit, — a man mounted on a ladder plucking the fruit,— a boy in a go-cart, — and a venerable figure (we suppose the magister) looking very attentively at the boy. Underneath the cut, are the following verses : Scala riro, currvs puero, quod scipio Acestce ; Hoc memorativa prasiat in arte Lociis. Brux has treated the subject in a very compre- hensive manner, and has subjoined a complete nomenclator mnemonicus. He also directed his attention to an art on which much less has been written : — the an ohlivionis, or art oi forgetful- ARTIFICIAL MEMOUY. 529 ness, for the acquisition of which very full and minute directions are given. Were this art ' eliminated out of the thick fog in which it is enveloped' many a candidate would be found for the srceet oblivious antidote. In this (says the great moralist) we all resemble one ai;other ; the hero and the sage are, like vulgar mortals, over- burdened by the weight of life ; all shrink from recollection, and all wish for an art of forget~ fulnesS' Before we take leave of this interesting art, the ff'liowingy^M d'e'5 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF 39. ZHriusfpie Cosmi, innjoris scilicet, et minoris Mefaphysica, Physica et Teclmica Historia, anctore Iloberto Fludd, It-om.fol. Openh. et Franc. 1617—1621. A few pages of tins curious and expensive work are devoted to an explanation of the author's system of Jtlnenionics. This seems to be an attempt to combine tlie ' Ars Magna' of Lully, Avith the local memory of the antients, as improy- ed by the modern memorists. Some curious wood-cuts accompany the description ; and thers are, on other subjects, many extremely singular prints in this rare work, which are intelligible only to an adept. The portrait alone of Fludd, prefixed to the first volume, has been valued at four guineas ! ! ! Robert Fludd, or as he styled himself in Latin, de Jiuctibns, was the second son of Sir Thomas Fludd, Treasurer of War to Queen Eli- zabeth. He was born at Milgate in Kent, in the year 1574, and was educated at St. John's Col- lege, Oxford. He was a very voluminous author in his sect, diving into the farthest profundities, and most mysterious obscurities of the Rosycrucian philosophy ; — and blending in a most extraordi- nary manner, divinity, chemistry, natural philoso- ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 237 pby, and metaphysics. He was made Doctor of Physic in l605, and died 1637. 40. Apsinis Grccci RJietoris, de 3l€mo- ria liber singularis latine nunc pri- mum vertit. Fed. 3IoreU. Paris, 1618. 41. IncostimabilisArtisMemorandi The- smirus, ex variis optimisque autho- rihus dcpromptus, ab Adamo Nau- lio, Rheto. Sacerd. et S. Theol. Doct. 8". Paris. 1618. Naulius has compiled a useful and well- arranged digest of the different authors who have written on this subject, and has devoted a chap- ter, treating of the application of the art, to each of the following persons : — divines, con- fessors, lawyers, linguists, rhetoricians, astrolo- gers, geometricians, kings, princes, aud noble travellers. 42. 3Inemonica ; sive Ars Reminiscen- di : e puris artis naturoequefontihus hausta, ct in ires libros digesta, ac non de Memoria vatiirali fovenda libcUus : e variis doclissimorum ope- ribus, sedulo collectus : jam primuni 238 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF in lucem edita author e Johan. Wil' lisw, SacrcR Theolo. Bacch. 8°. Loud. 1618. Tlie treatise de Memoria vaturali fovenda, was reprinted at Frankfort, in the year 1678, wit!i five other tracts, in an octavo volume, en- titied, Variorum de jirie Memoria Tractatus Stx. 'i'he whole work was translated by Leonard Sozvershyj a bookseller * at the Turn-stile, near New-market in Lincoln's Inn Fields,' and printed in (he year 166], with the following title : 43. Mnemonica; or, the Art of Memo- /7/, dramed out of the pure fountains of art and nattire, digested into three books. Also a phi/sical trea^ tise of cherishing 7iatural Metnory ; diligent/)/ collected out of divers learned mens writings. JBy John Willis, JBatchelour in Divinity. 8". Lo?id. 1661. As this book has become rare, and developea many of the principles of the local memory in an apt and ir.tcUigihle n)anner, our extracts will be more copK)iis than usual. The worthy translator seems to have been a man of very unassuming manners. The dedica- ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 239 tion, which we recommend all booksellers of the present day to peruse and imitate, has not its parallel for diffidence and humility. " TO THE HONORABLE " WILLIAM PIERREPOINT, ESQ. " Honored Sir, " If Lines were capable of Humane affec- tions, these would blush, they are so mean a present to so Illustrious a person ; at least con- scious of their Masters presumption, they would condole his unhappiuess, that had not greater ability to accommodate some more worthy Fabrick to so fair a Frontispiece. The Original compiled by a learned hand, among some vulgar things and trifles, coutainetti very excellent and profit- able matter ; I hope it hath not lost its utility (though Grace) in English. " Honored Sir, I fear, good intentions are no sufficient Plea for temerous Enterprises, espe- cially the Undertaker being privie to his own imperfections ; Therefore like a Criminal ac- knowlediiing my vanity in ambitiously affecting things ab(»ve my Sphere, I humbly re-implore your Honors pardon and admittance to be what I was before, Your Honors most humble Servant Leonard Sowersby." 240 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF The author, in tht- preface, having compared his Art of Memory to a new-born infant, be- cause it was then first prestnted to the world, proceeds to show the advantages attendant upon it. Ths Jirst book treats o( remembering com- mon affairs, words, phrases, sentences, and speeches, by means of notes and writing Having despatched these vulgar ways of me- mory, our author proceeds to speak in the ^rst chapter of the second book, * of remembring without writir,:i;,' and says, " I descend to helps conducing lo the same purpose without Hand- writing, vhich is then most pleasant, when we are destitute of the aid of Paper, Ink, or Table- Books, or when by sume obstacle we are debar- red the free use of them. This consisteth of two operai)or.s, Reposition and Deposition. " Reposition is the maimer of charging Me- mory v\ito Note-vvo'thy things; herein it is not to be expected th<>t each particular word of cvrry senterice be rttai!'* d ; but onely, thut the general sence be fasiened m mind. At -all times wijen a man is about to commit any thing in custody to his Memory, first let him study to drown all un- necessary ihvjughts in oblivion, that he may per- fectly Hitend the tlungs he is to learn. * * * * A ready re>nembrance most commonly procced- eth from right understanding the thing in hand; therefore a man must prepare himself diligently, ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 241. and so unite the force of his imagination, that ho may as it were engrave and imprint occurrent things in his niemory. Lead doth facily receive impression, because it is tenacious, which Quick' silver cannot admit, by reason of \isFluxibility : In like manner fleeting inconstant minds continu- ally hurried into new & strange cogitations, is far from gathering fruit by any thing heard. The method of a speech is chiefly to be observed, re- garding seriously what is the general subject thereof; Secondly, the greater parts, and with what Logical Arguments each part is handled ; the perfect Mtthod of a speech doth much con- duce to remember the whole ; or if the Contex- ture thereof be inartiflcial, imperfect, and unsa- tisfactory, comprehending many things forcibly applied, rejecting things of a like kind, yet a strong Memory will retain the same by observa- tion of the absurdities and rude Artifice of the whole. " Deposition is when we recollect things com- mitted to memory; and having transcribed or transacted them, discharge our memories of them, which is alwayes to be practised at the first opportunity : Things charged in Memory by day, are to be deposited at least before sleep, if not sooner ; things charged by night, are to be deposited immediately after sleep, that the mind be no longer burthened than is convenient, and 24^ PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF that things negligently laid up in mind, be not forgotten, Writing being the faithfullest Guar- dian of Memorandums. If in dis-burthening your Memory, something charged happen to be forgotten, shut your eyes, that no external obiect may divert your mind, and try to recall it by im- portunate scrutiny ; which operation may be called Revocation, and is an Art that by help of certain Rules teacheth the investigation of things lapsed out of memory. " To conclude, Deposition, or discharging things committed to mind, is not unlike expung- ing writing out of Table- Books : If therefore there be any Art of Oblivion (as some affirm) it may be properly referred hither. So much in general ; now to explicate the particular species thereof.'* The second chapter treats of * remembring by certain verses purposely born in mind,' the third * of remembering by extempore verses,' and the fourth ' of exonerating things charged on memo- ry ex tempore.' The manner of remensbering by verses already composed, says Mr. Willis, is when a man doth excogitate or rt tain remarkable things by repetition of verses provided to that purpose. Suppose an attorney, be to wait upon Judges riding the Circuits from one County to another, it may be vvorth his labour to repeat these verses at leaving his lodging, lest he forget ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. ^43 some necessary thing, which we may imagine formerly framed by him to this end. Scalpellum, calami, comttgraphiumq; libcUi, Charta, pugillares, vapilalia, ceia, aigiUum, Sic aepiJe, glaition of Ideals, and afterward their Deposition. " Reposition of Ideas is, when things to be remembred, are charged upon Memory h\ Idea's, disposed in certain places of a Repository ; but before 1 discend to the manner of Reposition, it Y 3 846 PRINCIPAL STSTKMS OF is necessary for better explanation, to speak of JK«- positories, Places, and Idea's in distinct chapters. ** A Reposiiori/ is an imaginary fabrick, fan- cied Artificially, built of hewen stone, ia form of a Theaf^er, the form whereof followeth ; suppose the Edifice to be twelve yards in length within the walls, in breadth six yards, and in height seven yards, the ruof thereof flat, leaded above, and pargetted underneath, lying wholly open to view, without any wall on that side supposed next us : Let there be imagined a Stage of smooth gray Marble, even and variegated with a party colour- ed border, which Stage is to be extended over the whole length and breadth of the building, and raised a yard high above the Level of the ground on which the said Edifice is erected : Let all the walls, that is, the opposite wall, & two ends ba wainscotted with Cj/presse boards, so artificially plained and glewed, that the Joynts be indiscernahle ; suppose also a Groove or Gutter cut in the middle of the Marble Stage, three inches broad, extended from the opposite wall to the hither side of the Stage, whereby it is exactly divided into two equal parts, and that upon the further end of the said Groove, therr is erreared a Column, a foot and half thick, arising up to the Roof of the building, almost touching the opposite wall, and deviding it iuto two equal parts, as the Groove divideth the Stage ; so that ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 247 by the Groove, and the Pillar, the ^hole RepO' sHory is parted in twain, and consisteth of two Rooms, siding each other, each of them being six yards long, six yards broad, and six yards high. For the better understan»ling this inven- tion, I liave caused a J'j/pe of the Repository to be here dehneated, the explanation whereof im- mediately followeth."* • That nothing might be wanting to ehicidate tliis cu- rious description, we have given a fac-simile of the original we^d'Cut. See p. 348. 248 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF O ^ AKTIFICIAL MEMORY. 249 " The letters, a, b, c, d, shew the length of the edifice, a, c, b, d, the height, a, e, b, f, the height of the stage, g, i, k, k, are boundaries of the opposite wall, e, c, i, g, the side wall upon the left hand, h, k, d,f, the side wall of the right hand, c, I, m, d, design the Roof, g, i, n, p, the opposite wall of the first Room, e, g, o, p, the stage of the first Room, r, q, k, k, the opposite wall of the second room, s, r, h,f, the stage of the second room, n, o, the pillar dividing the opposite wall, o, p, the groove wrought into the $tage. " A Repositori/ according to this fashion, is to be represented before the tyes of our minde, wheresoever we are, as oft as we intend to prac- tise this Art ; supposing ourselves to stand about two yards distant, against the midst thereof. CHAP. II. " Of Places, " A Place (as to our consideration) is an apt space in a Repositori/, designed for reception of idea$. " There are onely two places in every reposi' ^ory uf equal fsrui and magnitude, that is the 250 PRINCIPAL SYSTEM^ OF twe rooms of eacii repositaii/ determinated as aforesaid by the pilar air(i groove. ** That place is .-^aui io b the former, which is on the right luuid of the repository/, that which IS on the left hand, the latter ; that part of the repository/ is said to be on the right hand, which is opposite to the left hand of a man standing against the middle of itie repository, that on the ieft hand which is opposite to the right. " Thus in the scheme exhibited in the former chapter, tlie letters, g, i, n, o, demonstrate the opposite wall of the right hand part, or first place or room of the repository, and the letters, e, g, 0, p, the stage thereof ; so r, q, k, h, are indices of the opposite wall of the left hand part, or second place or room of the repository, and s, r, h,J\ the stage of the same. CHAP. III. " Of Idea's in general. " An idea is a visible representation of things to be rememhred, framed by a strong imagination, by help whereof the minde by re- flexion calleth to memory, together with the idea, the thing represented. Idea's are to be vested ARTIFICIAL MEMOKY. S51 with their proper circumstances, according as their natures require, for like as tvritings, the fairer they are, are more facilly read ; so ideas, the more aptly they are conceived, according to the exigency of their nature, are more speedily recalled to minde ; and also consequently the things by them signified. Motion is to be attri- buted to ideas of moveable things; quiet to ideas of quiet things, and good or evil savours, to ideas representing things so qualified. Exam- ples of moveable idea's, are artificers at work in their shops, women dauncing, trees shaken by the wind, water running from cocks, and such like. Idea's of quiet things, are henns laying in their ne^ts, thieves lurking under bushes, &c. Idea's to which sound is ascribed, are a lion roar- ing, a bell ringing, whistling, rnuruiure of trees, a quirister singing, a huntsman hollowing, &c. Moreover, if perfume, burning in a chafing-dish, be used for an idea, a sweet and pleasant odour must be attributed thereto, on the contrary to vaults under ground, a filthy, unwholesome stink, is to be assigned ; so idea's of merry men, require cheerfulness of countenance, of sicknien, pale- ness and sadnes:>e. After tbis manner idea's of edifices, macliines, aud all artificial things whatso- ever, oughi to be signalised ;^ proportion of form, and splendour of colours, must be attributed to pictures, grace and livelinesse of letters, to 252 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF writings, glory and excellency of workmanship, to engravings; finally, every idea must have such illustration as may render it most notable and conspicuous, and seem principally coherent to its nature. " But before I proceed further, it is expedient to take into consideration, the common affection of ideas, their species shall succeed after, in a more proper place. The common affections of idea's are three : quantity, position, and colour. CHAP. IV, " Of the Quantitie of Idea's. "An idea in respect oi quantity, is either equal, greater, or lesser then the thing repre- sented. " An equal idea is, when the thing repre- sented, is bestowed in a place of the repository, in its proper and due magnitude, as being neither too great to be contained therein, nor so small it cannot be discerned by one standing before the repository; such are chairs, pictures, tables, beds, heaps of stone, piles of wood, two comba- tants in a single duel, and the like. " An augmented, or greater idea, is when the thing to be remembred, is increased to a multi- ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 253 tude, that it may be better viewed at a distance, which else being small, would not fall under cognizance ; as if the tlwng to be deposited in the repository, were a penny, a pearl, a grain of mustard-seed, or a spider, which are so, small, that disposed in a room of the repository, they escape the sight of a man standing before the repository : in such cases, instead of one penny, imagine a heap of pence new coined ; instead of one pearl, a multitude of pearls ; instead of one grain of mustard-seed, fancy eertaiv bushels scattered about the stage ; and ' for ' one spider, suppose a multitude creeping about the opposite wall. " A contracted or lesser idea is, when the thin^ to be remembered is so great, that it cannot be comprehended in its proper natural quantity, within such narrow limits of a room of a reposi- tory, and is therefore imagined to be pourtrayed with elegant lively colours, in a picture fixed to the opposite wall. Thus space of places how far soever distant, and all great things, may be facilely represented in a picture : as if the thing to be remembred were a battel, a triumphant spectacle, hunting or hawking through woods and groves, a naval conflict, large territories, castles, a mountain, or church, &c. whose idea's cannot be contained in the memorial places, un- less contracted, and aptly and artificially com- 254 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF prized in a picture, conceited by imagination hanging against the opposite wall, that so it may be fully comprehended. CHAP. V. ^* Of the Position of Idea's. '* Let the position of every idea be such as in vulgar use doth most commonly appertain to the thing signified ; let the ideas of things usually hanged against a wall, be so disposed in the re- pository, as musical instruments, arms, looking- glasses, pictures, brushes, written tables, &c. Such things as are customarily fastened to, or in a wall, imagine them accommodated in the re- pository in like manner, as title pages of books pasted against the pillar, proclamations, or printed pages nailed to the wall, funeral-stream- ers, or pendants, in the higher part of the oppo- site wall, as you see in churches : such things as are commonly set upon shelves, fancy them so placed in the repository ; as vessels of gold, sil- ver, glasses, books, mercery wares, &c. Such things as are usually placed on a table, conceive them so marshalled in the repository, as victuals, sums of money, table-boards, &c. such things as Jye, or are any ways situate on grounc^ must ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 255 be so placed in the repositoi-y, as heaps of wheat, a cradle, chest, table, living creatures, whether standing, sitting, or l^ing, &c. Such things as are frequently under ground, are to be supposed under the marble-stage ; for though they escape the eye of a man standing before the repository, yet they cannot be concealed from the eyes of his mind, which are only exercised in this matter ; of this sort are graves, wells, wine-cellars, met- taline-mines, subterranean passages, through which streams have their course, as blood in the veins, &c. Like method is to be observed in site and position of all other things CHAP. VI. ** Of the Colours of Repositories and Idea's. " Here you are to be admonished, that though every repository is supposed to be uni- form in building ; yet they are distinguished from one another by tiie pillar in the middle of every repository, which nmst be imagined of several colours ; as if you use ten, that which you design for the first, must be conceived to have a golden pillar; the second a pillar of silver; the third of black stone ; the fourth of blew stone ; the lift of red stone ; the si\th of yellow stone ; the Q56 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF seyenth of green stone ; the eighth of purple stone, the ninth of white stone, the tenth of ci- namon colour. New for distinction sake, gold is called the colour of the first repository ; silver the colour of the second repository ; black of the third repository ; and so successively as be- fore. If you use more than ten repositories, you must repeat the same coloirs over again, as be- fore; so that the eleventh is imagined to have a golden pillar, the twelfth a silver pillar, the thir- teenth a black pillar, th^^ fourteenth a blew pil- lar, and so the rest in ocder. After the same manner every idea must be conceived cloathed, adorned, or some way illustrated with the pro- per colour of the repository, wherein it is ima- gined to be placed. Take an example or two for better explanation : suppose a saylor in a canvase suit be retained for an idea in the first repository, { represent him standing there with a golden chain over his shoulder like a belt ; if n tlie second , imagine he weareth a silver chain iabout his neck, with a whistle fastened thereto : *f in the third, that he hath black boots on his legs : if in the fourth, that he hath a blew skarf on his arm, tyed in a rose-not : if in the fifth, that he wears a Red Monmouth Cap on his head : if in the sixth, that he swaggerelh with a yellow feather in his cap : if in the seventh, that he hath a green silk garter on his right leg : if in ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 257 the eighth, that his canvase coat is imbellished "with a border of purple velvet : if in the ninth, tliat his neck is beautified with a very white orient pear! ; if in the tenth, that he hath a pair of cinnamon coloured breeches. " Howbeit, if the idea of its own nature be any ways rehited to tlie colour of its repository, wliereby it may be presently understood to have the colour thereof, it will need no other attribu- tion : for example, if a mayor of a city, (who in regard of his office is dignified with a purple gown, and gold chain) be placed as an idea in the first or fift repo<>itori/, there will be no need of attribution of colour, because the golden chain doth manifestly represent the colour of the first repository, the purple gown of the colour of the fift. In Uke sort, if a black bull be placed as an idea in either room of the first repository , his horns must be conceived gilded with gold ; if in the second, with silver ; if in the third, black, being the proper colour of that repository, ex- cludeth any other addition : if in the fourth, let him be decked with a chaplet of the blew flowers; if in the fift, with a garland of red roses. See. So a picture imagined to be painted on the op- posite wall of the first repository y must be illus- trated w'iih gold in some convenient place; if in the opposite wall of the second repositorijj with silver ; of the third, with black, &,c. z3 258 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF " This attribution of a repositories colour, is of marvellous use, bolh to keep in mind the idea's themselves, as also their order ; hereby the mind re-perusing ideas formerly bestowed, hath al- wayes some certainty to guide itself, and recol- lect any idea at present latent ; because it's un- questionable, that the missing idea is either wholly, or at least in part, illustrated with the proper colour of its repository. " Moreover, in attributing a repositories colour to an idea, (of it self not partaking thereof) you musi; be careful that the colour of the repository be accommodated to the most eminent part of the idea, or as near as may be : if the history of the prophet Jonah thrown into the sea by mari- ners, be used as an idea, it mu-)t be represented in -a picture according to the third chapter pre- ceding ; in which, though the whale, sea, ship, and land are to be poui trayed, yet the effigies of J^owaA himself is the most remarkable part of the picture, because Jonah is of the history there painted: if therefore this story be to be dej osited in the first repository, let the border of his gown be supposed of gold ; if in the second, of silver ; if in the thud, let the gown be fancied black ; if in the fourth, blew, t^c. so the top of a heap of wheat is the most ct)nspicu()us part ; therefore if a heap of wheat be placer! in the first reposi' tory, imagine a golden streamer two foot long, AETIFICIAL MEMORY. 259 fixed In the top of the heap ; if in the second repository^ let the streamer he silv. r ; if in the third, black ; if in the fourth, blew, Sd'. " Thus much may suffice for common affec- tions of ideas, in quantity, position, and colour ; their species follow. CHAP. VII. " Of Direct Idea's. " An idea is simple or compound : a simple idea is uniform, and is fourfold, direct, relative, fictitious^ and written. " A direct idea is when a visible thing, or con- ceived under a visible form, is bestowed in the repository, according to the same form, under which it is naturally apprehended : so a goat is the direct idea of a goat ; a rhinocerot of a rhinocerot ; a peacock, of a peacock ; a dove of a dove. Tims a majc stical man adorned with a scepter, iipperial diadem and robe, is the idea of a king : a person arrayed in academical habit, of a schoUar ; an ancient woman in mourning weeds, weeping and wiping her face with an handkerchief, of a widow : a virgin apparelled like a nun, of a nun : a satyr, as the poets de- »cribe ihem, of a satyr : so a temple is the direct idea of a temple, a book of a booke, a bed of a 260 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF bed, a shealh of a sheath, an image of an image, a picture of a picture, an epistle of an epistle, a bond sealed, of a bond : so good angels and spi- rits, though they be incorporeal and invisible, (seeing they are commonly conceived under visi- ble forms) may be reposited as the otlier. To conclude, the minde of man doth naturally and immediately present direct idea's of all visible thiug3, or such as are conceived under a visible form, that it is in vain to excogitate any, but ra- ther use those diat offer themselves. If a man he^rs the relation of a naval battel, doth not he presently seem to behold the sea, ships, smoke of great ordnance, and other things obvious in such matters. If speech be made of mustering an ar?ny, doth not the hearer form in his minde the effigies of the field, replenished with soalders marching in military postures No precept in this kind is delivered, which nature it self hath: not dictated ; but onely to imprint these idea'^ more dei^ply in meniory, we bestow them me- thodically ni some place, lest otherwise they be forgotten through light apprehension. To ex- plain this more evidently, I will use an ex- ample. " Jin Example of remembring a History. " Diogenes the Cynick entering Plato's hall^ when he saw the table covered with a rich car- ARTIFICIAL MEMaHY. 2(>1 pet, the shelves glittering with silver, gilt cups, vessels, and other sumptuous furniture, laid hold of the carpet with all his might, threw it to the ground, and trod thereon with his feet, saying, / tread upon Plato's pride : to whom Plato re- plied, But with greater pride. " The idea of this story is not so great, but that it may admit reposition in its equal quantity : therefore I suppose in the place of the repository where it is to be bestowed, that there is a table covered with a rich carpet, which a sordid fellow in beggarly raiment, throws on the ground, a grave man clothed in honest sober apparel looking on. The attribution of the colour of the repository is not to be forgotten : if therefore it be the first repository in which this idea is to be placed, I imagine the carpet to be imbellished with a fringe or border of gold : if in the second, of silver : if in the third, of black : if in the fourth, of blew, and so forth in the rest. " An example of a Sentence to be remembredy the Subject being visible. " An ant is a small insect, the coldestand dryest of all creatures, and therefore the wisest ; for cold and dry do chiefly contribute to wisdom. The idea of this sentence ought to be augment- ed ; for the magnitude of an ant is so inconsi- 263 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF derable, that being bestowed in a memorial place, it escapeth sight : therefore I suppose an tfnMieap in the middle stage of the memorial- place, seeming almost black with antSj swarm- ing hither and thither ; as for assignation of co- lour if this idea be placed in the third Repository , the colour of the Repository j is sufficient!}' noted by the blackness of the ants; if in the seventh, by the greenness of the a«^-hill ; so that there needeth no addition of colour, if placed in the third or seventh Repository : But if it be designed to the first Repository, 'et a triangular golden streamer be supposed fixed in the an?-hill, a foot high; if in the second, a silver streamer ; if in the fourth, a streamer of blew silk ; if in the fifth, of red ; if in the sixt, of yellow ; if in the eighth, of purple ; if in the ninth, of white ; if in the tenth, of cinnamon colour. " All Histories, Actions, F.ibles, common Affairs ; all visible things, or conceived under a visible form ; finally, All sentences whose subject is visible, may be disposed in Repositories by Di- rect Ideas, in equal, augmented or contracted quantity." • Chap. vlii. and ix. treat of relative and ficti- tious ideas. Chap. x. of written Ideas, and chap, xi. of c()n)j)ound Ideas. [n chap. xii. Mr. Willis gives the following rules for the * choice of ideas.' ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 9.63 " Rule 1. All Histories, Actions, Fables, Apologies, common businesses, visible things, or conceived under a visible form, all sentences whose subject or matter is visible, and without any dependent written illustration, ought to be laid up in the Repositories by a Direct Idea, in quantity equal, augmented or contracted. Cap. I. " Rule 2. All Histories, Actions, Fables, Apologies, Morals and Similyes, remarkable for some coherent Verses or Writings, as all Epi- grams, Epitaphs, Anagrams and Impresses are generally to be expressed by a compound Idea, consisting of a Direct and Scriptile, Cap. 2. " Rule 3. All Emblems and Sentences illus- trated by some notable Example, or expressed Hyeroglyphically, are to be bestowed in Repo- sitories by a compound Idea, consisting of a Relative and Scriptile, Cap. 2. " Rule 4. All Characters, single Letters* naked Numbers, Calculations of Nativities, Cos- mographical descriptions and citations, are to be always disposed in Repositories by a Scriptile Idea. " Rule 5. All single words signifying no vi- sible thing, whose Idea either relative, fictitious, or compound of fictitious and scriptile, doth pre- sently occur, is to be so placed in the Repository, either relatively, fictitiously, or compoundly : If PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF ' no such Idea occur, then it is to be represented by a Scriptile Idea. " Rule 6. All Phrases and Sentences inex- pressible by a Direct Idea, may be conserved by a Relative Idea, or compounded of a Relative and Scriptile, if any present it self commodious- ly, or if no such offer itself quickly, by a Scrip- tile Idea." In chap xiii. the following rules are given for ' reposing ideas,' " Rule 1. Every Idea is to be placed in its order, tiz. that which first occurreth in the first place ; the second in the second place of the first Repository; the third in the first, the fourth in the second place of the second Repository ; fift in the first, the sixt in the second place of the third Repository ; the like method is to be used in all the Repositories, till all the Idea's be placed. " Rule 2. Due quantity, convenient site, co- lour of the Repository, and peculiar attributes, are to be imposed on each Idea, and very care- fully minded. " Rule 3. After you have rightly disposed the first Idea of any Repository, note it very diligent- ly with the eye of your mind, as if it really stood there, observing its kind, subject, lack, of the fourth, blew, S)C. In this case also it is permitted to place two, thre«, or more Idea's if it be necessary, in one place of a Repository : All businesses and sentences being thus reposited in order, & faithfully digested be- fore in mind, it is no difficult matter by the .first 272 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF Idea of the first Repository, to dictate to the first Scribe what he siiust write first ; l)y thu first Idea of the second Repository, t.i tell the second Scribe what he sliall write; by the first Idea of the third Repository, to inform the third ; nnd in like manner all the rest in their order. Again, by the second Idea of each Repository, the se- cond sentence is facilely delivered to each Scribe : By the tiiird, every Scribes third bnsiness ; by the fonrih Idea their fourth, and so forward in the residue. This is the Exercise, which by some is called the Art of Dictating. *' Repetition is when a man repeateth sen- tences spoken by several persons, so as to return each persons sentence in order as it was deliver- ed ; as if six, seven, or more friends sitting toge- ther (to experience your happy memory) do every one in order speak some sentence, to have them repeated again, after the same or a retrogade manner, which way they please; dispose the Liea's of your first friends sentences in the first Repository ; of your second friend in the second Repository ; of your third friend in the third, and so forward in the rest. All which being rightly disposed, you may with little trouble restore to every friend his saying, either in the same order as they were spoken, or in a retrogade or invert- ed order. " I have not thought expedient to illustrate ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. «73 these with Examples, because I think them suffi- ciently explained by what hath been already said; as also, that this Exercise of Dictating and Re- peating have little or no use, but vain ostentation; though I have inserted them here, it was not done as necessary, but because the knowledge of them did not seem superfluous for such as are learned of this Art. CHAP. XVI. " Of irregular Reposition. " I HAVE thought godd to annex a few words of irregular Reposition, which is onely one Rule, that is, a real Repository may be sometimes sub- stituted instead of a feigned, which irregiUarity is admitted upon a double occasion. " First, A thing itself being at hand, may be fitly used instead of its proper Idea : As if a man sitting in his Study, light on some Book whose sheets are transplaced, which he intendeth when he goes forth of l)is Study, to send to a Book- binder to be amended : That Book is to be cast at the threshold of the Study, that the sight there- of may admonish him departing, to get it bound : So also if Ink be wanting, an Ink-Glass or Bottle may be set by the Book. " Secondly, When a man must exonerate one 274 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF or more Idea's, as soon as he hath reposited them ; as when something offers it self to a mans mind, talking to a powerful or rich man, which he judgeth convenient to be comuiunicated to him with the first opportunity, let him speedily reposite the Idea of that thing in the same house, field, plain, or wheresoever he then is, in some certain place conversant before his eyes, that he may be always put in mind to propound the same when occasion serves : As if he think to do some friendly office for a person absent, by pre- ferring some business of his to the rich man ; let him imagine that Friend always obvious in some determinate place in sight, not suffering the ob- ject to slip out of view, till he have curteously performed his officious enterprise. Or if there intervene some thought of buying fewel, whereof the rich man hath great plenty, let him suppose a great quantity of Wood piled up in some place not distant out of sight : This is all I have to say of ii regular Reposition, CHAP. XVII. '' Of depositing Ideals. " Haying spoken copiously of repositing Idea's, now I will conclude with Depositing them. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 275 " Deposition of Idea's is, when tilings charged upon Memory by Idea's, are recalled, and the mind exonerated of them, the Memorial Place? after such Deposition, being left empty, and prepared to receive new Idea's. Now in this case, if it happen at any time that an Idea negli-. gently reposited, is lost or forgotten, when it should be deposited, the recovery thereof must be endeavoured by these ensuing considerations. " First, This is always assuredly known, every lost Idea did bear the colour of his Kepository, either in wliole or part; therefore the first thing to be inquired is, in what respect the colour of the Repository did agree with the Idea sought ; by this sole consideration, forgotten Idea's are oft discovered. " The Idea being not discovered thus, make diligent indagation for its relation to the Idea placed in the same Repository, in regard of site, subject or action. Cap. 14. Rule 4. One Idea of a Repository being known, doth easily call the other to mind, by mutual dependance whereby they were connexed together, unless there did precede very negligent Reposition. " If still you are disappointed, happily you may find it out by repetition of such things as are especially remarkable in laying up Idea's, of which I have spoken in the 13. Chapter. That is by enquiring whether the latent Idea's was 276 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OP Direct, Relative, . ^ i" L- J J Fictitious, In r«pect of kind, n did the other in which you have ten places more, but in the Center of this Table, tis your cheil care to place tl)e figure of 1 . and look upon it when you first come into this Repository. Now this figure of 1. is a burning Taper, placed in the Center of the top of this Table, and that you may the better remem- ber it, imagine it as it burnetii casting a sweet perfume all the room over ; for the five Sences of Hearing, Seeing, Smelling, Tasting, Touch- ing, are the five excellent Rules for imprinting things in the memory. \ " LECTIO IV. " After you have thus done, in the fourth place, put so many of your acquaintance (I doubt I cannot say friends) in the severall Angnles and Centers of every of the tops, or lids, or leaves of the Table (call them what you will) and be sure you know what five friends are at the first Table, what five at the second, what five friends or ac- quaintance at the third, &c. in all four of the Pa- ries twenty Tables, are in this Repository, and five friends or acquaintance at every Table, for 295 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF all the bottomes (viz.) four feet and Centers you leave empty and unused ; so you have 105 friends or acquaintance in this Repository. « LECTIO V. " Then that you may proceed to the practick part of this Art of Memory without losse of time, take tlie severall characters of the figures, and place them in their order, in the right and left hand of every of your friends, as they are placed five by five, at every of the large four square Ta- bles, in every of the Angules and Centers of the abovesaid Paries of the Repository- " The Ideas of these you have in this Table of figures (adding according to your own fancy more Ideas of every figure, as your fancy and invention please.) " As for the figure of 1. a Candle, a Fish, a Staf, a Dart, &,c. For 2. a Swan, a Duck, a Goose, a Serpent : For 3. a Triangle, a Trident, or any thing with three legs : For 4. a Quadran- gle, a die, any four square thing: For 5. a foot of a man, an Hand, a Glove, a Sickle, a Peircer, a Shoemakers Knife, &c. For 6. a Tobacco pipe : For 7. a Carpenters Iron square, a Rai- ser bent thus 7 ; For 8. a pair of Spectacles, a ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 297 Sea Crab, Twin Apples, &c. For 9. a burning Glasse, a riding Stick made of a Reed, twisted at the upper end thus 9 long Peares, 8cc. 10,20, 30, Sec. to a thousand, may be formed from these figures, taking any round for the ciphers 000. as an Orenge, a Ball, &c. for a Candle run through an Orenge is ten, a Swan with an Orenge in her mouth is twenty : But they may more profitably be made by single Ideas, as a Crosse of Gold, Silver, Wood, &c. for ten ; for twenty a Jug, a Dagger, or any thing you will fancy ; for thirty a Belclapper, or what you will fancy, so for ali the rest of the cardinall numbers what your fancy will put, because it will be better to have single Ideas for the cardinall numbers. This is the Theorick. Now for the Practick Part. *' LECTIO I. The first Lecture of the Practick Part. " Now before we can come to the Practick Part, or exercise it selfe, 'tis necessary that we make some little Preface concerning Ideas. " An Idea is the figure of anything represented. 498 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF now the Ideas of things visible are very facile and ready, but the Ideas of those things that be invi- sible, are to be found out by rule, whereby the Ideas of all things may be had in a readinesse ; and for this there is need onely of but one gene- rall rule (which in perfecting this Art I have found out.) ** An Idea is twofold ; *' First, Proper. " Secondly, Improper. *' First Pioper, which is the Image of that thing it representeth, as if I put the Idea of Christ to represent Christ himselfe. ** 2. Improper, as if I put the Image of Christ to represent a man; Logicians expresse this in few words ; when the Image (say they) of the Individual! is put for the Individuall it selfe 'tis proper ; but if it be put for the Species or Ge- nus, 'tis improper. This Division is brought to shew that oftentimes improper Ideas are as use- full to stirre up the Memory as proper. A se- cond Division of Ideas, is 1. Perfect. 2. Im- perfect. " 1. Ideas are perfect, and such be of rare and excellent things, as of Daniel in the Lyons Den, of Jo?tah in the mouth of the Whale, the fact of InditJi, Esther, loseph, &^c. *' 2. Ideas are imj»erfect, as of obvious and vulgar things, as the rising and setting of the Sun . ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 299 no man adiniretli, because it is daily, it raineth, it raineth not, &.c. The Idfaa of the»e be first imperfect, but they may presently be made such by some notable attribute, that they may become perfect; as for examp'e, the wind bloweth, the Idea is imperfect, but the wind bloweth with such a force, and so tearingly, that Trees are rent up from the ground, and Houses blowne downe, now the Ideas are perfect, it raineth, so imper- fect; but it raineth so thick that all the streets and wayes are of a swim : and filled with water : Now the Ideas be perfect; so the Sun aiiseth with a huge great body and red colour, so the Idea is perfect. And so wee come uow to give the Rules of the Practick part : Aud first de vo- cabulis intdlectis of words which we uader- stand, (for we shall appoint the lection for Words we understand not afterwards :) Words which we understand are remembred by Ideas, put in the places of the R. with some famous ac- tion attributed, received from Writers sacred, or, prophane, er invented, and feigned by our selves ; (for no intellect word can be spoken but of our selves) we may presently be able to fancy the per- fect Idea of it, aud apply unto it some notable action. 500 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF " LECTIO II. Of the Practicke Part of Sentences. ** Sentences, or continued Texts are com- mitterl to Memory, and retained : The principall Ideas of their Words being put in the Methodi- cal! places of the R. And these being made sure of, they bring the 'esse principal! Words of the sentence, or text by the lieipe of the natural! memory into our Rcmenibrance immediately. Now that we may be able to perform this, we must observe foure things. " 1. Talve special! notice of the principall Idea of the whole sentence. And it matters not whether it be the principall or no, so we take it for the principall. 2. Marke diligently the first Word of every sentence ; for if returning to the P. P. by the eye of our fancy, we see the first Word and principal! Idea in every sentence, the naturall Memory will suggest the rest very safely : for as in Sclibols, Children, that have got a taske of Verses by heart, if they misse the repeating of them, and the leafe being doubted, may be but pern)ilted to see the first Letters that overy Verse beginneth withall, they will be able to repeat every one of the Verses both forward and back- ward, casting their eye upon the Letter that every A»TiriClAL MEMORY. 301 Verse beglnneth wlthall, the same is done here by the eye of Fancy. 3. We must have a great care lest we take one Synonyma for another, as to say muUer for f&mina, or silver for money, or a Sword for a Rapier. 4. We must have a care that every W ord be repeated in the same order it is read, or spoken ; now tliis is done by the strong application of the mind unto every Word, and it's Collocation : as also by often exercise, by which alone all this is so exactly obtained^ that in a short time exercising our selves herein, we can- not but admire our progresse and successe. " LECTIO III. Of unknown Words. "Unknown Words are remembred four wayes. " 1 . By the Harmonic of Words, which va- rious Languages have one with another, as the English word Riche, brings into my mind the Hebrew word Riach, S^c. " 2. From the sound or eccho, as England, Isleland, Presbyterie, Presbyter, &c. " 3. From the beginning of the words, as for Back, Backwards. D D 302 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF " 4. By way of Division, as for Parrat, a pare, and a Rat. " LECTIO nil. De rebus Communibus, of businesses, and ordinary imployments. " As in the sun-shine the shaddowes follow their bodies, so common businesses, and ordinary imployments are easily figured out by their pro- per Ideas, soone placed and certainly retained ; as if a Shop-keeper would bare iu mind how many yards of this or that stuflfe silke. Velvet, 8cc. he hath, it is but fancying in the R. one of his ac- quaintance clothed with a suit or cloake of the same, and to hold the number of the yards in his right hand, the figure of 40. for 40. yards and if the price of it be 16. per yard, the figure of 16. in his left hand. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 303 " LECTIO V. De Memoria Concionum, To remember Ser- mons heard. " When wee heare a Sermon, foure Rules are to be observed. 1. Diligent attention. 2. Carefull observing the Division of the Parts. 3. Methodicail Collocation of the Parts in the Places, of the R 4. serious Meditation on the Ideas, If there be but two parts of the Text, place the first in the Center of the South, and the second in the Center of the North ; if three parts, place them in the three Center Tables of the East, South, and North ; if 4 in the fourth Center Tables of the fourth Paries. If five Parts, place the fift Part of the Text in the Cen- ter of the Flore ; if yours be six Parts, Place the sixth Part in the Center Table of the East W. of the second R. if seven Parts, place the se- venth in the Center T. of the South Paries, in the second R. and so on ; after this manner, if there should bee more Parts, leaving the matter of every part to be expressed, first with its part, so far as the places will reach in the Center Table, which being filled, proceed unto the four Tables of the four Angules, according to their place and number. 304 PRINCIPAX, S¥SfTBMS OI' " LECTIO VI. De raemoria Historiarum; to remember IKS' tories. " Histories be very eaaie to be remem- bered : three rule* are to be observed. " First, Propound unto your self the History, and Authour of the History, and read some of it in the morning, some of it in the afternoon, and leisurely, and seriously imprint into yo«r mind, the substance and chief passages of the History by Ideas put in some apt Repository, and you shall have it in readinesse by once or twice thinking of it. " Secondly, When you are to remember di- rers Histories, tliey are all to be expressed by their singular and proper Ideas, in places by themselves ; After tiais manner you may remem- ber Scripture Histories in six, seven, eight con- claves;, for example, you may divide the book of Genesis, into the History of Adam, Noah, Jhraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph. " Thirdly, If you desire leisurely, and with exactness to learn a History, divide it into prin- cipall parts, Avhich you may represent by certain persons, giving of them convenient motion ; for example, you may remember the History of ARTIFICIAL MEMOttY. 305 Joseph if you place the known men of the His- tory, as Joseph, Jacob, Josephs Brethren, and Pharaeh. " LECTFO VII. De meraorin Citationum ; to remember Scrip- ture-Quotations. " Ta k e for every book of the Bible some freind or acquaintance of the name, near the name, or for the name, as one John for the Gospel of Saint John; one Genne for Genesis ; some patient pious man for the book of Job, if you place not one Job you know 8cc. Then alwayes take the right hand for the Chapter, and left hand for the Verse. " LECTIO VIII. For sure imprinting the Ideas of all things in tlie memori). " There be two sure directions: " The first is called Paradise, which is the ap- plying the most delightful! things and objects to every of the five Sences, viz, what most afFect- D d3 306 PHINCIPAL SVSTEMS.OP eth Hearing, Seeing, Smelling, Touching, Tast- ing. " The other is temed by the name of Hell, which is the applying of the most odious and loathfull objects to every of the five Senses. " LECTIO IX. Of Shorthand-writing. " There is a kind of a Short-hand writing in this Art, by the Ideas of letters objected to the eye of the fancy, as the Alphabet is objected to the sight of the bodily eye. Now for brevity sake, using colours instead of vowels, the eye of a nimble fancy will read any thing by Ideas thus figured, as readily as if it were written in a book, and will retain what thus is written. Now the Ideas of this Alphabet be these, and such like as yonr fancy best pieaseth to make choise of ; A. a pair of Compasses so made, b. a Lute, B, a Bow bent with an Arrow in it, C. an Horn, &c. and so in like manner, take Instruments or any kind of Ideas for the rest of the letters, which be like the letters ; and instead of vowels use these colours, A. for white, for E. blew, or green, for /. red, for O black, for U. yellow." ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 307 ^4. UOenvre des Oeuvres, ou le plus parfalct des Scimces Steganogra- p/iiques, Paulmes, Armedelles, et Lidlistes, par Jean Selot, 8". Lifg^ du?ii, 1654. This work is an enlargement of Lully' Art of Memory, and is much superior to the original system .* o5. Faj£ Nova Arti Memorise localis accensa, S'*. Lips. 1654. This new torch does not shed a ' flood of light' upon the subject of local memory, but its rays if collected and concentrated, will serve to direct the steps of the mnemonic student. 56. Atha?iasii Kircheri, Ars Magna Sciendi in xii Lihros digesta, qna nova et universali meihodo [l.ul- lianci\ per arti/iciositm Comhi/ta- tionum contextmn de omni re pro- posita plurimis el prope iufiuitis rationibus dispulariy omniumqMe * Morliof, inToljliist, 308 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF summaria qucedam cognitio compa' rari potest) fol. Amstelod. 1669. This curious work contains nearly five hiin^ died closely-printed pages, and exhibits a com- plete exposition of Lully's Art, as applied to the various branches of human learning. [See No. 51.] Athanasius Kircher, was born at Ful- da, in the year IdOl, and was much celebrated as a mathematician and philosopher. He com- menced his noviciate in the Society of the Je- suits, in his seventeenth year, among whom he distinguished himself by a surprising proficiency in literature and science. His works amount to tzcenty-two volumes, /i>//o, eleven in quarlOy and three in octavo!!! He died in the year 1680. 57. Variorum de Arte Mcmorice Trac- talus Sex, 8°. Fraric. et Lips. 1678. The authors of these six tracts are, 1. Lam> bert Schenckel. 2. Johannes Austriacus. 3. Hieronymus Marafiotus. 4. J. Spangenberg Herd. 5. Fr. Mart. Ravellin. 6. De Memo- ria natural! fovenda a Johan. Willisso. The whole of which have been already noticed, ex- cept the tract of Johannes Austriacus, and in ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 300 this riitre is nothing of a novel desGription, or \vortby of a particular remark. 57* Tlie Tyivine Art of Memory : oVy The Sum of the Holy Scriptures^ delivered in Acrostic Verses, so that the Contents of the ivhole Si- Me, may readily be remembred ; and in what Chapter, each particular passage is recorded. Written ori- ginally in Ltttine, hy the Reverend and Learned John Shaw, and made English hy Simon JVastel, 12°. Lo?id. 1683. * This rare and curious little volume, containing more than 200 pages, is a translation from Shaw's ' Bihliorum Sumrmda, seu argumenta singulo- mm capitum Scripiurce CanoniccB utriusque Testamenfi, ulphahetice distichis comprehenm, 8°. Lond. 1G21-23.' a work which we have not been able to meet with. The present * Divine Art' seems to have been first published in the year 1623, under the title of * The true Chris- tian's daily delight ; being a sum of every Chap- ter of the Old and New Testament set down alphabetically in English Verse, that the Scrip- tures we read, may more happily be remembred, etc. 13°. Lond. 1623/ This work was again 310 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF published under the Title of ' Microbiblion ; or the Bible's Epitome, etc. 1-2°. Lond. 1629/ The Piolegomena to this metrical version and abridgment of the Old and New Testament, are two Epistles Dedicatpry ; one from T. B. and the other from S. W. [Simon VVastell], and the Translator's Preface to the reader from the same person. All these are curious, and worthy pre- servation, as they explain the plan and objects of tlic work. 1. Epistle Dedicatory from T. B. " To the Honoured PAUL WENTWORTH, Esq. Worthy Sir, THIS laborious and useful Enchiridion was first taught to speak Enghsh in the Free School o/" Northampton, 5ei/?g translated by the painful hand of Mr. Waste), quondam School-master there, (whose Memory, like a Box of precious Oyntment, still retains a szceet fragrancy iu those Parts;) And was there by him humbly recom- mended to the Patronage of a Noble Lord, Baron Spencer of VVormleighton, especially upon the account of his indulgent Favours to- wards that eminent Seed-Piot -and Nursery of Leaniins^ ; being now therefore again to salute the Light in a new Edition, to whom more pro- ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 311 perly should it address it self than to your honour'd Name, zoho have been a Liberal Bene- factor to the same School wherein it was so hap- pily edurated, as to be rendred serviceable to our Countrey men in general ; whereas before, like some rare Jewel, whose value is knozvn to none but the skilful Lapidary, it was justly ad- mired, and made use of only by the Masters of the Latin Tongue. 'Tis one of the greatest Uses, and most lauda- ble Designs of Epistles Dedicatory, to pay the Tribute of a Publick acknozdedgment to gener- ous Vertue, and the noble Encouragers of Learns ing. But since 'tis well known you as little desire Commendations as you do greatly study to merit them, and delight rather to be Good, than told so ; jill J shall say, is, Thai by en- dowing the Muses, you have made Learning your Debtor, which never fails to be a grateful Pay-master ; a7id that your example zeill confute our Roman Upbraiders, and let them know, That 'tis no Discouragement to Good Works, to believe, they are not Meritorious, and that Charity is not grown Cold, since she left off to be Blmd. " The Piece that here presents it self to our view is indeed small, but may prove great in use ; as it will help both to understand and re- member what is contained in Sacred Scripture, 312 PRIJfCIPAL SYSTEMS OF and make Persons bettei^ acquainted with that Blessed Book which alone can biing ics ac- quainted with the Abniglit). ** Tliat it may conduce to these ends; arid par- ticularly, that your worlliy Selfe may, hy a Belief, Adherence, and P ractise of those Divine Dictates, enjoy an everlasting Memoiual iii tJie Book of 'Lifi^, as the Prayer of " Your Servant " T. B." 'jl. Bpistle Dedicatory from Simon Wastell, " TO THE " Right Honourable " His singular Good Lord, « SIR ROBERT SPENCER, Knt. Baron Spencer of Wormleighton : " S. W. wisheth all Happiness Temporal and Eternal. " Hi^ht Honourable, *' THE manifold Favours received from your Lordship ever since my first placing in the Free- School of Northampton, as also Your Honour's late promised Assistance to help the said School to tliat Right whereof it hath been these many Years unconscionably defrauded, hath caused me ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. S13 many tinles to wish lliat some good occasion might be offered unto me, whereby I might wit- ness not only unto your Honour, but also to Posterity, how much I confess my stlf obliged unto you for the same. And therefore, having taken some Pains to turn the Contents of the Bible briefly into English Meeter, for the help of weak Memories, (being hicouraged thereunto by the Persw'asion of divers of my godly learned Friends, when they saw some Entrance made thereinto.) Your Honour being in the very Frontispiece of my dearest and worthily most ho- noured Friends, I determined to dedicate the same, together with my humble and best Ser- vice, unto your Honour ; beseeching you, that both my self and it, as also our poor wronged School, may still be patronized and shrowded under the shadow of your Honourable Pi otec- tion : so will I not fear what my back Friends can say to my Book, nor what they can devise or do against my self ; so also shall yonr Honour (in respect of the School) have tlse praise of the Prophet, to be called, A Builder of that waste place, and a Raiser tip of the Foundation thereof ; a Repairer of that Breach, and a Restorer of those Paths to dxvell in : And so be honoured and esteeinedof me and all my Succes- sors, as the second Founder thereof, and be pa- E E 314 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF rallel'd and equalized with Thomas Chipsetf^ who was the first : For, " Non minor est virtus quam quarere parfa tueri. 'Tis no less pious, things lost to regain. Than for first Fouaders to give to maintain, " Vouchsafe I beseech you (my most honoured Lord) as cheerfully to accept of this my poor Present and Widows Mite (being a Pawn and Pledge of my ever dutiful and thankful Mind, as Artaxerxes is said to have received an handful of Water froom the poor Country-man, whose Ability, would afford no better a Gift. So will I ever pour forth my Prayers unto the Almi^jhty Preserver of Mankind, the Giver of every good Gift, that he would be pleased to vouchsafe unto your Honour, and to all your Honourable Pro- geny, health of Body, length of Days, with In- crease of Grace and Honour in this Life, and the Fruition of eternal Blessedness in tlie World to Gome. " Your Honours " ever to command, " SIMON WASTELL.^ ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 315 The Translators Preface to the Header. "the ^* Translator's Preface " TO THE "READER. ^'NOT long ago (Christian Reader) there was published a little Book in Latin Verse, called Bibliorum Summula, set forth hy Mr. John Shaw, (a man whom both for his Learning and Gravity, as also for our old and antient ac- quaintance (being School-fellows in Westmer- lendffti/ years ago, and both o/* Queens Col- ledge in Oxford) / did, and do much esteem and respect.) This Book 1 perceived to be much applauded of the godly learned Ministers, and of many other Scholars that had seen and react the same. And therefore, after tit nua aeui me one, as a token of his love, I began to study how I might teach it to speak English, being as desirous to benefit the unlearned, as he teas the learned; and having translated the Books of 316 PRINCIPAL SYSTF.M^ O'^F Moses, atid offered them to his and to otMf learned and grave Ministers view and censures, they did by their -persuanms so prick and spurr me forward, that I could not give over, untill (through God's Assistance) I had gene through both the Old and Ne^ Testaments. I confess I have not precisely tyed my self to his Method and Manner, be- cause the English tongue is far more copious than the Latin ; but have taken liberty (ac* cording as the contents of each chapter were longer or briefer) to conclude them sometimes in two, sometimes in four, sonfctimes in moie I)is- ticks, with as much brevity (observing perspi- cuity) as I could. I have purposely laboureci to speak plainly to the capacity and understQudr mo of the simple and ignorant, rather than b^ Poetical strains to please the Ear, and the Eye of the curious learned Headers. Thou hast alsQ not only the contents of every Chapter set dowt^ in order Alphabetically with figures to direct thee unto them, but also Jigur^s in every line to direct thee to the Verse where thou shfilt fnd that presently which thou desire^t to knoWy without reading over the whole Chapter, Thou hast also a Chronolocfical observation of times from Adam to CUrist, and from Christ to Antichrist. T/\oii Imt also the name$. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 317 of all the Books of the Bible, as they follow in order, " Lastlt/, thou hast comforts and encourage- ments against thefeare of death, called the old mans A. B, C. If it shall -please thee (gentle Header) when thou hast read or heard a Chap- ter, to read over the contents in meeter once or tzvice, thou mat/est be able to rehearse and sai/ the said contents bi/ heart, and so in short time be acquainted zvith the Historic of the ithole Bible. If any be so zealously affected with the knowledge of the Scriptures, as the Lord Crom- well was, who (as Master Fox recordefh in the Book of Martyrs, of the ffth Edition, page 1015, got by heart all the new Testament of Erasmus his Translation in his jour net/ to Home, he might in short time get by heart these brief contents of the whole Bible. If therefore the LkIW of God be tliy delight, (as it was Davids) this little Book will be a com- fortable companion, whether thou zmlksst abroad, or staycst at home. And finally if thou reappst any increase of saving know- ledge, justifying faith, or holiness of lij'e. by these my poor labours to the Edijicafion and Salvation of thy Soul, have all that I de- sire, saving that J would entreat thee to Mscribe the Braise and Glori/ of all to God, £ £ 3 ai^ PIIINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF an4 to aford me thy charitable Cemurt^ Well-wishingSj and Prayers. ** Thine in any Christian service '* that he can perform, '< s. wr A chronological table follows this preface, from the Creation of Adam to the departure out of Egypt, and the names of all the Bocks of the Bible, with the number of the Chapters. The specimens selected from the Divine Art, are the whole boQk of Genesis, and the old manV A. 3. C. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY, 319 1 . Old Testament. Cx E N E S I S, 1 ALL things in i Heaven, iii Earth and ^ Seas, our great ^ Jehovah makes : ile bade them "^ grow and multiply : and Man Gotls "^ Image takes. 2 BY him iu ^ six days all were ^ made ; the 3 Sabbath, * Man af Dust : Paradise", =* Wedlock ; Nain^s -" impos'd : The Fruit forbear ^' Ma.i must. 3 CLosely the subtil ^ Serpent tempts; thoy '^ eat ; are ^^ bare ; arraign'd : The promli'd '^seed; their strife, earth ^"^ curst, Man *^ punish'd, ^*^ cloath'd, •* disdain'd. 4. £)ViEj 3 Sacrifice the "* Brotiicrs bring: fierce Cain good Abd " slays : Cain *2 vagrant ujade, Lantech's ^■* great wrath : Scth liv'd in holy days. 5 ]^Noch\, blest Enoch, is by God, 1987. 2* from Earth to Heaven translated : The Patriarchs * lives : lines : ^ years, & death, to ^ Noah's time related. 6 pAir forms make - matches : monstrous men iu monstrous ^ Sin abound ; ■This ^ brings the Flood but Noe and his, (i'th Ark) ^ God's favour found. 320 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF 7 GOD 1 sends all pairs, and Noe repairs *l656 unto the ^ Ark, wherein They ' being shut, the ^ flood o'reiiows, and drowns ^^ all flesh for sin. 8 HE^v'"s 1 wrath aswag'd, the flood is swa<'';l the 1; Raven and the Dove : Noah '^ goes forth, "^ doth sacrifice : God 21 makes two leagues -^ of love, p JiiTb vah 1 gives laws, of Increase, 2 Fear, * Murther, ' Meat, the Bo\y Blood is * forbidden, N')e made '^^ drunk, mock'd, *^ Cham accurs'd also. lOKNov/ 1 here of Noe, • and of his ^i Sons theinighty * Generations. Ninirod first ^ Moarth : here begins, dividing of the ^2 Nations. 1 1 LEarn here ^ one language, at the first : *17S7 confusion ^ jBaif/* rent : Mark ^'^ S'hem's and Tej-ah's ""^ Progeny, to Harun ^^ Tf^yj^ went. ISMAke hast, O ^ ^ira»j,* leave thy land ; *2023 I will - preserve thy life : A '° Famine ; Fear ^^ doth make him fain : the King ^^ restores his Wife. ISjXOW Lot -and he ^ richly - return; but discord "^ parts them both ; Lot's lot is ^° sinful Sodvm's Soil ; to Hthron ^ Abram go'th. 140Ppos'd by four, i five Kings are slain, *2033 Abraham ^* rescues * Lot : Mdchizedek "^ receiveth Tythes ; spoils, Abraham ^^ takes not. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. SO.}. 15PRomise ' of Seed chears ' Abraham, which he believes ^^ most true ; But first his Seed '^ must Servants be, And ^^' then their Foes subdue. 16'QUarrelIiiig Hagar now wilh * Child, Her Mistress doth disdain : The Angel bids "' she should submit. And turn to her again. 17l^Enewed is the * Covenant sure : their names are ^^ chang'd, tliey blest ; Abraham liere is f i* circuuicis'd, +2440 hhmael^^j and the rest. ISS^ra 12 for laughing is ^^ reprov'd ; Sodoms *i Destruction shewn : Abraham prays, for ^^'^ ten just men, it may not be o "rethrown. Ji)TWO Angels 3 Lot doth entertain, Sodomites fiery ^-^ Slaughters : Lot's Wife a s" Pillar of Salt is made : he drunk, ^^ defiles his Daughters. SOIJNwares the King takes - Abranis Wife ; God him, he Abra^am ^ rates, Restores, i' reproves^'', makes ^^ rich : he " prays. Then heal'd are all Estates. 2 1 With Joy Sarah her « Son || embraced : 1| 2050 the 5 scotfing Lad and's Mother Cast 1* out, distress'd, " refresh'd, Peace sworn between the ^- King and th' other, 22UP Abraham rose to ^ slay his || Son : \\ 20()1 the Angel '^ holds his hand : The Ram is ^^ offered up for hina: .^ His Seed shall be ^'' as Sand. 322 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF SSW^i'i Tears did 2 Abraham hew^iil ^ 2085 the death of || Sara old : Macijpelah bought to ^^ bury in, V/liich Ephron to him sold. QA>/^Braham • sends : the ^2 Servant prays . 11 208 8 asks " Water of the |i Maid : Gives 22 gifts, brings ^^ home to Isaac her, on ^vliom '''' his love is staid. 25BY ^ Kettir Abram had « moe Sons: he ^ dies, and "* Isaac prays : Two *2 Twins do strive : Birth right is sold, il 21 13 and Jacob || Pottage ^ pays. 26QAnaan ^ promis'd, Famliie sent : his Wife he '' Sister calls : The ^ King reproves, he " rich, digs ^ Wells ; Sons Wives him ^^ grieves and galls. 27r)Ini-sighted ^ haac Venson craves : II 2140 II Son -^0 hunts, and comes too ^^ late : Jacob "■' is blest : Esati ^^ doth weep : And's Brother *^ deadly hate. HSj^Sau's ungodly ^ Marriages : Jacob is ^° sent away : A Ladder ^^ sees, and ^^ consecrates a stone -- whereon to pray. SPpOr Rahel Jacob '^ seven years serves : 11 2185 bat '" Laban Lea \\ gives. He *^ serves seven moe : Lea *' conceives, but Rahtl 31 barren lives. 30G^'^'^'^ Rahel * gives Jacob her Maid : so ^ Lea : Jacob '^ hir'd. Joseph is 2* born : by Jacobs ^'' art, his Sheep and Wealth admir'd. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 313 3lHEre Gods bids * Jacob ' home return, *2'205 the Idols 15 Rahd takes : Lahan -'"' conii)laiiJs : cliarg d -* not to chide ; at Gilead ** peace he makes. \^ S2jAcob is by an ^ Angel clieer'd: "^ fears ; ^ prays : confest ^° his faults : Sends ^' g^fts, doth with an -* Angel strive, and -5 ever after hanlts. 33K^eeIing faint Jacob * Esau meets : they * weep, they kiss : he ^* takes The gifts : i6 departs : a i' field is bought : Jacob an ^o Altar makes. 34.LEwd Sliechem. - Dinah \\ doth deflour^ |1 2213 and craves her ^ for his Wife. The People - circumcis'd are ^5 siain: good Jacob ^^ fears his life. 35MAking an i Altar JacoVs, blest: he - purgeth Idols all : Reubens 22 foul Lust : a 20 Pillar pitcht : a 8 threefold is Funeral*^. v' ^*ealth : 3o]\Ow ^ £A'aM*s Wives : ^Sons: ^^ Dukes and ^ departure : ^ habitation : Are here set down : •* mules are found out : the ^^ Kings of Edom's Nation. 370F's Brethren ^ Joseph makes Complaint : dreams ^ twice : Jacob ^^ deceiv'd : Joseph is put -* into a pit : is 2s sold : his Father ** griev'd. 38pLedge ^ sending : ^ Judu'i Wife and "* Sons : he in to '" Thamar wentt: t2222 Would ** have her burnt : then "' clears her more: two -" Twins to him are sent. 324 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF 39QUickly good Joseph is "* i>refcr'd : of's Master much ^ approv'd : +2227He flat 8 denies : his Mistriss ^* liesf: he is °* in Bonds -^ belov'd 40REiiearse your ^^ Dreams : O Butler ! thou a h appy ^^ Man shalt be : Have me **in mind. O Baker ! mark, the ^5 Gallows groans for thee. 4lSAd Pharaoh's ^eDrearas expounded are : •12236 and Joseph '^^ grac'd as Kingt: ■}2238Against the *« Dearth hoards up, ^^ sells Corn+: His Wife two ^° Sons doth bring. 42TEN sent for ^ Com: -^ imprison'd are : releast -^ and sent away : For Bmjamm ^* a Pledge is pawn'd : but him ^'^ doth Jacob stay. 43XJNwilling Jacob " sends his Son, Ihey 1^ Presents bring to C(.urt : Joseph ""^ confers : his -^ Brother calls : and ^"^ feasts in ^^ wondrous sort. 44WIthin the Sack of ^- Benjamin, is Cup and Coin (Ihey paid) They fear, ^ confess : the Fathers Pledge, for '*' Be7i. woidd now be staid. 45U^1^^" '"* Brethren ^ Joseph's known . he • weeps, i s ^ sent before. For Ffilher^ sends, the King" consents, t2240 he goes, and "^ grieves t no more. 46W'Ith Jflfofr (after ^ Sacrifice) God will ^ g» on the way. Him Josqjh "^ meets and greets, they -^^vccp; he tells them ^'^ what to say. AllTIFlCTAL MEMORY. 325 *7'^\Gc«l Jacob, with all his ^ Sons, before ■" King Pharaoh stand ; Goshen^^ : ail's bought save the -- Priests Land ; bury * me '"^ in my Laud. *2255 48BLcst./cco5 sick ^ is visited; "' Gives ii/^Ariwt '^ Praewiiuence : +22 SO Blesseth-9: relates ^i the Pronuse made: foietells -' their going thence ; 49CAl!inghis * Sons heblesseth ' them:' dotli future things || declare : |j230O Gives charge about his*^ Burial : of Soul the Lord takes care. 50D01eful ^ lamenting msde '"^ for him : Troops bring him to his Grave: The Brotliers ^^ fear : he makes them "^ swear 2r>10 his Burial there to have. 2. THE OLD MANS A. B, C. Ye Saints on Earth be of good cheer ^ The Darts vj Death ye need not fear. ^Ccount'st thou death a dreadful thing, 1 Cor, Which hath by Christ now lost its siing ? 15. 55, ^E sure, a;i Spring doth Winter blasts ; l Tlies. So follows death, a life that lasts. 4. IJ. (^Olfrn this corjxs and lay't in grave, 1 Cor, A glorious rising it shall have. 15. 53. DEbt due to God I hereby pay, o 77^, By dying at th' appointed day. 4. Q^ J r S26 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF Heb. p.^Xceeding welcome Death's to me, 27. All men must dye, no man is free. Rev. full happy man that dyes in Faith : 14. 13. His good works follow him, Christ saith. P/«7.1.GLad are the Saints dissolv'd to be, 23. To live with Christ, his face to see. Rev. 6. HE well may quake and fear to dye, 16'. That in his filthy sins doth lye. 1 Thes.yS Death is gain, it's gate of Life : 4. 14. Last night; asleep; and end of Strife. 2 Pet. K.Nown God's Ambassador to be, 1. 14. Death will I meet; I will not flee. Ileb. 2.L0rd paramount of death hath kill'd 24. Death by Jiis death, and law fultill'd. Psal. MUse oft upon thy latter end, (mend. 90. 12. The thoughts of Death will make thee Rom. ]VOught but Christ's death doth sin remove 5. 8. Admire the greatness of his love, 2 Cor. QF earthly Pilgrims, death from God 5. 6'. Makes us possest of Heavens above. 1 Cor. PAss not for death, I daily die, 15. 31. Why then doth death me terrific ? Eccles.QVict thy self, thy day of death, 7. 1. Excells that hour thou first took breath. 1 Pet. J^Eceivhig but our due deserts, 2. 20. Why then should death afflict our hears Heb. P-S^th God from all eternity, 27. Hath so decreed that all must dye. 1 Cor. THat deadly foe (last foe of all) 15. 2G. At last shall have a deadly fall. Rom. yAnquiahed death I wish were nye, 7.24. It ends a Christians misery. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 527 John Shaw, according to A. Wood,* was a Westmoreland man born, and became a student of Queen's College, Oxford, in 1579, at the age of U); he took one degree in Arts, left the College, and at length became Vicar of Oking, or Woking, in Surrey, where he was had in esteem, by many for his preaching, and by some for his Poetry. His works, in addition to that already mentioned, were: (1.) The blessedness of Mary, Mother of Jesus : a Sermon on Luke i. ver. 28, and 45, 8°. Lond. I6I8. (2.) Th« comfort of a Christian, by Assurance of God's Love to him, written in verse. (3.) The Com- plaints of a Sinner : the comfort of our Saviour — in verse also. These two last are printed with the Seimon. Simon Wast ELL, was, according to Wood,-}- a Westmoreland man born, and descended from those of his name, living at W^astellhead in the same county. He entered as a student of Queen's College, Oxford, in 1580, or there, abouts, and took one degree in Arts five years after; at which time being accounted a great pro- ficient in Classical Learning and Poetry, he was made Master of the Free-School at Northamn- Athenaj Oxon. vol. i. col. 487. t Ibid. 528 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS or ton, whence by his sedulous endeavours, many were sent to tlie Universities. He seems to have been a feilow-sludent of Shaw, and on terms of strict intimacy with him. 58. Ars Magna et admirahilis Specimi- nibns variis coiifirmala, qua Pan- dectarum Titnli eorumque prcicipua materia ope Figiirarmn emhlemati- canim, brevissinie, jiicunde et tena^ citer, memoria imprimi, Jirmiter contineri, et opportune in usum transferri possunt : In maximum comrnodum legis tStudiosi, 8**. Lvgd. Bat. 1695. This anonymous work contains an ingeniou* and very full application of the local memory, to the fifty books of the Roman Pandects, and to the various titles and subdivisions of each book. To the Preface is appended the signature of R. C. The title is a coniplete bill of fare, and is a good model for all those who render this ' annonce' a table of contents, instead of a title- page. 59. Copia Speciminvm Ariis Memorio'^ ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 5G& BnLvellcc, Leodii, Tornaci, et alibi editorum, 8". Leodii, 1697. This small pamphlet contains an account of the different exhibitions of L. Schenckel, at the various cities enumerated in the title. 60. Ars 3Iemorice vindicata, auctore D- Jo. Srancaccio, accessit Artijicium Poeticum ad Scripiuras Divinas in jjvomptii habendas memoriterque ediscendas accommodatum, 8". Pn- normi, 1702. This is an excellent and useful little work j for, in addition to an explicit detail of the prin- ciples of the art, it includes instances of wonder- ful memory, in particular individuals, from the time of Adam, to A. U. J 690, and a list of writers on the subject. To neitlier of these sources, however, are we indebted for any of the materials in the present work, not having been able to procure more than a transient inspection of this rare and curious volume, 1 . The Art of Memory. A Treatise uscjulfor all, especially such as are F p 3 330 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS Ot to speak in Publick. Hy 3Iarms D'Assigmy, B. D. 8°. Lond. 1706. This is the third edition of D'Assigny,* and is ornamenled with an * elegant engraving on copper,' representing Jupiter with his fulinen reclining on a cloud ; — the winged Hermes i» seen flving with a caduceus, and a scroll in his hands, on which is inscribed jlrs Me/no- ria. Three pedestals, the centre one circular, and the others square, occupy the fore ground of this beautiful picture. On one pedestal stands Minerva; in the centre llcrcules AngUcus; 7\nd the remaining pedestal is adorned by the Graticc Decentes, in their usual costume. At the foot of these illustrious personages are seen eleven * human forms divine,' from whose ears issue eleven threads or lines, all meeting in one point, ■ — the mouth of Hercules Anglicits!!! We have been thus particular in describing this frontispiece, in the hope that some one who is ' pretty far gone' with tiie mania o^ illustration j may be induced to seek for it ; for, here, he might certainly indulge his favourite pursuit without a chance of injuring the book ; a rare occurrence in the an'nais of the print-ferret. It is not, per- TUe first edition -vvas published ih 1697. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 331 haps, known to all our readers, that a passion for books illustrated or adorned with numerous prints, exists to a very great extent ; and, that tlie most valuable books are deprived of their engravings merely to illustrate some favourite production, by the portraits of the person* named in it. Mr. Dibdin, in his Bibliomaniay p. 665, notices some curious examples. Seven hundred [>rints were collected by a lady to illus* trate six cviAPTEUsm Genesis: and 650 por- traits by anotlier person to ornament Scott's edi- tion of Drydcn. The sum of ^GOOO, u'as expended by the late Mr. Crowhs in illustrating Pennant's London^ which book he bequeathed, in the true spiiit of virtu, to the British Mu- seum. The address ' To the Young Students of both Universilifs,' which precedes this i\rt df Me- mory, we recommend earnestly to the present race of Oxouiaiis and Cantabs, as it is peculiarly applicable to their present state. The following are the contents of this vo- lume. " Chap. 1. Of the Soul or Spirit of Man. " Cliap. 2. Of Memory, its Seat, and Excel- lency. " Chap. 3. The Temper or Disposition of ihs S32 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF Body best and worst for Memory, with the na- tural Causes and Reasons of both. " Chap. 4. Some General and Physical Ob- servations and Prescriptions for the remedying, strengthning, and restoring a Memory injur'd by the ill Temper of the Body, or the Predominancy of one of the four Qualities in the Brain. *' Chap. o. What is very much prejudicial to the Faculty, Habit, and Practice of Memory. " Chap. 6. Of such Natmal Things as may be assisting to, and may comfort Memory, from the Procurement of Nature, and the Contrivance of Art. " Chap. 7' Rules to be observ'd for the Acts or Practice of Memory. " Chap. 8. Rules to be observ'd to help our Remembrance of things that we desire to pre- serve in Mind. <' Chap. 9. Of Artificial or Fantastical Me- mory or Remembrancje." This book upon the whole (the dedication ex- cepted) is rather dull, and not very profitable. In the fifth chapter, at the fifteenth section, we are told that " all such ^lotions of the body as cause giddiness or swimming in tliehead, are de- structive to the memory. Therefore zee should have a sped. I care to avoid falls froiti high PLACES, turning round [as the Dervishes we ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 333 suppose] or Blows tipon the hinder part of the Head a r The tilth chapter abounds with receipts for ' comforting the memory' takeu principally from the early writers on this subject. A few of these we shall extract for the benefit of such as are in- clined to use them. " I. Sneezing Ponders. " Sneezing Pouders well prepared are of great use, but may prove pernicious if any thing be offensive to the Brain in the Composition. Dried Leaves of Marjoram, Sage, Rosemary, the Roots of the Herb Vyrethrnm, of Lingwert perfumed with Musk, are a choice sneezing Pouder, to comfort the Brain and Memory. And the Herb Galangal well dried, and reduced to Pouder, is very useful to strengthen Memory. Another -good sneezing Pouder may be made of Pepper, with the Herb Condisi, white Ling wort, and Lillies, with some perfumed Gums. But we must have a care not to offend Nature by a too frequent use of these or other Snuffs, zehich mar/ prejudice the Brain. " J. Plaisters to prevent a decay of Memory. " Divers Plaisters, \\hen we find a decay in Memory, may be useful for helping the Brain : As a I^laister made of Mustard-seed, and clapt 354 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF to the hinder part of the Head, or the Oil of Mustard-seed when apply 'd to that part. Or if you please to be at greater Expence, take Flo- rentine Lillies, the Herbs Hernwdaciyle and Pyrethrum, leaves of tiie wild Vine, Pigeon- dung, Mustard-seed, of each an Ounce; mix them with Moschata Nuts, Spice, Cloves, Cina- mon, and Pepper, and make a Plaister ; which you may likewise apply to the hinder part of the Head, and you will find it increase and help Me- mory. And a certain famous Author assures us, that the Gall of a Partridge anointed about the Temples does wonderfully strengthen the Seat of Memory ; as also the Brains of Birds and Fowls roasted, and chiefly of Hens are not useless for the same purpose. *' 3. A Pouder for the Memory. " Take the Seed or Leaves of Ormitium, and reduce them to Pouder, and every Morning take a small quantity of a Glass of Wine. And they say that the Shavings or Pouder of Ivory pro- duce the same effect, namely, the corroborating of the Brain and Memory ; as likewise a Grain «f white Frankincense taken in a Draught of Li- quor when we go to Bed, dries up the offensive Humors of the Brain. And it has been observ'd, that the Application of Gold to that Sutura, which divides the Seat of Memory from tlie other ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 335 Closets of the Brain, strengthens the weakness of the Heady drives await/ all Puin, and has a wonderful Effect on the FacuUy of Me- mory. " 4. Jn Ointment. " A famous Author tells us, That a firm and constant Memory, and quick Apprehension, many great Men have used this Medicine. Take Roots of wild Bugloss, Roots of Valerian, or Setwall, of each four Ounces ; Roots oi Rue two Ounces; reduce them to very fine Powders: then take Juice of Ey-bright, Clary mid Verven, ofearh four Ounces: strain iheJuices well throi:gh a Clolh; then mix the Juices togei!:er, and the Ponders apart : aftowards take the Essence of Anacardi, or Cassia-nuts once Ounce, and make a Ponder as before. Also take Bird's Tongue, i. e. Ash^keys^ and make a very fine Pouder : Then mix all the foresaid things together, viz. the Ponders and the Juices>n ; Ecclesiastical liistory, and Uie his- tory of llie princip;tl Slak-s of Europe. Claude de Buffi ik was Lorn cf French parents, in Poland, in the year I66I ; he became 340 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF a Jesuit in 1 679- After having travelled to Rome, he fixed his residence in the capital of France, and died in the year 1737, at Paris, in the College of the Society, aged 76 years. He has left be- hind him jnauy works, besides that already no- ticed, the principal of v\hich have been collected and published in his Cours des Sciences pa)' des priucipes nonveaiix et sirr-pfe, pour former le language, respnt et le caur, fol. 1732. The style of Buffier, in his verse and prose writings, is tnore plain than elegant. He was a virtuous man, and very laborious in his studies.* 64. Memoria Technica: or, a New JMetiiod of Artificial Memory^ ap- plied to and exemplified in Chrono- logy, History, Geography, Astro- nomy ; also Jewish, Grecian and Roman Coins, Weights and Plea- sures, etc. HyHichardGrey, D. D. 8°. Lond. 1730. The ninth edition of this book has been just published, to which, and to the eighth edition are appended Lowe's Mnemonics, [see No. 65.] In 1802, a thin pamphlet was published, enti- tled, Technica Memoria, by M. W. Johnes ; it * Diet. Hist. Art. Buffitr. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. S41 consists merely of extracts from Grey. Tn the Mont hi If Magazine for June 1S0.5, Dr. Lettice insertec] some proposals for publishing his * Aeay Memoria Techuica,' but we cannot learn tliat diis work was ever put to press. It was intended to embrace a number of tables, in chronology, geo^craphy, &c. on the plan of Dr. Grey, b\it with considerable improvements.* In order to enable those who feel so inclined to practise Dr. Grey's System, we shall extract from the fourth edition of the Memoria Technica published in his life time, so much as is neces- sary foi" the purpose. " The principal Part of this Method is briefly this; To remember any thing in History, Oiro- nology. Geography, S^c. a Word is form'd, the 13eginni«!g whereof being the first Syllable or Syllables of the Thing sought, does, by frequent Repetition, of course (haw after it the latter Part, which is so contriv'd as to give the Answer. Thus, in History, the Deluge happened in the Year before Christ two Thousand three Hun- dred forty eight ; this is signified by the Word * To this list may be added a work auiiounced some time since, entitled Keminiscenlia ; or, the Memory's Assistant, by Samuel Needham, to be conipietcd in throe parts, ou tlie plan of Di; Grey. G g3 342 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS Of Deletok: Del standing for Deluge, and etok for 2348. In Astronomy, the Diameter of the Sun (So LIS Diameter) is eight Hundred twenty two Thousand one Hundred and forty eight English Miles; this is signified by Soldi-/cc(^-a/H, Soldi standing for the Diameterof the Sun, ked- afei, for 822,148 ; and so of the rest, as will be shewn more fully in the proper Place. How these Words come to signifie these Things, or contribute to the Reraenibring of them is now to be shewn. " The first Thing to be done is to learn exactly the following Series of Vowels and Consonants, which are to represent the numerical Figures, so as to be able, at Pleasure, to form a Technical Word, which shall stand for any Number, or to resolve a Word already formVl into the Number which it stands for. « e 2 u au 01 ct ou y 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 b d t / I s P k n z " Here a and b stand for 1, e and d for 2, i and t for 3, and so on. " These Letters are assign 'd Arbitrarily to the respective Figures, and may very easily he re- meniber'd. The first five Vowels in order natu- rally represent 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. The Diphthong au, being composed of a 1 and u 5 stands for 6 ; ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 343 oi for 7, being composed of o 4 and i 3 ; ou for 9, being composed of o 4 and u 5. The Diph- thong ei will easily be remember'd for c/ght, being the Initials of the Word. In like Manner for the Consonants, where the Initials could conveniently be retain'd, they are made use of to signifie the Number, as t for three, /'for four, s for six, and w for nine. The rest were assigned without any particular Reason, unless that pos- sibly p may be more easily remembred for 7 or Septem, k for 8 or oKtcj, d for 2 or duo, h for 1 , as being the first Consonant, and / for 5, being the Roman Letter for 50, than any others that could have been put in their Places. *• The Reasons here given, as trifling as they are, may contribute to make the Series more readily remembred ; and if there was no Reason at all assign'd, I believe it will be granted that the Representation of nine or ten numerical Figures by so many Letters of the Alphabet, can be no great Burthen to the Memory. " The Series therefore being perfectly Icarn'd, let the Reader proceed to exercise himself in the Formation and Resolution of Words in this Manner. Id 325 381 1921 1491 1012 536 7967 *z tel feib aneb afna lybe uts pousoi 431 553 680 &c. Jib lut seiz &c. 341 PHINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF *' And as in Numeration of larger Sums, 'tis usual to point the Figures -at their proper Pe- riods of Thousands, Millions, Billions, &c. for the jnore easy Keading of them, as 172,102.795 one Hundred seventy two Miiiions, one Hun- dred two 'riiousar.d, seven Hundred nitiety five ; so, in forming a V^-^ord for a Number consisting of many Figurts, the Syllables may be so conve- niently divided, as exactly to answer the End of Pomting. Thus in the Instance before us,, which is the Diameter of the Oi bit of the Earth in Eiig/ish Miles: The Technical Wojd is Dorbter6o/c/ cize-poul ; the Beginning of the Word Dorbter, «tauding f(ir tl»e Diameter of the Orbit of the Earth, (Diameter ORBUag TERiae) and the remaining Part of it boid-aze-poul for the Number 172,^02,79,5. *'jY. B. Always remember that the Diphthongs are to be consider'd but as one I etter, oi rather, as representing only one Figure. Note also, that 1/ is to be pronounced as w, for the more easily distinguishing it from /, as sijcl=i502, pro- nounce swid, tiip= 307 pronounce ?av/j. ** The Reader will observe that the same Date or Number may be signified by different Words, according as Vowels or Consonants are made Choice of, to represent the Figures, or to begin the Words with, as 325 tcl, or idu, l5t h'lf, or A/o, or «(/", or al: 93,451 ni-ola, or oul-/ub, or ni-Jiaf or ciU-olb, &c. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 345 " This Variety gives great Room for Choice, in the Formation ot Words, of such Terminations as by iheir Uncommoriness are most likely to be remembred, or by any accidental Relation or Allusion they may have to the Thin^ sought. Thus the Year of the World in which .Eneas is supposed to have settled in Italt/ is 2H'24 ; but as this may be expressed either by ekej or deido, I chuse rather to join deido to Mneas, and make the Technical Word J^n^tdeido than JEnckef, for a Reason which I think is obvious. Thus King John began his Reign A. D 199- ("ne Thousand being understood to be added, as I shall shew hereafter ;) but as this may be ex- press'd by anoit, or boun, or ami, I make Choice of the last, for then 'tis but calling him Jann instead of John, and you have the Time almost in his Name. Thus Inachus King of Argos began his Reign in the Year before Christ 18,3(); wiih u very small Variation in the Spelling, 'tis his Name li\akiis. But this by the Way. " To go on with our Art ; 'tis further to be ob- serv'd, that z and y being made Use of to repre- sent the Cypher, where many Cyphers meet to- gether, as in 1000, 1000000, &c. instead of a Repetition of azyzyuj, which could neither be easily pronounced nor remember'd, g stands for Hundred, th for Thousand, and m for Million. 346 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF Thus ag will be 100, ig 300, oug 900, &c. ath 1000, olh 4000, otfio or othf 4004, peg 7200, 094 &c. Where the Numerator is I, or Lhiit, it need not be expressed, but begin the Fraction with r, as \ re, ^ ri, | ro, &.c. So m Deci- mals, ,01 or ,5b> rag ,00 i or ,-oVo f(ith- 1 . Chrohology and History. " Th e Ages of the World before our Saviour's Time are by Chronologers generally divided into Six : The Fir^i from the Creation to the Deluge ; the Second from the Deluge to the Call of J bra- ham, &c. according to the following Periods : ARTIFICIAL MEMOllY. 347 Before Christ. 1. Tlie CReation of the World 4004 2. The universal DfiLuge 2348 3. The Call of ABiaham 1921 4. EXodus, or the Departnre of the Is- raelites from Egypt 1491 5. The Foundation of Solomon's TEMple 1012 6. Cyrus, or the End of the Captivity 536 The Bnth of Christ. " All this is express'd in one Line, as fol- lows : Cro 52 Ccesar [CasibelMrf] } Aft. Christ. Queen Boa Bicea, the British Heroine, be-") ing abused by the Romims, raises an > 67 Army and kills 7000 [BOddaup] 3 VoRTiGeni who invited the Saxons to the ") Assistance of the Britains against the V 446 Scots and Picts [Vortij!;/os] j HENcist the Saxon, who erected the King-") dom of Kent, the first of the Heptarchy > 455 [He.ig/>//J 3 Kin? ARTHur famous for his powerful Re- ^ sistance and Victories over tlie Saxons > 514 [Arth/«/-] 3 EcBKrt who reduced the Heptarchy, and ^ was first crown'd sole Monarch of £ng- > 828 land [Egbe/ifA:] J ALFRF.d, who founded the University of) Oxford [Mfrekpe] | ^'^ Can ute the Dane [CanJaw] lOlS Edward the Con FKSsor [Confes/I'] 1042 WiLliam the CoNq. [Wil-consoMJ Oct. 14. 1066 William Rufus [Ruf Aws] Sept. 9. 1087 HKNRy I. [Henra^] Aug. 2. 1100 SxEPHen [StephW/] Dec. 2. 3135 HENry the SECond [Hens^cbuf] Oct. 25. 1154 H H $$0 PRINOIPAIi SYSTEMS OF Richard I. [Ricbei7i] July 6. 118*> John [Jann] April 6. 11 99 HEiiry the THird [Heth«?a«] Of?. 19. 1216 EDward I. [Edrfojrf] Noik \6. 1272 Envardus SEcundus [Edsef^yja] July 7, 1307 EDvardus TERtius [Edterfe*] Jan. 25. 1326 Richardus SEcundus [Ris^t6ip] June 31. 1377 HEnry the Fourth [Hefofown] Sept. 20. 1399 HEnry the Fifth [Hefi/^rf] March 20. 1412 HEnry the sixth [Hensi/frf] Aug. 31. 1422 Eovardus ouARtus [Edquar/(7M.r] March 4. 1460 Edward the Fifth 1 pp . n ,-, r April g. 14&3 Richard III. / L*^^» «<"^f J | J„ae 32. 1483 HENricus SEPtinius [Henseji/e//] yi?<^. 22. 1485 HENricus octav. [Henoc/y«J April 22. 1509 EDvardus SEXtHs [Edsex/o*} Jan. 28. 1546 Mary [Mary/w^J Jj^^y 6. 1553 ELisabeth [EIs/mA:] iVoi;. 17. 1558 jAMes I. [Jams3/rf] March 24. l602 CaroIus PRIMUS [Ctiropn:n«e/] Mairch21. l625 CaroIus SEcundus [CarsecsoA:] ^Aisw. 30. l64S jAMes II. [Jamsf?/] Fe&. 6. l684 WiLliam and Mary [Wilse/Ar] Ffi. 13. ltf88 ANne {h\\pyh\ March 8. 1701 GEOrgel. [Geofeo] Aug^ 1. 1714 CrEorgell. [G6osec Edter/es Risetoip Ht(otoun Hefi/flrfque. H^nsi/ed Edquar/cMJ Ein-llokf licme\)JeillienQclyn. Edsex/o« Marylut FAsluk Jmnsj/d Cdioprimsel. Carsec/b/c Jamseif Wilwt'A: Aupyb Geofto— — (/oi. *' N. B. After Canute inclusive, One Thou- sand is to be added to each : It was thought un- ucwessary to express it, it being a Thing in which it is impossible that any one should mistake. " If it be desired to remember in what Month, and Day of the Month each King began his Reign, it may be done by the following Lines : Wil-tbosou-fat Steph-de Jsim-chef-fau Wi-ls-jeb-ed lA-nap. Hen-ge-tel-an sez-chez gib-ged-ped Geor-ga-iab An chei. Caf-chf^-rix Ma-b Jo-ps Ed-nl. 526,386 Jupiter IJuRBkoul-atoth] 895.134,000 MArs [MuRBese-deid-naz] 262.282,910 TERra ID-orh-Terboid-aze-poul] 172.102,795 MErcury IMeRBsau-sebthl 66.621,000 Vedus lYeKBbef-okoi-baf] 124.487,114 LuNa IDorhhrnopoU'tiyl] 479,905 SATurni AniiuH Diam. or the Dia-'j meterof .SV7/?/ni's Ring [Sat- ami- > 210,265 thddz-datd'} J — Ejnsdem LATitudo, or the^ Breadth of Saturn's Riug [ > 29,200 iUtJ«WH-tgJ J TERrie SuPERficies, or the super-^ ficial Content of the Earth [Ter- J- 199.444,205 super a un-f of -ezau'] J Ejusdem DiAmeter [Dia^0M-"i 70^7 & saijkl i ' Ejusdem Orbita pERiMeter ■) ^^^ ^gg ^^5 [Permnfy-skau-del'} J *' The Magnitudes or Solid Contents in Cubick Miles of the larger Planets. " MagnitiuIo. Cubick Miles. TERrze \Tej-ma»niteso-klatim] 264,856.000,000 SOLls [Mag-so! iseo«2- -» 090,971 .000,000.000,009 «o;a-iau-niil] J ARTIFICIAL MEMOttT. S59 Cubick Miles. JOYis [Mag-jovKea- ^ 920.011,200.000,000 SATurni [Sat-nragnit- "i 497.218,300.000,000 oep-aak & tzym] J " 27ie A Mbit or Circumference. English Miles. Jovis [Am-jovisijW)M-rof] 379j043 T-en-je [Am-Tt;/-^*7>] 25,031 SoLis [Ani-sole-/«rf-Au-ni//. Ter-buperan«-yo/-f3a« — dia^«usoi,fc^PcrmM/j/-«A;a«c(af, Ter-inagiiitt%o-A:/ai2(U-e:(/w Sat-niagnitoq)-rfrtA;& ist/m. Am-jovisfpoM-2o« Am-Tt/-!/i6 Xm-^o\e-teid-koit, " 4. Coins, Weights, and Measures. '* The Beginning of the Words is composed of Uie Initial Letters ; thus At-ta stands for ATtick TAlent, Het far Habrew T-aleut ; Ad for A ttick D-rachm; AId for ALexandrian P-rachm; HetO for Hebrew Talent of Gold; (Het standing for HE-brew T-alent as before, and O for Or, or Gold) RoL for ROman ,860 PRlNCIPAf. SYSTEMS OF L-ibra, Den for DENarius, Shek for ShekcI, GreF for GREcian F-oot, HeC for HEbrew C-ubit, HoFq for ROman F-oot S^^uare, ^c. *' The Italick Endings of the Words represent the Number of Pounds, ShilHngs and Pence, which are separated from each other by Hyphens^ or else signified by the Roman Letters I. s. d. The double Lines denote Equality. Thus Am— dr«^— ?-e2-w, signifies that an A-ttick M-ina, which is equal to 100 Drachms, was 3 Pounds 8 Shillings and 9 Pence. The Letters, though separated, are to be pronounced together; as t-ei-n tein. The Reader is to be reminded here that re signifies ^,ro J, &c. But Note, that instead of the Fraction re, the Letter h is some- times used for Half, as oikbe-h— 7 Sl^l sc. 7812 Pounds 10 Shillings." This system of Dr. Grey reflects great credit on the ingenuity of the author. Of the Me- moria Technica, Dr. Priestley observes, " it is so easily learned, and may be of so much use in recollecting dates, when other methods are not at hand, that he thinks all persons of a liberal education inexcusable, who will not take die small degree of pains that is necessary to make themselves masters of it ; or who think any thing mean, or unworthy of their notice, which IS so useful and convenient.*" * Lectures on History, p. 157. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. S6l Richard Grey was born in the year 1693, and was a learned divine of the Church of Eng- land. He took his degree of M. A. at Lincoln College, Oxford, in the year I? IS- 1 9. The 6rst preferment which he obtained, was the Rectory of Kilncote, in Leicestershire, to which he appears to have been instituted at an early period of life ; and afterwards he was appointed to the Rectory of Hinton, in Northamptonshire, and to a Prebend iu the Cathedral Church of St. Paul. In the year 1730, he published his Me- moria Technica. In the same year also he published, " A System of English Ecclesiastical Law, extracted from the Codex Juris Eccle- iiastici Anglicani, of the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of London, for the use of young stu- dents in the Universities, who are designed for Holy Orders." 8*^. For this work the University presented him with the degree of Doctor of Di- vinity, by diploma, during the following year. It was afterwards reprinted, at different periods, with the addition of marginal references to the pages in the Codex. In the year 17S6, he published a large anonymous pamphlet, entitled, " The miserable and distracted state of Religion in England, upon the downfall of the Church establish- ed :" and iu the year 1738, " A new and 1 I S62 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF easy method of learning Hebrew without Points. To which is annexed, by way of praxis, the Book of Proverbs, divided according to the Metre; with the massoretical Readings in Ro- man Letters, &c. a grammatical analysis, and short notes, critical and explanatory, etc. 8*^." In the following year, he published, on a large single sheet, " Tabula exhibens paradigmata Verborum Hebraicorum regularium et irregula- rium, per omnes ConjngRtiones, Modos, Tem- pora, et Personas, pleuius et accuratins excusa ;'' and also, " Historia Josephi Palriarchae, Literis tam Roraanis, quam Hebraicis excusa, cum Versioue Interlineari S. Pagnini, 8c vocum In- dico Analytico ; praemittitur nova Methodus He- braice Discendi, diligcntius recognita, etc. 8°." These pieces were again reprinted in 1751. In the year 1742, Dr. Grey published, " Liber Jobi in versiculos Metiice divisus, cum Versione Latina Alberti Schultens, notisque ex ejus Com- raentariis excerptis, etc. Edidit, atqiie annota- tiones • suas ad Metrum przecipue spectantes, adjecit R. G. etc. Accedit Canticum Moysis, Deut. xxxii. cum Notis variorum, 8°." In the preface to this work some strictures were intro- duced on particular passages in Warburton's " Divjne Lesj^tion ;" to which that gentleman replied ui !iis " Rcmurks on several occasional eftjctioiH," etc. Tlus reply called forth from ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. SGS Dr. Grey, in the year 1744, an " Answer to Mr. Warburton's * Remarks on several occa- sional Reflections,' so far as they concern the preface to a late edition of the Book of Job ; in which the subject and design of that divine poem, are set in a full and clear light, and some particu- lar passages in it occasionally explained," etc. 8". In the year 1746, Dr. Grey occupied the post of official and commissary of the Arch- deaconry of Leicester. In 1749, he published, " The last words of David, divided according to the metre, with notes critical and explanatory," 4°. This last publication, except new editions of his former pieces, was an English translation of Mr. Hawkins Browne's poem, " De Animse Immortalitate," which appeared in 1753. Be- sides the articles enumerated above. Dr. Grey printed some single " Sermons," preached on public occasions. He died in 1771, in the seventy-eighth year of his age.* 05. Mnemonics delineated in a small compass and easy Method, for the better enabling to remember what is most frequently ivanted, and most dijficultly retained or recollected, 8". Lond. 1737. * Nichols' Anecdotes of Bowyer. 8C4 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OP This extremely rare tract, compiled by Soto*' man Lowe, contains 14 pages in a very small type, besides the title and the advertisement which i» printed on the back of the title, making a single sheet of demy, 8°. As Dr. Watts has consi- dered this tract as a material improvement of Grey, and as some of the purchasers of the pre- sent volume may choose to practise the scheme of Grey and Lowe, we have thought pro* per, in this edition, to reprint the whole of the original tract, as it has become extremely rare ; — and although lately reprinted, it can- not be purchased without the incumbrance of the Memoria Technica of Grey ; a suf^ ficient specimen of which has already been given. ADVIKTISEMENT. " Th e key to this art (so far as relates to. the expressing of numbers by Letters) we owe to the ingenious Dr. Grey. What fol-. lows may be considered as a supplement to, and improvement of his Memoria Technica ; for most of the articles are what, perhaps, did not occur to him : aud the rest I think are re- ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. . 365 formd * to great purpose ; particularly those of Weights, Coins, and Measures; ofNvhich I have given a full account in less than three pages, whereas the Doctor's (though very defective) amounts to 31. Those who are curious will add such particulars, as they have most occasion for; in order to lay up a treasure of useful principles in their heads ; for the greatest part of which they must, otherwise, from time to time, have recourse to books ; or, where those are not at hand be disappouited ; how much soever it may be to their discredit or prejudice. 1 need not inform those who have the education of youth, whether in schot)ls, or universities, how much something of this nature would expedite the pro- gress of their pupils, and show them to advan- tage ; furnish bt times with a satisfactory cer- tainty, reachness, and e.\actness, in things, of which Masters themselves, and men of reading, have generally but an imperfect and confused remembrance. I shall only add (to obviate an objection, diat may naturally otFer itself to such as are unacquainted with things of this nature) that how diificult and forbidding soever the jar- gon of this art may appear; nothing will stick * We have preserveil Mr. Lowe's ortliography throiyjli- Mlt. I I 3 366 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF more effectually in the memory, when once familiarisd by frequent repetition so as to flow into the mind without reflexion. N. B. The accents denote the first syllable of a tiactyl. " SOLOMON LOWE." Directions for the better learning to remember figures or numbers exprest by Letters. a e i o u au oi ei ou y 1234567 8 9 bdtflspkn z g 100. th 1,000. m 1.000,000. r denotes fractions, as follows : yVo \: ,iro | : d^eriS \: ,rag,01. Arithm et ical Characters. -f and: — less: X multiplied-j'nfo: -— divided- by : zz is, gives. The Division of the' old Roman AS, viz. any Integer) or Whole. Uuica, Sext. QuS Triens. Quinc. Sena. Sept. Bes, Dodra Dext. Deu. AS, parts 12 Seniissis 6 Deunx 11 Quuicunx 5 Dextans 10 Triens 4 Dodrans 9 Quadrans 3 Bessis 8 Sextans 2 Septunx 7 Uncia 1 ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. SC? COINS. Coins reducd to Farthings. 1 E.]' Sh-o/i. Cr-e/j/.] N-/ the adverbs, as foUows : C Bis sestertiuni, or bis ; understanding millia ^ > centum (or centena). 6 Abbreviatures explaind. jT.ginea raina, talentum (lin.) 5. Alexanilrina ^nichma, *; stater, 4. Angel, 1. Aniiocbicama. 368 PRIXCIPAL SYSTEMS OF tal. 5. yVs, 4. §. Attica drachma, *, raina, *, sta- ter, 4 ; taieiituni, |. Aiu-eus denarius, 4. Buhy- /owitfl mill. tal. I . Bckalj, 2. Carolus, 1. Croesius stater, |. Crown,!, Cyzicenus stat«^r, 4. Darcius stater, I . Denarius, 4. Dichakos, 3. Drachma 3. Gerali C. Groat '^, 5. Guinea, 1. Hebraica drach- ma,'*. JacoLu-.y 1. Italica mina,*. Lepton, 3. Ma- neh, 2 Maik, 1. Mhur,''\5. Noble, 1. Obolus, 3. Pennu", 5. Piiilippicus stater, 4.. . Pound, 5. Pto- lemaica min. tal. 6. Piomanum talentum, 4.. Ses- teriinm, 7, Sestertius, 4. Shekel, 2. Shilling, 1. Sportuia, 4. Stater, 3. Si/ria min. tal. 6. Talen- tum'', 2, 5. Teruncius, 4. Ti/ria min. tal. 6. Vic- toriatus, 4. 6 Synonifms and Equivalents. .?ils, as. Assarium, as. Attica minormina — antlo- chica. Attica m(!JGrmirio=:tyr'rd. Bi<;,atus, denarius. Centussis, 100 asses. Chalcos, | dichalchos. De- ctissis", 10 asses. Didrachmon, 2 drachmie. Dio- bolon, 2 oboli. Dupondius , 2 asses. Euhoca mi- »« — antiochia. Hemiobolon, h obolus. Laureat, carolus. Libella, as. Libra (or libra pondo) =z mina attica. Mna, mina, Nomissis, 9 asses. Nununus, sestertius. Obolus, \ noble. Octussis, 8 asses. Pen- tad rachmcu, 5 drae!iiiia\ Pondo, v. libra. Qua- drans, \ as, \ noble. Quadrigiitus, denarius. Qua- drussis^, 4 asses. Quinarius, victoriatus. Quin- quessis'^, 5 asses. 7?Aorf/crza>ginea. Send>ella, se- milibella. Semiiibella, h libella. Semunicu, h uncia. Sescuiicia, 1 h uncia. Sextans ^, -5 as. Sextula'^, ~ luicia. Solidus, aureus. Tctradrachnion, 4 drach- ma;. Tetrobolon, 4 oboii. Tressis, 3 asses. Tri- cessis, 30 ?isses. Tridrachmon, 3 drachma\ Tri- ei}s '■, ^ as. Triobolon, 3 oboli. Vigessis, 20 asses, Uncia % tt as. 1 N. B. The several coins, measures, and wiighls, being reducd to'the lowest denominations, tlie memorial versei answer all the purposes of the largest tables : (1) The dif- ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. S69 t'erence of any Wo terms beinj? known by subtraction • : and (2) How many of any make one of another, by divi- sion *. e.j?. (a) What is the difference between a Shilling and a Shekel? Answ. (Sh-ahz) 110 — (Sh-ofcJ 48=: 62 q. i. e. S 2 : 3 : '2 — S 1 ; — S 1 : 3 : 2, the shekel more than the shilling. ( b) How many Spans make a Fathom / Answ. Fath'OJd) 72 -f- (Span) 9 zi 8. Accordingly, if it be (askd. What is n fathom '/ (and Jo of any other) the answer may be made, the same way, in ajiy of the prior denomina- tions : e. g. 24 palms, or 6 feet, or 4 cubits, or 2 yards, or 1 I- pace, &c. ^ Any whole was called AS, and 1 twelfth of it Uncia [whence our terms of ounces for weight, and inches for leHgth]. The several numbers of those unciae (i.s tween 1 and 12) were denoraiuated, in order, as follows iu text: viz. Se^Ltans (i.e. i) 3 Quadran<4 (i) 3, &c. and express their manner of reckoning Interest of nior.ey : tlais usiircB asses [centesimae] iwas 1 per mon'h [12 per year] per cent, (suppose aurei, or pounds : deunces, ll twelfths per month, and so on to unciaria, 1 twelfth per mouth [1 per year] e. g. 20d. per month, 30s. per year. 3 Of the three apartments distinKuisht by brackets, ia the 1st are Brass- or Copper- ; 2d, SilTcr-; 3d, Gold-coins'. NB. (1) Sh-ofe (as appears by the Abbreviatures ex- plaind underneath, a)id by the key above) sis;nifies Shilling 48: i. e. a shilling is 48 farthings 5 and so of the rest, (2) y {the memorial letter) may be pronouncd wee or ici, to distinguish it from i: e. g. Cr-e/y, as if it were Cr-efwi. 4 i. e. in the year (LVi'W Conditte) from the building of tlie city of Rome, 190. e,foitz ; i. e. U. C. 490, when the Punic war had exhausted the treasury, it weighd but 2. and «o of the rest. .5 i. e. the iEginean mina was (ubss) 5656 q : (g) 100 of which made the j^gincan talent, and so of the rest. 6 N. B. In these lists — those in Italic are moneys of ac- count, the rest, coins.- The Figures and Marks refer to the corresponding memorial verses. (c) N.B. There are also Coind Half-guineas, Seven-shil- ling pieces, Half-crowns, Three-pences, Two-pences,Half- pennies ; and such as are distinguisht by a superior <:. MEASURES. Cubic Measures reduced to Pints. f Quar-d. *GzU\ R-af6. Ear-eld. Ti-(wiNE) I its. li-uzf. P-fluj»6. E-athei. T-ethbau. rl' 570 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF ^ Firk-hoid, dsf.^ Kil aM*, b<7^(BEER & ALE) ^ Bat'hdeik, Mus. Hog-alad, hups, Ve-bsr Bii-^o. Str-aek. Cooia-dus (dry) Se- ube. Ch-etzo. V^e-ithpi^. \^d-lady. ( (liq.) C-,nrei. L-iro. Cab-?. Haz (h) Seah-rfy. 4 1 Bath *Y- H6m-«MrM {-uid. \ Cnh-,durm!. G6m-,vraz. Se-boi (dry) Ba-/tf. 5 ^ Le-dlat/. Hbmer-laf. Coch-jj-^tfy- Ch-i'miz. Myst,}-ok (g) Conch-,rqf. Oxyba-,rri- Wetr-m. Cocb-,rady. Choen &re. Mtdim-^S (DRY) Cy- Ox-Coty-Xest as the Roman. rQnait ,r6. Se-ff,r/. C6-p. Ur-e^-»v/ (r) QuS- ^ ) dr-w/y, Cul^-bafp. D. Cy. Ace. Hem. q^\Lig~,rok. Cy-ra*/. Acet-jr^^i' H^ra(DRY)in,rg.. I. Sti-a,ru. t Mod-«s,r€. V *GalloN contains inches (dry) doid,r6'^i ^^^ ^ (beer) -<>Ar6 : (wiiie) eta^. S tPoTTLE Quarts (dr-) / (liquid)-e — f MoDI- l Pints (liquid)-(eng)o/. ^ S Y-is. Pa-*y. ¥atb-pe. Ko-bouk. Furl-oindy. ^ V Mt-sitsi/. Le-miles3. fH. Pal-/. Sp-flrf. C-ef. Y-ous. EzMf. Ar-and. L Schoen-flniiy. Stci nai^g-. M-o?/sf/t. fG. Dor/. LYch-//z. Orthab. Sp ad.Vygm-ak. L Pv-rfz. 0-nfl«. St-«aM^. M-oiskj/z. fR. Unc-ry,W. Pal-/". Pe-6^-. Palm-dy, Cuo-e/. I Gra-A:y. Pass-Ary. Stti-byth. Proportions. f. f Line-be. Bar-i, Digit, Inch (Heb. Gk. Rom.) I nad: ,pul6 : peldu^. [M- -eizt/t. f Foot — Eng-«^A. — G rek visy/?. — ' Rom (coss) ' \ naup {^t) oupti(y^s)oukau. Abbreviatures explaind. Arabian pole, 3. Barley-corn 6. Cubit::i:pygem, pygon, pechus 1, 3, 5. Digit, 6. Doronzirpalm, 4. Ell (flemish, english) 1. Ezekiel's reed, 3. Fathom, 2,3. Foot— pousnpes 1,5, 7. Furlongrr stadium 2, 3, 4, 5. Gradus, 5. Haml, 1. League, 3. Liehas, 4. Line, G. Mile — \nilion — miliare 2, 12 : «p 101, 2^ 102 ,« ll, f« lOl, &c. 3 Fomid, in current writing, from M : pait whereof, united, (viz, la) became D 500. heiioe i3j 3000, looo 50000. 4 i, e.U nits, tens, hundreds, begin from the Ip,tter.s here specified ; and are to be reckoned on, in order, from them, e.g. « I, ^ 2, y 3, &c. 1 10, K 20, X 30, &c. f 100, 1 6 4 M . S 12:6 L8:15 5 As in the following example C qr. lb 84 3 11 ll. sl.n2ls Sl2:6 L8:l,^ d6k 4i 84 168 42 2S 1 at 1 qr %\ lb 7i 4, s d 1 10 - 10 11 - 5 5 - 1 4 - - 9 q3. Ibll.sl8:6 3q. lllb. 18 6 - aliq. of fract. pr. of fract. In all.. 1852:6 The answer ; which, being halv'd f 92 : 12 : 6 ; the price of C 84 : gives- I qrS : lb 11. 6. i.e. In sums, "wherein the Question-term is 1 ; as when we say, " If so much cost so mucli, WhuVll one cost?" 7 e.g. If 12 cost 10 I 6, \\hat will 1? Answer, 12 in 10 I 6 I cannot have: bnt 12 in 10 X 12 (to reduce it to ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 375 per»cc)£=: 1204-6=126: then 12 ijH26r=10d. and 6 remains ; whick multipli«d into 4 (to reduce it to farthings) is 24 : then 1'2 in 'i4zi2 q. rt« f in s 10 : 6 : - I or, by the fiictoni of *'*"^ \12 - 10 ii , 1^, yi2, 2x6, 5 examp Tin s I t 2 X 6, or 3 >^ 4 ; as k) th« following : a The for«goiog example wiU stand 10 : 6 : - Tims ■( 2 5 3- 10 2 So tke answer is found more easily than by dividing by 12 : much more so it will be, when that number is higher. in slO :6 . 2 3 6 . 4 - 10 2 RULE OF THRE£. All Questions in if answerd (I) by one stating (2) the same way. (1) Conditional in one line: and, opposite, the terras Corresponding : (2) -DfiND i» the -Ducing of one into -DucM of the other; the Rest-So R *. N.B. No-Duc'd: the faeit of one liue divide by that of the other =. 1 i. e. The prnducing a terms of one line multiplied into the prodwc'd '' o/ the other, give the diviDENO ; and the rest of the terms multiplied together, give the diviSoR: the Quotient falls to the blank*^ . (a) Producing terms are such as jointly produce any effect, e. g. whatever is consi- derd as a cause, with rhe adjuncts of time, distance, mea- ture, Sfc, (b) Frodntring terms are such as arc connected with the ethers under the character of |). ice, pwchase, pro- duce, gain, loss, interest, advantage, value or quantity of work, Ifc. (c) e. g. At the rate of 6 per cent; per ann. what is the interest of 9001. for 16 months? Answ. The terms being stated, as they offer (without any other regard than Which are conditional, and Which imply the question) ThtB: Interest Principal time 61. lOul. 12 m. SOO 18 •r in any other order agreeable to the directions in the rule, say " 6 (the produced term of one line) H 1 8 H 200 (th« 376 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF producing terms of the other)7Z2l6oo (for the dividend) : And (the rest) loo X I2rz:)200 (for the divisor). Then 2l60o-;-l-2OOr::,iy, the answer ; viz. isl. 2 i. e. It there be no pioduc'd term (as generally happens in the single rule of three inverse) divide thejacit, &c.— — - e. g. How much stuff, yard-broad, will line 10 yards of cloth, yard-and-quarter broad ? The terms being stated thus : broad 4 qrs 5 long 10 yard. say 5 X 10~50 and 50 -7- 4cn2 2-4th i.e. 12 yards and 2-4 or i. SUBTRACTION May be more comniodiously performed by Addition; as in the next article. TABULATING. To nmltiply and divide by Addition only, 1. Twice-double-MuItipIicand facits t every multi> plicator. i gives the f. of . 2. Tabulate Divisor: Quote next digit-under: Sub- tract by Addition. I.Tn theMuLTiPLiCATiON sum(j) the facits of the multiplicand twice doubled, are, as they stand agamst the digits 2 and 4. T hen, To mul- tiply the mult'plicand into 8 (the last figure of the multiplicator) double the facit of the digit 4— — into 6 (the 2d figure, &c.) add the facit of 4 to that of 2 (n:6) into 7 (the next figure, &c.) add together the facits of i, 2, 4 (—7) placing each of them, as in the common method of multipli- cation. 2. In thcDivisiov-sum (II) (I) Tabulate the divisor, as in the ex- ample, viz. against the digit 2, by adding the divisor to itself; against 3, by adding together the Multipli-caTid cator 98765 >0 768 197530 (1) 395060 790120 592590 691355 (II) b 75851520-r-768 S- 673794 1536 1^ 5898 2304 1 43. 3072 Quotient (III) 38 iO 98765-=-968 4608 1929 1936 5376 Quotient: 102 6144 —6912 Q 1 3 4 5 6 7 a 9 ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. S77 tomls of i and l ; against 4, by adding the total of S to itself, or that of 3 to that of 1 ; and, in like manner, in the rest, by adding together the totals of any two or more digits, equal to the digit whose total is sou§ht. Then, (2) Quote (or, for the quotient, take) the digit against the total next less, or under the first corresponding figures of the di- vidend, viz. 7565. Then, instead of subtracting, according to the common method, the facit of the divisor by 9 (viz. 6912) from (7585) the corresponding figures of the divi- dend (3) Subtract by addition, and say [not, 2 from 5, and there remains 3 j but 2, and (so much as will make 5, viz.) 3 is 5: then 1, and (as much as will make 8, viz.) 7 is 8 ; then 9, and [what will make 15 (since 9 cannot be taken from ,5) viz.] 6 is 15 *, then 1, that I borrow, and 6 is 7 ; and so on. In tlie DivisiON-sum (III) it appears that All the tabulating necessary to find the quotient, is only to double the divisor : for, the total next less than (the 1st dividend) 987, is 968; therefore quote 1 : then (the 2d dividend) 195 has no total less; therefore quote O: then the next total less than (the 3d dividend) 1965, is (the Qd total, viz.) J936; therefore quote 2 And, in like manner, may be tabulated any sum, by steps, as there shall be occasion. (a) N. B. 15, being the last sound m the mouth of the operator, does more readily and certainly lemind him of what he borrowd, than in the common way of subtraction j which is no small advantage to this method. WEIGHTS. Troy Weight, for Gold, Silver, Jewels, Grains, and Liquors. Monyers redttcd to Blanks. 1 MON. Perit. 4 Pound-ounce-fl*. Hun-p6unds-fl6e, hun-Fother« dn-are: Tun-ex. Hebrew Weights, reducd to Grains. 5 Zur2i-lf. Bek-azeii Sh^k-Uei 2. Man-^beizy. TSl- amnyth. Greek and Roman Weights. „ C Lens, kurcihe. Lept-awreA:. Chalch-, ij)-al " in the Rest, l..at ^. 380 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF 1 February, it is well known, has 28 (iii the leap-years 29) the rest 3i. a i. e. The Nones are on the 7th day, the Ides on the 15 • in these 4 months. 3 i. e. The Nones are on the 5th, the Ides on the l3th : in the rest. MOON. €i/ele and Epact. Golden'% remainder of year-more- 1, divided by 19 ^ Epact's the cycle iirto ab : above iz by iz, the re- mainder 2. Change and Age. New's the remainder of month-from-march and epact, less iz, auz^ . Ap. Se. No. Jun, less en For Jan. Mar. 0. Feb. Apr. 1 add. Full's 1 5 days from the diaaige — Waining, east ; Growing, west is enlightend ^. Rising and Setting. At Sun-set, sets New, rises Full ; and, each day, minutes nb more. Shining (in Waining) Subtract (in Enereasing) Add to Sun-rise,-set. Southing and Tides, Southing's the age into ok, by 60 : from al, the excess talve ^. High-water at London-bridge : two hours and a half after Southing ^. 1 e.g. 1737 -f 1 = 17"8 -f- 19t= 19: remainder 0, for the cycle, or Golden number, 1 c. g. 9 (the cycle) X l l=:99-f-30 (as being above 30) n 9 : remainder 9 for the epact. 3 e.g. May 20 (1737) What is the moon's age? .\nsw. 3 (the number of the month from march, inclusively) + 9 (the epact) zz 12 — 10— 18 : the day of the new mocn. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 381 when it is said to change. So the moon, on the 20th of may, is 2 days old. 4 i. e. The Horns are tumd, in Decreasing (from the Full) West-ward ; in Encreasing (from the New) East- ward. 5 e.g. April 15 (l737) When comes the moon to the meridian ? Answ. The moon's age is 26 : the excess above (al) 15, is U. Then 11 »< 48 =z 528 -r- 60 zz 8 h. 48 m. for the Southing. For the readier working, the rule may be thus exprest : " Age into 4, hy 5 ; into 12 the re- mainder gives minutes." e.g. II X 4 rz: 44 -7-5 rz 8 h : remainder 4X1 2zz48 m. 6 e.g. Apr. 15 (i7'57) the moon Souths at 8 h. 48 m. Then 9 h 48 m.+2 h.30 m,=:il h. 18 m. (N. B.) If the amounts to more than 12; the excess shows the hour. THE 12 SIGNS or Portions of the Zodiac, nam'd from Constella- tions once in them : their Names, Characters, and corresponding Months ; with a Key to\flnd the Sun's Place on any Dayi ; and on what day of the Week the \st Day of any Month hap- pens '. 1 Ar ma ni iP' , <^i F, de A, dau C> and Former is us'd till Yeh-do, in Leap-years; and, after, the Letter. Tojind tlie Sun's Place m the Zodiac, V. Signi. 1. i. e. On Jan. 4, the Sun rises at 8. «. i. e. On Jan. 41, New style (which i$ the LongtU day) the Sun rises at 3 h. 43'* ▲ KTIflClAL MEMORY. 383 9. L e. The day sought (reckond from the day of the Sun's rising) multiplied into 60, and divided by the number of All the days between the day of the Sun's rising (specified) in any month, and ibe day of its lising in the next ; gives the Minutes /eu^er (or, to be subtracted from the hour speci- fied) in the 1st line ; more (or, to be added) in the ■ 2* 2- ? 8 8 S- "^ vS * 55.^ ?^ o "^ _ . g ^ ^ ^ g_ -.-.., I L L 386 PRINCIPAL SYSTEM OF To find I The year of the Julian period corresponding to \ any year in any Mra. Any year of any Mm by the corresponding year of the Julian period. Jul for Jfter ad d Comm-les s- 1 -for Afore take from Comm. ^. ( ^R^ After, Comm-less-1 take far Corr — "'''. I but Afore, Corr. from Comim. 1. IVhat year of the Julian Period is the year 1737 (1) before Christ? (2) after Christ? Answ. (i) 1737 (before Christ)— 4714 (the year of the cowTnencement of he Christian aera in the Julian period) rr: 2977. (2) 1737 tafter Christ) -{■ 4713 (the commencement iess-i) rr 6450, Che year of the Julian period. *■ 2. JVhat year of the Christian ^ra is the year of the Julian period (1) 2977 ? (2) 6450? Answ. (1) 2977 (the year of the Julian period corresponding to the year of the aera sought) — 4714 the commencement of the Christian sera) iz 1737. (2) 6450 the corresponding year) — 4713 (the co>n»»enceraent-less-l) ^: 1737. * For the Number of Years from the Creation to the Birth of Christ. The Christian vulgar xra commences in the year of the world 4004, jan 1. [according to Helvicus, Isaacson, &c. 3.94S] The Jews place the creation of the world, Later by 242 years, viz. in 37()2, oct. 7. The Greek historians, on the authority of the septuagint, Sooner by about 1490, or 1500 years, viz. the ecclesiastical, in 5494 ; the civil, in 5509. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. SS7 FESTIVALS, * Holy-daps, Feasts^ ff«. IMMOVEABLE. Christ. Nat-de,rfM \ Circ-]a,&. Epiph-ja,s. Ldmm-au,ft. HoRood-se,6o. Transf-au,*. Maty. Ann-m^r,e!. Pur-feb,€. Nat-se,^. Vis-jul,e. Conc- de,A:. Ass-au,a/. Saints. AJl-ntiv,a. And-nov,J2. Bap-jun-f/". Bamaby-jun,c&. Barth-aug,^. George-apr,ef. Jame9-jul,rfM. Inn6- c^nt-dee,rfet. John-dec,c?o/. Luke-o,ak. Mtak-^pn,du. Marti- sio\emb.,ad. Mdtt-se,da. Faul-jan-du. Pet-jun,/_y ^ Mo-pent : bog. Josh: boli/.Sdiu- ju-ki : baz)/. Dav: bi/li/. Sal-pro-can-ecc : ath. M6rd-e : toz. E'z-chr: ety. Neh: eg. Prophets. Jon: kse. Jo: eig. Am: peip. Hose; oieil. Is: p&uy. Nail : puk. Mic ; put. Jer: sta. Zeph : dutz. Haba : syn.'EjZi', loul. Oh-AAx-lkoi. Daniel: uU. Hag: Uz, Zechari: udx. Malachi ; touoi. 396 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF NEW TESTAMENT. Its 27 Books. Matt/fl.2 MdLX-ot. Thes-let. ?e-!o. Gal Cor R6ma-/oi. Luke-sa. Phil Col Eph^s Phile Janie-*e. Heb Act-si. Timothy Tit-SM. Tim Peter-aup. Jude-pa. Revel-ow*. John-rnA.- — ' dot in iau. 1 i. e. Elih\i is most probably supposed to be the author of the book of job, about 17 30 years before the birth of Christ. So, Moses, the author of the p«itateuch, flourished in the year before Christ 1400. And so of the rest N. B Ezra, is thought by the Jewish doctors to have writ the chronicles [the 36th chapter of Genesis, the last of Joshua and Jeremiah ; and to have revised and settled the cannon of the old testament.] 2 i. e. Mntlhew writ his gospel about the year of our Lord 41. And so of the rest. 3 i. c. 27 books (from the year 41 to 97) in 36 years. ENGLAND Its Kings, since the Conquest, with the Commence- ment of their Reigns. Will Conq-sau,^ Ruf-koi. Hen ist-ag. Steph-6i7. He sec-bt(f. Rich ist-Je/n. JoHN-fln«. HfiNSd-rfcs. Edward 1 st-doid. Ed 2 p, 3dtep. Ri sec-ipp. Hen Uh-toun, 5th Jut. 6th fed. Fd ^thfaub, 5th, RY 3d feU. He 7th-/«7, Sthlyn. Ed 6t\\-l6p. M AB.Y -lat. Els luk, Jame Ist-sj/t, Cii ist Sf^. Car 2d 6wi. jAMEse-«e^/. Will MA-wm. Ann- pyd. Geopaf, pep. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 397 I i. e. WiHiam the coTt^ueror began his reign (accounting the year to begin January i) A. D. 1066 N. B. 1000 is omitted throughout this list. MONARCHIES. The grand or universal ones, their Rise, Fall, and Continuance. ASS : Nrn(A.M><5'/>dA-. Sar-frf^ (BAB-j/an, Pers- t/ruboi, Grec iV/-T- Cass-ma-gre. Lys thrac-he-bos. Ptolem a6-lib-a- pal-sy. Seleue as.) BOM : iu\-ini/'d, }ov-otat -f- East, West : taken C6n-loze, Rom-otun : A'Iar(A.D)-o62, Atti-/.?. Gkns/ul. Od-ops. Tlieod- oni. Tot-lop. i. e. The Assyrian monarchy begun in Ninus (A. M.) 1748, and ended with As^araddinu^ in 3^35; being swallowd up by the BABylonian, which ended i,with Nabonadius) in 3419, (when Cyrus reignd over all Asia) so the kins^dom was translated to the PEBsians: from whom (by the con- quest of Darius Codomannus) in 3617, Alexander translated it to the GnEcians : after whose death, in 3(i-25, it was (-j-) divided (alter the confusion of a few years) among four of his followers. Cassdinder had wacedon and ^rfce : Lysi- machus had thrace, with those parts of Asia that border on the /lellespont and the /'Oiphorus : Ptolemy had irgypt, libya, arabia, palciUne, and ctrloiyf'a: ■Se/ei/nis, all the rest of as\a. The ►RoMan monarchy begun %vith Ju.l'i\js Cae- sar, in 3902; and ended in Jovian in 4313: after whose death it was (-f-) divided into the Eastern, and IVestcxn em- pires : the former of which ended by the taking of C'an- stantinoplc (under Constantine I'alseologus) in 5402 ; the latter by the taking of Romt (under Honorius) in 43f>9; A. D. 410; hy Alanc, king of the Goths: after whom it was overrun and ravagd by Alli\d, king of the Huns, in 4jl ; by Gen^eric, the Vandal, in 455; by Of/oacer, king of the Heruli, in 476; by Theudouc, king ot the Ostrogoths, ia 493; by Talilas, the Ostrogoth, in 547. M M 398 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF WAR. Bodies of Soldiers, R] Decbi/. Cen-az7/. Man-eg. Turm-ig". Cohor-dug, hegi-auth. Ph-eith. E] Comp uz,ag. Si[\idid-ag,eg. B-dlgfCig. Brigad- ath,hag. V\t^-ig,auth. 1. The Roman L,eg-iow consisted of (at a medium) 6000 men : though the nuniber was different, at different times, from 3o to 6666. And, in proportion, the other bodies, viz. Deairia, 10. Centuria, lOO. Manipulus, 200. Turma^ 300. Cohors, 600. Phalanx, 8000. 2. An English Regiment is. from 300 to 1000 men. And, in propor ion, the other bodies, viz. Company, 5o- 100. Squadron, 100-200. Battalion, 500-800. Brigade^ 1000-1100. Natural ^fjtlo^ojifjp* PHYSICS. ANNUITIES. TTie Value, for several Ages of Life. K-hz,dei ^ Az-b',fo. '£.z-hf,pei. lzb^,pe. Oz-uz,iip. 0\-n,oub. \]z-ou,€b. \]\-k,nb. Auz oi,^y. 'Aul-du,lo. Oizl,id. 1. i. e- for (A) 1 year of age, the value of an annuity is ^a,det) lo,'28 years purcliase. And so of the rest. V. Hal- iey, ap. Lowthorp, vol 3. p. 669. ARKS. Of Noah, and of the Covenant Testimony, their Dimensions in Cubits. (Gov) L-e,re. V>v-A,re. Da, re. (Noah) L-ig. Br-wx. D-Jz ; for Biids-f«-, Qn-ag. ARTII^ICIAL MEMORY. 399 i. e. The Ark of the Covenant was a sort of Chest in length, fireadth. Depth, 2|: 1^: l^. of Noah was a sort of Ship, 300 : 50 : 30 : sufficient to hold (with food, &c.) all kinds of Birds (viz.) JOo . Quadrupeds, lOO. V. Gen. 6. 15. Exod. 25. 10. ATMOSPHERE. Its He'f^ht, Weight, Elasticity, SfC. Atmosphere (HiGU rai(es-o2 ') on a foot-square presses emuz pounds ; On 13 feet (for a man) tuns-a/: when least, tun fl,re less 2 ; Weighing as l to (water) eig to mercury) azth eig ^. C6mprest, on Earth, to atpaun * ; by Art, (JO times more, to kesboz. 1 As appears by a calculation, made by M. de la Hire, from the crepuscula. 2 As appears by calculations made from the Torricellian experiments. V. Jurin, ap Varen. 1. 6. ly. 7. 3 i. e. The weight of air compard to that of water, is as 1 to 800, &c. V. Hauksbee's exper. 4 i. e. The common air we breathe, near the surface of the earth, is comprest, by the bare weight of the incumbent at- mosphere, into a 13769th part of the space it would take-up, were it at liberty. V. Boyle, ap. Wallis. hydrost. 13 Philos. trans, n. 181. DIVISIBILITY. Of Matter, actually great. By great Effluvia, in along time, bodies I6se but a small weight ^ Cnndle, an inch, convdxted to Light gives parts a nonillion. ♦ 400 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS O? 1 As is evident in perfumes, &c. 2 At which rate there must fly out of it, as it burns, in the second of a minute, 418,660,0OO,000,0OO,000,0OO,OOO, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000 particles : vastly more than a looo times a looo millions the number of sands the whele earth can contain; reckoning lo inches to 1 foot, and that 100 sands are equal to i inch. V. Nieuwent. rel. phil. vol. S. p. 858. DUCTILITY. Of Bodies, veHy great* Microscopical Spiders ^ spin at-a-time, at least, threads-aw^A. Glass may be drawn ^ as a web, and knit to the 4th 6f a line space \ Gold, on Silver-wire, is drawn * to the p^rt of an iiK'h-bom, , 1 i. e. Such are not visible but b7 a microscope. 2 ** As fine as a spider's web :" but not long enough to he woven. 3 i. e. So, that the space in the middle of the knot shall net exceed one 4th of a line, or one 48th of an inch. 4 " To the 14-niillionth part of an inch, in thinness :" and yet is so perfect a cover to the silver, that there is not an. aperture to admit alcohol of wine (the subtilest fluid in n** ture) nor even light itself. Reaumur. EVAPORATION Fram Water, its Quantity. ^ FooT-squSre, by h6at, in a day, evaporates h^lf of a wine pint ^. So, Medi tuns-udky'm ^ ; near a third more than's brought by tlie rivers ^. \ According to experiments made by Dr. Halley, ap. Miscell. curios, vol. 1. To which it may be added, that the winds do sometimes carry-ofFmore than rises by heat. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 401 2 Estimating the il/editerranean at 40 degrees long, and 4 broad. 3 V. Rivers, and, consequently, from the whole watery surface abundantly enough to furnish all the dews, rains, springs, rivers. Sec. that are convey'd into the ocean. MAN. JLife, Marriage, Parts, Perspiration. LirE, out of dg, but — at Aii, so * — at Asji/ — at Es, bit — at /*, bau He at Os, dz at Us,au & at Aus, i — at Ois, a. Mark, a in uzf-: bir-/^ (to bur as a,au to a *) males-6o to fern at ^. BoNEs-e«/. MuscLEs-/f7i. TEETU-/rf Blood as ag to aauy ^. Beats, iu an hour, times-o^/t ; and an ounce, at a time, is discharged "^ : .52 feet in a minute; as sept-og- to 1 \n th6 ex- tremes ^. Perspire through pores ( belth-\\\\txtoi by one grain of sand may be coverd) 5 parts of 8 (a day's food) from hours 5, after meals, to the 12th, 3'^ 1 i. e. Of the children born, out of loo, there are living, at 6 years of age, but 64. And so of the rest. V. Halley, ap. Lowthorp. vol. 3. p. 699. N. B. On observa- tions of this nature, drawn from the bills of mortality, is computed the value of annuities for different ages of life. V. Annuities. 2 1. e. 1 in 104 Marry. King. 3. i. e. Marriages, one with another, do each produce 4 births. Derham. 4 i.e. Births to Burials arc as 1, 6 to 1. Derham. 5 i. e. Males, born, to Females, are as 14 to 13. Graunt. 6 i.e. In a body, weighing 1 69 pound, loo thereof are Blood; understanding thereby not only the fluid containd in the veins and arteries ; but also that in the lymphae-ducts, nerves, and the other vessels, secreted from it, and returnd into it, Keil. M M 3 408 PRINCIPAL SYSTIWS OP 7 i. c. 250 pounds in an hour , at the rate of the whole mass, in 24 minutes. s i. e. The blood is driven out of the heart into the great artery with a velocity, which would carry it 52 feet in a minute : a velocity to that of its motion in the remotest branches, as loo septillions [7th period] to 1. 9 Within 5 hours after eating, there is perspird about 1 pound; from the I2th to the 1 6th scarce half-a-oound. Sane- tori us. RIVERS. The Quantity of their Waters. At Kirngston-bridge, Thames (yards Broad-ae-, Dee}W) 2 mile an hour Runs ^ : tuns-em igih in a day ; rh e ti po ni do niest nieper akdoim 2. 1. In a day, 48 miles, 84,480 yards; which multiplied by (3 times 100, the profile of water at the bridge, viz.) 906 yards, gives 25,344,000 cubic yards of water, i. e. 20,300,090 tuns. 2 The most considerable rivers that fall into the Meditbr- FANEAH sea, are the Rhone, Ebro, Tiler, Po, Danube, Nile, Don,Niester, Nieper, Each of these is supposed to carry-down 10 times as much water as the Thames (not that any of Owto is so great ; but so to allow for the other lesser rivers that fell into that sea). Now the water of the Thames tciftg computed, as above, at about 20,300,000 tuns ; the 3 rivers aforesaid will amount, each, to 209,000,000 ; in »B, i,827,«oo,ooot«'ns. V. Evapofation. ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 405 Solomon Lowe was a schoolmaster at Hammersmith, and author of the following works. — I. The Protestant Family Piece, or, a pictme of Popery, 8°. 17 16. — II. KOINA KAINHS : an appendix to Grammar, contain- ing Rhetoric and Prosody, with directions for Composing, Construing, Parsing, Writing ele* gantly, and gaining a Copia of Thoughts and Words. To which are added, very short, plain, and comprehensive rudiments of the French and Greek Tongues, 8^ 1719.-111. A Specimen of a Latin Grammar, 8". 1722. — IV. A Gram- mar of the Latin Tongue, with appendix and notes, 8°. 1724. — V. Italian Rudiments, 8". 1728.— VI. Latin Rudiments, 8°. 1729.— VII. The Occasional Critique; containing, (1.) On the Dean of Rochester's Latin Grammar. (2.) On Dr. Busby's Latin Grammar, as improved by his successors. (3.) On Education, etc. (4.) A Proposal of a new scheme of Grammar, 8°. 1736* — VIII. English Grammar reformed, 8". 1737.— IX. Rhetoric delineated, 8°. 1737. Of the following publications we have not been enabled to ascertain the dates. — I. An easy method of initiating Children in the Latin • These tracts were published separately under dif- ferent titles and afterwards reprinted with the title of the Occasional Critique. No. 4, the last, was entitled ^\}Z Mi^tsmt, etc. and publislied in 1732. 404 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS OF Tongue, 8°. — II. A New System of English Examples to Latin Syntax, 8°. — III. A Voca- bulary Latin and English. — IV. Sententia pue- riles, Latin and English. — V. English Exam- ples to Latin Syntax. — VI. A Construing Book and Supplement, — VII. Greek Characters and Abbreviations, in a Table. QQ. Dan. Geo. 3IorhoJii Polyhistor Literarius Philosophicus et Prac' ticus, cum accessionihus virorum clarissimorum J oh. Frickii et J oh. Molleri Flenshurg. [Edit. Quart.] 2 t07n. 4°. Luhecce, 1747. In this work there are two ingenious disserta- tions, 1. De Arte Liil/iana similibusque inven- tis. '2. D^ Memoria subsidiis. To these w€ confess some obligations ; although Morhof, from unavoidable circumstances, was not con- sulted till most of the collections were made for this account of the systems of Artificial Me- mory. Daniel George Morhof, was born at Wismar, in the Dutchy of Mecklenburgh, in the year 1639. He studied at Stettin and Rostock, and visited Holland and Oxford ; and in lG65, was invited by the Duke of Holstein to become Professor of Poetry, Eloquence, and History, and Librarian in the University of Kiel, H« ARTIFICIAL MEMORY. 405 died in I69I. His principal work is the Poly- histor, a complete storehouse of miscellaDeous literature. 67. Cartas Eruditas y CuriosaSy por D. Fr, B. J. Feyjdo, 4°. 5 torn. Ma- drid, 1781. In this work* there is a dissertation on reme- dies for the memory, and one on the Art of Me- mory, in which several books on the subject are named. In another essay, the principles of the art are stated to consist in particular places and images, and a sphere or globe is divided into va*" rious compartments. In the tenth section of this essay, Feyjoo speaks of remembering certain words by the means of images, and, in the eleventh section, illustrates the application of the art to poetry, by two examples taken from a treatise on Artificial Memory, by Count de Nolegar, which may be seen in another part of this work.-l* Benedict Jerom Feyjoo was a Spanish Benedictine, and attempted by his writings and example to correct and reform the vitiated no- tions of his countrymen. His Theatro CriticOj in 9 vols, and the Cartas Eruditas, in 5 vols. 4**. are works of considerable merit. Feyjoo censures, with great freedom and spirit, the igno- • Tom. I. pp. 200—228. t See p. 165. 4C6 PRINCIPAL SYSTEMS, ETC. ranee aud licentiousness of the clergy, and ex- poses the futility of pilgrimages, pretended mi- racles, and superistitious exorcisms. Tbis con- duct rendered him obnoxious to the pains and penalties of the church, and Feyjoo was, with difficulty, saved from the horrors of the Inqui- sition. He died in 1765. We have not been enabled to procure the date of the following books ; the titles, therefore, could not be inserted in regular order. 1. Anacardina a la Arte de Memoria. 2. Joh. Aguilera de Arte Memories. 3. Epiphaniide Muirans, Ars Memoria ad- mirabilis, omnium nescientium excedens captum. 4. Franc. Conti de Arte Memoria, 5. Hieronj/mus Megiserus de Arte Memoria. 6. Aharo Ferreija de Vera, Trattaio de JVJc- moria artijiciosa. INSTANCES OF THE EXTRAORDINARY POWERS OF Statural iMemorp* CHROKOLOGICALLV ARRANGED. B.C. 115 TIoRTENSius, the celebrated Roman Orator, and contemporary of Cicero, was aided by uncomujon powers of memory. He was able to repeat a whole oration in the words he had previously conceived it, without committing it to writing ; and to go through all the arguments of an opponent in their proper order. As a proof of the degree in which he possessed this faculty, it is said that he once attended a whole day at a public sale, and at the end of it, recited, iu regular order, the names of all the buyers, the articles sold, and their prices, with perfect ex- actness. 408 INSTANCES OF 65. A. D. — Seneca. "Age (says Seneca) has done me many injuries, and deprived me of many things I once had : it hath dulled the sight of my eyes, blunted the sense of my hearing, and slackened my nerves. Amongst the rest 1 have mentioned before is the memory, a thing that is the most tender and frail of all parts of the soul, and which is first sensible to the assaults of age : that heretofore this did so flourish in me, as not only served me for use, but might even pass for a miracle I cannot deny ; for I could repeat two thousand names in the same order as they were spoken, and when as many as were scholars to my master, brought each of them several verses to him, so that the number of them amounted to more than two hundred, beginning at the last, I could recite them orderly unto the first : nor was my memory only apt to receive such things as I would commit to it, but was also a faithful preserver of all that I had entrusted it with." 980. A. D.— AvicENNA, or Ebn-Sina, an Arabian philosopher and physician, was born at Arsena, near Bocchara, and possessed a ready genius, and a wonderful memory. At the age of ten he made great progress in the languages, and could repeat the Koran by heart. He read over the books of Aristotle's Metaphysics forty times ; and by this means so fixed them in his NATURAL MEMORY. 409 memory, that he could repeat them with fa- cihty. 1484. A. D. — Joseph Scaliger. The works of Homer, (says Waiiley) are his Iliads and Odys- 8eys, the former consist of twenty- four books, and so also the latter. His Iliads have in it thirty-one thousand six hundred and seventy verses, and I suppose his Odysseys have no less ; and yet it is said of Joseph Scaliger, that in one-and-twenty days he committed alt Homer to his memory. 1522. A. D. — Bishop Jewel had naturally a very strong meiwory, which he greatly improved by art ; so that he could readily repeat any thing that he had written after once reading it. His own sermons w ere chiefly extempore from heads which he had penned down, and on which he used to meditate while the bell was ringing to summon the congregation to church. He is said to have taught his method of artificial memory to his old tutor, Dr. Parkhnrst, while they were at Zurich ; who in the space of 28 days, with only one hour's application on each day, learned all the 28 chapters of St. Matthew's Gospel so perfectly, that he could readily repeat the whole, or any particular verse, knowing at the same time what went before, or what fol- lowed after, any verse that was mentioned to him. So firm was the memory of Bishop Jewel N N 410 INSTANCES OF that he used to say, if he were to deliver a pre- meditated speech before a thousand auditors, shouting or fighting all the while, they would not put him out. John Hooper, Bishop of Glou- cester, who was burnt in the reign of Queen Mary, once, to try him, wrote about forty Welsh and Irish words. Mr. Jewel going a little while aside and recollecting them in his memory, and reading them twice or thrice over, said them by heart, backward and forward, ex- actly in the same order in which they were set down. And, at another time, he did the same by ten lines of Erasmus* paraphrase in English; the words of which being read sometimes con- fusedly without order, and sometimes in order by the Lord Keeper Bacon, Mr. Jewel thinking ' awhile on them, presently repeated them again. 1547- A. D. — Lipsius, an eminent philoso- pher and critic, born at Isch, near Brussels, was remarkable for the extent of his memory. He remembered th« whole history of Tacitus, and pledged himself to recite word for wordy any passage that might be required. So confident was he of having this book fixed in his memory, that he allowed a person to stand by him with a dagger, and to pUmge it into his body if he did not repeat, faitlifully, the words of the author. 1585. A. D. — MuRET ill his Varite Lectiones has the following anecdote. In Padua, near NATURAL MEMORY. 411 unto me, dwelt a young man of Corsica, of good birth, and sent thither to study the civil law ; in the study of which he had spent some years with that diligence and attention, that there was now raised amongst us a great opinion of his learning. He came almost every day to my house, and there went a report, that he attained to an art of me- mory, by assistance of which he was able to perform that which another could not believe unless he beheld it ; when I heard this, I had a desire to behold these wonderful things, as one not very credulous of such matters as come by hearsay. I therefore desired him to give me some such kind of instance of his art as he should think fit. He told me he would do it when I pleased. " Immediately, then," said I ; and when he refused not, all we who were present went into the next room; there did I dictate Latin, Greek, and barbarous names, some signi- ficant, others not ; so many, and so different, having not the least dependance one upon the other, that I was weary with dictating, and the boy with writing what I dictated, and all the rest with hearing, and expectation of the issue. When we were thus diversely wearied, he alone called for more. But I myself said it was fit to observe some measure : and that I should be abundantly satisfied if he could but recite me the one half of those 1 had caused already to be set 412 INSTANCES OF down. He fixing his e^es upon the ground (with great expectation on our part,) after a short pause oegaii to speak. In brief, to our amaze- ment, he repeated ali we had written in the very same order they were set down, without scarce a stop or any hesitation : and then beginning at the last, recited them all backwards to the first ; then so as that he would name only the first, third, fifth, and in that order repeat all ; and in- deed in what order we pleased, without the least error. Afterwards, when I was more familiar with him (having often tried him, and yet never found him speaking otherwise than the truth,) he told me once, and certainly he was no boaster,^ that he could repeat in that manner thirty-six thousand names, and which was yet the most strange, things stuck in his memory, that he would say, with little trouble, he could repeat any thing he had entrusted within a y«ar after. For my own part, I made trial of him after many days, and found he said true. He taught Franciscus Molinus, a young patrician of Venice^ and who had but a weak memory, in the com- pass of but seven days, wherein he had learned of him to repeat five hundred names with ease, and in what order he pleased. 1649. A. D. — Famianus Stbada, in his first book of academical prolttsions, speaking of Frauciscus Suarez, says, J* he hath so strong NATURAL MEMORY. 413 a memory, that he hath St. Augustine (the most copious and various of the fathers) ready by heart, allegin<; every where, as occasion presents itself, fully and failhfully his sentences, and, which is very strange, his words ; nay, if he be demanded any thing touching any passage in any of his volumes (which of themselves are al- most enough to till a library,) I myself have seen him instantly showing and pointing with his finger to the place and page in which he disputed of that matter. 1661. A. D. — Dr. Thomas Fuller, the author of the Worthies of England, had so great a memory, (says Wanley) that he could name in order all the signs on both sides the way from the beginning of Pater-noster-Row at Ave-Maria- Lane, to the bottom of Cheapside to Stocks- Market* And that he could dictate to five several writers at the same time, un as many different subjects. This gentleman making a visit to a committee of sequestrators sitting at Waltham in Essex, they soon fell into a dis- course and commendation of his great memory ; * The site of Stock-Market is now occiipiod by the Mansion-House, and many other adjacent buiUiings. The celebrated Heidegger it is said, could name all the signs from the Exchange to St. James's, on one side the street, after walking once to obsei-\'e them. N N .S 414 INSTANCES OF to which Mr. Fuller replied, " 'Tis true, gen- tlemen, that fame has given me the report of a memorist, and if you please I will give you an experiment of it." They all accepted the mo- tion, and told him they sh uuld look upon it as an obligation, laid aside the business before them, and prayed him to begin. " Gentlemen, (says he) I will give you an instance of my good me- mory in that particular. Your worships have thought fit to sequester an honest poor but cava- lier parson, my neighbour, from his living, and committed him to prison ; he has a great charge of children, and his circumstances are but indif- ferent, if you please to release him out of prison, and restore him to his living, I will never forget the kindness while I live." 'Tis said the jest had such an influence upon the committee, that they immediately released and restored the poor clergyman. 1676. A. D. — ^HuMPHRY Burton, of Co- ventry, at the age of eighty-three, could (says Wanley) by the strength and firmness of his me- mory, give the sum of any chapter in the New Testament, and of the chapters in divers books of the Old Testament, in a Latin distich, with as much readiness, and as little hesitation, as if he had directly read them out of a book. I my- self have frequently put him to the trial ; wherein, though I have observed no order, but named NATURAL MEMORY. 416 here a chapter at the beginning, then one to- wards the end, then again returned to the mid- dle, and so on purpose prevented any assistance lie might have from an orderly succession and dependance ; yet could I no sooner name the chapter and book whereof I desired the account, but he was ready with liis distich. 1684. A. D.— Dr. Wallis. In the Phi- losophical Transactions for the years 1686-7,* Dr. Wallis gives an account of his j>erforming arithmetical operations in great numbers, by night in the dark ; and conceives that we can use our memory with greater advantage at this time, that we can by day, when our thoughts are diverted by sights and noises. " Having had the curiosity (says Dr. Wallis) heretofore to try, how the strength of memory would suffice me, to perform some arithmetical operations (as Mul- tiplication, Division, Extraction of Roots, etc.) without the assistance of pen and ink, or ought equivalent thereunto ; and finding it to succeed well, (for instance) in extracting the square Root from numbers of 8, 10, 12, or more places : I proceeded to try it (with success) in numbers of 20, 30, 40 places. But was not curious to keep memorials of the particular numbers which I had $0 considered, (as being but a curiosity, and not of • Vol. xr. p. U69. 4l6 INSTANCES OF farther use,) till there happened an occasional discourse of it with a forraigner ( J ohaimes Georgius Pehhover, Regio-Montanus Borus- sus) who coming to see the University was pleased, as divers other forraigners often do) to give me a visit: Feb. 18, I6f" at a time when I was afflicted with a tedious and severe quartan ague, (which held me for a whole year from about Michaelmas then last past, till about the same time in the year following;) which caused me to pass my nights with little or no sleep. " He was desirous I would tell him some of those numbers which I had so considered. Which at the present, for the reason but now mentioned) 1 could not do ; save only that, on Dec. 22, l669, I had (by night in the dark) extracted the square root of 3 (with ciphers adjoined) contained to the twentieth place of decimal fractions : finding it to be : 1. 73205,08075,68877,y9353,/cre. Which is the square root of o, with forty ciphers adjoined ; 3,00000. 00000. 00000. OOOOO. 00000. 00000. 00000. 00000- (which I had chanced to write down, because 7 3 is a surd which I might after have occasion to make use of) but added, that I could at plea- sure perform the like at any time." 1714. A. D — Antonio MAor.iABECHi was born at Florence, Oct. 2<), 1633. Such NATURAL MEMORY. 417 wsa the poverty of his parents, that they thought themselves happy in getting him into the service of a man who sold herbs and fruit. Here he took every opportunity, though he could not tell one letter from another, to pore on the leaves of some old books that served for waste paper, de- claring that he loved it of all things. A neigh- bouring bookseller, who observed this, took him into his service. Young Magliabechi soon learned to read ; and his inclination for reading became his ruling passion ; and a prodigious memory his distinguished talent. He read every book that came into his hands, and retained not only the sense of what he read, but often all the words, and the very manner of spelling, if sin- gular. To make trial of the force of his me- mory, a gentleman lent him a manuscript he was going to print. Some time after it was returned, the gentleman came to him, with a melancholy face, and pretended it was lost. Magliabechi being requested to recollect what he remembered of it, wrote the whole without missing a word, or varying the spelling. He was consulted by all the learned who proposed to write on any subject. If a priest, for instance, was going to compose a panegyric on a saint, Magliabechi would tell him every author, to the number of an hundred sometimes, who had said any thing of that saint, naming the book and the page, and 418 INSTANCES Of the very words. He did this so often, and so readily, that he came at last to be looked upon as an oracle; and Cosmo III. Grand Duke of Florence, made him his librarian, the most suit- able office to Magliabechi's genius. In the latter part of his life, when a book came into his hands, he would read the title-page all over, dip here and there in the preface, dedication, and prefatory advertisements, if there were any ; and then cast his eyes on each of the divisions, sec- tions, or chapters. After this, he could tell at any time what the book contained. " Though Magliabechi must have lived a very sedentary life, yet he attained to the age of 81. He died July 14, 1714, in the midst of the pub- lic applause, after enjoying, during all the latter part of his life, such an affluence as very few persons have ever procured by their knowledge or learning. By his will he left a very line library collected by himself, for the use of the public, with a fund to maintain it ; and the overplus of the fund to the poor. It had been usual for every author and printer to make him a present of a copy of every thing they published. " Though he was not an ecclesiastic, he would never marry. He was quite slovenly in his dress. He received his friends, and those who came to consult him on any point of literature, in a civil and obliging manner; though in gene- ral he had almost the air of a savage, and even NATURAL MEMORY. 419 affected it ; together with a cynical or contemp- tuous smile. In his maimer of living, he affect- ed the character of Diogenes : three hard eggs, and a draught or two of water, were his u»ual repast. When any one went to see him, they most usually found him lolling in a sort of fixt wooden cradle in the middle of his study, with a multitude of books, some thrown in heaps, and others scattered about the floor, all around him ; and this his cradle or bed, was attached to the nearest pile of books by a number of cobwebs. At their entrance he commonly used to call out to them, ' Not to hurt his spiders.'*" 1748. A. D. — William Lyon. In the Getitleman's Magazine for the year 1752,t there is the following singular anecdote. " William Jjyon, a strolling player, who performed at the theatre at Edinburgh, and who was excellent in the part of Gibby, the Highlander, gave a sur- prising instance of memory. One evening, over his bottle, he wagtr'd a crown bowl of punch, (a liquor of which he was very fond,) that next morning at the rehearsal, he would repeat a Daily yJdvertiser from beginning to end. At the rehearsal, his opponent n minded him of the wager, imaginmg as he was drunk the night before, that he must certainly have forgot it, and . * Spence's Paralkl of Hill and Magliabechi. t Vol. xxii. p. 411. 420 INSTANCES or rallied him on his ridiculous bragging of his me- mory. Jjifon pulled out the paper, desired him to look at it, and be judge himself whether he did or did not win his wager. Notwithstanding the unconnected matter of the paragraphs — the variety of atJvertisements — and the general chaos which goes to the composition of a newspaper, he repeated it from beginning to end, without the least hesitation or mistake. Lyon died about four years ago at Edinburgh, where he had played with great success."* 1751. A. D. — Jedediah Buxton. A con espondent in the Gentleman's Magazine for February 1751,-i- gives the following account of this extraordinary man. *' It is necessary to premise first that he is no scholar, not being able to scrawl his own name ; and secondly that his attainments are of his own pure industry, for that he never had further help towards them, than his learning the multiplication table in his youth ; yet without the assistance of pen, ink, or chalk, or any other mark, he will nmltiply 5 or 6 figures by as many, or divide as large sums off hand, in a very short time, sooner than the most concise of your arithmeticians pretend to. * '< We have heard of this performance (says the editor) many years since, when th ■ Daily Advertiser, thongh larger than other papers, was not so large and crowded as it has been of late." t Vol. xxi. p. 61. NATURAL MEMORY. 421 " I met with him by accident last summer, and after hearing of his performances, I first proposed to him the following random question : In a body whose 3 sides are 23 1457S9 yards, 5641733 yards, and 54965 yards, how many cu- bical glhs of an inch ? After once naming the several figures distinctly one after another, in or- der to assure himself of the several dimensions and fix them in his mind, without more ado he fell to work amidst more than a 100 of his fellow labourers, and after leaving him about 5 hours, on some necessary concerns (in which time I calculated it with the pen) at my return, he told me he was ready : Upon which taking out my pocket-book and pencil, to note down his answer, he asked me which end 1 would begin at, for he would direct me either way. I chose the regular method, and to my great suprize, found that in a line of 28 figures, he made no hesitation nor the least mistake. Many such questions did several other people give him, which he never failed to answer truly ; yea he often corrected those who wrought with the pen. What is more astonishing than this, he would suflTer two people to propose different questions, one immediately after the other, and give each their respective answers, without the least confusion. So reten- tive is his memory, that he will repeat his an- swers a month or two afterwards if you ask him. o o 422. INSTANCES O ^ " He will stride over a piece of land or a field, and tell you the contents of it almost as exact as if you measured it by the chain. Some years ago he measured in this manner the whole lord- ship of Elmion, of some thousand acres, be- longing to Sir John Rhodes, and brought him the contents, not only in acres, roods, and perches, but even in square inches ; after this, for his own amusement, he reduced them into square hairs-breadths, computing (I think) 48 to each side of the inch, which produced such an incomprehensible number, that instead of enter- taining the mind w ith any sort of pleasure, serves more to amaze and distract it. " Millions, millions upon millions, tribes, cramps, and so on, (for in this manner he enu- merates his long series of numbers) are as plain and familiar to him, as pounds, shillings, and pence ; I may say more familiar, for he has sel- dom more than a week's wages before hand. Jt was but the other day, he set himself a voluntary question, to calculate how much one farthing doubled 140 times would amount to. This he desired me to set down in 39 places of pounds, and an odd 2s. Sd. When I asked him if he could multiply this immense sum into itself, he said he would undertake it, and the odd fraction likewise if I pleased; but I dismissed him with the whole numbers, and shall not be more amaz- NATURAL MEMORY. 425 ed at his bringing a true answer, than I have been already at lii^ surprising performances, some of which have cost him many days study ; but be the work long or short it is all one to him, because he reassumes the operation in the morn- ing at the same place he left it over night, and so continues till he has finished it. If at any time you find an error in his answer, he will overhaul, as he terms it, and find out his mistake himself, rather than be convicted by your pen." Another correspondent in the same Magazine for August 1751,* affords some farther informa- tion concerning Buxton. He says, " I perceive he has a good notion of the square, oblong, triangle, and circle. The first question I pro- posed was as follows : admit a field 423 yards long, and 383 wide, what was the area ? After I had read the figures to him distinctly, he gave me the true product, viz, 1 62009 yards, in t\vo minutes, for I observed by my watch how long every operation took him. 1 then asked him how many acres the aforesaid field measured ? In 1 1 minutes he told me 33 acres, I rood, 35 perches, 20 yards, and a quarter just. I then proposed to him, how many barley corns would reach 8 miles P In a minute and half he answered 1520640 barley corns. He is the slowest in • Vol. xxi. p. 347. 424 INSTANCES OF finding the area of a circle, but yet he finds it very near the truth, though he don't use the ma- thematical rules. Allowing the distance between York and London to be 204 miles, J asked him how many times a coach-wheel turned round in that distance, allowing the wheel's circumference to be six yards? In 13 minutes he answered 59840 times. The next proposition was, a tub or bin 346 inches long, 256 inches wide, 94 inches deep, how many gallons liquid measure and what corn will it hold ? Answer, 3,454,464 solid inches, or 1,768,685,568 half quarters of solid inches, making 12,249,872 gallons liquid measure, or 12249 gallons, 3 quarts, and 34f inches; or it will hold 191 quarters, 3 bushels, 3 quarterns, a half quartern, and 34^ inches re- mainder. " Again, suppose a canal was to be dug 426 feet long, 203 wide, and 2 feet deep, how many cubical yards of earth to be removed ? After pausing a quarter of an hour he answered, 10373 yards 24 feet. He will talk with you freely whilst he is doing his questions, it being na molestation or hindrance to him, but enough to confound a penn)an. His memory is so great, that he can leave off and reassume the operation again, at a week, month, or at several months end; he calls his figures all by their proper names, and is very ready at naming them either NATURAL UEMORY. 4S5 backwards or forwards. From May, 17, 10 h. A. D. 1725, he told me he was drunk (to make use of his expression) with reckoning by his me- naory till June \Q, following, and then slept somidly seven hours, but will never attem' t so much reckoning again, for fear of falling into the same dilemma. I suppose what he means by his being drunk, was his being so much stupified with thought, a5 rendered him incapable ol busi- ness ; when it may well be said neque pes, 7iegue mens satis suum officiumfacit, " But, to proceed further with this uncommon man, 1 was led by curiosity to know what ques- tion it was that caused his drunkenness ; to which he replied, in answering the following question. In 202,680,000,360 miles, and each mile reck- oned to be cubical, how many barley-corns, vetches, peas, wheat, oats, rye, beans, lintels, and how many hairs, each an inch long, would fill that space, reckoning 48 hairs in breadth to an inch on the flat, as he found ihem to be so. I shall here subjoin his table of measures, which he founded on experiment. 200 Bailfy corns 300 Wlieat corns 51'^ Rye corns 180 Oats 40 Peas )>are contained io one 25 Beans [ solid inch. 80 Vetclies iOO Lintels 2304 Hairs 1 inch long o o3 •426 INSTANCES OF From which he calculated the following result : 14 thousand, 9'3 mill. 420 thous. 936 quarters, 1 bushel, 1 peck, 1 quartern, 3 pints, and 5 and a quarter solid inches of one sort of grain, are contained in one solid mile; or 5 thousand, 431 mill. 776 thousand yards in a cubical mile, being 254 millions of millions, 358 thousand, 6I mill. and 56 thousand inches in a cubical mile ; and if every hair be an inch long, and 2304 hairs a cubical inch, then 586 thousand, 40 millions of millions, 972 thousand, 673 millions, and 24 thousand, will fill the space of a cubical mile : but if a hair be no longer than it is broad, he then found that there would be 28 tribes, 129- thousand, 966 millions of millions, 688 thousand, 305 millions, and 152 thousand hairs, to fill the space of a cubical mile. " As we are come to that notation where he introduces the word tribe, it will be proper to set down that prolix number, arising from 140 nails, doubled at a farthing a nail, viz. 725.958,238,096,074,907,868,531,656,993,638,851,106;.2s.8d* which he reads thus : 725 Tribes of tribes, 958 Thous. of mill, of mill, of tribe 238 Millions of millions of tribes, 096 Thousand millions of tribes, 074 Millions of tribes, 907 Thousand tribes, 868 Tribes,, NATURAL MEMORY. 427 531 Thousand millions of millions, 656 Millions of millions, 993 Thousand millions, 638 Millions, 851 Thousands, 106 Pounds, 2 shillings, and 8 pence. For the truth of which I leave those gentlemen that have leisure and curiosity to try it. " I shall only mention one thing more with respect to this man's memory, and it shall be in squaring the above number. Now you see he is to nuiltiply 39^ figures by 39 figures, and all by the strength of his memory, without having re- course to human assistance, or pen, ink, and paper. What a prodigious task must this be to be operated by the head only, which he certainly did and after two months and a half, he brings the following answer, omitting the odd 2s. 8d, which he reads thus : 527 Tribes of tribes of cramps, 015 Thous. mill, of mill. trib. of cramps, 363 Mill, of mill, tribes of cramps, 459 Thous. mill, tribes of cramps, 557 Mill, of tribes of cramps, 385 Thousand tribes of cramps, 673 Tribes of cramps, 733 Thous, mill, of mill, of cramps, 542 Million of miiiions of cramps, 638 Tliousand millions of cramps , 591 Millions of cramps, 721 Thousand cramps, 213 Cramps. 428 INSTANCES OF 298 Tribes of tribes, 966 Thous. mi. of mill, of tribes, 079 Millions of mill, of tribes, 307 Thousand millions of tribes, 524 Millions of tribes, 904 Thousand tribes, 381 Trities, 389 Thousand millions of millions, 499 Million of millions 251 Thousands of millions, 637 Millions, 423 Thousands, £36 Pounds. Further particulars res{>ecting Jedediah, of an interesting nature, are found in the Gentleman's Magazine for December, 1753.* This corres- pondent observes, " I accidentally met him one afternoon last week, and was not much above two hours in his company. Tn the first half hour, several persons being present, some tri- fling things were started and talked of; but as he was very desirous that I should propose some higher questions to him, I complied, and the company were all witnesses of his prodigious readmess in answering the following questions. ♦' QUESTION I. " In a field 351 yards long, and 261 yards wide, how many acres ? " After 11 minutes, he answered — 18 acres, 3 roods, IS perches, and 14 remained. • Vol. xxiii. p. 557. NATURAL MEMORY. 429 " QUESTION II. " Suppose sound moves ll-iS feet in one second of time, how long then, after the firing of one of the cannons at Retford, may the same be heard at Haughton Park, taking the distance at five miles ? " After about a quarter of an hour he told me — in 23 seconds, 7 thirds, and 6 remained. " QUESTION III. " Admit I set 3584 brocoli plants in rows, 4 feet asun- der, and the plants 7 feet apart, in a rectangular plot of ground, how much land will these plants take up ? " [n near half an hour he said— 2 acres, I rood, 8 perches and half. " QUESTION IV. " What dimensions must I give my joiner to make me a cubical corn bin, that shall hold me just a quarter of malt, Winchester measure ? " This question exercised all his faculties, and he declared it was the hardest he ever proposed ; by this I perceived he had never engaged himself about the cube root : however, though so diffi- cult it appeared to him, he was very desirous to answer it, before it was too late in the evening, and after some time, he said to himself there were nooks in it, hut he would sift them out: he never regarded our talking, but sat as one heedless of every thing about him, except his pot of beer, which he took notice of. I gave him no hints, help, or assistance, but left it en- tirely to him, as I did the others, nor had he any thing in his hand to make any marks (which I 430 INSTANCES OF must repeat, because he makes all his computa- tions by his memory) after about an hour he told me, it would be a little more than £5| inches on a side, and 26 inches would be too much, all which is very true and very exact. " 1 shall here subjoin an account he gave me of the quantity of ale or strong beer that he has drank on free cost, since he was 12 years of age, and the gentlemen's names where ; and, as the account was a little particular, I asked him hue and illuc after 1 had committed it to paper, and he answered each demand as set down, at the houses of the following noblemen and gentle- men : Duke of Kingston Duke of Norfolk Duke of Leeds Duke of Devonshire Xady Oxford G. Heathcote, Esq. Sir G. Savile, Bart. J. Tho/uliagh, Esq. Sir L. Filkington, Bart. John Bnstowe, Esq. "W. ViUareal, Esq. Sir 11. Hnnlock, Bart, — — Burton, Esq. White, Esq. Dr. Burne Mr. Hocks Mr. West Mr. Vesey Rev. Mr. Hartshorn Mr. Flint Clarke, Esq. Hallows, Esq. Sir J. Jenkinson, Bart. Mr. Huncock Mr. Hall Mr. E. Sharpe of Elkesly Mr. Jh. Sharpe Rev. Mr. Boawre Mr. Willets Mr. Maj-or of Chesterfield Pints. rinU. S130 Rev. Mr. Pegge 10 £66 Mr. Richardson 7 232 Mr. Raynes 30 to Mr. Stevens 5 280 Mr. Far I 160 Mr. Greenwood TT 20 Mr. Shaw S 20 Mr. Barker 15 2 Mr. Sisson 1« 92 Mr. Bfajor 3 8 Mr. Brigs 3 2 Mr. Pilkington j3 4 Mr. J. Brigs 4 1 , Mr. Beestings U 5 Gathering for his dead cow 72 S251 Rev. Mr. Hewet 8 SOI Col.Chndwick 3 16 Mr. HaUhead 15 19 Mr. Wright 40 317 At Elniton Manor 300 SO Mr. Sherwin 15 12 Mr. Carteret 16 I Mr. Lane rate, having by whatever accident, been so much neglected in his youth as never to have been taught to write : how he came first to know the relative proportions of numbers, and their progressive denominations, he docs not re- member ; but to this he has applied the whole force of his mind, and upon this his attention is constantly fixed, so that he frequently takes no cognizance of external objects, and when he does it is only with respect to their numbers : the same attention of his mind appears as well by what he hears as by what he sees. If any space of time is mentioned, he will soon after say, that it is so many minutes, and if any dis- tance of way, he will assign the number of hair's breadths, without any cjuestiou having; been usked, or any calculatioji expected by the conapany. " By this method he has greatly increased the power of his nienjory, with respect to figures, P V 434 INSTANCES OF and stored up several common products in his mind, to whicli he can have immediate recourse, as the number of minutes in a year, of hs^ir's breadths in a nnle, and many others. When he once comprehends a question, which is not without difficulty and time, he begins to work with amazing facility, and will leave a long question half wrought, and, at the end of se- veral months, resume it, beginnhig where he < left off, and proceeding regularly till it is com- pleted. " His memory would certainly, have been equally retentive, with respect to other objects, if he had attended to odier objects with equal diligence ; but his perpetual application to fi- gures has prevented the smallest acquisition of any other knowledge, and his mind seems to have retained fewer ideas than that of a boy of ten years old, in the same class of life. He has been sometimes asked, on his return from church, whether he remembered the ^ text, or any pari of the sermon, but it never appeared that he brought away one sentence : his mind, upon a closer examination, being found to have been busied, even during divine service in its favourite operation, either dividing some time or some sjjace into the smallest known parts, or resolving some question that had been given him as a test of his abilities. His power of abstrac- NARTUAL MEMORY. 435 tion is so great that no noise interrupts hinni ; and, if he is asked any question, he immediately replies, and returns again to his calculation, without any confusion, or the loss of more time than his answer required. His method of work- ing is peculiar to himself, and by no means the shortest or the clearest, as will appear by the following example : " He was required to mutiply 456 by 378, which he had completed as soon as a person in company had produced the product in the com- mon way ; and upon being requested to work it audibly, that his method might be known, he multiplied 456 first by 5, which produced 2280, which he again multiplied by 20, and found the product 45600, which was the multiplicand mul- tiplied by 100; this product he again multiplied by S, which produced 136800, which was the sum of the multiplicand multiplied by 300 ; it remained therefore to multiply it by 78, which he eflfected, by multiplying 2280 (the product of the multiplicand multiplied by 5) by 15 ; 5 times 15 being 75 ; this product being 34200, he added to the 136800, which was the multi- plicand multiplied by 300, and this produced 171000, which was 375 times 456 ; to complete this operation therefore, he multiplied 456 by 3, which produced 1368, and having added this 436 NATURAL MEMORY. number to 171000, he found the product of 45t6 multiplied by 378 to be 172368. " Thus it appears that his arithmetic is per- fectly his own, and that he is so little acquainted with the common rules as to multiply 456 first by 5, and the product by 20, to find what sum . it would produce multiplied by 100, whereas if he had added two noughts to the figures, he would have obtained it at once. " The only objects of Jedediah's curiosity, ex- cept figures, were the king and royal family, and his desire to see them was so strong, that, in the beginning of the spring, he walked to London on purpose, but at last returned disappointed, the king having just removed to Kensington as Jedediah came into London. He was however introduced to the Royal Society, whom he called the volk of the Siety Court : the gentlemen who were present asked him several questions in arithmetic, to prove his abilities, and dismissed him with a handsome gratuity. " During his residence in London he was car- ried to see King Richard IIL performed at Drury-laue playhouse, and it was expected ei- ther that the novelty and the splendour of the show would have fixed him in astonishment, or kept Tiis imagination in a continual hurry ; or that his passions would, in some degree have been touched by the power of action, if he had NATURAL MEMOKY. 437 not perfectly understood the dialogue ; but Jede- diah's mind was employed in the playhouse just as it was employed at church. During the dance he fixed his attention upon the numb'-r of steps ; he declared after a fine piece of music, that the innumerable sounds produced by the in- struments had perplexed him beyond measure, and he attended even to Mr. Garrick only to coinU the zoords that he uttered; in which, he says, he perfectly succeeded. " Jedediah is now safely returned to the place of his birth, where, if his enjoyments are few, his wishes do not seem to be more : he applies to his labour, by which he subsists with cheer- fulness ; he regrets nothing that he left behind him in London, and it is still his opinion, that a slice of rusty bacon atfords the most delicious repast."* 1312. A. D. — Zerah CoLBURN. Theap- pearance of this young American, and rival of Jedediah Buxton, having excited considerable at- tention, we shall present our readers with the fol- lowing interesting narrative, as drawn up by the ingenious and well known calculator, Mr. Fi< an- cis Baily. • Jedediah died about the your 1774, aged 70, aqd left several children, none of whom have inherited the rare ta- lents of their father. 438 INSTANCES OF " London, Jug. 20, 1812. *' The attention of the philosophical world has been lately attracted by the most singular phaeno- menon in the history of the human mind that perhaps ever existed. It is the case of a child, under eight ^eats of age, who, without any pre- vious knowledge of the common rules of arith- metic, or even of the use and power of the Ara- bic numerals, and without having given any par- ticular attention to the subject, possesses (as if by intuition) the singular faculty of solving a great variety of arithmetical questions by the mere operation of the mind, and without the usual assistance of any visible symbol or contrivance. ''Thenanieof this child is Zera Colburn, who was born at Cabut (a town lying at the head of Onion river, in Vermont, in the United States of America,) on the 1st of September 1804. About two years ago (August ISIO) although at that time not six ifenrs of age, \\e first began to show those wonderful powers of calculation which.have since so much attracted the attention and excited tiie astonishment of every person who has witnessed his extraordinary abilities. The discovery was made by accident. His fa- ther, who had not given him any other instruc- tion than such as was to be obtained at a small school established in that unfrequented and re- mote part of tlie country, (and which did not NATURAL MEMORY. 439 include either writing or ciphering,) was much surprised one day to hear him repeating the products of several numbers. Struck with amazement at the circumstance, he proposed a variety of arithmetical questions to him, all of which the child solved with remarkable facility and correctness. The news of this infant pro- digy soon circulated through the neighbourhood; and many persons came from distant parts to witness so singular a circumstance. The father, encouraged by the unanimous opinion of all w!io came to see him, was induced to undertake, with this child, the tour of the United States. They were every where received with the most flattering expressions ; and in the several towns which they visited, various plans were suggested to educate and bring up the child, free from all expense to his family. Yielding, however, to the pressing solicitations of his friends, and nrged by the most respectable and powerful re- commendations, as well as by a view to his son's more complete education, the father has brought the child to this coiftitry, where they arrived on the ICth of May last : and the inhabitants of this metropolis have for the last three months had an opportunity of seeing and examining this wonder- ful phiCnomcnon,* and of verifying the reports that have been circulated respecting him. • At the Exhibition Rooms, Spring Gardens. 440 INSTANCES OF " Many persons of the first eminence for their knowledge in mathematics, and well known for their philosophical inquiries, have made a point of seeing and conversing with his extraordinary powers. It is correctly true, as stated of him, that — * He will not only determine, with the greatest facility and dispatch, the exact number oi minutes or seconds in any given period of time; but will also solve any other question of a similar kind. He will tell the exact product arising from the multiplication of any number, consisting of two, three, or fOur figures, by any other number consist- ing of the like number of figures. Or, any number, consisting of six, or seven places of figures, being ' proposed, he will determine, with equal expedi- tion and ease, all x\\e factors of which it is com- posed. Tiiis .singular faculty consequently ex- tends not only to the raising of powers, but also to the extraction of the square and cube roots of the number proposed ; and likewise to the means of determining whether it be aprime number (or a number incapable of division by any other num- ber) ; for which case there does not exist, at pre- sent, any general rule among mathematicians.' All these, and a variety of other questions con- nected therewith, are answered by this child with such promptness and accuracy (and in the midst of his Juvenile pursuits) as to astonish every per- son who has visited him. NATURAL MEMORY. 441 " At a meeting of his friends which was held for the purpose of concerting the best method of promoting the views of the father, tiiis child un- dertook, and completely succeeded in, raising the number 8 progressively up to the sixteenth power ! ! ! and in naming the last result, viz. 28 1,474,976,7 10,65(5 he was right in every figure. He was then tried as to other numbers, consist- ing of one figure ; all of which he raised (by ac- tual multiplication and not by memory) as high as the tenth power, with so much facility and dispatch that the person appointed to take down the results, was obliged to enjoin him not to be so rapid i With respect to numbers consisting of two figures, he would raise some of them to the sixth, seventh, 2^^d eighth power; but not always with equal facility: for the larger the products became, the more difHculthe found it to proceed. He was asked the square root of 106929, and before the number could be written down, he immediately answered 327. He was then re- quired to name the cube root of 268,336,125, and with equal facility and promptness he re- plied 645. Various other questions of a similar nature, respecting the roots and powers of very high numbers, were proposed by several of the gentlemen present, to all of which he answer- ed in a similar manner. One of the party re- quested him to name the yac^o/\s which produced 442 INSTANCES OF the number 247483, which he immediately did by mentioning the two numbers 941 and 263; which indeed are the only two numbers that will produce it. Another of them proposed 171395, and he named the following factors as the only ones that would produce it ; viz 5 < 34279, 7 X 24485, 59 X 2905, 83 X 2065, 35 X 4897, 295 X 58 ] , and 413x415. He yvhs then asked to give the factors of 36083 ; but he immediately replied that it had none, which in fact was the case, as 36083 is a prime number. Other num- bers were indiscriminately proposed to him, and he always succeeded in giving the correct factors, except in the case of prime nun)bers, which he discovered almost ais soon as proposed. One of the gentlemen asked him how miiny minutes there were in forty eight years ; and before the question could be written down he replied 25,228,800 ; and instantly added, that the number of seconds in the same pt riod was 1,5 1 3,7'28,000. Various questions of the like kind were put to him ; and to all of them he answered with nearly equal facility and promptitude ; so as to asto- nish every one present, and to excite a desire that so extraordinary a faculty siiould (if possible) be rendered more extensive and useful. ** It was the wish of the gentlemc nt present to oblani a knowledge of the method by which the child was enabled to answer, with so much NATURAL MEMORY. 44 facility and correctness, the questions thus put to him : but to all their inquiries upon this subject (and he was closely e^iamincd upon this point) he was unable to give them any information. He positively declared (and every observation that was made seemed to justify the assertion) that he did not know Aorc; the answers came into his mind. In the act of multiplying two numbers together, and in the raising of powers, it was evi- dent (not only from the motion of his lips, but also from some singular facts which will be here- after mentioned,) that some operation was going forward in his mind; yet that operation could not (from the rcadujess with which the answers were furnished) be at all allied to the usual mode of proceeding with such subjects Tand moreover, he is entirely ignorant of the common rules of arithmetic, atid cannot perform, upon paper, a simple sum in multiplication or division. But, in ihe extraction of roots and in mentioning the factors of high numbers it does not appear that any operation can take place ; since he \\ill give the answer immedi at ehj, or in u very few seconds, where it would require, according to the ordi- nary method of solution, a very difficult and la- borious calculation: and nvoreover, tlie know- ledge of a prime number cannot be obtained by any known rule. 4i4 •' INSTANCliS OX- *i It has been already observed, that it was evident, from some singular facts, that the child operated by certain rules known only to him- self. This discovery was made in one or two instances, when he had been closely pressed upon that point. In one case he was asked to tell the square of 4395; he at first hesi- tated, fearful that lie should not be able . to answer it correctly ; but when he applied himself to it he said it was ]9?3lG,025. On being questioned as to the cause of his hesitation, he replied that he did not like to iiiultiply four figures by four figures ; but, said he, * 1 found * out another way; I multiplied 293 by 293, and * llien multiplied this product twice by the num- ' ber 15; which produced the sanie result.' On another occasion, his highness the Duke of Gloucester asked him the product of 21,734 multiplied by o43 ; he immediately replied 11,801,502: but, upon son»e remark being made on the subject, the child said that he had, in his own mind, multiplied ()5302 by 181. Now, although in the first instance it must be evident to every mathematician that 4395 is equal to 393 X 15,(aod consequently that (4395) ®=(«93)"x (15)^ ^nd further that in the se- cond case 543 is equal to 181x3, and conse- quently that 21734x(l3l xS)=(21734X3x NATURAL MEMORY. 445 181 ; yet, it is not the less remarkable that this combination should be immediately perceived by the child, and we cannot the less adu)ire his in- genuity in thus seizing histantly the easiest me- thod of solving the question proposed to him. " It must be evident, from whaihas here been stated, that the singular faculty which this child possesses is nit altogether dependent upon his memory. In the multiplication of numbers and in the raising of powers, he is doubtless consi- derably assisted by that remarkable quality of the mind : and in this respect he might be considered as bearing some resemblance (if the difference of age did not prevent the justness of the compa- rison) to the celebrated Jedediah Buxton, and other persons of similar note. But, in the ex- traction of the roots of numbers, and in deter- mining their factors (if any), it is clear, to all those who have witnessed the astonishing quick- ness and accuracy of this child, that the memory has little or nothing to do with the process. And in this particular pohit consists the remark- able difference between the present and all for- mer instances of an apparently similar kind. '* It has been recorded as an astonishing effort of memory that the celebrated Euler (who, in the science of analysis, might vie even with New- ton himself,) could remember the first six pow- ers of every number under 100. This, probably, 9 9 446 INSTANCES OF must be taken with some restrictious : but, if true to the fullest extent, it is not move astonishing than the efforts of this child; with this additional circumstance in favour t)f the latter, that he is capable of veryfying, in a very few seconds, every figure which he may have occasion for. It has been further remarked by the biographer of that eminent mathematician, that * he perceived, * almost at a simple glance, the factors of which *■ his formulae were composed ; the particular * system of factors belonging to the question un- * der consideration : the various artifices by * which that system may be simplified and redu- * ced ; and the relation of the several factors to * ihe conditions of the hypothesis. His expert- ^ ness in this particular probably resulted, in a f great measure, from the ease with which he * performed mathematical investigations hy head. * He had always accustomed himself to that ex- * ercise ; and, having practised it with assiduity, * (even before the loss of sight, which afterwards * rendered it a matter of necessity,) he is an in- * stance to what an astonishing degree it may be ' acquired, and how much it improves the intel- * lectual powers. No other discipline is so ef- * ft ctual in strengthening the faculty of attention : * it gives a facility of apprehension, an accuracy * and steadiness to the conceptions ; and (what is ' a still more valuable acquisition) it habituates NATURAL MEMORY. 447 * the mind to arrangement in its reasonings and * reflections.' " It is not iijtended to draw a comparison be- tween the humble, though astonishing, efforts of this infant-prodigy and the gigantic powers of that illustrious character to whom a reference has just been made : yet we may be permitted to hope and expect that those wonderful talents, which are so conspicuous at this early age, may by a suitable education be considerably improved and extended: and that some netv light will even- tually be thrown upon those subjects, for the elu- cidation of which his mind appears to be pecu- liarly formed by nature, since he enters into the world with all those powers and faculties which are not even attainable by the most eminent at a more advanced period of life. Every mathemati- cian must be aware of the important advantages which have sometimes been derived from the most simple and trifling circumstances ; the full effect of which has not always been evident at first sight. To mention one singular instance of this kind. The very simple improvement of ex- pressing the powers and roots of quantities by means of indices, introduced a new and general arithmetic of exponents : and this algorithm of powers led the way to the invention of I ga- rithms, by means of which, all arithmetical com- jiutatioas are so much facilitated and abridged. 448 INSTANCES OF Perhaps this child possesses a knowledge of some more important properties connected with this subject; and although he is incapable at present of giving any satisfactory account of the state of his mind, or of comnumicating to others the knowledge which it is so evident he doe& possess, yet there is every reason to believe that, wher) his mind is more cultivated and his ideas more expanded, he will be able not only to divulge the mode by which he at present operates, but also point out some new sources of information on this interesting subject, " The case is certainly one of great novelty and importance : and every literary character and every friend to science must be anxious to see the experiment fairly tried, as to the effect which a suitable education may produce on a mind constituted as his appears to be. With this view a number of gentlemen have taken the child un- der their patronage, and have formed themselves into a committee foi the purpose of superintend- ing his education. Application has been made to a gentleman of science, well known for his mathematical abilities, who has consented to take the child under his immediate tuition : the committee therefore propose to withdraw him, for the present, from public exhibition, in order that he may fully devote himself to his studies. But whether they shall be able wholly to accom NATURAL MEMORY. 449 plish the object they have in view, will depend upon the assistance which they may receive from the public."* Since this statement was printed, we have been favoured with some further account of this ex- traordinary child, which details an examination by Mr. Hase, the chief cashier of the Bank of England. The authenticity of this narrative may be relied on. Zerah Colhurn was introduced to Mr. Hase at the Bank accompanied by his father. The first question required the cube root of 949,862,087 ; he answered in about one minute, 983, which is correct ; the next question was the cube of 478 ; in less than two minutes he said it was, 109,215,352. The third ques- tion was to give the product of the two factors 4973 and 3587 ; in about four minutes he stated a product wrong in two figures, namely 17,836,45 1 then 17,828,481 : on being told that he was not correct, after a lapse of two minutes more he sta- ted the right product, 1 7,838, 151. He was then asked what two factors of four figures each would give 42,173,703 ; he hesitated for some time, and appeared unable to answer it ; his fa- ther then requested Mr. H. to mention one of the factors, which he did, namely, 8937, in about • Mr. BoNNYCASTLE, we understand, is the gentleman to whom the tuition ofZeraii Col burn is to be entrusted. 450 INSTANCES OF three minutes he named the other correctly, 4719. The last question was to name two fac- tors, one of four, the other of three figures, which would produce 1 ,734,433 ; he appeared unable to do this, saying, they were prime numbers, but his father persisted that he would solve the ques- tion; he, however, found the difficulty insur- mountable. His father then asked Mr. H. the first number of the jfac^or of three figures, which was named, viz. 7 ; still he could not accomplish it, then the second figure, 3, was told him ; still he failed, but when he was made acquainted with the last figure, 9> to the great astonishment of Mr. H. he immediately called out that the other factor was "2347, which is correct. Since the above accounthas been collected, we regret to find that this interesting youth is again exhibited to the public ; the money collected for his education, we suppose, not being found sufficient for the purpose. If his parents intend to appro- priate the sum gained by exhibiting him, in aid of the above fund, we heartily wish them success, and cannot, perhaps, do them a more essential service than by inserting the following notice, which appeared in the Chronicle of the 17th Dec. 18 12 NATURAL MEMORY. 451 " SliNGULAR PHENOMENON. " To be seen at Wigle}''s Exhibition Rooms, Spring Gardens, a child only eight years of age, who, without any previous knowledge of the common rules of arithmetic, possesses the power of solving arithmetical questions by the intuition of his mind alone. He will instantly tell the number of minutes and seconds in any given time — multiply any two, three, or four figures by any others — find all the fractions in any number of six or seven places of figures — extract square and cube roots in the midst of his juvenile pur- suits. Many eminent mathematicians, and other learned persons have witnessed his extraordinary powers with astonishment. — Admission daily from 12 till 4 o'clock, and from 8 to 9. One shilling each person." THE END. J. Fawcett, Printer, Mtwcastle Street, Loudon. Books printed for Sherwood, Neeli/, and Jones. BAUSSETS LIFE OF FENELON. In Two Volumes, 8vo. embellished with an elegant Portrait, price 185. boards, 1. THE LIFE OF FENELON, Archbishop of Carabrai ; compiled, from Original Manuscripts, by M. L. F. De Bausset, formerly Bishop of Alais, Sec, Translated from the French, BY WILLIAM MUDFORD. ''The utmost gentleness of manners, a temper which nothing could disturb, perfect ingenuousness, eminent at- tainments, a sublime genious, exalted virtue, and elevated piety, created the singular interest which belonged to Fe- nelon when livi ;g, and which still surrounds his memory. " The work before us will highly gratify all who delight to contemplate extraordiuary worth and excellence ; and, indeed, in interest and beneficial tendency, how few per- formances approach it!" — Monthly Review, March, 1811. 2. THE CHARACTERS AND PROPERTIES OF TRUE CHARITY DISPLAYED, from the French of Fenelon. One large Volume, 12mo. 4s, 6d. boards. 3. FENELON'S PIOUS REFLECTIONS, for ev ry Day in the Month, Twelfth Edition, Price'ls. or utatly bound in English Morocco, gs, ; in calf, 2s. 6d. ; Morocco, 3s. 6d. " This excellent little manual is too well known to the public to require on our part any additional recommenda- tion ; and tlie Memoirs of the amiable Fenelon, prefixed to this edition, form a considerable improveraeut."~CrJ(ic«{ Review. As a companion to the above, (the same size S^ price,) 4. FENELON'S PIOUS THOUGHTS, con- ceraing the Knowledge and Love of God. To which are subjoined, Directions for a Holy Life, and the attaining Christian Perfection ; also, the Closet Companion, or • Course of Short Prayers for every Day in the Week. -< A 000 065 316 2 >s^>M-UBRARYQ^. ^^SOJITVJJO'^ %0illV3JO'^ ^lOSANCEl^y. ^OFCA11FO% ,^0FCAIIF0% DC ^^Aavaaiii^^ ^^AHvaani^'^ YQ/v -..^lllBRARYac. JO^ '^.i/OJIlVJJO'^ ?i ^WEUNIVER5/A o