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BF385 .M64
How
to

remember, with put

mem o r v

s v ste

ms

3 1924 029 039 034

olin

Cornell University Library

The

original of this

book

is in

the Cornell University Library.

There are no known copyright

restrictions in
text.

the United States on the use of the

http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029039034

HOW

TO REMEMBER

HOW TO REMEMBER
WITHOUT MEMORY SYSTEMS OR WITH THEM

EUSTACE

H.

MILES,

M.A.

FORMERLY SCHOLAR OF KING'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE HONOURS COACH IN CLASSICS AND ANCIENT HISTORY AT CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY

AUTHOR OF
'THE POWER OF CONCENTRATION,' 'HOW TO PREPARE ESSAYS,' ETC

LONDON

FREDERICK WARNE
AND NEW YORK
[All Rights Reserved)

& CO.

\\

if
-1

PTUKTED IN GREAT BRITAIN

This Book

is

Dedicated

G.

F.

STOUT,

Esq.,

M.A.

CONTENTS.
PAGE

Preface

xi

PART
ECTIONS
I.

I.

Introductory.

II.

III.

The Value of Memory The Ideal Way of Learning and Remembering Some Hindrances to Memory, or Why we Forget

3
ii

14

PART
IV.

II.

An

Instance

Learnt
.

and
.

Remembered
.

without
.

Memory-Systems
V.

The Same
Systems

Instance
.

Remembered

....
with

.21
31

Memory-

PART
The Helps
Systems:
to
in Detail,

III.

Memory, apart from Memorywith further Examples.

VI. Health and Good Conditions

CONTENTS
XII. XIII.

To Arrange and Emphasise Headings To Find Causes and other Connexions

.

81 87

XIV. Rough Outline and Framework XV. To Realise XVI. Carefully to Study and Analyse the Parts XVII. Common Sense and a priori Reasoning
XVIII. Comparisons
.

89
9i

98
100 102
107

XIX. Contrasts XX. To Teach Others XXI. Repetition and the Returnee

no
.

113

PART

IV.

Memory-Systems; in Detail, with further Examples.

XXII. To Observe Useful Points .121 . XXIII. To Link (the Loisette-System) 123 . XXIV. To Localise (the Room-System) .132 XXV. To Connect with Things that are Easier to Remember (the Peg- or Anchor- System) 134 XXVI. To Substitute (a System especially Useful for Numbers) 139
. . .

XXVII. To

Initialise,

or to Put the Part for the

.....
.
. .

(the Cabal-System)

XXVIII. Blend-Words (the Brunch- System) XXIX. Absurdities and Humour XXX. Rhyme and Alliteration

....
.
.
.

Whole
142
.

150
152 153

XXXI. Rhythm. XXXII. Music

XXXIII. Epigrams

.157
,

IS9 I00 162

XXXIV.

Alternatives and Combinations

PART
The Systems Applied
XXXV. Maps and Plans XXXVI. Numbers and Dates

V.

to

...
.

Various Subjects.
l67 7
1?

CONTENTS
SECTIONS

ix
PAGE

XXXVII. Engagements, etc. XXXVIII. The Learning of Poetry

.

.
.

.184 .186

PART
Practice,

VI.

and other Helps.

XXXIX.

Practice,

and

How

to Practise
.

. .

191

XL. General Hints and Helps

197

PART

VII.

The Raisons d'fitre, and the Advantages of Good Methods and Systems, when Rightly Used.
XLI. Reasons and Justifications . . . XLII. A Passage from the New Testament XLI 1 1. Advantages of Remembering, especially by Means of the Systems XLIV. Advantages for Special Purposes and Subjects XLV. Advantages for Special Classes XLVI. Advantages for Special Powers and Faculties
.

205 221 225 231 235 238

PART

VIII.

Objections Anticipated and Answered: with a Reference to some Useful Books.

XLVI I.
XLVIII.

Objections Anticipated and Answered

245

A Few

Reference Books

.266

'

PREFACE.
POSTERITY
the easiest
to
profit
will scarcely believe that this generation
its

had daily before

eyes so

many

clear lessons

on

ways of remembering, and that it failed by these lessons. So far behind our

Advertisers have our Teachers lagged.

The former

generally succeed in interesting and teaching the

public,

and

in

impressing their ideas almost indelibly

public.

upon the minds and memories of the

latter frequently
fail.

The
what

Now,

setting

aside

the consideration

of

the Advertisements

teach,

and asking simply how

results

they teach,
results,

we

are likely to arrive at very interesting

will

which

become very important

left

if

once we realise that our various powers and faculties

were given us to be used, and not to be

even scorned.

unused or

Thus our power of remembering by means of Rhythms and Rhymes was surely intended
to be applied to
all

sorts of things that are

worth

re-

membering, and not merely to one small

It

class of

them.

has been the fashion to condemn all Systems

as unnatural or even as positively
it
'

of

Memory

low

and degrading:
if

has been maintained practically,

words, that
it

not in so

many

is

far better for

xii

PREFACE

the schoolboy to be the veriest parrot or phonograph, accurately reproducing his text-book or his
teacher's

words, with only the vaguest idea as to

what they mean or how they can be applied, than 'aid to for him to make use of any artificial different Memory -Systems', however memory'.
'

from

one

another
or
in

they
their

may

be

in

their
all

main

characteristics

details,

are

grouped

together in a single class and labelled as rubbish

or something worse than rubbish.

by heart
'

'

'

heart

'

forsooth

But the learning

the very treadthe chief

the usually dull and

',

often unreliable learning

mill

by heart
'

of education, that must be one of of mental

exercise
!

kinds

am

speaking here

particularly of the old-established English methods

of Education.

As

the reader will start reading this book with

it,

an inevitable bias against

would ask him to be

first.

so kind as to listen to a few words

I

assure him, to begin with, that this book

'

is

not
in-

a mere collection of
cluded,
are
'

Systems

' '
:

Systems
it is

'

are

it

is

true,
'

and among

these,

true, there

Systems
will

been,

which can be, and frequently have most shamefully misused. But the careful
notice that

reader

these

'

Systems

'

come

in

the second places in the book;

notice that they are not
for the lazy
' ;

moreover he
'

will

all

necessarily

short cuts

candidly admit that even short cuts are not always an unmitigated curse.
will

and he

PREFACE

xiii

I ask the reader to come to the book with a determination to hear at least a part of it before he decides against it I ask him, for instance, to do
:

me

the

favour

of

reading
II.
'

through

the

example

worked out in Part Helps and Systems

*

(this

shows the various

at work),

actually

and the
if

answers
will
still

to objections,

in Section

XLVII.

then,

he

go on,

let

him glance

at the advantages

of these methods and 'Systems', in Section XLIII.

If

he

will

have the boldness to use

I

his

reasoning

powers freely and confidently,

that

think he will agree

a fair
trial

some

of the suggestions

demand

as

their right

and due. Throughout the work

shall try to appeal to his

intelligence

than to
I

and common sense and experience, rather the statements of any celebrated authority.
Italy

shall

say to him, for instance

to
is

remember the shape of

like a

Does it help you when you see that it

'
:

booted leg stepping towards the once candidly admit that

'

left ?
'

'

He
',

will at

it ?
'

does.

But

shall say,
'

why
know

does this help you

is
'.

He
',

will

answer
:

Because the booted leg

I

a thing
'

already

more familiar Well then

'

to
I

me

it is

shall say,

is

there

only

few

any reason why you should confine instances this excellent method

to of

remembering one thing by means of a second thing which is like it, and which is more familiar to you
(see the

System

in

Section

XXV.) than
',

the
'

first

thing

is ?

Is there

any reason

shall ask,

why

xiv

PREFACE

you should not remember the shape of England by a similar method? Is there any reason why you should not find out for yourself something which
looks like England in shape, but
is

more

familiar to

you, and therefore easier to remember, than the

of

map

any reason why you should refuse to use this plan until you have seen it applied to England by some one else, e.g. in a Geography
England
is ?

Is there

Book
and

'

He

will

answer that there

is

no

reason,

I will

then show him

how he can work

out

this

plan for himself.

Again,
riddles.

will
will

He
'

with
Why
'

ask him whether he sees puns and

a sigh

admit

that he cannot
?

help doing so.

does he see them

What

does the

faculty

of seeing puns
is
'

mean

What
the
'

is

a
'

pun
'

What
'

there

to

connect

words

examination

and
'

eggs-hammy-nation
'

',

idiosyn'

crasies
'

and
'

hideous-ink-races

',

incolarum

and

ink-alarum

There

is

a similarity of sound and

'

rhythm.
grass
'

In the case of

asparagus
is

'

and

'

sparrow-

(Section XXIII.) there

also

some connexion

of meaning.

Now,

if

such connexions (of sound and

for

meaning)
as puns

may

be used

such execrable purposes

and riddles, why should they not be used for remembering things which are worth remembering?
If

we have such a

'faculty'

that

we cannot

help

seeing the connexion between these words (or rather that we can scarcely succeed in forgetting it), why

should

we not

turn the

'

faculty

'

into a really good

' '

PREFACE
channel
(as
in
it

xv

the

above

mentioned
that

System) ?
should
re-

Why
it

should

not be employed?

Why

not become our faithful servant

certain

may

member
easily

things

for

us

both

quickly

and

and surely?

Why

should not puns become

a something better than

has been said) to tickling?
of our
I
'

a torture
Is

analogous

(it

this a

degradation

faculties

'

leave the open-minded and thoughtful reader to

answer the question for himself.

I

would suggest a

similar instance of a
viz.

'

faculty

which was given us to be used,

(Sections
that

the faculty for

alliterations

remembering rhymes and rhythms and

'

XXX., XXXI., XXXIIL). Why is it such a sentence as The Pickwick, Owl, and
fail

Waverley Pens are a great blessing

may
'

to settle itself in our

to mankind memory, whereas

They come as a boon and a blessing to men The Pickwick, the Owl, and the Waverley Pen'

stick for ever

it is

and cannot be dislodged

blessing,

Of

course

the

Rhythm, and the Rhyme, and the

Allitera-

tion of boon,
is
'

Pickwick, and pen.

Then

there any sound excuse for not applying such

'

faculties

to a serviceable end
out, leisurely

Let

this question

be thought
I

and without

bias.

will

appeal to the reason once again.

the treasure-house of the

cling

round the word

'

Look into mind and see what ideas omnibus do you think,
'
:

xvi

PREFACE

perhaps, of drivers and conductors, of tickets and

cheapness, of rumbling and slowness, of green or

yellow, of

by way of
trains,?

Tottenham Court Road or Piccadilly, and, contrast, of trams and cars and cabs and

Can anyone succeed

try as

he

will
'

in

cutting off these associations from the

word

omni-

bus

',

as he might cut off the cakes of

?

mud
:

from a

boot

No.

Well then, there are these associations

ready to hand and always in the mind

and

shall

we

refuse to turn

them to a

fine

employment?

undoubtedly have the

materials

materials

We
of
like
'

vast

heaps

which

would otherwise be unused,

things in a lumber-room
for

using them as a

sure
to

means

and we have means a and

the
swift
it

'

faculties

easy and

of remembering most things

we wish
?

remember.

Would
'

be
'

'

low

'

to apply these In

materials and these

faculties

to such an end that

it

our heart of hearts

we cannot think
has

would.

My

plan,

then,

been
all

to

examples

of things

which

or

find undoubted most of us re-

member very easily and surely; to examine why we remember them and then to see what methods and means of remembering may be suggested by
;

these examples.

These methods and means

have

classified

and

put into formulas, so that the reader

(a)
(b)

may
suits

make experiments for himself; then adopt and employ just whichever

him


PREFACE
best for
xvii

any given subject

the
rest

and meanwhile

if

he

has the energy and patience

(c)

practise

one

by

one,

so

as

to

strengthen the weak points.

So
and

have really done

little

more than analyse,

classify,

and apply to fresh instances, and show

the reader

how to apply for himself, those methods and means which most of us have already found
valuable without knowing why.
I

expect the reader, then, to try some of these

for himself,

methods and means

grateful
if

and

shall

be very

he

will let

me know where

the

weak points

seem

to

lie.

Any

suggestions and objections will be

most welcome.

As
them,

to

the

Headings which

have chosen as

examples, most of them are original, and most of

I

hope, will also be useful and worth remem-

bering in themselves and not merely as illustrations

of methods

and

'

Systems
Part

'.

Thus the Causes

of

Rome's Success
value to
all

(in

II.)

who

care to

may be of interest and know why any Nation has

is

succeeded or failed
or
it

in the past or

likely to succeed
I

fail in

the future.

The

list

of foods which

find

better to avoid

may

also be of use.
will

But the

reader's

own home-made examples

it

be the best for him.

In most subjects
will will in

be found that very much

depend on the way

6

which the Headings to be

first

remembered

are learnt in the

place

and the

xviii

PREFACE
of learning will include the selection and the

way

and the arrangement of ideas or Headings, the thorough realising of the ideas or Headings themselves and of their connexion with one another
rejection
'
'

fore,

any such connexion can be found). This, therewith some other helps, will be found in a prominent part of the book, followed by suggestions
(if

as to the uses of Comparisons

Repetitions.

and Contrasts and

helps,
I

For

details

on these

must

refer the reader to

what

have said on the subject

of preparing Books, Essays, etc.*

Even here I have tried to bear in mind that the same methods and helps do not suit all people equally well. Some, for instance, will like to repeat certain Headings as ideas, others to repeat them as
pictures in the mind, others to repeat
seen, others to repeat

them

as words

others to recall

words said and heard, the surroundings amid which they

as
'

them

received the early

impressions

'

of these Headings.
is

And,
here,
'

if

the variety of individuals

noticeable
to the

it is still
'.

more noticeable when we come

this

Systems
try

For
I

Systems that

have collected all the could, so that each individual reader

I

reason

and then choose for himself. I have advised the reader, still further on, not to confine himself to any one single System however
'

may

',

well
*

it

may

suit

him, but rather to give

all

fair

How to
'

Prepare Essays, Lectures, Articles, Books, Speeches, and

Letters

(Rivingtons).

: '

PREFACE
trial,

xix
'

to practise at odd
is

in
'

which he
'

moments those Systems weakest, and above all to vary his

'

System according
'

to

the nature
'

of his subject :
the

for

instance, to use

Links

for a list of things to

be
of
on.

done during the day,

Physical

'

Initialising

'

for

list

Exercises
for

in

the

morning,

and so
I
'

Again,

the

most important subjects

two
strings to

have
',

advised the combination of two or more

Systems

on the

principle of having

one bow,

or a double lining to a bag.

two Systems I have just mentioned but have not recommended very heartily for instance,
or
' '

One

the

Localising-system.
suit

This

is

partly because

it

me personally; but there may be some individuals whom such a System may suit
does not
'
'

admirably.

Nearer to the end of the book

to

how

to

practise

offer advice as
:

a most important point

'

for

believe that there

must be
all

Principles of Practice

which

will

apply to
to

subjects equally, whether to

writing,
insist

or

teaching,

or

to

athletics.

And

and steady practice on the right lines as a sine qud non of success here and everywhere. One of the most astounding and incredible results
on
fair

of such practice of
in

some of

the

'

Systems

'

has been,
I

my own

case at any rate, that by degrees

' '

have

been able to dispense with the Systems altogether I came to apply them more and more rapidly every
week,
till

now

find

that

am

often

barely con-

'

xx
scious
if

PREFACE
at
all

conscious of using them.

Such a

thing one can

realise for piano-playing, for instance,

where the good player must see at any rate most of the notes, and yet may cease to be conscious of
seeing

them.
or
'

But that the

memory

will

work
to

almost
'

quite

automatically

according

System

like the

Link-System, must be experienced

It

to

be believed.

only shows

how

little

weight

the objection should have, that Memory-' Systems

weaken and destroy

Still

the

memory.
than
it

My memory
used to be.
I

is

in every respect far stronger

nearer to the end of the book

have taken

pains to point out the great advantages of methods

and helps

for

the

memory, and
'

also the advantages

'
:

of at least some of the

these remarks

Systems

have enforced
disad-

by mentioning a few of the

I

vantages of forgetting.

At the very end

and
also the
'

have collected the reasons, the

raisons d'etre, to justify both the

methods and

helps,

Systems

'.

have

tried to vindicate

many
and

of the latter from that careless accusation that

'

they are

against nature

'

(unless, indeed, incessant

unwilling
*

forgetfulness

be

considered as the

definition of

nature

').

me now
as

Having given some idea of what the book is, let say what it is not. It is not a book for those who may be described
having genius -memories, who remember excel-

'

PREFACE
lently

xxi

by a

sort of natural

just as others play

things excellently,
scious instinct
;

and unconscious instinct, games excellently, or do othei by a sort of natural and unconare,

such people

almost invariably,

ignorant of

ber

is all. But even for them, and perhaps them than for any others, this book may be a help, if they at any time are called upon to

how they remember: they only remem-

that
for

more

teach others.
ive

It is

then above
to
fail

all

that the instinct:

genius

is

wont

so

ignominiously

he

cannot

imagine that anyone should have to plod

slowly step by step

or thought.

he
the

himself

flies

without pause

Nor does
fast
'

this
'

book lay down any one hard and

best.
It

System

as

insists

on

fair

personal experiment

by the

individual,

and on a
fittest

subsequent choice and selection of the

him.

for

Nor does
tions
:

it

profess to be a

book

free

from objec-

the objections given in Section

XLVII.
to

foil,

make
of

a formidable array,
are

and the answers

some

them

Nor, again,
book, except
suggestion
in

bound to seem inadequate. do I claim much originality

for its

for the
its

examples,

its

arrangement,

of using the Methods

and
its
'

'

Systems

combinations and alternately,

Principles of

Practice',

and a few other

does not
fact,
it

features.

This book

advocate a

mere parrotthis

memory:

in

aims at dispensing with

xxii

PREFACE

ghastly and often degrading form of mental exercise

wherever

it it

is

feasible to

do

so.

And
how
to

does not

give

much

instruction

as to

learn

long consecutive passages of Prose

it

verbatim: though

does give some helps (Section

XXXVIII.).
It

It

would rather show the reader how

responsible for the subjects

to master the ideas.

does not hold

itself

which

are to be remembered.

There are many

'

who
places
say,

have

blamed a
lists
it
:

'

Memory-System

because

people could learn

of kings and prophets and of kings, they go on to

'

by means of
quite
is
'

lists

are

useless.

But surely the

here,

Memorythe

System
persons

not

to

blame

but

rather

who impose
it.

the task or

who

voluntarily

undertake

If a

man

uses

my
is

suggestions for

the purpose of learning

in the
'

all

the most useless things

',

world of information

that

nothing to do

with me.

That

is

task-masters

the fault of the learner, or of his

!

a plague upon them

work does not cram itself with the technical terms of Psychology and Physiology. Let me just show the reader what he has
Last, but not least, this

escaped

'
:

recent physiological investigations show

is

that the axis cylinder of the nerve fibres

identical

with the protoplasmic substance of the nerve cells the latter being simply " nucleated enlargements of
the
axial

cylinder "

'.

will

not

mention

the

author's name.

PREFACE
Let me,
to
all

xxiii

in conclusion, urge the reader,

once more,

open

his

mind and

to get rid of the bias

it

which we

acquire, strive against

as
try,

we may.
and
I

While

ask him to examine into, to

to criticise

my

methods as

freely as

he can,

also

ask him to
less free-

examine

into, to try,

and to

criticise

with no

dom

the present methods which he finds around him.

if

Let him regard them, not as

possible,

they were the best

merely because they are customary and

sanctioned by the usage of the majority, but as

they were

perhaps good for certain purposes but

if

capable of improvement, or even of radical change.

The

habit of sheer learning

by

rote,

by

the sounds

of words, for instance, rather than by their meanings

and ideas
kind,
it

but

it may be very excellent discipline of a may show our national bull-dog persistency God meant us to be something more than
:

of

persistent
faculties

He

gave us our
of

faculties, including the

association,

being

impressed

by

similarities

of sound or of appearance or of mean-

ing, not that

but that
relieve

we might let them perish from atrophy, we might make them valuable servants to us of much of our drudgery and to give us
life.

time and materials for the higher

that needed for practice alone.

And

as to

bull-dog persistency, there will be quite enough of

The question here is not, believe me, what methods we use by nature, nor what methods we use by habit
and custom,
for a large part of these

methods may

xxiv

PREFACE
relic
is

be a
rather

of backward

ages.

No,
will

the

question

this:

individuals,

'What methods you among them,

actually

help
the

to

remember

things which they wish to remember, most quickly, most easily, and, if it be required, most permanently,

and with the greatest benefit to and moral powers, so that they
possible

their

intellectual

may

put to the best

uses

those

which as animals

materials and those faculties and as reasoning beings they

must undoubtedly
This
is

possess'.
:

the question here

and the answer

is

not

that they should give the

careful pondering.
I

subject

no thought, no
for considera-

have suggested

tion just a few ideas

which

may

help readers to find

out for themselves what are the truest and best

lines

of memory-culture for them.

to improve
I

It

remains

for

them to develop and

and
to tell

upon these
wrong.

ideas,

me where and why

am

EUSTACE
King's College, Cambridge.

H. MILES.

PART
SECTIONS
I.

I.

INTRODUCTORY.

II.

The Value of Memory The Ideal Way of Remembering

...13
.
.

rACE

11

III.

Some Hindrances to Memory, or why we Forget

,,,,..

In the following pages words

'

I
'

shall

frequently use the

I

teach

'

and

'

learn

but

wish them to be
wish them,

understood as something wider than mere teaching

and learning
for

in their

ordinary senses.

example, to include conversations,

in

which one
tries

person describes or explains, and the other

to

understand

in

fact,

wish them to include any

case in which anyone wants to impress his listeners

or readers with

what he says or

writes.

SECTION

I.

THE VALUE OF MEMORY.

If

we were deprived
:

of the ordinary air

we

breathe,

we

should die
air.
it is

and yet we seldom think of

is

this

ordinary

Why
so

this ?

Because
so

it is

ordinary, because
life

much

a part of our everyday

that

we

take

it for
it

granted.

And

it is

with memory.
think of
it,

We

use

so constantly that
it

we seldom

and we

never give

the credit for a tenth part of what

we
to

owe
us
it

to

it

indeed,
it

we can only
to
it

realise

what

it is

if is

we imagine

be taken away from

is

us.

So

with health, so
:

with

many

other of the

when we have them, we do not look upon them as blessings: when we have lost them, we look upon their loss as a curse. Try to picture yourself without memory, and then you will learn to realise its value suppose you could not remember about anything which you or anyone
greatest blessings
:

had ever touched or tasted or heard or seen or thought or said or done now imagine yourself going you knock against a wall why ? out for a walk
else
:

because you do not remember that a wall is hard. You are hungry you cannot remember what you even if instinct did before when you were hungry prompts you to eat, you will not remember what to
:

eat

you

will

perhaps try to eat

mud

or a stone.

'

HOW
if

TO

REMEMBER
no house
it

As Mr.
was

Stout, the great Psychologist, said,

could be built
laid.

each brick vanished as soon as

So much
tages, to

for

one or two of the positive disadvan-

which we might add that any attempt to

carry on business, or even to live as a

in society,

human
:

being

would be a miserable
play any

failure

and imagine

yourself trying to
entirely lost

game

after

you had

your

memory

Again, you would have none of the pleasures of

recollection

all

past sights and sounds would be

gone hope

for ever.

Nay

more, you would have none

'

of the pleasures of anticipation or hope.

is

But surely

concerned with the future, not with the past ?

its

Yes, but

foundation
will

is

in

memory

you cannot

hope that you

unless

succeed in some undertaking,

is.

you can remember what that undertaking

if

Hope may be about something

happened, but,

that has never yet

real

you have any

it

hope of that

thing happening, then you must have remembered

that something like

has happened before.

further
:

Let

me go

a step

you cannot even

:

imagine without the aid of memories

you can

re-

arrange certain things which you have heard or seen, you can alter them, add to them, or take from them,

but these things themselves, out of which you make your new picture, must be remembered, consciously
or half-consciously or practically unconsciously, or
else

you

will

never get anything that you can really

THE VALUE OF MEMORY

call

picture.

Just

try:

imagine

picture

its

cottage perched on a

cliff,

a child chasing butterflies,

a sea-serpent: now trace back the picture to

materials

you

will

find that these materials

were

already in your mind before

the
picture,

you could imagine

materials

which

is

merely these old

re-arranged, perhaps with changed proportions.

Let us look
success
in

at a

more important aspect of

mere
social

life

an aspect more important than mere existence, mere

business,
I

intercourse,

pleasure

mere
the
all

mean
all
all

right

action.
in

Take away
the past, of

memory
others,

of

good thoughts

good words,

good

actions, both of yourself

and of
all

and take away

also the

memory

of

bad

thoughts and words and actions, and also the

of

memory

what thoughts and words and

and what were good

Memories, then,
conscious existence

now
and

actions were bad

try to act rightly.

lie
:

practically at the root of our

it is chiefly in the number we can remember (feelings, sights, and sounds, and so on), and in the number of different uses to which we can put the memories of We these things, that we excel the brute-beasts. only by our versatile say, not that is to excel them, memory in itself, but also by the many wonderful

of different things that

experiences, and

lessons,

and materials

for

every

kind of improvement, which this our power.

ably
live,

memory

puts into

For without memory we might conceiv-

but we could scarcely improve.

HOW
We

TO REMEMBER
memory
direction
:

may, then, regard

as

absolutely

essential to progress in
'

any
',
'

as the night the

day
also

that,

and it follows, improve our can we if

'

memory, we can
can

improve

our progress

we

make our

progress faster and surer and better.

?

But can the memory be improved

Let
(i)

me

state here

my

firm belief
of

that (to

some extent) we have many kinds

in

memories, which usually act

(ii)

combinations

that each several one of these can be improved,

less

more or
(iii)

by

itself,

to almost

any extent;

that

two or more of them (working together)

can be improved to almost any extent; and

(iv)
first

that the
all

way

to

improve these memories

is

of

to find out

what are the right methods,

and then
(v)

to practise these methods.

And
(a)

as to practice,

it is

very essential

to practise only

one kind of
it

memory at a time

to

begin with, and to practise

(b)
(c)

in the right

way,

very slowly,

and
and
again and
by
itself,

{d) with the whole attention fixed on it ;

(e)

to practise that one kind of

till it

memory

again

can and does work more or

less

easily, automatically, instinctively.

It
is

a long and laborious task, but

it

is

well

worth while.
This seems to

me

the secret of practice, and


THE VALUE OF MEMORY
it is

the

way by

which, for example,

learnt to take

back-handers at

Tennis

began by giving

my
in

whole attention to doing a single thing at a time

the right way, very carefully and again and again.

By
1.

this

means we pass through

have to use an
effort

several stages

We
:

of will to do the

thing

there

may

even be great resistance, because

we have

not been used to doing the thing in this

way, or because we have been used to doing the

thing in another way.
2.

But,

by

degrees,

we no

longer have any real

conscious of doing

effort of will,

though we are

still

the thing in a certain way.

3. Later on we come to do the thing naturally and almost unconsciously, somewhat as, when we walk along, we are often unconscious of walking

but at intervals
4.
it

we
it

are conscious of walking.

Then, we do the thing practically automatically ;

were done for us by some good

appears as if

servant of ours inside us.

We

do not seem even

is

to

have to
more,
5.
it

tell this

good servant what he

to do;

nay

sometimes we cannot help his doing

it :

he does
1),

so regularly that, unless

we

exert our will (cp.

it.

we cannot

stop him from doing

I
'

saw a good
declaring the
inn-

instance once.

Before the days of

',

innings closed

a fine cricketer

had had a long

let

ings and wanted to get out so as to

others

'

have
:

a knock

'.

But

it

took him quite a long time

he

HOW

TO REMEMBER
bowl him, but the good

tried to let the straight balls

servant inside him, the combined use of eye and

brain and nerve and muscle,

He was
(/)

saying to that servant

still

would stop the balls Don't do that but

'

',

the servant

went on doing

it

When

this

one memory by

itself

has been

well practised, then another can be practised

in

by

itself

a similar way.
(g)

Then
;

the two can be used together, or alter-

nately

and so on.
shall

But of the methods of practising and helping the

memory I and XL.

speak more

fully in Sections

XXXIX.

A NOTE ON THE VARIOUS MEANINGS OF THE WORD 'MEMORY', AND ON THE USE OF THE

WORD

'FACULTY'.
this

Throughout
different

kinds of

book I shall speak of Memory and not of Memories though many would rightly
;

consider this to be inaccurate.

When we see a thing, we see it by means of the eye, and the nerves leading from the eye to the brain, and the brain itself: when we hear a thing, we hear it by means of the ear, and the nerves leading from the ear to the brain, and the brain itself. Thus we see by one means and we hear by another, and so it is, to some extent, when we remember.
The things which we have seen we can (I believe) scarcely remember except by means of both the brain and the nerves between the brain and the eye and the things which we have heard we can scarcely remember except by means of both the brain and the nerves between the brain and the ear so I regard
;

memory of things seen as to some extent memory from the memory of things heard.
the

a different kind of
It is

true

THE VALUE OF MEMORY

(i)
'

that seeing
'

and hearing are both

;

at least partly

due

to

motions

and

vibrations in the air

(ii) that the two memories very often work together and help each other (see below) ; and
(iii) that the brain is generally held to be at work in both kinds of memories ; but, for the purposes not merely of remembering but also of learning a thing, it is essential to treat the

two memories as

to

some extent separate

for

we can remember

a sight without any

of a sound, and vice versd. To take a familiar instance, some people can remember poetry almost entirely by seeing the words in front of them, written as

memory

were before their mind's eye, whereas others remember poetry almost entirely by its sound (so that they do not necessarily understand a word of it). Here, then, there are two
it

memories., though

both,

most people learn poetry by using them and also by the help of a somewhat different memory,

which for the present we may call the memory of meanings. For convenience, then, I shall use the term 'Memory' rather than Memories in spite of the fact that the memory of the eye, for example, is to some extent distinct from the memory of the ear. Another reason, besides convenience, is that it is
' ',

memory into distinct parts. we hear a cricket-ball hit, but cannot see the hitter, we may think we only hear a sound but we We remember, perhaps so really do far more than this.
frequently impossible to analyse the

Thus when

in the distance

rapidly or so dimly as not to feel it, the sight or the motion of a player hitting the ball with a bat the applause which follows does not come as a mere sound it also has its associations. And as the original impression made by the cricket-stroke is 'complex', so the memory of the cricket-stroke will be 'com:

plex'.

It

may

even

call

up the further remembrance of some

cricket-stroke of our own.

So if we think of having touched ice with a needle, the memory need not be the mere memory of touch, for there may be the memory of the appearance of the ice, and of the sound The three or more memories, however, that the needle made.
are to
all

intents

and purposes blended

into one.*

* See Stout's Psychology, vol.

i.

p. 92.

'

io

HOW
The

TO

REMEMBER
'

use of the singular word,

Memory

',

has

other drawbacks.
to distinguish, to

For not only is some extent, the memory of the

it

often possible

eye and ear,

of

etc.,
it

but there are also various degrees

were, in an ascending scale.

memory,

as

There are some who say that to have ever seen or heard anything implies that it has left an impression upon us, upon the cells of our body, and that therefore we must remember it so long as we live. This in a sense is true, but it is a stretching

word Memory beyond its normal limits. Most people, however, would say that we must remember anything that we have once learnt even if at the moment we cannot recall it. It may be a mere jingle of sounds, but there
of the
' '

'

'

',

it is

within us, somewhere.

would be that of things which we have not only 'learnt' but have also understood. maybe said to

A higher memory

We

remember these things even if we cannot recall them all at any required moment. We may be said to 'know these things, and 'knowledge' presupposes Memory. More useful still are those things which we can recall at any required moment these things we may be said to remember
1
:

in

fuller sense.
still

we remember those things which and understood and can recall at any required moment, but which we can also use and apply. This
In a
fuller sense, again,

we have not only

is

learnt

far higher in the

list.

In spite of these disadvantages, however, I have preferred to use the word Memory '. I may have been wrong in doing so, but I felt that the Plural ' Memories ' would be perpetually tripping up the reader as he moved through this book, which,
'

from its very nature, is bound to be quite hard enough already. I have also used the word Faculty very frequently, without intending it to have any technical sense of a special faculty of the mind. I have often preferred it to the word capability which I might have used.
'
'

'

',

SECTION

II.

THE IDEAL

WAY

OF LEARNING

AND REMEMBERING.

It

may
i.

be well to begin by saying what the ideal

way

of remembering would be.

possible
2.

should like to remember the greatest number of good and useful things.* We want to remember these things with the
possible
rapidity,

We

greatest

with the least possible

it

expenditure of time.
that a
little

Here

must be remembered
first

extra time spent in the

stages

may
and

save a great deal of time afterwards.

3.

The
;

greatest

possible ease

and

facility,

the least possible difficulty and

desired
4.

effort,

are also to be

and also
greatest
full

the

accuracy

and

certainty

(with

regard to the

number

of things to be

remem-

bered and,

if

necessary, their right order), and there-

fore the least

5.

chance of mistake or

failure.

We

should be able to recall the things, and

make

use of them, at will, at any time or place,

and

under any conditions.

*

Throughout the book

is

it

must be bome

in

mind
things,

that

my main
it

object

to tell the reader

how

to

remember

taking

for

granted that he has already decided on the things themselves.

not

Tt is

my main

object to

tell

the reader

what

to

remember.

12

HOW
6.

TO

REMEMBER
it

The way

of learning and remembering must

:

be

full

be dull
7.

of interest and even of pleasure

still less

must not

must

it

be an annoying drudgery.

should not be unthinking and slavish, as

Our method of learning and of remembering if we were

;

mere parrots or phonographs

faculties of our minds.

but

it

should bring

the greatest and best development of all the finest

We

want

to

delegate as

much

as

possible

of the mechanical work to the

lower faculties, so as to leave the higher free for the

higher tasks of reasoning,
etc.

We
been

want

to

use faculties which hitherto have

little

used, or unused, or even misused, such as

the faculty of associating together those words that

sound

like

each

other

a faculty which

is

often

misused
8.

for the

purpose of punning.
in

There are

our minds rich stores of materials

little

also,

which hitherto have been

used, or unused,

or even misused (such as the ideas associated with

an

'

omnibus

',

which

have

been unused

see the

Preface).
9.

Above

all

and remember

best,

we must know how we can learn and why this is so we want to

:

know just exactly what the processes are, so that at first we may learn and remember by a conscious
effort

of

will,
if

which

will

soon,

however, become

unnecessary,

we

practise properly.
:

This

is

of the utmost importance

step in the process,

for,

unless

we

know each

we cannot

practise

LEARNING AND REMEMBERING

13

each step separately and therefore cannot practise

properly at
practice in
all.

For part by part

'

'

is

the secret of

its first

stages.

Again,

if

we do not know
i.e.

exactly

how

to learn

and remember,
to

the actual process of learning

and remembering,
teach and
to

step by step,

how can we expect

help others to learn and to re-

member ?

SECTION

III.

SOME HINDRANCES TO MEMORY, OR WHY WE FORGET.

How
it

is it

that

we

are so apt to forget?

it

How

is

that
I

we

often find

so hard to

remember ?
which
I

will try to

suggest some of the reasons, at the

same time
offered

referring to the Sections in

have

hints

as

to

how
is

the

deficiencies

can be

remedied.
(i)

Bad

health (VI.)

the

commonest cause

of bad

fulness.
(ii)

Muscular tension
conditions

common cause if not memory and forgetmay be included here.

such as a
hot

Bad
little

(VI.),

room

with

or no ventilation, also contribute.

attention
is

(iii)

Want of

while

we
turn

are

learning

things, however,
all

perhaps the greatest mistake of

this
in
its
is

(see VII.).

And

generally

due to a number of causes acting together. (iv) We may feel no interest in the subject
VIII.); and hence

(see

we

shall be, as

it

were, writing

our

ideas in water
lightly

instead

of

in

ink,

engraving

them
deep.
(v)

on the surface instead of cutting them

Perhaps, again,

we have not
so, it

systematically

collected
list.

our ideas or Headings (IX.) into a definite

if

Or,

we have done

may

well be that

SOME HINDRANCES TO MEMORY

(vi)

15

our

list is

too large:

true,

but (see XI.)

'.

we have collected, it is we have not rejected the Not

'

Wanted

Or, even

if all

the above conditions have been

viz.

complied

with,

good
of

health,

good environthere

ment, concentrated attention, interest, collection of

Headings, and

selection

Headings,
for

still

may be something lacking, (vii) we may have failed

Headings
(viii)

to arrange (XII.) these

in

a good order;
failed to find out the causes

we may have
:

and other connexions between the various ideas (XIII.) though this does not apply to all subject? which have to be learnt or remembered.
(ix)

Again, possibly

we may never have had

in

our mind any clear general outline of our subject,

before
(x)
ally

we started the details (XIV.) we may not have realised our subject, by forming vivid mental pictures (XV.)
or

especi-

(xi)

no careful study and analysis of each

part has been

these parts

made our notions about many of may be still vague and misty (XVI.). (xii) Common sense is a wonderful help to the memory (see (XVII.): we may, perhaps, have
neglected to use
it

at

all,

for the
'

ideas of others

or mere words may have been

swallowed undi-

gested

'.

(xiii)

Has no use been made

of Comparisons (see

XVIII.), or of

HOW

TO REMEMBER
towards learning
that itself would

(xiv) Contrasts (XIX.), as helps

and remembering?
(xv)

If so, then

account for a great deal of

failure.

To have

tried

to

teach

and explain the

thing to others (XX.), or even merely

(xvi) to

have repeated the Headings (XXL), might

recollec-

have been what was wanted to insure the

tion of these ideas.

Or

is

it

not likely that the

ideas were repeated in the

is

wrong way?

For there
as

a wrong

way

of repeating, as well

a right

way.
(xvii)

The

ideas

may have

offered

many

useful

points to help one to hold the subject fast (XXII.),

and there may have been many (xviii) things which one knew already (XXV.)
which one might have attached the new
(xix) In
ideas.

to

a word, there have probably been no

all

system or systems at
all

(see

Parts III. and IV.):

has been done haphazard, anyhow, just as chance

directed.

(xx) No attempt has been made to find out which are your strongest kinds of memory, for instance the

memory
same

for things seen,

and to use

these,

and, at the

time,

(xxi) to find out which are your weakest kinds of

memory,
and to
(xxii)

for instance the

memory

for things heard,

cultivate

and practise

these.

kind,

Probably the thought of practice of any and especially of the right kind (XXXIX.),

SOME HINDRANCES TO MEMORY

has
has
while

i>

never

entered into

your head,
rejected

or,
'

if

it

has,

been
'.

immediately

as

not

worth

(xxiii)

Many

exceedingly

useful

faculties

that

would have lent strong support, and that would

have relieved of much trouble and dulness, and that

would have saved from many a serious

lapse of

if

not fatal

memory, might have been developed and

left

constantly employed, instead of being

idle:

need mention here only the faculty of remembering

things better

when

there

is

about them a rhythm

or a similarity of sound (as in Rhymes).

See

XXX.

and XXXI.
(xxiv)

Unused

or

little

used, moreover,

may have
is

been the materials with which your mind

filled

as richly

as any treasure-house (XXIII.). sure

that

Be
;

both

these

faculties

and
to a

these

good better and nobler there are few uses to and use which we can put them than the help of the
materials are ours that

we may put them

memory, the prevention of

general knowledge of

forgetfulness.

(xxv) Probably there has been, in our case, no

how we remember,
still less

or

how

we can

best

remember

has there been any

special knowledge.

Still less

has any such general

or special knowledge been put to any general or

special use.

No we
:

unlearnt,

have certainly left undone, unconsidered, and unemployed, a very great deal that

HOW

TO

REMEMBER
the

might have not only minimised our labours and our

lapses of

memory and

many

grievous results

therefrom, but might also have positively developed

our mental faculties to an extent which at present

we can

scarcely expect to realise.

PART
SECTIONS

II.
TAGB

IV.

An Instance Learnt and Remembered

without Memory-Systems

...

21

V.

The Same Instance Remembered with

Memory-Systems

....

31

SECTION

IV.

AN INSTANCE LEARNT AND

REMEMBERED WITHOUT
MEM0RT-S7STEMS.

GENERAL

principles are often best learnt,

if

not best

rerhembered, by means of concrete instances.

the instance the general principle
this

From

may

be shown, and

general principle

may

then be applied to and

illustrated

by additional

instances.

After

much

deliberation
'

decided on

'

The Causes

of Rome's Success

as the best subject to be learnt

and remembered
then

(first

with
'

them).

without Memory-Systems and The reason for choosing this

'

apparently

Scholastic

instance will appear below

I

another reason was that

technica
for
I it

already had Memoria-

ready to

hand.
this

As
one

a Coach at
topic, at

Cambridge,
rate,

determined that
should
not

any

my

pupils

only understand but

should also remember.

I.

For learning and remembering

other),

this

example

(or

any
I

good health and

as

many

other good

conditions as possible are almost a sine

qud non.

Of

these

shall

speak later on.

the second requisite.

II.

Concentrated attention

is

22

HOW
aside

TO REMEMBER
all

You must put

other considerations and

fix

your mind's eye upon

about the subject, and
it

this.

But you say that you cannot.

it

You do

not care
If

does not interest you.

did interest you, you would not mind so much.

it
is,

As

you do not want

to

know why Rome

succeeded.
In order, then, to be able to fix your attention on

the subject, you require that

it

should have

III.

an

interest

and an
I

interest for you.

In a work which
I

am

preparing on this question,

am

trying to emphasise
it

some of the
of us.
I

points of

interest that

has for

all

select a

few

here:
(a)

If

we

learn

and remember why

It is

Rome

suc-

ceeded, then

we

learn a great deal as to

why England

herself has succeeded.

a topic of which we, as a

Nation, are sadly ignorant, and this ignorance has

led to
(6)

many

evils.

Indirectly,

the

lesson

will

teach

us

many

reasons
(c)

why Rome failed, and why England might fail why

is
it

a serious considera-

tion;

(d)

that groups of people, for instance

?

Companies, or

families, succeed or fail

This would

be worth knowing.

But

still

more worth knowing

would be an answer (even

to the question.

if

only a partial answer)

;'

AN INSTANCE LEARNT AND REMEMBERED

(e)
'

23

Why

have individuals succeeded or

fail ?
?

failed

for

Why
or

will they succeed or

How

can / succeed

how am

likely to fail
in

Thus the theme has

life,

it

a very practical lesson

interest.

so that
special

it

will

now have

And
(_/")

points will
:

have their lessons and

their interest too

for

example, a consideration of
;

the influences of Geography

colonies,

() the

and the management of the

empire
(Jt)

the system of alliances

(1)
(_/)

the unity of the people the military discipline; the Senate at

its

(k)

best, as

being perhaps the

finest
(/)

Aristocracy that the world has ever seen

the

Roman

Religion
it

and so

on.
if

All these things

will

not be dull to consider,

we

compare and contrast

Rome

with our

own Nation

and other Nations as well

or Germany.

for

example, America

But

this is

not

all

(m) There

may

be

other

motives

to

give

the

subject an interest.

Why
Is
it

does that student work

up that theme?
store his
contrast, inference,

merely to improve and to

mind, to develop his powers of comparison,

and so on

May

not success in

some Examination, and the consequent reputation, or position, or money, have something to do with it ?
Let

me add

another point.

24

HOW
()

TO

REMEMBER
may
save

To

learn this thoroughly once for all

much

trouble in the end, especially for the learner of

History.

Later on he

will

come

to Augustus,

one of
of in

the greatest political organisers that

we know

History.

His object was to restore the appearance

of the old state of affairs

these
If

same

features in

and so he tried to revive Rome's early success.

:

once the reader has

learnt

the lessons, not

slavishly but intelligently, then he will not only be

more

fitted

to

take his part in

the

Government

of his country, but he will also save himself toilsome learning in the future.
(p)

much
for

Let

me add
is

that

he
:

will

have a topic

reflection at
it

odd moments

he

may

often be glad of

while he

waiting or walking or travelling.

Having, then, fixed his attention on the question,

because
it

will

now have

its

interest for him, the

learner will proceed

IV. to

collect ideas, as

Headings

he

will

not go

straight to

his

books, but will

first

think out the

sense,

subject for himself, using his

common

com-

paring various and general causes of success, and

contrasting various causes of failure.

To

this collection

he

will

add by reading,

etc.

V. If only he had a complete

successes,

list

of Nations'
collect

how easy

it

would

be to

the

Headings that he wanted.

AN INSTANCE LEARNT AND REMEMBERED

VI. But even his

25

own

collected
it

Headings would
would
to
not, for

form a very long

ordinary
learn
select

list.

Perhaps

purposes, be worth

while

study and

all of the

Headings.
reject others.

He

might, therefore,

some, and

He would

select the

most important, or the hardest

reject the least important,

to remember,

and he would

and (possibly) he would

remember.

reject

some of the

easiest to

Though

this last

can be carried to excess.

He might find out which Headings were hardest and which were easiest by an experiment he might try to reproduce the list, and then see which Head-

ings he had omitted.

So

far the

Headings would

still

be

in

any

order.

VII. But

it

would be necessary to arrange these

Headings

for the ideas

would appear as Headings,

words, such
as

and

if

possible

as

single

Roads,

Colonies, Senate.

As
XII.,

to the best

methods of arranging, see Section

to Prepare Books, Essays, etc'

and

also

'

How

(Rivingtons).

Here one must be brief: one might group the Headings under great Main Headings. Thus we
might have
(A) State of the World's Civilisation then
(B) Geography and (C) the
its

Effects

(D) the

Romans Romans

in dealing with others

themselves.

26

HOW
We
notice

TO
(B)

REMEMBER
gives

that

Geography and

its

effects.

It will be necessary therefore

VIII. to work out what are

drances,

effects,
'.

causes, hin-

and other

'

real

connexions

This will be

a great help towards

learning and

remembering,

besides being a splendid mental exercise.

IX.

rough outline of the theme might now be

general
outline
free

made, a

from

details.

This

should be thoroughly grasped and understood.

Now

it

is

all

very well for the teacher to say

' :

Grasp

this

thoroughly

but

the

question

is

'

How?'
X. Of a
truth, to realise a thing
feel
is

often half the

idea,
fully.

battle.

We
is

as

if

we must remember an
it

willy-nilly, if

only we could once realise

What To
of us

this realising,

then?
it

great
so
little

extent

consists

in

what most
are as

do

much and

so

well
(alas

when we
!)

young, so
older
:

and so badly

we grow

viz.

picture-forming or picture-painting in the

mind.

You

tell

a child a story, you describe an ogre, and

the child sees the ogre (perhaps not your ogre but
his or hers
!)

Obviously, this can be practised at odd

moments

we can watch Brown's

face

and then try to reproduce

'

AN INSTANCE LEARNT AND REMEMBERED

a picture of
it

27

called) in our

in our own mind own imagination

'

or (as
'.

it is

sometimes

Pictures,
will

Drawings, Photos, Statues, and Models

and,

go a great way towards making the idea a

living

and a moving
life

reality,

if

we

could only

enter into the

for the time
this

of the
'

being, or
us.

Romans, and 'be Romans'" act the part of RomanSj

'

would help

This 'acting' can be a most

important aid to learning and remembering, as we

shall see below.

As we

take each Heading or idea,

:

let it

not merely
let

be a word or words

let

it
it.

be a picture, and
'

us

ourselves be the actors in

Imagine

',

for instance,

the military discipline, the family-life, the Religion of the Romans.

XI.

It will also
its

help us to realise,

if

we

divide the

whole into
separately.

parts,

and study and analyse each part

of

One good way

tions,

analysing
the

is

to

ask

ques-

making
'

ourselves

cruellest

Examiners
rolled into
hills

and the most conscientious Examinees What effect had the seven one.

upon
to

Rome's success
monies
succeed

'

'

why
?

These elaborate
they
help
the

religious cere-

did

Romans

word like how it any idea of 'organisation', without having were; e.g. military parts showed itself, what its
are too apt to be content with a

We

' :

28

HOW

TO

REMEMBER

discipline, Religion,

Laws, submission to the fathei

of the family.

XII. Of common sense and 'a priori' reasoning Why would any people we have already spoken. succeed ? When should we expect them to succeed ? For surely we need not go to a History Book, as so many do in their unthinking haste, to know that
'

they must have worked well together, that they must

have had wise leaders, and so on.

If

we only had
tell

'

eyes to see
a

',

a plan of Rome, a

Map
would

of Italy, and

Map

of the

Mediterranean,
forget.
'

us a tale that
'

we should not soon

We have so many

familiar starting-points already

in our minds, and, if we could but learn we should save an enormous amount

to use them,

of drudgery.

For example, every one knows about Cato; now he was a type of the best Roman of his day brave,

persevering, honest (after a fashion), frugal, sensible,

and so on.
it

This

is

a concrete instance from which

would be easy
the

for a child to

draw inferences as

to

why

Romans

succeeded.

Here we might almost

above
(e.g.

class

XIII. Comparisons, for instance

the
may

as

we have

seen

causes of the success of other Nations

the British Nation), of Companies, of individuals

in fact, the causes of

any success or strength any-

where

give us something that will be to the

AN INSTANCE LEARNT AND REMEMBERED

point,

29

and

will

also be easier to learn

and to

re-

member
selves

than the Causes of Rome's Success thembe.

?

would

Why

does Roberts succeed as a

Billiard-player

Partly because his eye and nerves

and brain and muscles all work in harmony. Why have many other players succeeded ? Because they
have practised patiently and slowly,
e.g.

at
till

first,

and

have taken the strokes one by one

certain of

they have

made

what may be

called the foundation-

strokes of the game.

Or we might
and analogies
one, so

consider a whole host of illustrations

the faggots, so strong

separately.

when

tied into

weak when taken

XIV. Not only Comparisons, but

also Contrasts,

may

help us to learn and to remember.

fail?

Why

did

Rome

Why

has any Nation

failed,

any Com-

pany, any individual?

When you
ever you

are working

by

yourself,

it

may
:

not
if

occur to you to remember by these means

but,

come

to teach those

who

are ignorant and

uneducated, as Jesus, for instance, had to teach, you

will

be driven to begin with Comparisons and Con(Section

trasts

XLII.): otherwise the learners

will

not learn, and of course will not remember, in the

higher sense of the word.

XV. Teaching

others, however,

whether

it

be by

speaking or by writing, does not teach merely the

30 learner:
it

HOW

TO REMEMBER

teaches the teacher too.

On

this all are

agreed.

Repetition

XVI. Teaching, among other things, is a form : you repeat what you know, or you try
it

of to

repeat

and then see where you

fail.

Repetition (Section XXI.) must be done step-bystep

:

it

does not do to repeat the whole thing at

After you have mastered the rough outline,

once.

you must then divide the subject into parts. Now take Part I., and master that ; for instance, realise it
then attack
again,
to
III.,
II.,

but, before

you attack

it,

go over

I.

make
but

sure

of

it.

After mastering
I.

II.,

attack

first

go over

and

II.

again.

And
of in-

so on to the end.

This we

call the

Rhume'e- Method, and

it is

estimable value.

Below,

we

shall find

it

applied to

Maps.
Later on we shall see that there are several kinds
or
classes

of Repetition

we

may

'

repeat

'

the

understanding and realising of the ideas, or the sight

of the written or printed words, or the sound of the

words; as

shall point out,

Comparisons and Con'

trasts are also, in

a way, forms of Repetition

'.

SECTION

V.

THE SAME INSTANCE REMEMBERED WITH MEMORY-SYSTEMS.

Let me assume
employed
all

very rashly

that the reader has

these means, or as

many

as he can, in

Even then, however, he probably finds that he does not remember the whole list it is a list that will be always coming in useful for his History, let us suppose, and he would like to
instance.

some given

have

it

always ready to hand.

But, like pigs in

clover, after

he has caught

all

but three he
is

is

at

the end of his resources.

What

he to do?

see

XVII. Look at the list which you have made: if you observe anything that will help. This
it

should always precede the serious learning of anything, as

may

save

For example, you have to

succeeded at
first,

much time and trouble. realise how slowly Rome how fast she succeeded afterafter

wards: you know that

about 510 (or 509)

;

B.C.

she had to struggle for her very existence

then,

by

390 she had got a

around her; at
Apennines.

tiny

little

Empire,

for

some

miles

last,

by 267, she has conquered and

whole of Italy south of the

settled practically the

to 133 she has become mother of a great Empire, including not only Italy,

From 267


32

TO

'

HOW
e.g. Sicily,

REMEMBER
and
is

but also
Africa,

part of Spain, part of Gaul, part of

and the whole of Macedon

Greece.
years,
1

Now
134

observe.

From 510
is

to

390

120

from 390 to 267

years.
It

122 years, from 267 to

strike

33

is

only had

510

390
and two
1

must

you at once that, if you 260 130, you would just

in-

have to learn 510, and could then take one

terval

of

120,

ending up with

30

B.C.

130 years, This would help, and the

intervals

of

few years' difference could easily be corrected later on.

For other points which may be observed

here,

must

refer to

'

History of

Rome up

to A.D.

500

(Grant Richards).

XVIII.
let

Now

look at the

list

again (below), and

us suppose that you want to remember those

five

Headings about
in the

'

the

Romans
is

themselves

',

viz.

the Senate, Unity, Character, Organisation, Father's

power

Family.

How
link

this to
will

be done?
first

The
of
all.

Loisette- or

Link-System

be applied
together

We

want to

these

into

single firm chain.

I will

give one

way

here, leaving

the explanations for Section

Senate

Character
sation
"
:

Unity one

XXIII.
parts

sanity

Unity

man

Character :

to carry

many a

actor *

barrel-organ

Organi-

Cp. Shakespeare

And one man

in his time plays

many parts.

::

: :

THE SAME INSTANCE WITH SYSTEMS

Organisation

33

far-reaching organisation

Fathers

power
Father's power.

Read
laid

this

through slowly and on the principles

in

down
as

Section

XV.,
it.

realising

each
it

main
back-

Heading
wards.

you come to
try
it

Then take

Then

by

yourself,

and strengthen and to carry)

that

the weak Links

(e.g.

a barrel-organ

by

practice.

These Links were almost the

first

my

head

of course every reader could

came into make a far

better set out of the thousands of associations that

he has in his mind.

Going up the

list

(see below),

we might have
Gradual Steps
:

Father's power

Enemies late Isolating: Isolatingice slippery Treachery Treachery treacle sticky join Alliances: * Extended Rights right rights Alliances Extended Rights extended roads long roads Roads: Roads Romanising out Colonies Romanising Row man Colonies colon stop fixture Mixture of People Mixture {of People) mixed biscuits rusks Etruscan Gradual Steps gradual struggle Enemies any miss miss train
:

farther one step farther

all

all

'

'

call

Kings: Etruscan Kings Etruria travelling tour Geography Backward uncouth and backward rough Geography State of the Age Backward State of the Age drawbacks Absence of certain

Drawbacks
* in

Notice

form,

how here the Link will probably be weak All All, rather than in sound.

it

is

a Link


34

HOW
for success
list

TO

REMEMBER

Absence (of certain Drawbacks)heart fonder hearty wishes

Success.

should be treated in the same way. It will be a good final test to begin at Success and go right through the list, backwards.

This

Other Links
form a

will

be seen below.

But these
will last

will

sufficient

illustration for the present.

it

At
faster

first

the progress will be slow:

faster

grow
the
is

and

with

practice, until

at

Links are formed

realised to

instinctively.

Then the practice

have been worth while.

But,

let

me

repeat,

the ideas themselves

must

be

realised before the Link-system is applied.

XIX.
'

Localising

is
'.

perhaps
I

the

oldest
in

of

all
it

Artificial

Systems

give one

way

which

could be applied here.

Picture to yourself the

There
desk

is

its

bookcase
;

window
table

its

room

that

you know

its

fire-place

best.

its

door

its

arm-chair

its

sofa

its its

all

these

firmly

fixed.

Headings
'

let

you have in your mind already, Now take the Cp. Diagram VII. us say those under Geography and

localise

'

each Heading, or connect

it

with some one

of the various things in the room.

The window
fire-place has

itself

may

suggest Geography
it
;

you

can (perhaps) see a view from

imagine that the

its

an Etruscan vase on
different people

mantelpiece,
;

and

this will recall the

Etruscan Kings
:

the door

lets in

number of

Mixed People

THE SAME INSTANCE WITH SYSTEMS

and so on.
If

35

can therefore be the idea associated with the door;

you concentrate your attention on

you once get the

'

the

game

',

and

if

pairs of things firmly tied

together, then the thing that you can always recall

(e.g.

the part of the room) will in

its

turn recall the

idea.

For further

details, see

Section

XXIV.

XX.

Closely akin to this

is

the Peg- or Anchor-

System, according to which you remember ideas, not

by tying them to places that you already know, but by tying them to other ideas that you already

know (or can easily learn). Of course you cannot learn or remember why Rome succeeded unless you know about her Geography. Look, then, at a plan of Rome, a Map of Italy, a Map of the Mediterranean how are you going to
:

remember even the

at once,
'

outlines of

it ?

'

Italy
'.

',

you say

is

like a

leg with a boot on

this:

You

see

how we remember

Italy

is

like

something

which we know already.

As

to the Mediterranean,

Here I shall merely give see Diagrams XII.-XIV. I shall give it the outline of Rome and the Tiber
:

part

by

part.

stand upon.
it

draw a Y, but give it two legs for it to Take its right-hand half, and make up into a thing looking like an egg leaning to the
First

right.

The

left

lines will represent the Tiber.

In


36

'

HOW

TO

REMEMBER

the North were the Sabines, with the Tiber to their

West, beyond the Tiber were the Etruscans, with

the Tiber to their East, flowing

downwards

to Ostia

and the Sea.

In the South were the Latins.

By
thus
:

the initialising System (below)

the
'

we might remember
it

these

names by

word STEROL, linking

Latin plain

rich

to the
'.

'

Latin Plain

sterile

Sterol
this

c:uL\
..

By

means anyone might

T
'

easily learn a

Map
is

or Plan of

/
J
'

anything:
curate,
/ l/g|-\

it
it

would be inao
usually just

but

T e \ n
'""\

tne verv accuracy

and
a

fulness
its

of a

Map

that

prevents
as

^^y
II.

being
It

grasped

whole.
to

will

be time

enough

^'s '' a '

think of details

when we have

Diagram

got our outline safe and sure.

THE SAME INSTANCE WITH SYSTEMS

Other instances
will

37

be given

in

Sections

XXV.

and

XXXV.

XXI. Dates, and numbers generally, have been found very hard to remember, and Systems have been devised by which instead of numbers we have
letters,

and especially consonants.

1

Thus, by one
(the

System, 5=/,
assigned
to

=p, o

= s,

and so 510
of
the

date
at

the

beginning
represented

Republic
:

Rome) might be
(o)
'

by fops
'

the vowel
to
link

does

not

count.
'

We now
to

have
'

Beginning of Republic

fops

("

Beginning

beg

beggars
XXVI.
it

Fops" might

do).

See further Sec-

tion

But

is

obvious that this

is

almost useless unless

we have
a

practised a great deal

and come

to

know
the

exactly which letter

= which
the

number.

This takes
of
for

long

while,

but

wide application
it,

System, and also the certainty of

e.g.

the
cabs,

remembering of the numbers of houses or

makes
bad
at

it

worth while,

in

the end, for those

who

are

remembering numbers.

267,

deny.
130,

when Italy was conquered, might be [d=2, n=6, y = y] Hence "Italy it's a lie I deny". when the dangerous Wars were over, and Spain,

Macedon, Africa, Carthage, and Asia Minor, had been recently added to the Empire, might be [p1, cn = 3, s=6] 'Peaches'. Hence "SMACAM (the initials of these countries, see XXVII.)

smack em

smack the

lips

luscious

Peaches ".

This

might be called the Substituting-System.


38

HOW
shall

TO

REMEMBER
kind
of instance

We

see

different

below

(Section XXVI.).

XXII. Of

all

the

ways of remembering long

'

lists, I

know
For

of none that equals the

Initialising '-System.
certainly,

remembering
in

things
order,

rapidly,
it

and
in-

(often)

the right

may

be

simply

valuable.

The power
but
it

of using

it

comes only with practice

for

is
:

the easiest sort of practice the process

is

any odd

moments

rather fascinating and the

results are

most
I

satisfactory.

will assume that we have realised and learnt all the Headings for the Causes of Rome's Success and that we now want to remember them all, under their proper Main-Head-

For instance,

ings.

How

on earth are we to do

it?

For there
besides,
if

are about 20,

and there would be others

we had

the time to take

them

into account.
'

We

cannot estimate the value of the

try to

Initialising

'-

System unless we
without
it.

remember these Headings

We

might spend a long time over

them, and yet never be quite sure that two or three

would not have escaped our memory a week hence. If any one does not believe me, let him make the
experiment.
State of the

Here

is

the

list.

Age (backward), Absence

;

of certain drawbacks

;
;

Geography and its influences Etruscan Kings and their work.

Mixture of Peoples in

Rome

THE SAME INSTANCE WITH SYSTEMS

;

39

Gradual success by constant struggles ; Enemies and their weakness, and Rome's Luck her policy of Isolating her subjects and enemies ; her Treachery her system of Alliances ; her Extension of her Rights ; her Roads ; her capacity for 'Romanising' ; her Colonies. Her Senate ; her Unity the Character of the Romans their Organisation (in Law, in Arms, in Religion) ; the Family Life and especially the Father's power.
; ; ;

Think of

Rome

as the centre of Italy, the central

Gem

of Italy, the Focus of Civilisation, and

then

repeat a few times the words

AS GEM CREATING FOCUS. These you could learn in a few moments

would give you the
is

and they
This

initials

of these Headings.

the

list.

[General]

certain

Absence of

drawbacks

State of the

Age (backward
its Effects]

while

Rome was

City-State)

{Geography and

Geography (esp. geographical position of Rome) Etruscan Kings and their work (e.g. the walls of Rome, and the Cloaca for draining and
drying

Rome)
in

Mixture of Peoples
[The Romans
Colonies

Rome.

dealing with other Peoples]

Roads
Romanising faculty
Extension of Rights, slowly, and by a graduated

System

; ;

;;

40

HOW
Alliances

TO

REMEMBER

Treachery and 'Diplomacy';

Isolating subjects

and enemies

eNemies

(their

weakness and disunion, and Rome's

Luck)
Gradual Steps (and constant struggles).
\The Romans themselves]

Family

life (esp.

Father's power in the Family)

Organisation (the word

Religion, Arms, and

ORAL,
Law)
;

again, suggests

Character

(cp.

Cato's Character);

Unity
Senate's Government.

We

might add Slavery.

is

Observe how
'

N
'

for

eNemies

an instance of

Substitution

'

(above).
This
:

The
time to

reader will say

is all

very well, but

make words like this it's just a piece of words (' As Gem Creating Focus ') happen to fit
But
it is

it takes a long luck that these

in.'

nothing of the kind.

If

you

practise, if

you learn

the art of Initialising, which is described in XXVII., you will soon be able to make equally good lists for yourself. It is surprising how easy the process becomes after a very few
experiments.
is an alternative list, taking the HeadObserve how many alternative words there are. Your power of speaking and writing English would be much improved by practice in finding such synonyms. Take the words "CRISPER COAT PLUMES" as giving the initials of some of these Headings. Character Romanising faculty

Here, for instance,

all

ings

together.

Isolating

Senate and Slaves

Position
;

; ;

THE SAME INSTANCE WITH SYSTEMS

Extension of Rights

41

Roads

Colonies

Organisation Alliances
;

Treachery

Patria Potestas (and Family-life)

(e.g. weakness of Enemies) Unity Mixture of Peoples Etruscan Kings Struggles with Nature and with Enemies. To link " The Causes of Rome's Success " to CRISPER coat PLUMES, which words you would be likely to remember because they mean so little, because they are so absurd (XXIX.), take the initials CRS (Causes of Rome's Success), and you have the chain "Causes of Rome's Success CRS Crisper Coat

Luck

Plumes." This list

(i)

is

inferior to the other

because

it is

(a) less

complete ; and badly arranged.

list

For a
Fortune,

of Alternative
or

words,
or

Unity

Cohesion

e.g. Luck Harmony,

or
see

XXVII.
Or,
again,

take

a
:

Sub- Heading, such

for

as
I

the

Geography of Rome
refer to
'

an explanation
'

must

History of

Rome

(Grant Richards)

here

can only take a few Headings and arrange

initials

them so that the

form a word.
in
:

Observe here

how
"

a useful principle comes

the vowels do not

count.

Geography

scenes

HeR SCeNeS
safety, etc.)

"

would give

the chain.
Hills (for health

and

42

HO IV TO REMEMBER
e

River

(for water, and as a frontier, and means of communication)

as

Sea and Soil

Central position (in
Italy

and

in

the Mediter-

ranean)

Neighbours
e
Sicily

and Spain

(for corn, slaves, in

money,

etc.).

The use of

Initialising
(p.

Maps and

Plans we

have noted already

36).

When

these

Headings are also linked together

by the Loisette-System,* and formed into a Rhythm or Rhyme as well (see XXX., XXXI.), the chain
becomes extraordinarily powerful.

Where
initials

there

is

difficulty

about forming

the

into

words, they can easily be formed into

the

sentences

having

same

initials

though

this is a

cumbrous process, compared with the

still, let

other.

But

us take a sample, with the

'

'

CRISPER COAT

PLUMES
sonal

initials.

" Consistently

Roman

Individuals Sacrificed Per-

Ends, Rightly Considering One Alone To Profit Little Unless Many Excelled Simultaneously ".

XXIII. The 'Brunch-System' of Blend-words

that meal (especially on a
*

have named after the Oxford word which expresses

Sunday morning) which

The Pelman-System

has a great advantage in dealing with indi-

vidual pupils and correcting their exercises.


THE SAME INSTANCE WITH SYSTEMS
is

43

both a Breakfast and a Lunch. Lewis Carroll was very fond of these words, but he did not invent

them.

Men

have

used

them by accident times

innumerable, as

we
:

shall see later on.

Let us take a few Headings and form them into

a Brunch-word
Initialising,

the process

is

not unlike that of

a larger portion
Is(olation),

except that, as a
is

rule,

of each

word

taken.

Tr(eachery),
life),

En(emies), Gra(dual steps), F(amily

tion)

Organisa-

would form Brunch-words

tris

eggrapho (Greek

T/015 iyypd<f>a>).

One

is

two or more

reminded of those Combination-Photos of faces in the whole Photo we recognise

:

some one or more of the features of each individual. A Brunch- word Romanisolestreacharac might Isolating gather up into a unity Romanising
'
'

'

Extension of Rights

Treachery Character
this as

'.

But

do not recommend

a good general

System.

XXIV.

Absurdities,

and

humorous ways of

re-

garding things, are to some a good means of learning and remembering.

learnt

There are many who have

best from A-Becket's
'

Roman History History of Rome

'.

Comic

A
might

caricature

of
(a)

the

early

Roman
as

simplicity

represent

Cincinnatus

having just

attended to a turnip, and coming into the kitchen

in order to

put some garden-snails into the soup as

44

HOW
their

TO

REMEMBER
{b)

a great treat, and then

the

Romans

telling

him

he must be
off at
(c)

general

now, and

Cincinnatus,

grumbling at having to leave the soup, but going

once and gaining a splendid victory, and then
returning with a chuckle to

warm up

the soup

again,
I

and to go on with the turnip-tending. do not say that this is a good plan for many

but to
-

many

schoolboys

know

it

would appeal
kind of

for
The

they require

peculiarly

obvious

absurdity
fact of
it is

that such a plan, silly as

it

may

seem, yet has the power to impress an

certain

idea on

minds because
it

it is

is

so

silly

it

comes so
in

unexpectedly, and
words,
it

so

striking,

or,

other

makes

so vivid an impression, that the idea

cannot
sion
is

fail

to be

remembered

for a vivid

impres-

just

what we want.
:

not

The change is also a good feature for we should recommend this as a good general System any
'

more than the

Brunch-System

'

(above).

XXV.
a

Rhymes, and

also Alliterations,

have been
till

Memory-System from the Nursery-days

familiar instances (such as
'

now.

For

Thirty days hath

September ') see Section

here give a

XXX.

For certain subjects

Causes of Rome's
'

they are an inestimable boon.

I

Rhyme
FOCUS'.

for the

Success, taking the Headings in the order in

AS

GEM CREATING

It

is

a halting

Rhyme,

THE SAME INSTANCE WITH SYSTEMS

but then the words and their order are fixed
choice
is

45
little

possible.

Rome was
let

the

FOCUS of the world

the Causes

us gauge

The Absence

of some drawbacks, and the backward State of the Age Geography, the Etruscan kings, Mixed Peoples in
the town,
Colonies,

Romanising, Roads, and

Rights

Ex-

tended down,
Alliances and Treachery, Isolation of her foes,

her

eNemies, the
Father's

Gradual struggling steps by

;

which she grows

the

powers,

her

Organised

[Religion

Arms and Law],

her Character, her Unity, her Senate
war.
great
in

Here, once more,

it

lest

it

should be thought that

-I

is

difficult

to

make such Rhymes,

little

assure the

reader

that with a

practice,

synonyms
sounds

(see

below),

and

ignominious
the
order.

and a study of
as
it

Rhyming

Dictionary,

concocting

becomes very quick and easy.

I

add an
'

alternative,

taking the
'

Headings

in

their

CRISPER COAT PLUMES

Her Character (brave, frugal, grave, obedient to the State), her Romanising faculty, her schemes to Isolate ; her Senate, her Position, her Extension by degrees of her privileges, Roads, and Forts and Colonies ; to these and her Organising genius, and Alliances, we add

46

HOW

TO

REMEMBER

her Treachery and the Powers supreme that every Pater had, Luck, Unity, the Mixture of the Peoples in the town, The Etruscan kings who raised the folk, by Struggles sturdier grown.

Rhymes do not suit all people equally well, and anyhow they are more liable to be abused than any other Memory-System they lend themselves more Poll-Parrot Memory to the The ideas themselves must be fully realised before
:
'

'.

Rhymes

are attempted.

I insist

on

this.

Rhymes, and are much helped by similarity of Rhythm. I will suggest just a few here, for some of the Causes of Rome's Success.
Alliterations are closely akin to
1

diplomacy, ^vision of enemies, discipline

2.

(Rome)

Romanising, wads,
dogmas

rolling

on gradu-

ally,

roguery, rows of disciplined troops, acting

by

rote,
3.

and

(at first)

with royal leaders.

Religion might

The Roman
dealing with

be described as
fall

not

or ideals, but with

indefinite
priestly

divinities,

and as having no Parity or

of correct

caste,

but as consisting rather

ceremonies.
In
this
last instance,

observe the two kinds of

Alliterations, viz. the similarity of the sound,

and

the similarity of the appearance of words

caste, ceremonies).

(e.g. charity,

XXVI.
Rhythms

In the above
(of a sort!).

Rhymes have been included If Rhymes are fairly old,

THE SAME INSTANCE WITH SYSTEMS

Rhythms
are
far

47

older.

Rhythm
far

appeals to the

savage and to the brute beast

more than mere

illustrated,

Rhymes alone. As English Rhythm

I

has already been

shall give here a

I

Latin Rhythm, the Hexameter

I

Metre.

am cramped by
'

do not defend the Latin as good, for keeping practically to the order
',

in

CRISPER COAT PLUMES

viz.

Character, Romanising,

etc.
I

recommend

better

scholars

than myself, and

better verse-writers, to turn their great faculty into

a somewhat more useful channel than that to which

at present they rigidly confine
it.

The good they

'

do with
arily

their beautiful
:

'

Fair copies

is

extraordin-

small

the good
lists

they might do by turning

(such as
lists

into

metre useful

of Constitu-

tional
I

Changes

in

History) they can hardly realise.

only ask them to use their reason and think over

the matter.

Quomodo Roma Italiam

Moribus haec
subigit,

siibigit ?

moresque

et iura subactis

dat sua, sic tamen ut divlsls imperet una.

multa iuvant Patres, Romae situs ipse, colonl atque viae socil, turn disciplma deumque
;

quam Poena potestas Turn fortunam urbis, fortissima vincla quae iungunt adeo diversas sanguine gentes, Tuscorum adde et opes et grandia facta tyrannum,
cultus, et ilia fides peior
patria.
;

utque per hos crescat luctando strenua plebes.

XXVII. Music has

help the memory, but

not yet been

if

much used

to
it

the idea were developed

48

HOW

TO

REMEMBER
tune might help some minds

might be of value.
to

remember the Rhymes.

exaggerations
will

XXVIII. Epigrams andpointed sayings are usually but, if we keep that in mind, they
:

be found useful helps.

They,

like absurdities,
;

are apt to impress

by

their very

unexpectedness

and they also arouse our

to refute them.
I

interest

because they force

us to examine them, to think about them, and often

offer

ad

lib.

a few here

the

list

might be multiplied
in the loaf: her

1.

'

Rome

in Italy

was the leaven

'.

nature spread itself everywhere

2.
'

All roads led to

Rome
:

there were no good

cross-country roads in Italy

they were the legs of

a huge spider, attached to the body and not to one

another
3.
'

'.

Divide et impera

'

was her motto

in

dealing

with her enemies and her subjects.

4.
'

Geography
us
to

is

the palmistry of the

if

History
to

it

will

help

guess

past

and

foretell

the future of a country,

we only

read rightly

the lines themselves, and read rightly between the

lines.'

XXIX. These
combinations,

various Systems

can be used
is

in

especially

where something

very
alter-

important.

And, again, they can be used as

THE SAME INSTANCE WITH SYSTEMS

natives.

49

One

will

be

found

more

suitable

than

another
(a)
(b)

for various subjects,

and
alone

for various individuals.

will

Experiment and experience

enable

each reader to choose and to decide for himself.

XXX.

Practice

is

a rule of success that applies

I

here as everywhere.

shall

keep

my

suggestions

on practice
remark that
practice,

till

Section
is

XXXIX.,
or no

except for the

it

very easy to have a great deal of

little

and
is

to get

good from
if

it,

if

the not

practice

not of just the right kind and

it

is

done

in just the right

way.

PART
:

III.

THE HELPS TO MEMORY, APART FROM MEMORYSYSTEMS IN DETAIL, WITH FURTHER

EXAMPLES.
SECTIONS

VI.
VII.

Health and Good Conditions Concentrated Attention

VIII. Interest
IX.

To Collect Headings X. Complete Lists. XI. To Select and Reject Headings XII. To Arrange and Emphasise Headings XIII. To Find Causes and other Connexions XIV. Rough Outline and Framework XV. To Realise XVI. Carefully to Study and Analyse the
Parts
XVII. Common Sense and a priori Reasoning XVIII. Comparisons XIX. Contrasts

....
.

53

63 66
72

76

79
Si

XX. To Teach Others XXI. Repetition, and the Resumee

.... ..... .... ....

87

89
91

100
102

107

no
113

'

SECTION

VI.

HEALTH AND GOOD CONDITIONS.

The

subject of Health

have dealt with

be found in
Miles

in detail

in several

books.

Advice about Diet, based

will
'

chiefly

on personal experience,

Quick and
Restaurant

Easy

Recipes/

and

'Eustace

Recipes.'

Other very important matters, such

of the body,
in

as the position

and ways of breathing, are discussed

Health.'
to

the
'

'

Eustace Miles System of Physical Culture

and

Ten Rules of

There are instances where people seem

they are feverish
general rule, the
is

work

better while they are unhealthy, for example, while

:

but few would deny that, as a

is

Memory
Health
'

best

best.

By

do

not

when the Health mean merely

developed
his

the physical strength or physical endurance of a

trained
athlete,

who perhaps
in
is

has

brains rather

less,

proportion, than an
'

average

horse

for
it.

this

not true

Health

',

but only one

side of

as

long

as

The whole person cannot be 'healthy' so much of his most important self
'

remains almost unused.

mean all-round Health and development, physical, and mental, and moral, in
'

By

Health

'

'

54

HOW
to

TO

REMEMBER
individual has

proportion
inherited,

the faculties which the

and

in proportion to the conditions

faculties.

under

which he has been able to use these

There
about
'

is

apt to
'
:

be

another
'

misunderstanding
is

Health

'

Health

is

a term which

often

applied to the state of people

who
'

are not suffering

from any recognisable form of bad

are not absolutely
ill.

Health

',

i.e.

who
and

This

is is

a coarse not
ill

test,

to say that every one

'

who

is

therefore

healthy

',

is

like

saying that anyone

letter

sin
e.g.

against

the

of certain

who does not Commandments,

is

who does
it

not murder or
Virtue includes

steal,
'

therefore a

virtuous man.

not doing

harm
'

',

but
also

goes far beyond the negative and includes

the positive

and

active

'

doing good

there

must be a living tendency

to
it

do good.
not a negative
life,

So
'

it is

with
ill
',

'

Health

'

is

state,

not being

but a positive and active

which

includes,

among

other things, a tendency, or rather

the power to do
natural

a desire, to
that

do good work, and

(a

work well
etc.).
all,

power

relative to one's

faculties,

by
'

For, after

'

Health
ye
'

'

is

like

most other things

'.

their fruits

shall
'

know them
is

And

one

of the fruits of true

Health

and remembering things

the power of learning

rather the

or

tendency
really

and
well.

desire to learn

them and remember them

finest tests of

This

is

one of the

'

Health

'

that

we

HEALTH AND GOOD CONDITIONS

can apply.
If

55

we

fail

to satisfy its requirements,

living,

we

had better look to our way of

Before
I

possibly to

various items, but almost certainly to our food.

begin,

however,

let

me

say that, as

individuals differ, each individual had better keep a

careful register of his personal experiences

this will

be his safest guide.

For the

right

and the wrong

the above-

way
'

of

keeping such

a register, see

mentioned books.
Health and with it Memory, will greatly depend on the purity and the vigorous circulation of the blood; which again will partly depend on the air
',

(see

below), partly on

the food (see p.

62),

and
must
from

partly on other conditions.

The food must be not only

cially

nourishing

it

not only contain enough of the right elements (espeProteids)

but
to

it

must
far

also

be

free

impurities.

Impurities are not always due to excess,

is

though excess

one cause

more often they

or
to
narcotics.

are due to actually impure

elements in the food,

and
'

especially

stimulants
'

Moderation

in all things

is

an accursed Proverb
in

it

has done a vast amount of harm

it

the world,

chiefly because

has sounded so plausible.

But if we avoided deficiency, excess, and the wrong things (for a list of which, see XXVII.), we might still be making a serious mistake, e.g.

by eating too
meals.

fast,

or

by drinking

at or soon after

56

HOW

TO REMEMBER
many
other

Besides food and feeding there are

helps to Health,

and among them is moderation thus to stop the work when we begin to feel tired, if indeed it be feasible to do so, will often save the
Health considerably.

Nor does
be
idle:
rest.

to

'

stop the work

'

necessarily
is

mean

to

for a

change of work

often

the

truest

We

can change either

(a) the subject, or

(a)
(c)

the place at which the

we

are working, or

method

in

which we are working, or

e.g.

under which we are working: we can work standing instead of sitting a hint for Schoolmasters, by the way. Sleep is too obvious a form of rest to be more than mentioned here but I have made some sug(d) the conditions

gestions,

which

may
in
'

be of use (about sleep and

muscular repose),
Exercise,
it

Ten Rules
should

of Health.' *
is

is
:

needless to remark,
it

a valuable
too
violent,

aid

to

Health

not

be

especially just before or just

after

work

another
spells
in

hint for

Schoolmasters.

Gentle

and short

of exercise of the right

kind at intervals between

possible that these alone

work are a great help

it is

may
the

enable a worker to do twice as

day.
:

much work
the

The
for

best

exercise

is

in

form

of

Games

Games, owing to
'

their enjoyable ex-

citement, actually improve the

chemical

'

condition

of the blood, and serve as a fine nerve-tonic.

*

And,

in

more

detail,

in the

'

Eustace Miles System of Physical

Culture.'

HEALTH AND GOOD CONDITIONS

57

Massage is a sort of substitute for, and complement to, exercise. For improving the circulation,
for instance,
it

has a great value.

Bad

conditions,

such as temptations to excess

It is too

of any kind, should always be shunned.

common

a thing to see

temptation, and then

some one lead himself

fall.
If,

into

for

example, you

cannot go to a dinner-party without over-eating and

over-drinking, then avoid the dinner-party
itself.

If

the

inviter

is

not

satisfied

with

Health, as

your excuse, then

sound
until

harsh
body

your desire
as
it

for

may

the less you have to do with him the better,

this reason.

he learns to respect
of the
easiest
'

One
is

bad conditions
the
:

'

to

avoid

the

wrong

position of

the sideways

positions, the
all

cramped

position, the excessive sitting,

may be

hindrances

to

'

Health

'

and

to

the

Memory.

See further the book on training and which

I

athletics, to

alluded just now.

The Temperature one cannot always so easily Feet warm and head cool is the soundest control. maxim here. Some helps to achieving this as a
'
'

regular state are given in the

same book.
are
often
still

Good air
in

and good

ventilation

harder to insure.

On

a railway-journey, in Church,

Lecture-rooms, in Dining- and Drawing-rooms,

will

and elsewhere, there

nearly always be some one

who

will

insist

on the windows being shut.

Your

bedroom

will often

be your only chance unless you

58

HOW

TO

REMEMBER
are better off than
still

work out-of-doors.
other countries, but

We

most

the Nation has

to learn

what can be done for Health by fresh air what can, in fact, be done for Health by no other means. America in the winter is a terrible country for bad
ventilation.

Light
this

is

an important factor

as

shall

show

in

same work, bad

:

light does not injure the eyes

alone
lead

it

injures the whole body, as plants

might
down,

us to judge, and,
light
is

when one

is

sitting
I

bad

apt to encourage
cost.
sights,

stooping.

know

this to

my

be

and sounds, cannot always They are apt to be very distracting to the attention, and therefore very great obstacles in the way of learning and remembering.
Surrounding
under our control.

But there
received

is

here a problem which has hitherto

attention.
If

but

little

we

get into the

possible

habit of doing everything under the best

conditions of health, such as food, change, sleep,

exercise, position of the body, temperature,

good

air,

good

light,

and freedom from distracting sights and

sounds, then

how

shall

we

fare

when we want
there
is

to

remember the
conditions?

various things

under

more adverse
a

In a hot stuffy

room where

great deal of noise going on, for example,

how

shall

we manage
I
'

to

remember?
an
article

have
'

tried to suggest a solution in

:

on

Practice

it

is

that

we should begin by

practising

HEALTH AND GOOD CONDITIONS

things
conditions,

59

well

by parts under the easiest and most favourable and then, when we have got these parts under our control, practise them under less

favourable conditions.
For, obviously,

the hardest conditions,

ceed
then

whereas,
shall

we begin to try the things under we are little likely to sucif we can once become fairly proficient,
if

we and we
'

be prepared

for the hardest conditions,

shall find

them
justice

less
',

hampering.

We
we

shall
shall

not

do ourselves

but at any rate

not break

down

altogether.
all

Teachers, however, are often wont to neglect

nearly
all

or

of these considerations, and to try to train

the will alone, although, as a matter of fact, unless

the above considerations have been attended

will

to,

the

can seldom be given

its

fair

chance.

In the

case of a few isolated individuals, sheer force of will

may work
exceptions.

miracles

but

these are

the

brilliant

The

will-force of the majority

to a very great extent

upon

'

Health

'

more

depends

upon
that

that

than

upon any amount of conviction

is

a certain course of action

right in itself and, in

appeal to the experiI the long run, profitable. ence of ages rather than to the theories of philosophers.

Nevertheless,
in

the

will

is

a most
:

potent factor

learning and remembering well

and the
before

will,

like

everything
in

else,

needs to be practised, and to

first
it

be practised

the simpler things

is

' '

60

HOW

TO

REMEMBER
less

brought to deal with the harder things and the

favourable conditions.

Train the will in easy things

will

under easy conditions, and you

it

have strengthened
experience, that
'

against
I

'

the evil day

'.

may mention
is

here

my own

there

in the
:

for practising

practise

any

mind something very like a faculty will, and steadily if you use your one good thing rightly, you may
'

thereby acquire a power, a sort of a

practising
'

faculty

',

for
this

any other thing

rightly.

Few have

faculty

'

by

nature, and few trouble to acquire

it.

Morality

is

of course a most essential condition of

a continued good Memory.

And

morality,

it

must

be remembered, consists not merely of actions, but

also of gestures, looks,

spoken and written

words,

and thoughts.
our

Our morality depends

will

partly upon

own

free

and choice, and partly on the

help feeling, seeing, hearing,

things which

we cannot
far

or

reading.
to a

But morality may also

greater

Health

extent

than

depend on clergymen

and teachers and parents are apt to suppose.

As
(a)

to the question of time

'

When

shalf we try to learn and to

'

can be answered briefly by the words

is

remember Whenever

?
it

possible or at least feasible'.

This will include

hours,

minutes,
idle,

and moments, when otherwise we

such as for instance while

should be

we

are

waiting for some one or something, or while

are
in

we

a bus or car or cab or

train.

These are

'

HEALTH AND GOOD CONDITIONS

the
best

61

times

for

practice.

And we

should

always keep a stock of things to be practised.

{b)
'

After doing what

'

Not immediately
*

after

severe exercise, and not immediately after

severe

feeding

if

you will feed

'

severely.

And
is

not just

before either of these two.

(c)
'

For how long f

safe test

we
time
:

Tiredness

not always a
in

are sometimes so

interested

our

work that we work too long. The feeling of tiredThen ness only comes when we have stopped.
again, there
certain
is

sometimes work to be done by a

we cannot afford to rest we must toil on and on till we have finished the task. With these two exceptions, however, Work till
'

you begin

to feel tired

'

is

a safe general

rule.

When

you do begin
It will

to feel tired then rest, take exercise, or

change the work.

be essential to have at your
fingers'

ends

change-subjects for work, or

with the subjects
:

new methods
actually

of dealing

this

preparation of materials and

are

methods
Principle

before

they

wanted

is

almost
is

universally

neglected

by

those
is

whose labour

with the brain.

And

terrible

the consequence, and the waste of time and energy

beyond

calculation.

Besides trying the change of work, you should

also resort to the special
'

exercises

'

for

relaxing

the

muscles of the body

there

is

nothing more
legs,

refreshing.

For example, stand with bent

and

62

HOW

TO
down

REMEMBER
quite limp

and as a dead weight, and with a contented smile on the face. There will follow a feeling of quiet and contentwith arms hanging

ment

unless

you try

this in

public

It is

almost

incredible that,

during this exercise, the attention

I

can be concentrated on the subject quite easily.

suppose
is

it is

that the magnetic force or nerve-energy

not dissipated through tightly clenched hands or

etc.,

stiff legs,

but flows

all

into the

work of the

brain, or stores itself

I

up

for future use.

shall

be only too glad to give to anyone

a

who

sends

me

stamped

envelope, addressed

to 40

Chandos
exercise

Street,

London, W.C., some of

my own
personal

favourite recipes,

and also a few general hints about

and health, based on

my own

experiences.

SECTION

VII.

CONCENTRATED ATTENTION.

OUR

power over our attention must

free will,

to a great extent
I

depend on our own

in its turn

which

believe

must

depend to a great extent not only on our

on our Health
at the time being.

habits but also

Variety

and changes, however, combined with

gigantic efforts of will and backed

up by the habit
fail if

of concentrating the attention, and by good Health

at the time

even
it

all

these will sometimes

the

subject itself lacks interest.

You

will feel inclined to

say

'

If the subject itself

lacks interest,

cannot possibly
it

be
it is

interesting:

you cannot give

an

interest

'.

Wait a

little

before you decide

possible that

we may
jects, in

not be able to give an interest to the sub-

but

may
it.

still

be able to discover an interest

it,

them

already, and, having discovered

to

make

the most of

The power

of concentrating the attention on one

and of not letting it be distracted by anything else, is sometimes a natural gift but, like most natural gifts, it may be acquired and imparticular thing,
:

proved,

if

only

we can

find

out the right method,

to use
it.

and can make up our minds

In the case of Napoleon,

who

did so

much by

his


64
'

HOW
',

TO

REMEMBER
may
speak of a great

concentration

suppose we

by habitual use. Much will depend on this we must rigidly insist on doing only one thing at a time, and that one thing It will must not be complex but must be simple. be of little use for us to begin by telling an ordinary
natural facility increased

child
"

to

concentrate
spells
it

its

attention
is

on

C-A-T

CAT there
may seem
to

the

words
".

a cat on the rug

this
is

Simple as

us,

really very

complex
each
of the

the

sight of the whole word, the sight of

letter,

the sound of the whole word, the sound

of each letter (altogether different from
itself,

name

the sound of the letter

in the case of
'

C and

A), the sight of the cat

this is not so
'

itself,

and the
it?

idea

'

of cat

simple after
'

all, is

The energy which

'

is

stored up within us can be

let

out

'

by means of

e.g.

the limbs, the eye, the ear,

If

or

the reasoning faculty.

well

we wish

to

do the

work

we must

try to let

few exits as possible

single
exit, for

'

it all

out by means of as

that

may

do not say by means of one be almost impossible, at

start

least as a rule.

But
if

one sense at a time to

with

'

is

a useful,
'

inaccurate, piece of advice.

',

Let
'

there be no

distractions

if

you can help

at a time
'

it.

thing at a time, and one

this

way

remember
a distinct

One

golden

rule.

The work which

'

at first needs
'

an

effort,

and conscious and willed

effort,

must, after constant

and

careful

practice,

become by degrees easy and

: :

CONCENTRATED ATTENTION
natural and almost or quite automatic
:

65

at the begin-

ning the labour and the clumsiness

most, but that
is,

will

strike

you
you

in

many

cases, inevitable, if

wish ever to succeed.

And
tion

here

would point out that

this concentra-

of attention does not

that, for the

mean

'

No
is

change
to
is

'

it

means
'

time being, there

in

be 'one
to be

simple thing done

distraction
' :

one way
is

',

there

no

but this

only for the time being.

this,

After you begin to get weary of

or even before,

you can change

(a)
'

to
first

another simple thing done in the

way
'.

',

or to
(6)
'

the

first

simple thing done in another

it is

way

Read and
without
it

realise this twice, for

important.
the attention

This variety, in

fact, is essential for

is

the interest

bound

to flag.
if

But, even

with a great deal of variety, even

you attack the

same thing in many different ways (see XLII.), or apply the same way to many different things, even then
your attention
unless

may

flag,

and may be
it

'

distracted

',

you determine
effort

to keep

well in hand.

An

of will, then, cannot be dispensed with

you must will to bring back your attention again and again, to 'collect' it and to focus it on the
matter in hand. work, just
as,

Throw your whole

in

will

into the
I
it

ordinary practice

for

Games,

should advise you (as

Sandow

does) to throw as

were your whole

5

will into the muscles.

SECTION

VIII.

INTEREST.

There

is

no law

for

teaching (and therefore for

learning and therefore for remembering), which has

been more neglected

than

till

recent times, at any rate,

the law of interest.

efforts of

But

in future years,

thanks to the

Froebel and others,

we

shall

see this law gradually introduced

more and more

It
is

thoroughly into our Educational methods.

already being applied to Primary Teaching: in a

few

centuries

we may hope

to see

it

introduced

even into certain departments of teaching at our

Schools and English Universities.

'How
for
'

can

this

subject

be

made
as

interesting?'

must be a great problem

would-be rememberers.
'

for teachers, for learners,

So long

we omit

the

motives of action

from the subjects which we

study, so long
unless
for

we shall fail to solve this problem, we happen to have been born with the genius solving it. But, when once this subject of the we an enormous
field

motives of action, the incentives to action, has been

carefully sifted, not only have

help

ready to hand for teaching, learning, and remembering, but

we

also

opened

to us

find a

new

for

observation
action in

the great field of

human

the world.

INTEREST

67

Now

it

is

often

said

that,

people's motives, so as to get

when we appeal to them to do something,

to the highest.

we should always appeal only

is

This

a gross error, and savours of the theorist working a study from which
all

in

the sights and sounds of

living

human
light
all

and good

have been

beings

to say nothing of

good

air

carefully shut out.

By

means appeal
'

to the highest motives

:

let

them be
yourself

as high as possible

say to the learner or to

;

You may

benefit others

the nobler powers of your

mind
'

'.

you may improve But don't for one

moment imagine
be bad.

that

any motive besides these must

No

if

you say

may
that

gain fame and respect, you

position,

money

you may gain will buy you

',

You may succeed, you may gain a good money and the good things
also
will

probably be

far

more

likely to persuade, to arouse real interest, to enable

the learner or yourself to concentrate the attention,

and so grasp and remember the subject

itself.

These motives, believe me, are not within us that they may be ignored they are meant to be motives
:

for,

and incentives
:

to,

good work.
find

Nay more

you may

that the motive that

will really influence

a large class of learners more

:

than any other will be rivalry

desire that others shall
fail,

not necessarily the

but the desire that for

one's

own

part one

may

succeed more than others

do, or

the noblest rivalry in the world

self.

more

than

one's former

68

HOW
These
'

TO

REMEMBER
interest

motives

'

would often arouse punishment

power.
It

and

help the attention.

The
'

desire to escape
' :

is

still

lower

motive
at

but no one
'

who has seen

its

a Public School
is

'

work

can deny
such,
'

still

a great

lever, and, as

it
'

should not be misused.

so as
to

To
to

apply
master

this

motive

compel

boys

Those huge
seems to
is

dull useless lists of things,

Dates, Rules, Exceptions, Prophets, Kings,

me

little

short of criminal.
for this
it

If

any one
it

more responsible

than another,
his

is

the
let

Head Master: he has

taught in the School
I

in

power not

to

these things be asked in Entrance Examinations or

;

speaking of the typical

life,

lists,

say that they are not wanted in after

instil

and that

they often

a loathing for Bible History, for

Geography,

for Greek, for Latin,

and

for

a great deal

more as well. Another help towards

'

interest

'

is

to keep your

own

records of the time

it

takes you to do things, of

the ease with which you do them, of the quality

of your work, of what you find to be the best conditions for working.
itself interesting.

The

record will

make
'.

the work
pro'

duction
rivalry

a small
'

How

man

loves his

thing yet his

own

own The
is

self-

',

which these records almost compel,

as to the advantages which

a great

aid to progress.

And

may come

to

INTEREST
you, or to your friends, or to
if

6a,

many

others as well,

you yourself do your work well, do not consider merely the immediate advantages, but reflect that
a concentrated attention practised now, and hence a

memory
life.

well

stored
in
if

now,
future
still

will

be

your

valuable
future
reflect
'

possession

years

and

most
the

in

And,
in

you

need an incentive,
forgetting.
is

on the many disadvantages of

'

Interest

a rather different sense

:

somewhat
what
it

harder to explain

but

you
'

will

realise

means when you

a child
:

an interesting fairy-story to the child has no ulterior motives of gain

tell
',
'

but yet

is

interested

',

sees the whole picture

of,

you are
is,

painting,

and
will

acts the part

and almost

the

actual hero or heroine.

Some
aspect.

be interested in one thing, or one aspect

certain things that appeal to

of a thing, others in another thing, or a different

But there are

nearly every one.

The appeal
or at

to the eye,

by what can be

clearly seen

any

rate can be clearly imagined or pictured in

' '

to learn

interest most learners, and help them and to remember this is especially the case with the young but I see no reason why we should

the mind, will

lose the faculty, as

much
come

as

we

are

wont

to do, as

we grow
of
'

older and
'

to think rather

ideas

or

alas, often

by means
'

by means

of words, vague

words.

The appeal

to the ear will

interest

'

others.

They

'

70

HOW
action in real

TO

REMEMBER

do not remember well what they have only seen

an

life

or a picture or a photo
in

what they have seen

words and
'

writing

or printing

letters
in,
is
it,

on a page

or

the

interest

'

what they do

learn,

what they do take and what they do

remember,
the pity of

what some one

if

else has said

it

or
is

often (oh

they do not keep

to themselves)

just exactly

what he

(or she) has said.

Others,

again,

are

not

interested,

are

not

appreciably interested, unless the appeal

'

to their

reason

' :

they must understand a thing, they must

it, it,

understand the causes of

tendencies and
that
'

they must understand

or

results
!

of

they
it,

must think
no
concentrate

they understand
'

Otherwise

they have

interest

in

the

thing,

they cannot

their attention

on

it,

they cannot learn

they cannot

remember
But
little

it.

in

all
'

three cases alike there will often be

real

interest

(a)

unless the

mind has

in

it

already something

of the kind,

some

familiar starting-point (see XVIII.,

XXV.), and
(b)
is

to

unless the work of learning and remembering some extent the person's very own work. In teaching a large and mixed audience, if you

really wish the people to

be interested, and hence to

safest

learn

and to remember, the best and

and, above
all,
:

way

is

to

interest the dullest:

to mention too

many

motives rather than too few

not to confine

INTEREST
yourself to the immediate
'

71

interest

'

of the subject,
it,

or to the immediate advantages of attending to

learning
further

it,

and remembering
later

it,

but to

insist

on the

and

advantages

also,

and

the disad-

vantages of forgetting.
trouble in the end.

This will save time and

Let
fession.

me
If

conclude with a somewhat heretical con-

you should
I

tell

me

that the subject

is

uninteresting to you, that you cannot find any interest

in
it

as a subject, then

advise

you

to reflect on the
it (e.g.

advantages of learning and remembering

the
dis-

marks to be gained
But,

in

an Exam.), or on the
it (e.g.

advantages of forgetting
if
'

the punishment).

'

you tell me either that there is no such motive in your case, or that such a motive does not move you enough to make you learn your huge
'

'

'

dull useless
in

list

of things', such as the ornaments

I

Solomon's temple, then

congratulate you on
for
'

your

common

sense,
'

and
'

cannot
'

the
at

life
all.

of

me

suggest any

motive

or

interest


SECTION
IX.

TO COLLECT HEADING&

SUPPOSING you already have your List (e.g. see XXVII., for a List of Mems.'
'

of of

Headings

what you
the

have to do during the day), then of course

collecting itself will be as
It

good as done.
here,

may

be necessary, however, both

and

in the case
collect, to

where the Headings are not so easy to

express an idea, often a whole sentence,

by as few words as possible, and, if it is possible to do so without being obscure, by one single word. If "you have to call on Mrs. Jones at 43 Bingley
Place
",

43

',

if

the word Jones may be enough, or Jones you are sure to remember Bingley Place all
* '

'

'

right.

But the
sentences

art of thus
is

compressing ideas or whole

look,
for

not

born with every one:

instance, at the people concocting

it to comby the bitten ends of the public pencils that would not be done for mere pleasure Or you can prove it by the result the

Telegraph Office
;

how

telegrams in a

hard they find

press

you can prove

this

obscure message which might

nothing.
If

mean

three things or

you want

practice in
'

'

compressing
'

',

and you

almost certainly do, then

compress

a Chapter of a

TO COLLECT HEADINGS
book
(often the Chapter will

73

have

its

own Headings,
own),
or a
oc-

which you

may compare
moments.

with your
It
is

sermon, or a conversation.
cupation for odd
'

not a bad

For other

hints, see

How

to Prepare Essays, etc'

also,
I

For the uses of the Card-System,

refer to this

must

same book

but

may

say here that

continued practice at summarising ideas by Headings,

and

at using the

Card-System, has helped to

make my work
used to be, and

at least three times as rapid as

but

many

times

it

will

not say better,

less bad,
let

and more

successful.

But
yet
all

me assume
that
life

that the Headings are

not
are

gathered together.

You know
not

there

some things
but, for

you

have

written
find

down,
them.

the

of you,

you cannot

What
The

are

you to do?

right

way

of collecting Headings
in

is

almost
In

entirely

neglected

education
I
:

in

England.

the above-mentioned book

on the art

have given some hints

here
I

for

it

is

an

art

will select

only

a few points.

As

a rough-and-ready plan for recalling ideas or

All words must begin
:

Headings, try the Alphabet.

with one of the letters as an initial letter

initial

and the

(see
It

XXVII.)
is

will

often

suggest the actual

useful.
is

word.

an old plan, and very

if

Other helps, especially

your subject

of the

Essay- or Article- or Speech-type, would be

74
(a) to

HOW

TO REMEMBER

work out your own ideas on the subject before you go and consult a book or Encyclopaedia it is a great error to learn from others if you have

Your home-made notions may not be complete per se, but they will be easier to remember, and more profitable for the mind common sense (see XVII.) must be
time to think the question out for yourself.
;

brought into play, especially with regard to

(b)
(c)

comparisons and contrasts (XVIII., XIX.)

picture-painting in the

mind may very

likely

bring out

some

detail.
first

After
that

your

collection

you have the time to spare leave an interval, and then add any new Headings that may have come meanwhile. Then add other Headings by
' '

always
hearing

supposing

reading,
subject.
It
is

asking,

talking,

or

about

the

needless to say that books, articles, queslectures,

etc.,

tions,

conversations,
All,

may

all

add

something.
collecting

moreover, will give you practice in

{before

Headings

and
you

after
will

reading or

listening to the book, etc.), if

only use the

opportunity.

To
to jot

think over certain subjects at odd times, and

down
is

the Headings

in

a Note-book

after-

wards,

also excellent practice.

Of Complete
the
collection

Lists of things as a help towards

of

Headings,

shall

speak

in

the

following Section.

TO COLLECT HEADINGS
While you are

75

collecting the Headings, use plenty

of paper, and write the words under one another,

with spaces in between, so as to leave room

additions.

for

False economy

is

as bad a thief of time

as procrastination.

NOTE.
I

shall

be glad

to

send a

leaflet

about the Card-System to

anyone who
envelope, at

and send me a stamped and addressed 40 Chandos Street, London, W.C.

will write

SECTION

X.

COMPLETE

LISTS.

If you have ten things to do, and have not a very

good memory,

it

is

obvious that

it

easy to recall all of the ten things

if

would be quite any one showed

ten,

you a
it

list

which included
This

all of

the

even

if

happened to include ten others which you did not

recall.
is is

want to

one of the

many

instances

where excess

better than deficiency.

Supposing, for example, that you wanted to plan

out a house, and that you wanted to remember
all

the rooms, and to leave out nothing of importance,

it

would probably be quicker and

easier

and

safer

for
if

you

to choose

from a
list

complete
far

list

of rooms, even

that complete

went
his

beyond what you

as the forgot

needed, than to trust to your

man

did

who planned
if

own memory, own house and

for a

the staircase.

Again,
journey,

you were going

less)
:

long or a short
for the
list

it

would be a great help

memory

to have a (more or

complete
it

of things

which might be required

to choose.

would be so simple
this applies with

There are many subjects where

no

less

force

for

examples,
,6

refer

the reader to

the above-mentioned work on Essay-writing.

'

COMPLETE LISTS
Of the
It is

77

use of the Alphabet

list

have already spoken.

a complete

of the initials of

in

our Language:

all the words and Z can usually be dis-

regarded.

Webster's Dictionary would be nearly a complete

list.

In certain Competitions which were the rage

ago, especially in those for finding out

some years
all

the words to be got out of

some one word,

But

there

were

many who went through pages and pages

is,

of a
this

Dictionary, so as not to miss anything.

course

as a rule, impossible

the time and the

trouble forbid.

The
are

reader will decide for himself whether there

lists

any complete
lists

that would
list

help him.

have already spoken of a

of things for journeys,

similar
lists

and of
for

of Headings for Essays ;

etc.,

History, for Geography,

would have
I

their

value.

And, with regard

lists tell

to these,
'

would mention
' :

here that these

are not mere

cramming

they

do not so much
tions, as
is

if

you things as ask you questhey were saying Here is a Heading

'

this

what you are looking for?

this
?

Do you know

anything about

These complete lists themselves can be easily remembered by the various Systems, especially by Linking (XXIII.), by Initialising (XXVII.), or by

Rhymes.

single instance will often give

all

a complete

list:
list

the best example of

would be a complete

78

HOW

TO REMEMBER
by the
life

of virtues, which would be given

of Jesus.
is

This has
concrete,

the advantage of starting with what

and thus

easier to realise.

In the various kinds of Essays which are usually

set
in

Examinations,

there

are

certain

General

Headings which are of almost universal application.

Some
etc.,

of these are given in

Rhyme

on pp. 83, 92,

it

of the book on Essay-writing:

is

explained

there that the Headings are not facts but rather the

means of
in our

eliciting facts, etc.,

;

which we already have

these

mind and the means of eliciting more of than we should otherwise be able to elicit.

SECTION

XI.

TO SELECT HEADINGS.

AND REJECT

WILL suppose

that,
list

somehow

or other, the reader

has collected a
line,
list.

of Headings, written
in

down

in

one under another, and not

a continuous
all

Do
in a

not
:

let

him write the words

it is

huddled

up
If

mass

or grudge paper, for

very cheap.

he must economise (from nature or from necessity),

let

then

him use cheap paper: but

will

let

him not
will
will
call

spare the paper and spoil the work.

These Headings

be such that each

up a whole

idea, or

even two ideas.

will

They
is

not

be the ideas themselves, but

only represent them,

not his

somewhat

as a

Member

of Parliament
it,

Constituency

itself

but only represents

or as land-

marks between one place and another are not the

track itself but will be enough to enable

you

to find

the track.

A
if

great deal of time and trouble will be saved

to collect

you can manage not only

but also

to select

which
most

will

mean

to reject as well.

You

must

economise, as far as possible.

select either

You may
(a) the
(J>)

useful

and important Headings; or

the Headings hardest to remember.


80

HOW
You may
(a)

TO

REMEMBER
the
not
least

reject either

the

most useless and

important
general

Headings; or
rule

though

it

is

a good

the Headings easiest to remember. So long as Education is what it is, so long as punishments and marks and money and success and future prospects depend, if only in part, upon huge dull useless lists it would be of little use to advise
(ft)
'

',

the reader to reject these

lists

altogether.

can

only say to him,

'

Reject as

much

as

it is

feasible for

you to reject'. In an ordinary Map, for instance, you may usually (for ordinary purposes) reject ninetenths.
reject
'

'.

The
that

sad thing
is

is

that
'

it is

no simple task
'

to

to
is

say, to

reject

in

the sense of
'

forget

There

some

truth in the Epigram,

is

The
This

hardest part of remembering

the forgetting

'.

exaggerates the case, as Epigrams (XXXIII.) are

wont
on the

to
',

do,

but

to

wanted
'

and to
'

select

wanted

reject and forget the notand concentrate the attention

'

this

is

indeed one of the secrets

of the highest type.

of a good and useful

memory

SECTION

XII.

TO ARRANGE AND EMPHASISE HEADINGS.

WILL imagine
selected your

that

you have already

:

collected
in

and

Headings

you must now take

is

hand the Herculean task of arranging them.

The
teach
it

art of

arranging Headings, again,

:

little

taught in the ordinary English Education

here, but

cannot

have

tried to

do so
1

in

my

work

on

'

How

to Prepare Essays, etc' (p.

is,

72

foil.).

There

there must be, at least one best possible

list

way

of arranging any given

lists

of Headings,

if

we

set

aside those

(such as a

list

of engagements) where

the order
to
its

is

fixed already.

Now we may

not be able
it

find

this order,
effect.

but the very search for

is

will

have

good

There
in

life,

from dressing

any department in the morning to going to bed

scarcely

at night,

where a consideration of the best possible

order (for general occasions) will not be worth while.

I

say for general occasions, because, in preparing

a speech for instance, the order will differ according

to e.g. the length of the speech (5

minutes or 30
to be

minutes), the audience (pedants or workmen), and

various

other conditions

(e.g.

whether

it

is

made

before or after a large meal).

in

Notice the difference

packing

luggage

have shoved the things anyhow into your bag

looks so
6
full

you
it

that

you haven't room

for all

you want

82 to take.

HOW

TO REMEMBER

Then, when you want something during

it

your journey, you can't lay your hand on

at once.

Out must come sponge-bag, boots, and hair-brush, But study before you can find that handkerchief. the art of arranging things, and the bag will hold more, and you will know just where each thing is.
For the purposes of
mentioned above).
here
:

arrangement

know

of

nothing better than the Card-System (see the book

There

is

not space to explain

its

it

can only say that one of

principles

is

to

write
all

down Headings each on

a separate card and not

together on a single sheet of paper.

By

this plan,

you can
'

easily add, take away, alter, or rearrange.

is

Indenting', again,

a great
all

boon.

It

means

that you need not write

your Headings under

be written

one another: the main

thus,
'

Headings can be written

can
a
little

but
'.

Sz^-Headings

inland

Thus we might take one or two of the

of this Section, as follows:

Headings

H OW TO ARRANGE
Card
-

HEADIN GS.

System -for
additions
alterationsesp, of order

indenting

- dish'nguishes

important Headings

SuBiRcadings
groups of Headings

Diagram

III.

TO ARRANGE

AND EMPHASISE HEADINGS

'

83

We

line,

Main Headings come in a and the two Sub-Headings of each are inland more to the right and out of the way.
see here that the two
',

By
but

'

indenting

',

then,

you can show which Headunder these important

ings are important, and which are not so important

are

only subdivisions
is

Headings: 'indenting'

thus a convenient

way

of

marking

off

Headings into groups.

itself

The
(a)

order

importance

may

be according to
be necessary

the conspicuous places being the

beginning and the end

to decide

'

it

will therefore

which Headings are the most important

see below
(b) unity
:

Headings which belong

the

to the
in

same

general class (such as

ings with others
(c)
'),

Romans
:

their deal;

should be grouped together

if

some connexion or transition

to think of another

one Headturn lead

ing will call up an idea which will in

its

you

Heading, then these two

thus,

Headings should be kept next to each other:

above, the Heading
partly

Roman

'

Colonies
'

',

which were

intended to guard the

'

Roads

',

might come

next to

Roads

'

(d) cause

and

effect

form so powerful a means

that
'

of connexion and of transition

they deserve
Geographical

separate
'

mention

thus
the

Rome's
'

position

would
causes

cause

Etruscan

Kings
be
'

'

to

invade
of
the

Rome, and
of

their

invasion

might
a

one

the

Romans being

Mixed

84

HOW
' :

TO

REMEMBER

People

hence these three Headings might come

together.

Notice that, with this arrangement, to remember

one idea will often lead us to
either side

remember

the ideas on
for-

of

it.

We

can work backwards or

wards.
(e)

Connexions of sound (see further Sections

XXIII.,

XXX.)

are

by no means
be
classed

to be neglected.

But
'

these

must
'.

rather

under

the

Memory- Systems
Re-arrangement

after

an interval

may

be a wise

plan

somewhat

as things that have been

'

packed

in

a box are found

shaken down
it

'

and

better arranged

after a journey, so

may be

with the brain, owing

'.

to what they
I

call

'

unconscious cerebration

spoke
it

above of emphasising a Heading by

into an important position, the

putting

most im-

portant positions being the beginning and the end,

as

one might almost guess merely from the way

!

in

which some people treat novels

are well worth a

But there are other means besides

little

this,

and they

attention.

The Emphasising

of the most useful Headings,

or of those which are hardest to remember, can be

secured not only by the order but also by

(a)

intervals

before and

after,

corresponding to
is

pauses in speaking;

one particular point

thus

made
(b)

to stand out from

among

the rest

underlining, printing or writing in italics, in

TO ARRANGE AND EMPHASISE HEADINGS

thick type, in
or in

85

CAPITALS, in THICK CAPITALS, UM10Ual type these would correspond chiefly

;

to loudness and stress in talking, but also perhaps to

some extent
in

to differences of note

[the illustrations

of a writer in his book or article might correspond

way

to the

gestures and

surroundings of a

speaker in his speech].

The

great feature

is

that the attention

is

attracted

sometimes the means are rather

startling.

To

give

simple

instance
I

of the

power of
Classical

differences in

type: when

wanted

my

remember that the Ending of the Dative Case was A I, I wrote dAtlve, thick-typing the first two Vowels of Dative; similarly the LAtln AbLatlve reminds them that the Latin Ablative
pupils to

strumental.

was a three-fold Case, Ablative Zocative and 7hSee How to Learn Philology (Swan
*
'

Sonnenschein).
Practice
is

essential, or else

we

shall not

be able
is

to arrange quickly, or to decide quickly

what

to be

emphasised, or to emphasise
the best forms of practice
" one
(a)
is

it

quickly.

And among
called the

what may be
(c)

two three
(b)

System.

An

illustration will

be found elsewhere.

Let

me

give one final warning with regard to

emphasising.
necessary.

Don't use emphasis where Don't

underline
everything,

it

is

un-

or

write

everything in large type.

86

HOW
There
is

TO

REMEMBER

swore so
occasion,

a well-known story of a workman who much on ordinary occasions, that on one when he was really annoyed, he could say

nothing fresh

he

could not add anything to his

former blasphemies and foulnesses, and nothing that

he could say could give him what he called

feeling of a real swear.'

'

the

The Americans
habitual,

offer

similar

warning:

so

so
to

ordinary and
advertise

become

commonplace has it everything with huge letters

and Notes of Exclamation, that these things have almost ceased to be a sign of emphasis at all
they have become a sine qud non.
Therefore, don't emphasise too

many

things.

NOTE.
If

anyone

is

interested in the subject of Card-holders for

memoranda and notes for speeches, articles, essays, etc., I will send him particulars as to one or two of the most convenient
kinds that
I

have

tried, if

he

will enclose in

a letter to

me

stamped and addressed envelope.

SECTION

XIII.

TO FIND CAUSES

AND

OTHER CONNEXIONS.

WHILE
that
it

speaking of the arrangement of ideas,

said

was a great help if, in a list, we could see that certain Headings were connected as cause and
effect,

or in
little

to
viz.

do

other ways. I must be content here more than repeat what I said above,

that there are

many who cannot

learn things

(and therefore cannot remember them) unless they

understand them

first,

and who cannot understand

them properly unless they see the causes and effects and other relations. To take an example, if one wanted to learn and to remember about Egypt of people the in olden times, and what kind and what kind of Government were, Egyptians Buckle's famous would read Chapter they had, one in England of Civilisation He History his in
'

'.

some of the causes, such as the richness the land, and the huge numbers of people that
gives
will easily support.

of
it

After

the

causes

have been

grasped, the facts will be readily learnt and will

be remembered for ever.

It
is

needless

to say that the mental exercise

is

of finding

out

causes

most excellent
'

for

the

reasoning faculty.

As a
Thus,
if

help,

should suggest

genealogical trees'

we wanted

to get an idea of

some of

the

88

BOW
of to-day,
'

TO

REMEMBER
one of the causes,
it

evils
viz.
I

we might take

Alcoholism,' and see what effects

produces

will select

one or two

effects.*

ALCOHOLISM

poverlylby
its

depresslbnCla*

oss of selfcontrol

expensive

*fefon}

'flessl

laziness

misery

desire for

more

crime
etc.

want
etc.

of food

Alcohol

Diagram IV.
For an instance where a single central cause
will

account for a whole series of Headings, thus gathering them together into a kind of (unhappy) family,
see
'

The
'

Evils of the Republic

'

in

'

History of
here

Rome

(Grant Richards).

take the form of a spider

central cause) in

body (representing the the middle, and the legs (representthe

it

The Diagram might

ing the effects) going out from

in all directions.

Such Diagrams are good, because they appeal

the eye as well as to the reason.

to

Causes

and

effects
:

are

not

the only

relations
helps,

between Headings

besides causes

we have
etc.

Hindrances also are worth considering.

* See further 'Quick

and Easy Recipes,'

SECTION XIV. ROUGH OUTLINE AND FRAMEWORK.

In learning certain subjects

to begin
line

it

is

common

error

by learning a
been

detail before the general out-

has

grasped.

We may

have concen'

trated

our attention,

we may have
selected,

interest

'

in

the subject,

we may have

a whole mass of good

Headings, collected,

and even to some

;

extent emphasised and arranged

fail

but yet
i.e.

we may
it.

to learn the subject properly,

it

so as to re-

member

and to be able to make use of

How

often

we

see a

at his particular said to

who department, but who

specialist
:

is

an

expert

yet cannot be

know

the subject

consider, for instance, the

prices

bookseller's clerk

who knows
is

and Publishers'
the subject of
often

names ad
Literature.

lib.,

but

ignorant on

Or, to

make a comparison, how

is

we

see a picture in which each part

carefully

and

accurately done, and which yet

cannot
is

be
bad.

called

a good picture.

The

general effect

Now
outline

as, in

a Map,

we must be content with an

will

which always

be inaccurrate

(it

will

never represent the coast-line quite accurately), but

which

still

serves our purpose ; and, as few of us can

outline
first,

do a good Map without doing a rough

90

HOW
subjects
:

TO

REMEMBER
it

or a drawing without a rough sketch, so

is

with

many
details

on one side

we must be till we have got a

content

to put the

general

grasp of the whole.

A
It
is

Proverb

is

a very good instance of the effect

which such a rough outline has upon the memory.

so easy to
:

remember those short

this ?
?

crisp simple

Proverbs

but most of them are inaccurate.

How
often
is.

shall

we defend

Is
:

it

right to learn

things that are inaccurate

Yes to begin with, it Afterwards we must correct and emend

it

and

fill

in the picture, but at the outset

would

frequently be quite wrong.

We

should be so over-

whelmed by
be
left.

details that

no useful impression would

get accurate ideas about very
:

After

all,

we probably

very few subjects in this world

'

in part

'

mind,

viz.

we can only know and as long as we constantly bear this in that our knowledge is only a convenient
truth, that
it

approximation to the

is

only a part,

the danger will not be so great.

But, as
inaccurate)
I

say,

when the general (and

has

usually

outline

been

once

grasped

and
will

digested, then the details

fit

and the corrections

into their proper places,

and the parts can then

be mastered individually.


SECTION XV.
TO REALISE

AGAIN and

again and again

we

are told to under-

stand things, to grasp them, to realise them.

We
it

should like very

just

much indeed
'

to

do

so,

but

is

about as useful a piece of advice as telling a

play well
'.

beginner at cricket to
I shall

try here to give the gist of

what

I treat

in

more
Let
"*

detail in the

Essay-Book.
that will
children

me

begin
off

sound quite
like
?

the

by asking a question " What do point

:

they

Among

the answers there would be these

like personal stories full of details,

they like

pictures, they like acting, they like

doing one thing

at a time, entering into

it

heart and soul.

The personal and

root of realising.
(i)

concrete instance lies at the very

Let

me

take an instance or two.

Mr. Stout begins

his

Manual of Psychology

thus
"

Let us suppose that a man ... is testing the He looks at it he feels it he quality of a cigar.
; ;

and listens to the crackle which is a mark of dryness he smells it before commencing
puts
it

to his ear

to
*

smoke ..."
The answers
to this question

principles of learning

would and remembering.

9

tell

us a great

many

of the


92

"

HOW
(2) Prof.
:

TO

REMEMBER

Michael Foster begins his Physiology

Primer

" Did you ever on a winter's day, when the ground was as hard as a stone, the ponds all

frozen
I

ask these two

all

questions

Why
'

am

so

warm when
that
I

things around me, the ground,

air,

the trees, the water, and the

is it

are so cold

How
stirring

am moving

about, running, walking,

I

jumping, when nothing else that

at
for
all,
'

can see

is

except perhaps a stay bird seeking in vain

?

food

Now
writer
(3)
"
:

take

this

third

quotation from

another

"By

the

principle

of

relativity
factor,

...
its

it

is

denied

that

any
exist

psychic

or

complex
definite

" psychosis

can

without

having

" quality, quantity,

"

tone of feeling, value in com-

bination,

and

influence

upon

simultaneous

or

" successive

factors

and
it

psychoses, determined

" the relation in " psychoses, in

which
or

stands to other factors

the entire

mental
of

life

you
either

make
?

head

tail

it?

..." Or of

by and Can
this

(4) " In

a similar

way,

in

America, the shock

of political thought brought about in the interior of

each
of

of the

thirteen

colonies,

by the delegation
a

important

prerogatives

to

new
its

fashioned

central government, rendered the

criticism of that

Government, of

its

functions,

and of

rights

and

TO REALISE
duties as natural as, in
stances,

93

other times and circumwas the unquestioned submission to the

claims

of any

Government believed
specialists

to

be

duly-

authorised."

Now
will

to

some

the last two quotations

first,

be as clear as the two

or probably clearer

come before the mind quite easily. But for the average learner the last two quotations are intolerably obscure. They have to be read three or four times, and even then the meaning may not be obvious.
the meaning and the ideas will

Now why
his past,
it

is

this?
if

It

will

be worth while to back over

decide, because,

the reader will look

will occur to

he has not learnt or

him that one reason why remembered a large proportion

(e.g. in

of what he has read, or heard

that the language

Lectures),

is

was
I

like that of (3)

(2).

and

(4),

and

not like that of (1) and

I

Is

it

not so?

Am

not right when

to

say that, had

like

you read and

and
(2)

listened

more language
and

(1)

let

us say on

the subject of Religion, and less lan(3)

(4),

guage

like

you would have

learnt

and remembered and used double as much as you have done?

If this
is

so,

you see that the question

like

is

one

of the greatest importance.

and
and

(2),

and you would

You have realised (1) It will to know why.

help you to understand what you read in the future,

to explain things clearly to other people (for

'

94

HOW

TO

REMEMBER

depend upon it will feel similar difficulties), and generally to think and speak and write more
they
definitely

and

effectively.

For another instance

Preface.

like

(i)

and

(2),

see

the

like to

You have not realised (3) and (4), and you would know why. It will help you to know what
when you
It

to avoid

are thinking and speaking and

writing.

will

help you to learn and

remember
at

what you
and
(2)

read.
at (1)

Look once again

(3)
(4),

and
fail

(2),

and then

and you cannot

they

to see why.

(1)

and
give

are personal,
;

give

you an

actual

concrete picture

(3) and (4) are impersonal, they you no picture but more or less abstract

ideas, (3)

being more abstract than

(4).

'

Let me now give a general rule

be disregarded.
as a rule
If

for

'

realising

there will be exceptions, but, for ordinary

pur-

poses they can

realise
'

an
it,

idea,

you wish to you must first see a

in

picture of

either a real scene, or a painting or

photo or drawing, or a picture

in

your mind's eye,

your

'

imagination
often
is

'.

It

is

not invariably the

case, but
'

it

so,

that

you must see some one

hearing,

doing
'

'

something,
'

or

something doing something.

'

Let

doing

include

seeing,

touching,

tasting,

perceiving,

thinking,

speaking or writing,

and
I

acting'.

do not

for

one moment assert that you should

TO REALISE
always express yourself
always be describing
thing
' : '

95

in this

way, that you should

as

some one

doing some-

but, until
to

you have got

into the habit of

being able

express yourself in this way, you can

never be sure that you are really learning a thing

and that you are

I

likely to

remember

it.

will

now
'

give

some

hints for

improving the

power of

realising'.

When you

see anything, e.g. a

it

street

with

its

shops and houses, notice

with a view to repro-

ducing the picture of

to reproduce this, at

it

afterwards.

When you
fail
;

try
in

first

you

will

probably

that case
try again.
failed

you must look

at the street again,

and

Notice especially the

first

points

that

you

to notice the

time.

You
(e.g.

can practise

this, at intervals

during the day,

with people's faces or with anything that you see

in

your room)
things

you can practise

but
'

it

not only

with

actual

also

with
'

paintings
still

and
to

photos and drawings.

'

Models
'

are

better.

realise
If

Coming to less concrete Maps and Plans.

you want
to test
'

things,

you can try

your own
'

picture, to see

whether you have

realised

or not,

good

plan

would be to try to draw it on paper. Afterwards you should correct your drawing, if possible.
Acting
is

another excellent means

go through

the thing you wish to remember. the picture of

Don't merely see

some one doing something, but be

96

HOW
'

TO

REMEMBER
if,

the

some one
is

'

yourself,

that

is

to say, the
of.

some-

thing
derful

not a thing to be ashamed

this will

It is

won-

how

improve your sympathy, your

yourself
into

power of
positions.

putting

other

people's

seen,

Simple and concrete language, as we have just At first it is a most slow is a valuable help.
difficult

and tedious and

one
this

exercise,

and

it

makes
in

doubt whether the idea can be expressed

way.
till

You

generally

have to go working
'

you come to a picture of something And being done by some one or by something'. so the process really becomes that of analysis,
back
of which

we
?

shall

speak below.
'

There we

shall
?

see that the series of questions

Who
',

did what

when

where

why ? how ?
life,

?
. . .

they are in real

yourself can ask

have their
of yourself.

maddening as value when you

them

You can

almost

forgive yourself for being inquisitive

it is

when you know

for

your ultimate good

care to go through this drudgery.

you will not Very well then, describe the thing to some one else, either by word In my book on Essays, of mouth, or by writing.
Merely to
satisfy yourself, perhaps,
I

etc.,

suggest

a stupid-looking

doll

as

good
It

recipient for a description

will will

by word of mouth.
doll,

be cheaper than an intelligent-looking

and

always remind you of what your future audience

be.

may

TO REALISE
As
'

97

to
',

the
I

advantages
scarcely

of

these

exercises

in

realising

need

insult
for

the reader by
authors,
for for

mentioning
teachers, for

them

for

artists,

learning,

for

remembering,

con-

vincing, their value cannot be exaggerated.

SECTION XVI. CAREFULLY TO STUDY AND ANALYSE THE PARTS.

The

reader has

now

collected, selected, arranged,

and emphasised, the Causes and other connexions

have been worked been
out, then

the rough" outline has

;

made

and
his

realised

throughout

he

has

concentrated

attention

on the

subject.

The

next thing
itself.

is to realise

each individual

Heading by
in

Section

good deal of what has been said For here will apply here.
the

the last

again

the

picture-painting in

mind's eye, the

?
',

searching

question of

'

Who

does what

will

be of value.

With and these searching questions

question.

regard to the study of the individual parts

in particular,

Brewer's

Guide and similar works suggest one useful form of

Of

course
like
'

we eschew almost

absolutely
it

the question
true that the

Oh, dear

Mamma,

is

indeed

Emperor

Vitellius

was an egregious
it is

glutton
true
'.

'

'

Yes,

my

darling Harriet,

only too

The

little

prig

knows too much already

But Loisette suggests

question,

that, if

we

tell

one part of the

to

and leave a second part

vice versd,

be
sift

filled

in,

and then

thoroughly

we

are helping to

the idea

Thus the fond mother might say

TO STUDY AND ANALYSE THE PARTS

'

99

'

The The Emperor

Emperor
humorous

Vitellius

Vitellius

was a glutton and then was a glutton and then The a glutton and then The
',
'

',

',

'

Vitellius
side, if

was a
done
in

'.

It

may have

its
it

moderation, and thus

may be

a shade

less dull

than sheer repetition.

division

Loisette gives

some good advice about the

it

of a thing into parts, and a study of

I

part

by by

part.

suggest some more examples below.

The

great gain of taking a thing part

part,

concentrating the attention on one part at a time,

and looking
points

at that part from all sorts of different

of view,

and then proceeding to a second

an easier process of remembering,
to pass rapidly through

part, is that this is

at least to

most minds, than

the whole again and again.

By

the latter method

we

are apt to master no part thoroughly, whereas,

if only
outline,

we have

already got a grasp of the general

the careful study and analysis of parts will

be interesting as well as useful for the purposes of

learning and remembering.

As

have shown

in
is

an

article

on Practice, the

Part-by-Part System

the best, at any rate for the

average learner.

Another advantage
activity
:

is

that

it

encourages

self-

the learner

is

doing the work by himself.

probably be more
lasting.

Its results will therefore

SECTION

XVII.

COMMON SENSE AND A PRIORI

REASONING.

A
full

FRIEND
marks

of mine once went in for Examination

with two other

men whom he knew

in the

all

three got

for all

the questions except one.

That
it

one was not answered

"

Text-book, and

was
try
like

What
:

are the conditions necessary for the proper

fusion
it

of metals

"

but

my

friend

wrote

The two others did not down something

absolutely
free

this
1.

"

The metals must be

from

alloy
2.

the metals must be

mixed

in exactly the right

proportions
3.

the metals must

"*
;

be heated

to the

requisite

degree
4.

the process of fusion must continue

".

for the

necessary length of time

used his

He had never heard the question before, but he common sense reasoning on the a priori
:

principle,

he worked out, from what he knew already,

in this a

an excellent answer to an entirely new question.

There

is

very useful lesson, and

we need

not hesitate to call the answer a very clever one

for

he applied the materials which he had to the

COMMON SENSE AND A

than
this.
I

PRIORI REASONING

101

best advantage, and the cleverest cannot

do more

But what
ber, if

wish to point out

in learning

is

the trouble that

would be saved

and

in trying to

remem:

we would
means

really

is

only use our

common

sense

which

if

we would only use

learner,

the materials

which we already have.

To

say to

the would-be

"

Don't learn

from others anything that you can possibly find out

for yourself"

going to an extreme

it

is

refusing

to take advantage of the accumulated

experience
life is

and knowledge of

all

past ages.

Moreover,

too short for this rule to be applied universally.

But within certain

especially excellent
'

limits
if

it

is

excellent
time.

it

is

you have the

'

But

',

you

will say,

it

about
tell

" materials

which
'.

is all very well to talk already possess " kindly

me what

they are

In the two following Sections I will point out some of them, and you will admit (when you add
those which are suggested elsewhere in this book)
that
for

you already possess a splendid

most things that you are ever

store

enough
want
to

likely to

learn

and remember.

SECTION

XVIII. COMPARISONS.

If the reader refers to Section X., he will see that

was trying to impress upon him, to make him learn and remember, the value of complete lists. Perhaps
it

things
to

had never occurred to him that there were such perhaps, even if it had, it had never occurred
:

him that they might be

start
is

with something that he

reader likely to
'

my

So I had to What knew already. know already ? I asked

valuable.
' '

myself,

what, that

is

to say, that can be compared

lists

with these complete

Well, he
friends to
list

of the causes of Success'.

knows that, if he wants 10 names of form some club, and if he has a complete
his
friends,
:

of
i

all

then he can easily pick out

'.

the

o he wants

he can easily discard the others

So I might have used this as a starting-point, and, when he agreed with me, I might have shown that
the complete
list

of the Causes of Nations' Successes

would be a

parallel instance.
I

Here, then,

might have started with something

easily

which was more familiar to him, better known, and

therefore

more
I

learnt

and

remembered.
I

Thence

might have proceeded to what

to understand,

really

wanted him

and

should have been

it.

almost sure that he would have understood

'

COMPARISONS
'Italy

103

and the
Italy,

leg' gives us

another instance.

Let us suppose that the reader does not know the

shape of

but does know the shape of a

leg.

He must
Therefore
Italy.
I

really
I

know

it,

however prudish he may

be.

start

with the leg and thence proceed to

proceed from the well known or familiar to

the more or less

unknown

or unfamiliar, from the easy

and simple to the more difficult and complicated. A question which must interest us all is What
'

is

the exact connexion between Great Britain and her

Colonies?

How
?
'

close are the

bonds of union, or
it

how

loose

Try

to

think

out,

and
it

unless

you have
matter

tried before

you

will

not find
all

an easy
sudden.

to answer

the

question

of

may Even if find a comparison Therefore much. remember not find some bonds of union that you do understand
you have read Burke or Froude, you
:

and know for instance, What holds together your family, your School, your College, your University, your Club, or any other of your " groups " ?
; '

Of

the family's bonds of union you will at once

'

mention

Blood and the knowledge of

family-sayings, the

it,

family-

traditions, likeness of appearance, interests in

com-

mon,

little
its

home and

its

furniture

and
the

associations, kindness, the

father

and

mother,

and

perhaps

management by
a
little

rivalry with

some other
this,

family'.

Now

apply

mutatis mutandis, to the bonds

of union between Great Britain and her Colonies.

; ;

'

io4

HOW
Let

TO

REMEMBER
see
p.

me

point out one or two advantages of these

for

comparisons:

others,
I

284

foil,

in

the

Essay-Book of which
(1)

have spoken.

They

are good for recalling things which you

know

already but cannot easily recall otherwise

(2) they help

you to

realise

and to learn new

subjects
(3) they suggest fresh ideas

which a study of the

teachers and for

subject itself (see above) might not suggest

(4) they are a great help for
all
'

speakers

and writers:
like this
?

the

question

will

be

what

What do my
that

hearers or readers understand already

is

new

idea which

wish to
will

impress

upon them
their
?

What comparison
and
interest

at

once attract

attention

and be
and

easily understood

(5) this

encourages

teachers
learners

to

observe

examine the minds of

hence an increased
treasures in

sympathy
(6) they give us a use for the rich

our minds

for the materials

which might otherwise

be useless
(7) they improve our powers of learning and remembering and reasoning generally
(8) they will

encourage us to observe: for any-

thing that

is

around us or within us

may

prove

valuable as a comparison.
especially,

The study

of Nature,
it

becomes

still

more

essential than

has

been before;

COMPARISONS
(9)

105

they will save a great deal of trouble and

inconvenience

they
to

will

save the separate learning

and remembering of various things, which will now be grouped together. Learn how the seed grows, and learn how
learn separately,
subject,

compare, and then you need not

if it

and as

were an entirely new

how

every other thing grows

for instance,
:

how you
will kill

grow.

Much

labour will be saved

you

two or three or many

birds with one stone.

if
I

(10) Contrasts are scarcely,

at

all,

less

valuable
in the

than comparisons
following Section.

but of them

shall

speak

Both derive part of

'

their value
'.

from the fact that they are

Repetitions in disguise
I

For the truth of

passage from the

this, see

XLII., where

quote a

New
one
:

Testament.
contrasts
it

The same comparisons and

always
suit every

will

not

there are,

is

true,

some

which practically every one can understand (such as

fire,

cold, anger, walking, houses, etc.)

the majority can understand (such as games)

some which some

;

which

specialists

alone

can

properly

understand,

and some which perhaps no one

can properly understand.

else but yourself

An

extreme instance, a one-sided

give

exaggerated

case, will often

the very best starting-point.

Buckle was fond of beginning with such an instance.

It

brings one thing, or one aspect of a thing, so

clearly

and

strikingly before the attention.

the effect of Proverbs and Epigrams

Hence (XXXIIL).

'

io6

HOW
288
foil.)
;

TO

REMEMBER
I

For Practice-exercises
(p.
I

refer to the

Essay-Book
:

quote two of them here

(a)

Take a subject somewhat

'

difficult to explain,

and ask yourself: What easier subject will be a good starting-point? What easier subject is something like this ? Find easier subjects which are
'

analogous to the harder subjects.

()

Take an easy
'

subject

(e.g.

building a house),
difficult subject

and ask yourself:

will this

For what more

?

be a good starting-point

SECTION XIX.

CONTKASTS.

It has been well said that

perly

we should never
was
if

pro-

know what
'

'

sweetness
;

'

everything were
properly

always quite sweet

appreciate the

that
'

we should never
of
;

blackness
'

other things were

white

'

some things unless some that none but he who has

'

worked can have the

ness
'

full

idea of
'

rest
'

',

that

'

calm-

would cease to be

calmness

if

the sea were

never rough.
In fact, nothing can be completely realised with-

out

'

contrast
(see

',

and the impressiveness of Jesus'

words

Section XLII.) was partly due to his

great

use of this
impressing.

means of enlightening and of

Add

to this that contrasted ideas are often easier

to realise, to learn,

and to remember, than the ideas

themselves can be.

Thus some people cannot

honour
'

realise

what a
that
I

feeling of

'

means, until you

tell

them

it is, e.g.

a shrinking from disgrace.

that,

said

above

when

had wanted you to

might

understand and to remember the value of complete

lists, I

might have used some comparisons

I

also

have used some contrasts.

to

might have asked

you

contrast the condition

of two guests

who

arrive at a strange country-house just before dinner.

io8

HOW

TO

REMEMBER

One

has in his bag a (practically) complete set of

things he might want: from these he easily selects

all that

he wants and discards the

rest.

The

other

has in

want
that,

his bag just what he had thought he might he had not taken any trouble to work out the

possible requirements

carefully,

and now he
been

finds

though
it

his

bag has
pyjamas

certainly

light

to

carry, yet

does not contain his dress-shoes or his

dress-tie, or his

The man who has

is

a complete
:

list

of Headings

like
list

the

first

guest

the

man who
is

has

no

such
guest.

but trusts to chance

like the

second

For
p.

other
foil,

illustrations

of

contrast

refer

to

291

of the Essay-Book, and to the passage

from the

New
:

Testament,

in

XLII.
the

Contrasts have very

much
I

same advantages

as

comparisons

if

the reader will turn back to Section

XVIII., and take what

it

have said there and apply

(mutatis mutandis) to contrasts, he will find that

functions

their

are not
recalling

dissimilar.

Both of them
for
realising,

are

good

for

old

subjects,

learning,

and remembering new

fresh
for

subjects, for

sug-

gesting
writing,

ideas,

for

teaching,

improving our

and knowledge of human

speaking,

nature, for giving us a use for the materials that

we

already possess, for saving the trouble of learning

each thing separately (since they

different subjects together)
:

will

group the

both of them are good

CONTRASTS
because they are
of repetition.
repetition without

109

the drudgery

The

Practice-exercises

in

finding

and working

out contrasts will correspond to the exercises on

comparisons


SECTION XX.
TO TEACH OTHERS.

There

is

a general consensus of opinion that by

no means can you ever learn and remember a thing

you have succeeded

by explaining it to others that, until in making others understand it (and, the more stupid they are, the better the test), you can never be quite sure that you really
so well as
:

understand

it

yourself.

Apart from any great and

which

obvious
if

advantage
teach,

may come

to yourself

you try to
the desire

in teaching

you are following the natural tendency

information, whether
or to help others.
?

to

impart
off'

be to

'show

But why should teaching help us to learn

One

reason
for

is

that

there will

be a certain

re-

sponsibility

the teacher;

satisfy not himself alone

task

but

for
!

now he has

to

alas

often a far too easy

is

others as well.

He

(or should be) put

upon

his mettle.
it

Therefore
ideas clear
i.e.

will

be necessary

for

him

to have his

and to express them

in clear

language

in

language clear to the learners.

learners need not be real learners
:

The
above,

as

said

there

may be an imaginary

audience or

'

TO TEACH OTHERS
imaginary readers
of
:

for

teaching

is

not done by word

mouth

alone.
in its

Teaching
but
also

wider sense will here include not

debates,
all

merely home- and School- and University-teaching,

Lectures,
conversations,
essays,

articles,

and

letters:

these

can
these

be

means

of

imparting

information.
'

In

all

wishing our
thing.

public

'

to learn

we may be and remember [some-

Let

me

give a single example, which will be very

much
bered

to the point.

Have you
various
?
'

learnt

what

are

the

and rememMemory-Systems
?

(illustrated in Section V.)

You
to

are not quite sure

else,

Then
will

try to explain

them

some one

and you
in too

very soon find out.

fact of
'

The much
it

it is

that in
'

life

most of us soak
out too
little
:

information

and

let

we

as

were eat and drink our mental food, but do not

it into active energy. There is a wealth of and of material unapplied. Just as we breathe and breathe out alternately, and just as Nature

turn

force
in

herself constantly exhibits this alternation of receiv-

ing and giving, of absorbing and emitting, so should

our minds alternately receive and give.

Try to do as I suggest, and see what you fail to remember: in a note-book make notes of these
failures,

and

correct them,

and then try again.

SECTION XXI. REPETITION, AND THE

RESUMES,

Repetition
offer,

is

the last of the helps which

It
is

shall

apart from Memory-Systems.

perhaps

the
to

commonest way of learning things with a view in its barest and least remembering them
:

scientific

form

it is

most assuredly the

to

dullest

and

the least profitable.

When you want

a wall, you hit
it

hammer

a nail firmly into

:

again and again

at

first,

by the

way, you

hit softly

and slowly and

this

carefully.

When you
and deeper.
It
is

are knocking a hole in anything,

:

also repeat the blows

you makes the hole deeper

repeat
the sight of

common

fault

to

'

'

words or the sound of words before grasping the

real

meaning of the words

This
is

i.e.

before

'

realising' the

ideas.

the worst mistake.

It will

include

reading or looking at words, copying them out, or

saying them to one's self or out loud.

Masses and
else-

masses of words are

'

learnt

'

in

England and

where by persons who degrade themselves to the

of of

level

Photographic-cameras, of Printing-machines, or

Phonographs.

It

is

sheer

sacrilege

nothing

less.

REPETITION,
First

AND THE RESUMEE

collect

113

of

all,

you must

and
;

select

arrange and emphasise your Headings

centrating
find causes

your attention throughout

you

then

and
con-

must
care-

and other connexions

(if

there are any)

you must
fully

realise the general

outline,

you must

study and analyse each part, and you must

compel your
ing, as far as
will
if

common

sense,

your comparisons, and

your contrasts, to relieve you of the burden of learn-

you possibly

can.

These two

latter

also be, in themselves, forms of repetition, and,

you can teach and explain

it.

to others, that will be

another form of

And now comes me try to make it

space
at

the task of repetition

as easy as
I

itself.

Let

can, in the short

Chapter

XL IX.

my command, referring for details of my work on Essays, etc.

to

different ways of impressing a mind and the memory, or we might say that you have some different kinds of memories. (1) The power of learning and remembering by

You have many

thing on the

the eye
(a)
(b)

you can use by seeing the thing itself, by seeing a picture or photo

or drawing of

the thing,
(c)

(d)

by seeing a mental picture of the thing, in some cases by acting a part, when

the

body may
(e)

also help;

by seeing the word or words

written down, or

printed, with or without differences of type, etc.

ii4

HOW
the.

TO

REMEMBER
eye
if,

(/)

hand

will help the

for

example, you
the

paint or draw the thing, or write

or words.

down

word

than by

There are many who remember by (/) better Do not (e), and by (e) better than by (c).
strongest power,

always use your

practise
(2)

but sometimes

your weaker powers.

learning and remembering

To many,

ear are

by

nature or by training

more

by the

serviceable

than by the eye.

(a)

You can

use this power

by

listening to the

words actually spoken, and

thence getting the idea into your mind

or

by saying the words out loud by imagining some one to be saying the words*, by saying them out loud to one's self (d) in some cases by acting the idea as well
(b)
(c)
'

'

'

e.g.

by listening to a reproduction of the words, by a Phonograph. learning and remembering by the (3) While
(e)

'

reason

(in rather

a wide sense of the word), you

need not be conscious of using the eye or the ear

at all
;

the picture or the written words or the spoken

:

words are thrown into the background

almost say
'

one might
',

thrown away and forgotten

correct.

but this
itself,

would not be

Anyhow, only
effects, etc.,

the idea

perhaps with causes and

may seem

to

* Cp. the effect of saying to one's self Again I seem to hear the quiet rippling plash of the waves on the sands that white-hot mid-day in
'

July'.

REPETITION,
be the impression
left

AND THE RESUMES

115

on your mind by what you have

the

seen or heard or thought.

According to your individual powers

(e.g.

power

to draw), according to

your subject, according

to your conditions (such as the presence of pencil

paper), so

and you must decide which means to adopt. I will suppose that you have grasped the general outline (if there is one), and that you have more or
less

understood each part, and that you

will

now

continue to concentrate your attention, not allowing

it

to be distracted,

if

you can possibly help

itself,

it.

Take the
mind's eye

first

Heading by
can).

realise the idea

it

(Section XV.),
(if

by forming a
Heading

picture of

in

your

you

either by by attacking either by bringing the same spot again and again two or more powers to bear upon it one after the

Conquer

this

thoroughly,
sides, or
;

attacking

it

from two or more

other or together, or by bringing

to bear

single

power

upon

it

again and again.

Proceed slowly, carefully, and with concentrated

attention
'
:

repeat the
or of
its

Heading

(the

sight

of the

picture

',

written or printed word or words,

of the sound of
'

its

spoken word o

words, or the
until

idea

'

of

it,

or

first

one and then another),

you

have the Heading safe and sound.

When you

have grasped the

first

Heading, profirst

ceed to the second;

but gather up the

once

again before you begin the second.

Then conquer

u6
the second the
first
first.

HOW
Heading

TO REMEMBER
as

you have already conquered

Before attacking the third, gather up the

and second once more. And so on. again and again making R/sum/es. Repetition by constantly increasing Resumees is

You must be

perhaps the soundest plan of

all.

After a short interval, reproduce the whole

notice

list

your

mistakes

(if

there

are

any)
;

correct

them

say or write the

list

once more

then, after

another short interval, again reproduce.

After each

reproduction and correction, strengthen your grip of

those Headings which
it

holds least securely.

Where

this differs essentially

from the commonest

conquers the whole

method of
(a)

repetition
all

is

that

it

not as a whole,

taken together, but

has been mastered per se

part by part, attention being concentrated on

in

each part
(b)

turn

till it

each time making certain of the old ground,

it

going over
(c)

before adding what

reproducing,

is

new
and

at

intervals

correcting,

strengthening the weak points.

Diagram

V.

will
first

show
Headlast

how
ings

strongly the
will

become impressed
mind
:

upon

the

the

Diagram V.
i.e.

Headings may be strengthened by the reverse process,

the end and going backwards

a method not always

by beginning

at

good, but often very good indeed.

'

REPETITION,

AND THE RESUmAe

it

117

In the learning of Prose or Poetry (see

this

XXXVIII.)
often

R&umee
'

is

of very great value

means

a previous analysis and study of the various parts.

Thus
'

truest

Magnanimity in politics is not seldom the wisdom might be learnt thus : Magnanimity is wisdom Magnanimity in politics is wisdom Magnanimity in politics is not seldom wisdom Magnanimity in politics is not seldom the truest wisdom With the simple we begin, and to the simple we add by slow degrees. To draw pictures of an idea, to describe it in writing (in as many ways as possible, which will be good practice in paraphrasing), to write it again and again, to say it again and again, to explain it to
'

',

'

',

'

',

'

'.

others (a real or imaginary audience), to discuss

it

with others, to ask questions about

think about
other ideas

it

(see above), to
it

it,

to

compare
these

it

and contrast
all

with

all

can be regarded as forms

of

of repetition.

But with one and

;

them

there

should be no hurry

with

all

of

them

there should

be concentrated attention and

realising.

But do not imagine that this means a tight bicycle-race gripping of the hands and a set
'

expression of face.
attention
is

The

best kind of concentrated

is

where the body

allowing no such
call
it,

nerve-energy, or magnetism, or whatever we

to pass through
its

various outlets.

ii

HOW

TO

REMEMBER

NOTE.
Mr. Henry Wood,
gestion through
applies the great

of Boston,

Mass., in his " Ideal Sug-

Mental Photography" (Lee and Shepard),

purpose.

He
;

gives

power of the Eye-Memory careful directions on

to
p.

a very practical
108.

Pleasant

and healthy
of paper

ideas, for example, are printed clearly

on pieces
first

the ideas are understood and realised

is

(see

Chap. XV.), and then, while the person

the mind's eye
is

relaxed and

silent,

riveted on the words, e.g.

PAIN
for

IS

FRIENDLY,
become
indelibly

many minutes a

day, until these words

printed upon the mind's eye.

Then

the piece of paper becomes

unnecessary.
J.

His interesting book should be read, along with

Hudson's

"Law

of Psychic
It

Phenomena"
seems to

(Putnam's), which

explains the raison d'etre.

should be
p.

reinforced

94

foil.),

that this method by various Paraphrases (Chap. XV. and by the Re'sume'e (Chap. XXI.) i.e. former
:

me

sentences should be repeated before the

acquired.
(i.e.

new

sentences are

Moreover, some should employ the Ear-Memory

Others, again,
or Imagination
:

the words should be said out loud, actually or mentally,

or by

a PhoTiograph).

should

employ the
will

Picture-forming

Memory

for instance, Pain

could be personified as a friend.

invaluable to those

But the suggestions

be

who already have

ideas.

(or will develop) the

are,

Eye-Memory
at present,

for words.

For thousands of people words

words rather than

PART

IV

MEMORY-SYSTEMS IN DETAIL, WITH FURTHER EXAMPLES.

SECTIONS

PAGE

XXII. To Observe Useful Points XXIII. To Link (The Loisette System) XXIV. To Localise (The Room-System)

121
.

'23

132

XXV. To Connect with Things that are Easier to Remember (The Peg- or
Anchor- System)
XXVI. To
XXVII.
XXVIII.

....
.

134

XXIX. XXX. XXXI. Rhythm XXXII. Music

Substitute (a System especially Useful for Numbers) To Initialise, or to Put the Part for the Whole (The Cabal-System) Blend-Words (The Brunch-System) Absurdities and Humour Rhyme and Alliteration

139

142

150
152

153 157

159

XXXIII. Epigrams XXXIV. Alternatives and Combinations

160
162

So

far,

we have used no means which

would
not

the grossest
:

and the means which we have used will have been quite enough to enable us to learn some subjects well, if not to remember them accurately. And with
pedant or pedagogue
allow
these subjects

the

above means, or the greater part

of them, should be used before any

is applied.

Memory -System
or words which

But, with a mere

list

of

names

have no
not

real

connexion with one another, there are

many

of the above

means which would be

serviceable.

SECTION

XXII.

TO OBSERVE USEFUL POINTS.

SAID, above, that the early

i.e.

Ending of the Dative

Case was at,

dAtlve.
It is

the

first

two Vowels of the word

a mere coincidence, but to observe such

does

coincidences

undoubtedly help the

And,

if

we only
(p.

get into the habit of observing,

memory. we
good
points,

shall find that such little helps

abound everywhere.
extraordinarily
useful

Loisette
instance of

33) gives

an

the value of observing

in the case of the

I

Kings and Queens of England.

alter his

remarks slightly here.

viz.

(1)

There are 4 independent Queens,

Mary

(Tudor), Elizabeth, Anne, and Victoria.

(2)

The

first

William began

the

list,

the last

William came just before the

(3)

last

Queen
Eliza-

beth,

Mary, the first Queen, was followed by and she by the first James. (4) Anne was followed by the first George.

(5) third
(6)

Anne, the
William
William
I.,
I.

third Queen, herself followed the

and

II.,

George

II.,

III.,

and

IV.,

Edward Henry

I.,

II.,

and
VI.,

III.,

IV.,

v.,

are

to be noticed.
(7)

James

I. I.

Charles

II.

Charles

See further

Loisette's

James II. book itself,

or

study

the

Pelman Course.

123

HOW
plume and pen

TO

REMEMBER
arbre and

In learning Foreign Languages, such connexions

as
(cp. feather quill-pen),

tree (cp. arbour),

canif and knife, must have occurred

to every one.

By extending
jamais
'.

such

helps
'

as

this principle

'jam,

eh?'

we have
1

never

See

Barte's
I

Memory

need not multiply examples

for

numbers and

dates (see Section

that

XXXVI.), the amount of trouble can be saved in this way is enormous.

'

SECTION

XXIII.

TO LINK (THE LOISETTE

SYSTEM).

WHAT

ideas

come
all

fnto
?

your mind when you think

of an unripe gooseberry

and write them

down

J ust reflect for

is
it

a moment,

not a hard, green,

'

round, sour, small thing, which makes you

all

scrugle
'

down your back, and suggests

'

sugar please

It

may

also suggest gooseberry tart or gooseberry

fool.

Now
ideas

here are ideas that cluster round that

little

lump, and
are

why

should you
the

not use them

The

tied to

thing tightly. thing

Everycertain

has

number of ideas tied what these to it;

ideas actually are, will

p-

/"J

N
,

f\

.,pih.
(_ m J&Qjr---~---"

~-KP\
/Q_p{

depend on the
vidual.

indi-

*-'

(j \J
Sj

Suppose you want

to

^-...^

^Yt^ b (!"l
K

n
\

remember

two

/ /fi

i.y

Y^*___

things together, which mi 11 a ~ will call I and 2.

we

Diagram VI.
'

Berry and 2 might be School I might be Berry might keep a good school somewhere.
' '

'.

Mr.

124

HOW

TO

REMEMBER

At present they are unconnected, and perhaps you connect them together in your mind by repeating them again and again or else you ought take the to connect them together, but don't
:

trouble.

Now
ii.

let
i.

us apply the Loisette system

('

(Berry)

suggests
('

Gooseberry
'),

'),

and

(School) suggests
')

Scrugle

and

i.

('

Gooseberry
ii.

or

at
').

least

i.

('

Unripe Gooseberry

')

suggests

('

Scrugle

So

we have connected
things which

or linked or tied together two

before were not connected together:

the 'chain' will be

1

(Berry),

i.

(Gooseberry),

ii.

(Scrugle), 2 (School),

and, backwards,
2 (School),
If
ii.

(Scrugle),

i.

(Gooseberry),

(Berry).
will

you want

be able to

what Berry is, you pass (quicker and quicker with

to think of

now

practice)
:

through Gooseberry and Scrugle, to School

versd.

or vice

To change

the

comparison, you have

1

now put
The
try
it.

stepping-stones across the river, and

and 2 no

longer require a violent

crossing will

jump

to

be made.

become

easier each time

you

And, besides
pass from
1
ii.

this, after

a time you will be able to

to 2 without being conscious of going

over

i.

and

Sometimes one stepping - stone

sometimes two are
better,

is

enough
to

(as

above, from jamais through 'jam eh?'

never),
three.

sometimes

even

TO LINK (THE LOISETTE SYSTEM)

More than
necessary,

125

three links or stepping-stones are never

more than two very seldom.

try the

As you
the
'

System

at

first,

you must imagine

find

word or idea
'

groping about so as to

some association to bring it nearer to B, and you must imagine B groping similarly. After a time A
and

will

very quickly be able to find a mutual

friend to introduce them.

But,

you

will say, surely this

is

very unnatural

we

haven't got these groups of ideas in our minds,

have we?
only

Let

me
'

convince you that

'

we
you

have,
',

then, instead of calling the system

will
is

unnatural
to
'

and you

call

it

hitherto

unknown

which

a very different matter

grass
'

Take the two words asparagus and sparrowwhat is the connexion between them ? : None you will indignantly answer, at least none
'

',

worth mentioning

this

is

only a wretched sort of

pun

'.

Let

tions, to

me submit to you one or two considerashow you that even in your mind, whether
it

you are conscious of

or not, these two words are

members of the same group, and are bound together by very close ties. you admit that by admit(1) They sound alike and the rhythm ting that there was a sort of pun of the two words is somewhat alike
:

(2) in
for

appearance the words have a connexion,

asparagus

both

and

sparrow-grass

contain

spar-g-s

;;

'

120

HOW
(3) the

TO

REMEMBER
something
alike,

things themselves look

for

they are both green herbs

(4)

one characteristic
:

is

common

to

asparagus

and grass
(5) the

both can be eaten

of
'

many uneducated
' '

two are associated together in the minds people, who sometimes call
sparrow-grass
'

asparagus

'

or even

'

grass

'.

The fact of it is that asparagus is a word to those people, whereas sparrow and
'

strange
'

'

'

grass

are both familiar words.

The connexion

is

therefore that of the sound of

the words, of the appearance of the words (for the

two do not always go together), of the appearance

of the things, of a characteristic of the things, and

of association in the

mind

(at least in the

minds of

many uneducated
If will

people).

you look

at the

examples

in

Section V., you

see that the connexions between various words

are seldom so

numerous as those between these two

the connexion
is

words

often

merely or mainly
'

one of sound
'

(cp. ten, den), or of

'

association

'

(cp.

Ding-dong-dell

and 'Pussy').

The

great point,

however, when you wish to connect any two words,

is

that the connexion should be a strong one for

individually.

you

Let

me mention some
to

(A) Sound of words.

Two

types of connexions.

words

may

be

like

one another

some extent:

their

general

rhythm

may

be the same, or any one syllable of the one

TO LINK (THE LOISETTE SYSTEM)

127

'

like any one syllable of the other e.g. untamed and nameless attention (when protaboo and nounced ten-shun ') and shunting tabby cat etc. Puns and riddles suggest hundreds
:

may be

'

'

'

',

'

'

'

'

'

',

'

',

of examples.

Notice words carefully as you pronounce them

(for

instance, Northern, tuberculosis, flabbergast, disinterested),

and you

will see that

first

the beginning
is

is

importto

ant (often the

recall the

letter

alone

quite
is

enough

whole word), the ending

prove),

important (as
syllables are

Rhymes can
important.

and the accented

all

In Novels and

kinds of Compositions,

the beginnings and endings are important.

In finding a sound-connexion
'

one has to
like ?
'

ask

What

does

this

word sound

With un'

familiar

words

(e.g.

technical terms, foreign words,

names of people or places) one has to ask What familiar word or words does this unfamiliar word Hypotenuse sounds like high pot sound like ?
'
' ' '

in use

'.

(B) Appearance of the things or of the words.

It

was because of
looks like

its

appearance that the mechanical

'crane' was called a 'crane'.

The word

CRANE

GRAVE.

Here, again, any part of one

word may look like any part of the other word, or the whole words may look rather like one another. It is often a good help to mark the similar parts by
underlining, or thick type, or capitals.

(C) Characteristics,

and meaning of words.


'

128

HOW
The word wealth
'

TO REMEMBER
'

suggests a whole host of other

words,

e.g.

translations (7t\o5to?, divitiae, richesse, etc.),

synonyms

(riches),
is

part of the whole (gold), which

also

a sign of wealth, and

is

also
'

concrete as opposed to abstract (cp. also

wealth

and

'

a wealthy

man

'),

effect (? luxury, ? happiness),

cause (industry, dishonesty).

(D) Contrasts,
(E)

e.g.

poverty.

Associations, e.g.

the

crisp

paper of a

5
and

Bank-Note.
be
got

Good

instances

of association
(e.g.

could

from

Advertisements

spade

Branson's Coffee-Extract).
It
is

these associations that each individual has

in

such abundance: some of them, as that between

to

Smith and a lamp-post, may be that simply due

a casual connexion
certain
at

a certain place and

at

time (Smith was once seen walking by a

lamp-post).

Materials
lavishly

for

these connexions are furnished so

life,

by our

daily

by

all

that

we

see or read

or hear or think or do, that there are no

two words

which cannot be linked together very easily and

after a little experience

very

quickly.

Only be sure

that, before

you begin making or

the idea.

using the links, you

first realise

The

list

of Headings being realised

and being now

TO LINK (THE LOISETTE SYSTEM)

connected and formed into a single chain by
proceed to master the links between
1

129

links,

and

2,

both

forwards and backwards, then those between 2 and

3,

and so

on.

When
well.

the whole chain has thus been

mastered by the Resumee-System (above), then take

it

backwards as

Try
the

to reproduce
;

it

after

a short interval
fail,

(e.g.

during a walk)

notice where
It
is

you

and strengthen
let

weak

links.

important

not to

the

interval

be too long.

Repetitions at short intervals

are usually better than at long intervals.

A
(1)

few Notes

may

be helpful.

The

best links are usually those which are

(e.g.

links of

sound and sense as well

asparagus and

sparrow-grass).
logically,

Words which
reason

are connected etymo-

like
this.

and

raison,

are

invaluable

because of
because
tion.

Humorous
are

links are often valuable

they

unusual

and

arrest

the

atten-

(2) Sound-links (as

between

'

dough

'

and

'

foe

')

are usually stronger than

mere appearance-links

(as

between
(3)

'

dough and rough ').

'
'

Long words
Too many
Double
lists

obviously give a better chance for

connexions than short words do.

(4)

links

(even

three or

four)

are

better than too few (e.g. one rather obscure link).

(5)
links

may

be

used

in

the

most
is

important
weakest.
9

of words, wherever your

the old saying of
'

chain
strings

It

is

two

to

: !

130

HOW
'.

TO

REMEMBER
that the strength of a chain
link.

your bow
is

Remember
its
I

the strength of
(6)

weakest

Links

always consider to be best

in

com-

bination with Initialising (XXVII.), or with

Rhymes
chains

(XXX.), as
(7)
if

in Section

V.
in

Avoid using the same word

many
'

you do use it thus, you will be liable to take the wrong turning when you come to the cross-roads (8) Make up your own exercises for yourself, and
'.

practise

them

at

odd moments.
carefully as
sit

Study Advertisements very

along in the
train, etc.
street, or as

you walk

you

in

a carriage or

Try
it is

to find out

why on

earth and

on earth

that certain pictures can

for certain goods.
is

be Advertisements

how manage to The pictures

vital

are striking, but what

their real

and

con-

nexion with the goods?

Frequently they have no such connexion at
all

And

yet they help you

to

remember the goods.

Why
goods

by more
is
:

and how?

Because they are linked to the

or less casual and inadequate links

you might say, but still the links hold firm. Far the best test of every chain Will be its power to bear the strain.
the picture of a jester at a New York what has he to do with Ayer's Pills ? The link is given by the words put into his mouth, 'Tis no merry jest, Ayer's Pills are the best

There

station

'

'.

He who

has seen this picture will probably think

TO LINK (THE LOISETTE SYSTEM)

131

of Ayer's Pills whenever he sees the picture or a

similar
picture,

and perhaps
yellow

often

when he only

sees

similar
link has

colours,

and red and green.

The

been established.

This

might serve as an

example

also

of

the

Localising-System, which will be explained in the

following Section.

| '

SECTION XXIV.

TO LOCALISE (THE ROOMSYSTEM).

This
found

is it

one

of the oldest

'

Systems ', and many have

give here a plan of

very valuable.
is is

my

own room, which

the point to notice

not worth
that
Bookshelf

studying closely;

s 5

Folding

Desk

Qoor
Box a
Oxford!

D?

geon-holes
r

papers.

Chair

Qj

Desk

Chair

Q
Weighing
| '

Machine

Cupboard

Fireplace

Shelves

Diagram VII.
it

contains, apart from

I

its

four corners, about

20

places or things which

If
I

know very
call

well

by

sight.

shut

my

eyes,

can

up the picture of that

room.

TO LOCALISE (THE ROOM-SYSTEM)

Now,
paper,
just as
I

133

try to find a proper place for each

when I want it I know exactly where to lay my hand, in the same way on each place or thing in the room I can put
etc., in

the room, so that

an idea or Heading.
that
I
:

Suppose
I

have 12 Headings

want

to

remember, say the signs of the

imagine to be placed in

Zodiac

then the Crab

the box, the

Twins on the two chairs, and so on. I associate the pairs together, and when I want to get all the 12 Headings I have only to think of
the

12 parts of the room.

different

The
different

rooms

in

familiar

house,

the

features in a familiar piece of scenery, the

different parts of the

utilised thus

they can
The
all

body, and so on, can

all

be

have Headings
a

tied

on to

them.
Stokes'

Mnemonical Globe

is

map

of the World,
is

and across the Europe-Asia-Africa Hemisphere

great face.

forehead, eyes, nose, mouth, chin,

and
tion
:

ears, are

easy to

'

place

'

in

your imagina-

on each of these firmly

land.
I

fixed pegs

you can
reader
to

hang some part of the

For other
'

applications,
'.

refer

the

Stokes on

Memory

SECTION XXV.

TO CONNECT WITH THINGS THAT ABE EASIER TO

REMEMBER

(THE PEG-

OR ANCHOR- SYSTEM).

LET

us

once again consider the rationale

of the

Localising-System.

People hang things on a nail or a screw, they

tether an animal to a peg, they secure a ship

by

means of an anchor.
something firmly
fixed,

The

general idea

is

to

have

which we can use

else,

in order to

hold fast and sure something

which otherwise
at
all,

we might
still

scarcely

be
to

able
seize

to

hold
at

and

less

be

able

upon

a moment's

notice.

And

so

it

is

with our minds

fixed,

here also

we

often

need something firmly

something that we are

sure to remember whenever

we want it, something by means of which we may secure what otherwise we

might
lose or
it.

might not be able to find just when

we wanted

We want to remember to take a parcel with us when we go out, we want to remember two names, we want to remember a Map all three things we
:

may know,

in

the sense of being able to recognise

to us.

them when they are pointed out

134

But,

when

TO CONNECT WITH THINGS

we want
cannot
to recall them,

135

about in our mind

find,

loose all over the place

definite fixed peg.

we because
'

we

find

ourselves groping

search and search, but

'

we

the things are

running about

they are unattached to any a peg, a something

What we
which
shall

require, therefore,

is

be

(a) easier to

remember than

the parcel, or the two

names, or the Map, and at the same time

(6)

sure to be seen or found the

it.

moment

that

we

want

The parcel we perhaps put in our hat, for our hat we shall have to put on before we go out the two names we perhaps link (XXIII.) to something which we shall have to see in the course of the day, e.g. the clock for the Map of Italy we think of a booted
; ;

foot going to the left

that will be

enough

to recall

the required ideas.

Now
the
first

'

Localising

'

(above)

may be

said to include

two, but not the third.

that, if

This third instance

thing,

shows us

we want

to

remember a hard
it,

we must
which
is

often

begin by remembering something

less like

more or

but which we

know
It is

already (or at any rate can learn quite easily).

especially useful for

Maps and Plans and

give a
list

drawings,

and below

shall

of those which

we

know already or can Look at this Map

rough as
it is, it is

learn quite easily.

of part of Greece, for example

it

hard to get

so vividly fixed in

136

HOW

TO REMEMBER
it

your mind so that you can draw

notice.

at a

moment's

Now

hold your

left

hand
and

before you, with the fingers

pointing

downwards,

with the palm facing you. Draw this, somewhat as

it

is

in
will

Diagram
have

IX.,

and

you

something

Diagram VIII.
carry
it

like this

Map
you
true

as a startingwill

point

always

about with you quite ready for use.

is

There

inaccuracy here,

it is

but you must

get a general impression firmly fixed in your

Jbove Thumb (Boeotja)
Wrinkle

mind

(Achaea

&.

Thumb(Alfica)

Elis)

I?!

finger (Argolis)

Middle Finger (Laeonia)

little

and Third fingers (Messenia)

Diagram IX.
before you think of accuracy of detail. Afterwards you can take the Map part by part (see XVI.), and

make

the needed corrections.


'

TO CONNECT WITH THINGS

The word BACALMA would
(see

137

give you Boeotia, Attica, Corinth,

:

Argolis, Laconia, Messenia, Arcadia

this

would be

Initialising

XXVII.).

The system of starting with what is easier to remember has already been applied to numbers, and will be applied again in Sections XXVI. and XXXVI. Thus to alter the figures somewhat

it is

far easier to

dates 510, 390, 260, 130, than the

remember the somewhat inaccurate more accurate

509, 390, 266, 133.

Here, instead of learning the whole thing at once,

you only learn a part of

part
too.

it

For the outline

very

is

of the

whole,

and

important

part

You want example an

to teach a
inquisitive

child

to

draw a

pig, for

pig?

Does it not become easier if you begin thus, that is to say, if we assume that the child has no idea of drawing?
I

believe that the idea

is

Alma
should be
' '

Tadema's.

You cannot remember which

' ' '

practise
'

But advLre and which should be practice ? (Verb) and advice (Noun) are easier so start with
:

them.

For
the

spelling, this

is

a useful help.
the
will

Of

many

things

of which

sounds

are

familiar to you,
starting-points, I

and which therefore

form good
(e.g.

may mention names

of people

138

HOW

TO

REMEMBER

Christian and sur-names), of the months, of the days,

of places, and so on.

These
must

will serve as

prompters

but for details

I

refer to

XXXV.

and XXXVII., where

apply

the System to drawings, and to engagements, etc.

We
to

have to be constantly on the look-out for

'

these prompters or stimuli,

exciting causes

'

for,

change the comparison, we have the

somewhere, and
to collect
all

little

bits

of iron

that

we need

is

the

magnet

them

with.

SECTION XXVI.

TO SUBSTITUTE (A SYSTEM ESPECIALLY USEFUL FOE NUMBERS).

THERE

are

many who
If

find

it

very

difficult
is
if,

to

remember numbers.
the case of a

the exact
is

number
:

not

of great importance, the task

easier

but

as in

number of a house, or of a street in New York, the exact number is of importance, then
it

becomes almost a necessity

'

for the
'.

above-mentioned

people to have

some System One such System has been mentioned already

is

Loisette's

similar,

and

give his here, referring

for

to his admirable

little

book

further examples.

Each number has two or three consonants corresponding to

ami
it.

Loisette's

Table

is

4o

HOW

TO

REMEMBER
Ways of remembering (some
are

Number Consonant
6

my

own)

SH,J, CH,
G(soft)

Six

SHy

Jewesses

CHOSE GEORGE
(Loisette)

G (hard), K, C
(or Q),

Seven Great Kings

Came

NG

F,
P,

V
B

QUarrelliNG Eight FaVours

is

like

9 turned round.
the
in

There are no vowels here

letters

when you have got

fill

for

vowels so

any given number, then you can as to make up a word or words.

Thus

Loisette gives Charles Darwin's date

by the words
Notice several

SPecies (S
points here
(i)

= o, P = 9,
is

Date

809).

There
the

no need to put the

;

you

reject

as

much
(ii)
(iii)

as possible (XI.)
first

two

letters
is
'

alone count
intimately associated with
'.

the word itself

Darwin, because of his

(iv)

Origin of Species
to

fourth point

is

be noticed.
:

Ho you

this

word SPecies meant nothing you had to refer to the Before Table, to see what S and P represented. you can find the System really useful, you must give
up a good deal of time
letters,

to

mastering the numbers and

and

to practising them.

Any odd moments

between the word

may

be employed in this way.

(v)

Where no connexion

exists


TO SUBSTITUTE
'

'

141

and the number-word, then you had better link the two together: thus, 'Waterloo', (18)15, might be /ea/' hence " Waterloo water fish tea.1".
'
:

And

see further

XXXVI.
we
shall see that
'

In the next Section

tion' will help
'

Substitu-

Initialising' a great deal.

'

SECTION XXVII. TO INITIALISE, OR TO PUT THE PART FOR THE WHOLE

(THE CABAL-SYSTEM).

On

the very

same day
etc.,

that

write this

receive a

notice from the Cecil Hotel, showing people

how

to

wire for rooms,

by a Special Code

15

would be an

instance.

Roseiud The vowels do not

:

count,

and

means Reserve, S Sitting-room, B

Here,

Bedroom,
then,
is

Dressing-room, 15 on the 15 th.

a great saving in telegrams (at least from

abroad).
I see that, in the Code, T = morning, Y = evening. would be an example of Substitution (or Representation)

This
:

vide

the previous Section.

Ministers,

The word Cabal gave the initials of the five RYGBU (or, reversed, UBGYR) gave those
;

of the chief colours

H.R.H., W.G.,

e.g., i.e., etc.,

'

are

other well-known instances.

steamers.

Cp. also

P and

When we come
see that
it

to

examine why this

initial
first
is

is so,

why we
we

can so easily remember things by their

is

initials,

because the
It
is

so prominent a

part of the word.

the eye,
it

the
first

thing that meets

:

is

like

the

words of a book
look

it

catches the attention.

And, when we come

to

about

for

other

TO INITIALISE
examples,

143

we

see

that this

way

of remembering

words or things or persons or ideas by means of a

prominent part
sight: but
is

not only very common, but also

almost inevitable.

You

say you

know Jones by
more than the

you

really

know
by

little

front-view, or possibly the profile as well.

You do

not

know Jones

thoroughly

sight

for all intents

and purposes, however, you know enough

you know
You
names

enough to remember him by and to recognise him by.

Now, why on
extended?
to

earth should not this principle be

You have

a
1

list, let

us say, of 12 things

be remembered, of

persons to be seen.

have discarded
that

for

economy's sake

all

the

the

you are not in the least likely to forget, or all names that are unimportant; but still you have You know them all, you have realised twelve. (see XV) all the things or people, and you could
'

'

only you could be told Very well then, take those first letters and make them up into a word or into two Then hang these new words on or more words. some peg (see XXV.), on something which you are
recall

them

all

directly, if

their first letters.

sure to remember, e.g. on the words

'

call

on

'.

new words need not be

real

words

The

a fancy word

may be

actually easier to remember.

If possible,

your new words should be somehow

list,

connected with the general idea of the

just as

Rome, the centre of Italy, might be associated with AS GEM CREATING FOCUS (Section V.).

144

HOW
If sentence,

TO REMEMBER

you cannot form a word or words, then form of which the words have the same initials. Vide id. This, however, seems to me to
a

be a cumbrous method.
If,

in addition,

or form

them

into as

you can link the words together, some sort of a Rhyme, so much
as
this

the

better

long

the subject
care.

is

important

enough

to

demand

But

anyhow

it

would be good
I will offer

practice.

a few instances and hints, for at

first

the task will often seem impossible.

In a book on food,*
well to impress

I thought it would be as upon people those things which I

considered
itialise

it

safer to

avoid.

determined to

in-

these things,

and

to form the initials into words.

(i) Obviously the ideal

words would have been

TO BE AVOIDED
(2)
I

or something of the sort.

proceeded to write down the various words

underneath one another ; those that began with consonants were in one column, those that began with

vowels were in another.

(3)
I

wrote down alternatives, wherever

or

could:

thus

Smoking

Tobacco

(or

even Cigars, Cigarettes,

or Pipes)

would appear as

Smoking Tobacco
Cigars and Cigarettes
Pipes.
*

Not up

to date.


TO INITIALISE
(4)

145

Then
had

tried to find

words that would give

Eventually,

the sense of something to be avoided.

after I

(5) tried very

many

combinations,

arrived at

the following

list.

N.B.

It

is

needless
list,

to

say that
while
is
it

it

is

only a

rough-and-ready

and,

may

be too
incom-

sweeping

in

some

directions,

certainly

plete in others.

Alcohol (wines,

spirits, beers, etc.)

Smoking
Drugs

Eggs
Flesh, Fish, and

Fowl

Extracts of Flesh
Coffee and Cocoa

Tea
Sauces and Savouries (and
It
is

Irritants).

of

the

greatest

importance to

know

number of

alternative words, to be substituted (see

XXVI.)

for the

awkward customers.
lists

As an

exer-

cise, refer

back to any of the

given above, and

try to find alternatives for each Heading.

You might

virtues Romanising assimilatingleavening extending impera separating Isolating divide Senate government aristocracy council Position geography Luck fortune Unity harmony cohesion and co-operation.
Character
et

get results like the following

'

146

HOW

TO REMEMBER

Needless to say, such an exercise will greatly improve your control of language, both in speech and in writing. They will also encourage you in
learning the vocabularies of Foreign Languages
divide et imperd), which, as
(e.g.

we have

seen, are

of

value also as link-words.

Link-words themselves can be substituted

original

for the

words

in a

few cases.
'

Thus
',

for

'

Alcohol

might be substituted
mind.

Incoherent

provided that the

in

two words were closely associated together

your

write
line,

You take down

the

first

letter of

each word, then, and

these letters (or the whole words) in a

etc.).

with alternatives (synonyms, translations,

alternatives

As

you may

also notice

{a) J

and

Vand U

H
(b)
(r)

or no
first

H
two
letters, e.g.

the

AT

for Attica

the second

letter, e.g.

for

enemies
;

(cp. the

illiterate spelling

of xqs, xl, yf = wife, etc.)

or

(d) any prominent syllable, which, when you draw up your final list in order, had better be marked by some special sign (e.g. underlining or

coloured ink).

You
words
:

therefore

have a good chance of forming

the

and
will

some of
(e.g.

Competitions

in

the

Weekly Papers
Weekly)

Tit- Bits,

Answers, and Pearson's

get.

be the very best practice you can

TO INITIALISE
But, supposing that there
that
is still

147

a difficulty, and

you do not

like to resort to

(e)

forming a sentence with the words which have

;

these initials

then you

may

find

it

easier

(/) to choose the words with consonants, and then arrange these consonants so as to form words,
inserting
count.

any

vowels

you

like

they

will

not

Thus you wish

"

Tyrants

in
this.

remember " Rebels in the South", the North " the word aRiSToN will
to
:

give

you

Cp. apiatov

fiev

vSoop

on the Salut-

aris-Water bottles.
(g)
(fi)

Or
e.

you can add only the vowel

Cases where you could choose vowel-words,

lib.,

and add your own consonants ad

very rare indeed.

would

be

The words AbstEmlOUs and

give the vowels in their order,

fAcEtlOUs would
(z)

the consonants not counting.

You

may

insert

letters

(especially

at

the

end), or
(J)

this will

you may omit letters, always provided that not cause any confusion to you.
the only
limits

In

fact,

to

changes and

alter-

natives are that

they must

not

be the cause of
If

obscurity or confusion for you.

is

clear to
all

you as the representative of eNemies, then by

means
Let

let it

take the place of E.

repeat
it,

me

for

it

is

essential

if

you

can, then

make new words which

are

connected

148

HOW

TO

REMEMBER
re-

with the word or the idea that you want to

member.
far

In the case of a sentence you are certainly

likely to

more
In

be able to do

this.

'A

History of
suggested

Rome up
'

to A.D.

500'
'

(q.v.),

have

IT

CRAMPS

ALL

as

good

Memoria Technica for the Emperor's power at Rome, seeing that it was supreme and did keep others from free and independent action.
In teaching,
it

is

a good plan occasionally to offer

such words
surface

it

helps the learners to bring to the

what they already know.

list

At

least

it

is

better than to spring a

upon them without asking

for

them

first

to try to

make one

themselves

and

it

certainly arouses

some
ideas

interest.

We
so

have seen, now, that somewhat as we can

remember whole

by Headings, which

are not

much the whole idea as an important part of it, so we can remember the Headings themselves by their initials, or by some part of the words. If we wish to recall the whole, we need only recall a
part.

One
a

or

two comparisons (which are not

to be

pressed too far)

little clearer.

may make

the reason for initialising

In keeping to a path,

we

are often sufficiently

;

guided by just a landmark here and there

to

in order

remember a whole song or tune, we often need only remember its first few bars, or even its first
notes.

TO INITIALISE
By means
can
strung
of words

149
initials,

formed by the
Instead

we
a

have a necklace of different coloured beads

securely
together.

of having

number of beads lying about here there and everywhere, we now have them all fastened together.

NOTE.
The
('

Initialising-System has been applied to advertisements.

I

For example,

have applied
:

it

to

my own

Proteid

Food

Emprote '), thus

Pure

Readily prepared

Overcomes weakness

Tones

the nerves

Economical
Improves the digestion
Delicious.
It is
;

good

practice to take various articles that are advertised

(

and work out similar

'

Initialisings.'

' :

SECTION XXVIII. BLEND-WORDS (THE BRUNCHSYSTEM).

We
+

can extend the Principle by which

'

'

Brunch
' '

can represent

Breakfast

Watch
'.

',

and so on.
Give

+ Lunch Clotch A man writing in

,'
'

Clock

a hurry

once put
family

'

my

kind respembrances to your

Do
do,
it

you think that

this

is

unnatural

'

If

you

shows how very

which Language

little
is

way

in

you know about the formed. In future, when

will

you hear grammatical mistakes, ask yourself why

they have been made, and again and again you
find that they

have been due to two expressions

having been fused or blended together into a single

expression.
call

Thus the other day I heard a man some little penny book was the masterpiece of any penny article in the world
out
that
'
'

he was confusing two expressions,

all

'

the masterpiece of

penny

articles

'

'

better than any

penny

article

'.

The beginning

of one expression

the end of the

other were blended together and produced quite a

clear general impression.

Lewis Carroll was very fond of the Brunch-words,

which he
calls

Portmanteau-words.
is

The

easiest

type to remember

where the beginning of one

BLEND-WORDS (THE BRUNCH-SYSTEM)

word
versd.
is

151

blended with the ending of the next, or

Thus,
if

vice

we wished

to

remember

'

Alma and

Inkerman' we could say 'Almerman', while 'Lispyd'

might be a word

for Philip's

conquest of Amphi-

po/w and Pydna..

SECTION XXIX. ABSURDITIES AND HUMOUK.

Anyone who

glances

at

the

masses

of

Comic

Papers on a bookstall, or
of their enormous sale, or
'

who knows the statistics who studies the Pit of the

'

Adelphi

'

during the comic

here use
all

business

'

in

a melo-

drama,

will realise that

is
it

factor, if

only

we could
not for

power

though

a grand educational
a very Niagara of

Nations equally, nor yet

for all individuals.

the
'

of us, for example, can remember well news of the month by Stead's pages, in the Review of Reviews representing the events of the
',
' '

How many

Punch month by caricatures. Comic Papers, have done much

Nation
:

also,

and other
educate
the
that

to

they have helped

us

to

remember

with which otherwise

we might not have been imlittle

pressed in the very least.

I

will

mention one
'

instance where the very

'

absurdity or

meaninglessness

of the word
If

may
Julius

help

it

to cling in the

memory.

we take

Caesar's

Death

in 44, this
'

would be rr by

Loisette's

Table
I

the word

Juliurr

'

might be formed.

hope to
:

treat of this subject

I

more
it

fully in the

future

so for the present

it

leave

with the sugges-

tion that

deserves investigation.


SECTION XXX. RHYME AND ALLITERATION.

By Rhyme, be
Poetry
:

it

understood,

do not mean merely

call the following lines

Rhyme

'

Thirty days hath September,

April, June,

and November;

February hath twenty-eight alone,

all

the rest have thirty-one,

:

except in Leap- Year

then's the time

But
here

I
I

when February's days are twenty-nine.' do not call them Poetry. No: by Rhyme mean a special kind of similarity of sound,
with

generally
purpose.

Rhythm

also,

turned

to

a useful

Of the Rhyming Advertisement (such as 'They see the Preface) I have already come as a boon Children are usually very fond of Rhymes, spoken.
.
.

',

and learn
easily

lots

of idiotic meaningless jingles quite

'

and quite

indelibly

'.

Rhyming is one of the very memory that we possess it is

:

greatest aids
also

to

one of the

greatest obstacles to learning,

if it is
it

used improperly
apt to be used

(Section

XXXVIII.).

And

is

so

improperly, so apt to be used by people as a means

ot

remembering the mere sounds of words, apart

I

from any ideas, that with such people

should say

154

HOW
it

TO

REMEMBER
Rhymes may be
'

that

was generally an unsafe means to employ

valuable securing
lists lists of lifeless facts

but, even with such people,

as a

means of
if

'

'

and

dates, etc.,

these

have to be

secured

'

some-

how.
Before
I

go on,

let

me
is

purge the reader's mind ol

the idea that

true that

Rhyme
used
in

something sacred.
used in
beautiful

It

is

Rhymes
are

are

Hymns, and
Poetry,

that
as

Rhymes
self,

such

that of Milton or Tennyson.

But Tennyson himwould

in

according

to

Max

Miiller,

not

have

admitted anything to
itself.

be revered

the

No
so

Rhyme
things

has no sacredness
(alas
!),

Rhyming
it is

not,

like

many

cut

off

from
it

being

applied to a useful purpose because

has some

connexion with

religion.

Rhyme was
it

given us to

be used, and we can use

for scarcely

any better

purpose than for remembering.

The Zodiac
tions,

Signs, the

lists

of Latin Preposithe
|

the

lists
('

of
In

Latin

Genders,

English

History

Rhyme

43 a Roman host
Coast
. .

from Gaul
be enough

assailed our Southern

.'),

the Rules of

Whist, and

many

other instances, will

times,

to prove that, in past

Rhymes have been

a very great help to the memoryof these

lists,
if

more
will

than one
also be

examined

carefully,

enough

to prove that

Rhymes have been made

some

means

of stuffing the brain with

singularly

useless information.

RHYME AND ALLITERATION

real

155

But the frequent misuse of a thing is, in itself, no argument that it should not be used at all.
if

And,
fully

only the directions in Part III. are careto,

attended

Rhymes

will

become,
:

think, a
I

great saving of time

there

and energy
that

though

know

are

some who say

they cannot learn

them.
I

will

suggest a few hints here.

After collecting and selecting and arranging your

Headings, and
first

after

thoroughly

'

realising

'

(XV.)

the

general outline, and then

the

individual

parts,

one
-

by

one,

and

after

repeating
turn

Resumee Rhymes.

method, then

try

to

by the them into

There are many metres to choose from, and a

Rhyming
used at

Dictionary
first

(e.g.
little

but
is

Walker's)
as
:

should

be
not

as
silly

possible.

Do

think that this

work

many

great

writers

and speakers have practised turning things into

Verse, and they say that
their style
I
it

has wonderfully improved

of language.
is

and

their

command

find that a

journey (especially in a train)

the

best place for composing

Rhymes. In writing out the result, do not begin each

line

fresh

with

capital

letter.

It

is

apt

to

distract the attention in the

middle of a sentence,

and
If

regard

it

as one of the great objections to

the reading of Poetry.

you

find

the

transitions

(from one idea to

156

HOW
used
:

TO

REMEMBER
'

another) difficult to remember, then

links

'

should

be

but
is

in

IV. you

will

find

an instance

where there

no need

for this,

because the Head-

ings have already been initialised into words.

wonderful how quickly the faculty of It is Rhyme-making is acquired. Of course the better the class of Rhyme, that is to say the nearer it
is

to Poetry, the better

it

will

be

for you.

Therelearn
'.

fore study

good Poetry, and

really

(see

XXXVIII.)
'

some of

it

by heart
'

',

not merely by

rote

As
the
is

to

the reasons
first

why Rhymes
there
is

are easier to

remember,

of

all

the regularity of

Rhythm

(see

next Section), and

:

then

there

the similarity of sound

line,

if

you can remember

line

the ending of either

then that will very likely

help you to

remember the ending of the

it.

which

rhymes with
that

You have
is

a double chance.

Alliteration

often found to be at the root of

itself

which

impresses

upon our memory.

People', 'Carter's
'

'Williams'

Pink

Pills
'

for

Pale

DeadBonanza (see the Essay- Book, Whereas the Rhyme as a rule means p. 304). that only the endings of the two lines resemble one
',

Little Liver Pills

Rhyme and Reason

'

',

wood

Dick's

Big

another in sound, the Alliteration

may mean

that

many words
beginnings.

resemble one another, especially in their

Instances have been given in Section V,

SECTION XXXI. RHYTHM.

THE power
mind
not
is

that

Khythm
but

possesses over the

human
greatly

older than the power that

also

Rhyme possesses
are

only savages

animals

by it. It seems to be closely connected with the rhythm of physical movements, such as
affected

one sees
of

in

a Maori War-dance.

As an

instance

how Rhythm can

the

help to carry on, without a

halt,

what would otherwise break down, one may

case of the stammerer,

take
if

he be helped

by music

can
it

who

especially

often

continue

rhythmical speaking without a pause.

Rhythm and
Para-

Rhyme

together form a strong combination.

will

phrase Poetry into Prose, and

be twice as

hard to remember.

But there
or
in

is

this to

be borne

in

mind

if

the

sounds (as one reads out loud, or reads to oneself,

simply

listens)

are apt to carry one away,

if

themselves they are enough to impress themselves

like a piece of

on the memory,

and
is

for the millions

music without words

without meaning, then there

a great danger that, while one

sounds,

one

will

not

remembers the remember the sense. Nay

I

more, speaking for myself,

for

may

say that, though

over twenty years

have remembered the sound

158

HOW
I

TO REMEMBER
it

of Gray's Elegy, and have been able to repeat

easily,
little

never

properly realised the

sense

till

while ago: and what one has never properly

realised
either.

one cannot properly be said to remember

in

Rhythm, then (except

lists),

the

case

of

lifeless

should never be used to help the

the
sense,
I

memory
the
fine

until

the

ideas,

have been thoroughly

that

realised.

am

firmly

convinced

swinging Rhythm
Lord's Prayer (a

of the English version

of the

Rhythm

not to be found in the

Greek) has had almost as

prayer
as even the language
It

much

to

do with the
realised

being ill-understood and

itself.

scarcely

are useful here

must be borne in mind that other Languages Greek Iambics, and Latin Hex:

ameters (Section V.) and Elegiacs, are

all

useful,

and are good practice

Languages.

in

the

learning of those

Rhythm
beyond
and
or

cements

the

whole

mass

together

'.

In ordinary Prose there

e.g.

is little

to help the

memory
(cause
next,

certain

logical

connexions

effect,

etc.)

between

one idea and the

similarity

perhaps

an

occasional

of

sound.

With Rhythm, however, we have an

help,
viz.

additional
reality

the

metre

itself,

which

is

in

sort of

framework.
those

It

gives us

the patterns and

to
re-

quantities of

words which we want

member.

SECTION XXXII.

MUSIC.

Of
very

music as a help to the

little,

memory
it

shall

say

except (a) to suggest

as a
(b)

subject

deserving very careful research, and

to give a

warning, like

that

which

have
:

already
that

given

about

Rhymes

and

Rhythms

viz.

music
until

should not be applied as a help to the

memory
should

the ideas themselves have been thoroughly realised.

Into
the

the

question
I

of

why music

help
I

memory
that

cannot enter here:

sort

nor would

assert

any

of tune

would help us

to

remember any
In the
first

sort of words.

But two points may

doubt there are certain
'

be worth noticing.
place, without

kinds of music specially adapted for certain

feeling, anger, sadness, happiness, majesty,

tones

'

of

and so on.
connected
:

Secondly,
with
the
certain
cat's-cry

certain

notes

are

closely

vowel
(as
')

and consonant sounds

have pointed out
is

thus
to

in

'

How

Learn Philology
certain
(ni)ee

sometimes a

tune

in

which
glides
notes,

-yahwoo) seem
'

vowel- and

consonant- sounds and

to

accompany the various

'

as

naturally

as people say

ha

ha

'

when they
in

laugh on a low note, and (sometimes,

of the female sex,)

the case

he

he

! '

when they laugh on

a high note.

SECTION XXXIII.

EPIGRAMS.

'

Take

care of the pennies

'

and the pounds

alliterative

will

take

care of themselves

is
it

an
is

Proverb of an

epigrammatic kind
she

also

grossly inaccurate,

though a certain lady could never see the inaccuracy;

once
took

an

hansom
could
it

to

the

Stores

and
at
local

back, because she

get

something there

threepence less than

shop.

would have cost at the

are easy to

The
is

reason
:

why Epigrams

remember

this

they are often

alliterative,

they are short

and compact, they are striking (partly because they

are unexpected, and partly because they arouse our
distrust,
'

our feelings of resistance, our feelings of

'),

fair

play

and they concentrate the attention on

it

a single aspect of a thing;

is

not distracted by
'

pros and cons, but merely has to look at one

I

pro

'.

all

recommend them to be used on occasions indiscriminately. Here and there,

should
not

however, they
orator's
fist

like

the occasional raising

of an
his

voice

or

the occasional

on the table or pulpit

do

thumping of
serve to

wake up
must
and

the flagging attention.

The

orator, however,

beware of shouting too

tinuously
:

often, or of

thumping conoften,

if

he uses these means too

EPIGRAMS
especially
for
if

161

he uses them where there

is

no need

emphasis, then

we

shall

cease to be aroused

even when the point which he wishes to impress

upon us

is

really important.

So

it

is

with

the

use of epigrammatic phrases.

If

' '

SECTION XXXIV.

ALTERNATIVES AND
COMBINATIONS.

HAVE

already insisted on the fact that, of these

systems,
'

helps

and

some

are of almost universal

application (e.g.
suited
for
',

Realising', XIV.), whilst others are

certain

subjects
for

(e.g.

the

'

Substitutionfor for

System
those

XXVI.,
find

Dates and Numbers), or

'

certain people

(e.g.
it

the

Substitution-System
to

'

who

hard

remember Numbers),
and
for

but

may

be unsuited for other subjects

other people.

In other words, each subject which

is

to be learnt

and to be remembered probably has some one or

more helps

or Systems which are best adapted for

it

in the case of

each individual
'

for
'

example,

in

your

case perhaps the

Realising

'

and
to

Rdsum^e-Method
most of the

alone

may

be

sufficient, at

any

rate for

subjects that
If,

you may wish

is

remember.

however, there

of the utmost importance that you should

some subject which it is remember

I

with absolute certainty at a moment's notice, then

'

recommend you not to venture all your learning in one Method or System, but (see IV. and V.) to combine two or three Methods or Systems, making them ready to reinforce one another, so that, in
case
there

one

strand
still

of the
16a

rope

should
will

give

way,
firm.

may

be other strands that

hold

'

ALTERNATIVES AND COMBINATIONS

163

defeat in

good general guards against the possibility of any one place. Reflect, also, that the
weakest point.

strength of a fortress often depends upon the strength

of

its

To

use another comparison,

in case the electric light

have

important

fail you while you work to do, keep candles and

should

matches not
The
need reinforcing

far off.

I have given scarcely but let me add another Classical History example, viz. Philip's conquests from 357 to 346 I will suppose the facts, and their effects, etc., to have been already realised by the aid of a Map, etc.
: : '

instances of Combinations which

1.

Rhyme.

From 3, 5, 7 when Athens is fighting her Allies, Amphipolis and Pydna are won before her eyes, Potidaea then Philippi a mine of gold supplies Methone in three fifty-three ; in Thessaly he beats the Phocians, also Pagasae but from the Gates retreats. Olynthus in three forty eight the Phocians 3, 4, 6. After the Peace he TAME-ly seems in conflicts scarce to
|
|

mix.
2.

Rhythm.
kind of Hexameter
:

Rhythm might be

suggested, as

follows

Amphipolis Pydna Potidaea Philippi Methone, Phocians, then Pagasae, then Thermopylae,
Olynthus.
3.

then

Initialising.

TAME suggests his quiet organising of

Thessaly and
tector of

TTirace

his

attempts to become pro-

Argos and
Afessene (against Sparta), and his schemes in
Zfuboea.


164
Substitution
"

HOW
Peace

TO

REMEMBER
(346)."

4.

and Links.

War-marching

5.

Brunch-word.
Amphipo/z'i-

and Pydna

lispyd.

PART
SECTIONS

V.

THE SYSTEMS APPLIED TO VARIOUS SUBJECTS.

PAGB
.

XXXV. Maps and Plans XXXVI. Numbers and Dates

.

.167
177

.
.

XXXVII. Engagements, etc. XXXVIII. The Learning of Poetry

.184
.

186

<*$

SECTION XXXV.

MAPS AND PLANS.

To

be able to draw

Maps and

Plans

is

very useful,

not only for the purpose of learning Geography and

History, and for remembering about Railway-lines,

and

for giving

an interest to any kind of

travelling,

but also for such subjects as Anatomy, Physiology,

etc.

It

is

a well-known fact that the knowledge of

is

these

subjects

helped

very

much by
;

the
of

use
the
are
for

of pictures,

photos, and models

but,

out

thousands
very
these.

who study these subjects, there few who could reproduce the drawings

For example, out of some hundreds of Honours'

Pupils at Cambridge,
(or are

men who have been

learning

supposed to have been learning) Greek and

History for

Roman

many

years before, only quite a

few have been able to draw a

the Mediterranean, or a Plan of

Map of Rome

Greece or of
:

and what
is

is

true of an educational subject like this

equally

true

of other subjects of a

more

practical nature.

There are many who cannot draw a

Map

of England,

or of England's position in the World.

It is

a great fallacy to suppose that drawing

167

by

mere tracing or copying must necessarily impress

68

HOW

TO

REMEMBER
Drawing
is
'

the subject upon the mind.

of

little

use
'

unless the subject itself be thoroughly

realised

at

the

same

time.

In accordance with the order of the Sections in

this

book, a learner

is

advised to concentrate his

it,

attention on the subject, to interest himself in partly

by thinking over the advantages of mastering the subject, and partly by trying to reproduce at intervals what he has learnt. Above all he is advised to select, and to reject as

much

as possible

that which will distract his attenelse, in

tion far

more than anything

is its

an average
;

Map
be

or an average Plan,
to

excess of detail

in reality,

begin with, he

should

omit whatever can

safely omitted.

At
by

the

thick type or

same time he should emphasise, either by underlining, or by differences

is

of colour, anything which

ance.

of particular import-

Another great help towards learning and remembering a Plan, for instance a Plan of the

human

body,

is

to find out

what are the uses and the connot easy to

nexions of the various parts.

As

in

most

subjects, so here,

it

is

begin (as 99 people out of a 100 do) by studying the whole Map or Plan all at once. The learner should
first

get a very rough outline, the rougher

it

is

the

better; then he should get this outline thoroughly

into his mind's eye

and then try to reproduce

it

MAPS AND PLANS

after

169

he has

tried, let

him look
it.

at the outline itself

and correct

his

attempt by

Having thoroughly-

mastered the general outline, he

to study the various parts
itself
:

may now

proceed

to take each part

by

and to get

it

absolutely into his head.

If

you wish
it

to test
its

how

far

you have mastered

for yourself.

the whole with

various parts, try to describe and

it

explain

to others, or to reproduce

This will be one form of repetition, and the

or

Map
short

Plan should be constantly

'

repeated

'

at

intervals

and corrected as

well.

After correction you

should practise and strengthen the points where you

are weak.

Coming
the

to the

of trouble can be saved

Memory-Systems, a vast amount by

observation of useful
Professor Meickle-

points.

john
deal

has

done

great
the

towards making

study of Geography easy

by showing what are the chief lines and directions

in

Maps The
'

give a sample

of

my own

here.
'

Diagram XI,
is

Link-System

as useful for

Maps
line.
'

as

it

is

for other things

by

it

you can remember quite

on any given

easily all the

main
in

stations

Of

'

Localising

have already spoken

XXIV

170

HOW

TO REMEMBER
it

Professor Stokes has brought

in his globe of the

to great perfection

world (see above).

But, of

all

the Systems that

know

for

remembering Maps

and Plans, none equals the following in respect of Every one feels facility and rapidity and certainty.
that the
it

Map

of Italy

is

easy to remember because

:

looks like a booted leg

is

it

looks like something

;

which

familiar to

everybody

let

us apply the

same

principle to a few other countries.

We have
reproduce

had a

Map

of the Peloponnesus
will
;

it is

not

easy to remember, as you

it

find, if

you

try

and

some days hence but, supposing you hand opposite to you, with the fingers pointing downwards and the palm facing you, and supposing you drew what you saw, you would have
held your
left

something which you could always reproduce at a

moment's

notice,

and which would be quite

for
all

like

enough
poses.

to

the Peloponnesus

ordinary pur-

Again, take the

Map
:

of the Mediterranean, of
is

which

spoke before
it

that

not easy to reproduce.

in

But study
order,

and the following Diagrams

at

their
will

and you have

a few seconds.
of the

once a method which

help you to draw the Mediterranean in rough outline in

Notice also

how

easily the

Capitals

Ancient

Eastern
of

remembered

by

means

the

World can be Diagrams and

Initialising below.

MAPS AND PLANS

171

Diagram XII.

(Sahara)

C.

co/a(s

yer

r>

d
H>

Diagram XIII.

Diagram XIV.

()

172

HOW
these
well.

TO REMEMBER

Lastly, look at the

Map

of England, and then

it,

look at

means of remembering
least ten
;

and see

below as

There are at which would be equally good

other ways

for a list of things

which are so familiar to every one that they form easy starting-points for these rough outlines, see
the end of the Section.

Diagram XV.

Diagram XVI.
is

You
it

will

say that this

very inaccurate.
are

is

but

Maps themselves

inaccurate

So no

Map

has ever yet absolutely reproduced the exact

coast-line:

near to the truth

of the

we have to be content with something we must get a general impression whole before we begin to study any one part,
;

and then of course each part can afterwards be

studied

by

itself.

The The

Initialising-System

comes next

in

importance

after this

Rough-Outline-System.

chief Eastern Capitals

times might be remembered

N.B., E.S.P.

and Countries in old by the Initials, P.S., See Diagrams XVII. XVIII. XIX.

MAPS AND PLANS

E

173

Diagram XVII.

neveh
Ecbatano
,on

-Sus
'Persepoli*

Diagram XVIII.
ASSYRIA
Nineveh

MEDIA
Ecbatana
Babvlon

BABYLONIA

X
Diagram

SuSA

ELAM
PERSI5
Persepolb

XIX
namely, Celtic,

The
the
Italic,

initials

of the different Languages spoken in

North of the

Mediterranean,

Greek, Armenian, and Aryan, will form the

word Cigar.
Aeolic,
Ionic,

The

initials

of the three Greek Tribes,

Doric, will form the

word Aid

(see

Diagram XX.).
Greek Tribes
in

In Diagram

XXI. we
:

see these
5

Greece proper

the figure

gives

::

174

HOW

TO REMEMBER

a rough idea of the shape of the East coast of

Greece proper.*

D J

\D

Diagram XX.
Names, even
nothing
:

Diagram XXI.
names, are better than
1,

ridiculous

for instance b, a, c, a,

m, a (see above).

The use of absurdities and of even the feeblest jokes is by no means to be overlooked I consider some of
;

Professor Stokes' puns to be so absolutely

silly,

that

they are

among

the best aids to

:

possibly be

imagined

there

memory that can are many who can

never forget the very worst puns.

Rhymes and Rhythms

good
for fixing

are also extraordinarily

long

lists

of names in the

memory

Canon Farrar has an

lists,

art of stringing together such

so that the swing of

the

rhythm helps the

words themselves to cling to the mind.

List of useful Starting-points for

Maps

and Plans.

The Alphabet forms

the
capital
For a
list

a very good starting-point

letters,

the

small

letters,

and Greek

of useful helps for the Eye-Memory, see below.

MAPS AND PLANS

letters,

175

either separately

or combined, will give

great

number

of shapes.
lines,

Straight lines and curved

ing, are also of assistance

generally speakI.,

(Diagram

etc.).

Alma

Tadema's drawing of a
lines, will

composed of straight form a very good example (Diagram X.).

pig,

Various
triangle,

figures,

such as the
cross,

circle,

the oval, the

these,

and the

and combinations of
;

also

afford

good starting-points
in various positions

pictures

of

men
sizes,

and women
upside

and of various
well
;

down
eye

or in profile, will help as

to impress

and
See

Diagram No. XI. might help

mind's
the

upon the

general shape

of England.

page 169.
Parts of men, such as the foot or leg, the hand

(Diagram VIII.), the

face, the

arm, and the hats or

umbrellas of people, the various numbers, such as the

number

(above),

and

their combinations, all these

may be

utilised.
all

Think again of
things which one

the things

inside

a house,

knows by

sight as well as possible,

candlesticks, lamps, basins, jugs, cups, spoons, sugar-

tongs, glass bottles, brushes, chairs,

and

sofas, etc.;

or think of the things

in
;

a street, such as carts,

lamp-posts, and

houses
e.g.

or of the various imple;

ments

in

games,

bats and rackets

think of trees

and
ally

their various parts, for

example

their leaves.
is

These afford endless

variety,

and there

practic-

no

Map

or Plan which might not be remembered,

176

HOW

TO

REMEMBER
above
lists

if

certain things from the

were arranged been

thus

and combined

in the right order.

When

once

the

rough

outline

has

impressed upon the memory, the various names and

parts can easily be

added and secured by means of

Rhymes
Systems.

or Links, or

by means of some of the other

SECTION XXXVI. NUMBERS AND DATES.

ONE
may
it is

of the great
is

difficulties in

remembering numbers
;

and dates

the difficulty of working backwards

we

be able to remember the date of an event, but

not so easy,

able to

when we have the date itself, to be remember what was the event belonging to
This seems to

that date.

me
:

a great weakness of

most of the Memory-Systems

we need

a process by

which we can work equally well from the date to

the event, or from the event to the date.

As

to the value of numbers,

we

often wish to

remember the numbers of cabs and houses, of distances, of times, and also various large numbers
for

various

purposes.

The

different

coinages

of
it

different countries give another instance of

where

would be useful to remember numbers.

Dates,
if

they are properly chosen and properly

used, also have their value.

They form

a kind of

framework
slow

or

scaffolding

they show us whether

or

changes, such
;

as political changes, were quick

they
at

tell

what was

happening
I

in

other

countries

the

same

time.

grant that most

schools are ab-

of the

dates which are learnt at

solutely useless, but that has nothing to

all

do with

me

that

try to

do

is

to

show you how you may

178

HOW
it.

TO

REMEMBER

learn a date,
for learning
I

assuming that you have some reason

have

need not repeat the various helps which

in

suggested
attention
lection of
this I
to.

Sections
interest

VI.
in

foil.,

e.g.

concentrated

and

the dates or

the subject, and a colnumbers themselves. All

will

suppose to have been already attended

With dates and numbers, as with Maps and first thing to do is to reject whatever is unnecessary: just as you should learn the fewest possible names on any given Map, so you should learn the fewest possible dates in any given History. Again, you can omit the centuries, if you know them (cp. It happened in 84 '), or you can omit the last
Plans, the
'

figure of a date

if it is

not important.
is

In very early
slightest

dates the exact figure

seldom of the

consequence.

Unfortunately,
(if

Schoolmasters

and

Examiners think otherwise

it

they ever think about

at

all),

and, as long as they expect exact dates

will

to

be given, so long

those

who
'

are

examined
Schools

have to learn exact dates.

Schoolboys have no idea

strikes
'.

how many
are
still

causes they have for

governed on the despotic

purposes

principle.
: '

But
as

for practical

we may

safely say

Omit

much as you can.' The next point

in thick

of importance

is

to arrange your

dates and to emphasise them, marking great dates

type,

and marking

trivial

dates either by

NUMBERS AND DATES

tiny figures, or

179

by putting them
not be noticed.

in

some

position

where they

will

Don't be afraid to alter a few years, if (cp. XIV.) by this means you can get a convenient way of remembering the numbers. We have seen that this same System can be applied to Maps also.

The next method of

learning dates

is

to get the

sight of the date into one's mind's eye, or to get the

sound of the date into one's mind's

pression
'

ear, if the ex-

may be pardoned
'

you must get a good

impression

of the look of the figures or the sound

of the numbers.

Comparisons

509

in

Greek and

may be of some use, as Roman History (the

the date

Republic

begins at

forms at
at

Rome, and Cleisthenes' Democratic reAthens): 1066 was the date (?) of Codrus
in

Athens and of William the Conqueror

B.C.

England,
A.D.

though one, of course, was

and the other

Contrasts occasionally are useful, as

the dates

we
it

see with

494 and 449.

Repetition need not detain us here, but

as well

may be
the

to

notice

that

you can repeat

either

sound of a date, by listening to yourself, or to

some one
of a date

else,

or to a Phonograph, or else the sight

a method which suits some people better

than others.

A
is

useful plan

is

to write the dates in large figures

across pictures of the events.

Another

plan, which
is

a repetition both for the ear and for the eye,

to

180

HOW

TO REMEMBER

write out the

numbers again and again, saying them

to the observation of useful points,

to one's self each time.

With regard
that also

may

be very helpful, as we see in the case

:

of the Kings and Queens of England (above)

Battle of Issus, with
viz.
its

the

three Ss, has an easy date,

333.

Some

of these useful points

(such as

numbers of cabs
that one does

1357, 1248) one notices at the time as very easy to remember, but afterwards all
like

remember
the

is

that there

was something
'

convenient
points'

about

numbers.
forgotten

These

observed
critical

are apt to be

when the

moment comes. Of the Link-System and System we shall speak below. The Substitution-System is
'

'

of the Localising-

'

'

the

commonest

of

all,

though

it

needs long practice and preparation

beforehand.
that each

The principle of it (see XXVI.) is number has one or more consonants corit
:

responding to
corresponding
letters

for instance, 2
it,

has T, D, and

TH
the

to
J,

as

we saw; and 6 has

G.

S,

SH,

CH,

These correspondences

must be thoroughly mastered, so that directly one T one thinks of 2, and 2 in its turn calls up the letter T.
sees the letter

This, again,

is

a good thing to think of in

idle

moments.

Having taken a given number, and having found

the letter corresponding to each number,
all

that you

'

NUMBERS AND DATES

have to do
is

181

to form these letters into a

word
If

or

words by supplying the vowels you need.

the event,
so

you

can possibly form words which are connected with

etc.,

much

the better; as

pointed

out above,

CHARLES DARWIN

and the word

ls

SPecies, which gives the date (18)09,

instance.

an

ideal

Some
tences,

prefer to form these consonants into senin the sentence begin with

making each word

a consonant which
date
If
;

represents

the

number

of the

cp. Section V.

you cannot think of a word connected with the then you have to link the word and the idea together in some way or other (see XXIII.); the
idea,

formation of
the word

itself

new words by altering the ending of (see XXVI.) may also be of use

occasionally.

second Substitution-System can only be em:

ployed rarely

the principle of

it

is

that

all

the

numbers up to 10 have
instead of putting the

different endings, so that,

numbers themselves, you can

put syllables which rhyme with them, and form these

syllables into words.

certain

amount of freedom
will

can be

allowed.

couple

of instances

be

sufficient:

supposing that
'

my

cab to King's Cross

was 2 1 84, then the words, Do run Great Nor(thern) would rhyme with these numbers. Tarquin's date was 510 (five one naught), and the words Pride and
Haugh{tiness) would give a near enough resemblance.

82

HOW
The

TO

REMEMBER
an instance of the same + (n i)d}j might
.
. .

following Algebraical formula for Progressions

may
be
.

also be suggested as

general sounds being used: {2a

'

.)

Douay doesn't find us (Two a plus n minus The word beautiful would be quite enough
'

to suggest the

number 234.

But, as

say, there
is

are not
use.

many
'

cases where this

System

of any

The Space
not
eye,

for

Time

'

System, as

it

is

called, is

one to be neglected.

Space appeals to the

and a large

interval

may
1

be represented by
of a
circle,

a large space.

Professor Stokes' plan

o years, has much to be said for it I refer to his book for the System itself. Again, long spaces of time can be represented by

marked

off into spaces of

:

large

numbers

in large type,
in

and smaller spaces by

smaller numbers

small type.

When

a number of

events are

crammed

into a single year, the events

;

can be in smaller type

and there are many other

for time.

ways
In

in

which space can be substituted

history

the

of

Language,

many words now

(e.g.

denoting time originally denoted space

ubi
'

Latin

where

'

and

'

when

').

The Rhyme- System is a very old one for numbers. The best known example is the English History Rhyme beginning, In 43 a Roman host From Gaul
*
|

assailed our Southern coast '.

the date of Philip's Conquest of

Under Rhyme may be included jingles, such as Methone (MethSne,

NUMBERS AND DATES

three
jingle
five
is

183

three)

the danger of this

is

that the

apt to remain in the mind without any

ideas, but there is

no reason why

it

should be so,

if

the facts are properly realised

first.

There

is

no

doubt that, by means of Rhymes, dates can be remembered by most people far more quickly and far more thoroughly than by any other method.
I

would not suggest that the same method should

rather let the methods be varied any number of great importance, let
:

be always used
and, in case of

them be combined.
Let
the

me

repeat that, with any System, and with

especially,
it is

Date-Systems

necessary to go
if

through some tedious apprenticeship,

to succeed in the

one wishes
be got from

end

no

real help can

the Systems without a good deal of laborious

work

by way of preparation.

'

SECTION XXXVII. ENGAGEMENTS,

ETC.

assume that you have collected and selected all the proper Headings, the morning of course being the best time for this work: I will
again,
I will

Once

assume, also, that you have arranged them in the

proper order.

The next

thing to do

is

to

'

realise

them, and you can realise them either by means of

the eye or

by means of the
people
find
it

ear.

Some
day.

great

help

to

act

in

imagination whatever they have to do during the

If they

have to

call

at

No.

7,

which has a
Others
;

green door, then they imagine themselves going up

to No. 7

and seeing the green door.

may

be helped by drawing a picture of No. 7 others by saying to themselves, once or twice, I have to call
'

at

No. 7

'

others by writing
-

it
'

down.
suggested by Pro-

The
If

'

Localising
;

System

is

fessor Stokes

an instance might be the following.

you have

to

pay an important
at 3 o'clock

call

at

o'clock,

and you know that

you

will see
shelf, or

a certain
the face
this

thing, for instance a

book on your
:

of some particular person

imagine now that on

is

book or on
'

this

face

there

written

the

word

Call

'

then,

when you
will

see this

book or

this face at

3 o'clock,

you

immediately be reminded that you

184

ENGAGEMENTS,
have to go and pay a
to
call,

ETC.

185

the great requisite being

choose something which you are certain to reat the time,

member

and to this thing to attach the you want to remember; of course the two may be attached together by the Link-System The principle is somewhat the same when a man,
idea which
'

'.

who

is

in the habit of leaving his umbrella at different

houses, adopts the plan of putting his umbrella into

his hat or fixing his hat
in the hall,

on the top of

his umbrella

because he knows that when he goes out

his hat,

he be

will
'

be bound to take
'

and

to the hat will

attached

the umbrella.
travelled

One gentleman, whenever he

used to rest his umbrella against his leg

got up to go he was reminded of his
its fall
;

by omnibus, when he umbrella by

;

a knot in the handkerchief

is

not a reliable

means, unless, perhaps, one has a cold.

For

my own
also
;

part,

have found

Initialising (see

XXVII.)

the best help for remembering engagements.

I

Rhymes
tion also

have sometimes used, and

alliteratrivial

and, where the matter has been a

one,

have resorted to Note-books and Memorandum-

cards.

For

this help, see Section

XL.


SECTION XXXVIII. THE LEARNING OF
POETRY.

WHEN

was about 10 years

old,

knew Gray's
heart
:

Elegy by (what they curiously

call)

there

was really no heart in

fectly,

it

knew

the sound perIt

but scarcely had a notion of the sense.

little

did very
learnt
is

good

learnt in
I

and yet most poetry that is the same poll-parrot or Phono;

graph fashion.

only

offer

here a few suggestions

which
the

may

help to keep the learner from making

that
I

same mistake
for

did.

Supposing that a learner has secured good conditions

learning,

that

he

has

concentrated

his

attention,

and that he has got some

interest in the
:

work, he

may

find

it

useful to proceed as follows

First of all let

him analyse the piece of poetry

it
:

so as to get hold of the idea or ideas of

ideas be expressed as Headings.
like

let

these

Perhaps he
in

may

to

underline the
itself.

Heading-words
let

pencil in

the Poetry

Then
idea

nexion between the various Headings

for instance,

him work out the conlet him see,

:

how one
it

is

connected with another

as cause and effect.

Even yet
Poetry
itself.

is

not time to begin to think of the

Besides emphasising and marking the

186

important ideas, he must get a general idea of the

THE LEARNING OF POETRY

whole piece.
analyse
will
it
:

187

Then

let

him take each part and

I

the questions which

suggested above

be found useful here.

is

Repetition

the next step, only

it

must never

be repetition merely of the sounds of the words,

or of the sight of the words
repetition are degrading.
:

both these kinds of

it is

You may,
:

true, write

down
of

afresh the words themselves, but

you must think

no matter how
realise

them not

as words, but as ideas

slowly you
sentence, as

have to

write,

you must
it.

each

you see
part,

it

or read

For
It

my own

have always found

'

it

best to
'.

say the Poetry out loud, or

is

out loud to myself

the greatest mistake to try to learn the

:

whole piece at once

a single stanza at a time, or

is

even a single sentence,

quite sufficient.

After thoroughly mastering one part, do not go

on to the next first of all read through what you have already done, then master the second part thoroughly; before you take the third part, go through the first and second parts, and so on
straight
:

one, the
(see

by the time you come to the tenth part, if there is first few parts will have already been learnt XXI.)
;

only

let

me

emphasise the importance of

never attending to the sight or to the sound of the

Poetry, but always to the ideas
;

it

may seem

strange,
it

and
is

it

may

not be a universal rule, but at least

a general rule that

by

this

means you not only

it

acquire the sense of the Poetry, but

also clings

188

HOW
your mind as a

TO

REMEMBER
sounds as well
;

in

series of

in other

words, you have learnt the sounds, without having

learnt

them as sounds
where you

at

all.

At
test

intervals

you

should repeat from

tions, noticing

memory and
fail,

your acquisi-

and strengthening the

weak

points.

In connecting the various Headings together, so

that after

next,

one part you may pass on easily to the you may either observe useful points (see XXII.) or you may 'link' the Headings together (XXIIL), or 'link' the last word of one part with
first

the

word of the next.

the

Barter suggests

system of Localising (see

XXIV.)
'

the ideas which are to be remembered.

Initialising' (XXVII.) may also be used to help you to remember the Headings. Music may possibly be a great help. Last of all, I might suggest that you should try

to write Poetry for yourself, or rather,

should say,

to write

Rhymes.

It is easier to

begin by turning

some one else's Prose into Poetry, or, conversely, you might paraphrase and turn Poetry into Prose. A good time for this is a rail way -journey, and not a bad time is when you are getting up or going
to bed, but above
all, if

the Poetry

is

really Poetry,

don't trouble about the sound or the sight of the

words, but realise the ideas.

this the learner will, in

believe that
cases,

by doing

most

be learning the

Poetry

itself as well.

PART
PRACTICE,
SECTIONS

VI.

AND OTHER

HELPS.
PACE
.
.

XXXIX. Practice, and How to Practise XL. General Hints and Helps

191

197

SECTION XXXIX. PEACTICE, AND HOW TO

PRACTISE.

good

deal on the subject of practice has already

in the different Sections
I shall

been suggested

and under

the different Systems, so here

to general advice,

confine myself

and

shall try to point out

how

one ought to practise, when one ought to practise,

where one

ought to

practise;

and also why one

ought to

practise.
all,

First of
it

as to the question of

how

to practise
at

will

involve

good deal of drudgery

the

beginning, because, as in every

the
initial

new employment,
In
find

steps are always apt to be difficult.

exercises, in the

trying

new

same way, we
first,

an

awkwardness and clumsiness at

be used.

because fresh

muscles and fresh combinations of muscles have to

an almost universal rule that the and slowly and gradually one progresses at the outset, the faster and better one will
It
is

more

correctly

be able to do the thing

I

itself eventually.
it

have already made

clear that,

whenever one

wishes to learn and to

first

remember anything, one should

by anything
this
else.

of all concentrate one's attention on that, not allow-

ing the attention to be distracted

I

pointed out that

it

was hard to do

unless the

192

HOW
its

TO

REMEMBER
I
it

subject had

interest (VIII.).
all

then went on to

say that with nearly

collect

subjects

was necessary to
each Heading

the Headings, to select them, and to arrange

'

them, and then to be sure to

realise

'

thoroughly, usually by picturing the idea as an actual

by imagining some one doing something The more important a subject is, the more thoroughly must each Heading be realised.
scene,
'

'.

Then comes the work of repetition, which (see XXI.) has a great many different meanings but
:

the

chief thing to notice about repetition

itself

is

that

each Heading must be mastered by

before the

next Heading

is

attacked, and that then,

when

the

second Heading has been mastered, the

first
is

and the

second should be repeated before the third

attacked,

and so on.
After this
I

came

to the actual

Memory-Systems,
practis-

which
here
I

suggested certain ways of practising; and

must add that you should begin by

and when
it

ing under the simplest, the easiest, and

possible conditions,

the best

does not matter

or
fail.

very

much whether you

it

succeed
at

After

you have thus acquired

then
test

skill

some one system,

may

be as well to put that system to the

things of

in

various

some importance.

The
you

Exercises which will be best for you will be those

which you make up

the

for yourself; for instance, if

'

wish to practise the

Link-System

'

(XXIII.), take

name

of some one you know, and his address, and

PRACTICE,
' '

AND HOW TO PRACTISE

193

link these two together. Or take the name of some one you know, and some peculiarity in the appearance of that person, such as red hair and Do not be afraid then link those two together. of spending a little time on these Exercises do them
'

',

'

'

very slowly and carefully.

Again,
eye (cp.
it,

if

you wish to practise the memory of the

:

XV.), notice a house

then look away from

it

or shut your eyes and try to reproduce

it

in

your

mind's eye, or else try to draw

on paper.

After-

wards look at the house, correct your attempt, and

then try again.

The
that
it

great advantage of this kind of practice

is

is

possible

anywhere and everywhere.

are thousands of

As

to

when

to practise, there

occasions, in

fact,

one might say that almost any

is

moment at which one

not doing anything particular

can be used for practice

for instance, while

one
;

is

dressing, or travelling, or walking, or waiting

it

and

may be

as well to keep notes of one's experisee

ences (see XL.), so as to

how much one

is

improving.

The
is
till

question of

very easy to answer.

how long one ought to One ought often to

wander
;

practise practise

one's attention begins to

rest,

it

will

then be

time either for a

subject or of the

or else for a change of the

treating
it.

method of

As

to where

to practise, this question

has been

already practically answered,

13

when

suggested the

194

HOW
be

TO

REMEMBER
waiting-rooms

times for practising: trains, 'buses,

will

among
all,

the places that are most obvious.

Last of
hand.
wise,

as to

why one should

to

practise before-

It is quite

necessary to practise, because other-

when you come

do anything of importance,
slowly, or even that
fail

you

will find that

you do

it

you

fail

altogether.
practice,

Of

course you will

is

very often during

but that

much

better

than the

failure

while you are doing the thing

or the reverse

itself, for

here success

may mean
much
train,

a great deal.
to
fail

To

take an

instance

it

is

better

while you are

practising in

than while you are actually

in

answering the question

the

Examination,

on
It

which a great deal of your future

is

may

depend.

probably because of constant practice that pro-

fessionals are usually so at

much

better than amateurs

Games.

It

is

not that the amateur does not

make brilliant strokes occasionally, but that he does not make certain of the simpler strokes whereas the
:

professional does.

He

has practised them so often

in

beforehand, that
infallibly

he succeeds

them almost

as

as an automatic machine.

You must have often noticed that something that you do very easily now, and which you do almost instinctively and unconsciously, was once a very great effort and demanded your whole attention and even then it had to be done very slowly, and mistakes
;

were frequent
very clumsy.

in the initial stages

your working was

Later on, you learnt by your failures as

PRACTICE,
well as

AND HOW TO PRACTISE

195

the processes

by your successes, and after constant repetition became easier and easier they needed less attention, and could be carried out more and more quickly every day. Then perhaps it became almost unconscious, somewhat as in playing the Piano one
:

may be almost
until

unconscious that one

so,
e.g.

is

playing rightly,

one stops doing

;

by playing a wrong

note

in other words,
:

effort

you are unconscious of any you are almost unconscious of doing the
all,

thing at
stage
is

until

that the
or,

whole thing

you make a mistake; the final is done practically

unconsciously

rather, sub -consciously.

You can
stage,
to

apply this to various examples, such as

fencing or bicycling.

When you

have reached

this

you have succeeded in handing over, as it were a servant, a piece of work which before you had
for yourself

to

do

with an effort of

will.
it

You

can

now

trust this servant of yours to

do

quite right,

while you devote yourself to something higher, to

something, that

is

to say, which will exercise the

higher powers and faculties, such as those of reason

and

inference.

In
'

conclusion

let

me
'.

expose the fallacy that

It is true that perfection

Practice

makes

perfect

cannot

come

without

practice,

but

the

practice

must be of the right kind, and must be done At first you must practise one in the right way.

method or System

at a time, carefully

and slowly,

when the

result is

unimportant and when the condi-

196

HOW
;

TO

REMEMBER

tions are easy

and

then, after frequent repetition,

you
with

will

be able to do the thing more rapidly, and

less effort,

and with greater

the conditions are harder

is

success, and where and the success or failure

of importance.

For

it

is

essential to get

your mechanical work

and to get your failures over, before you have to test your skill on any critical
as perfect as possible,

occasion.

SECTION XL. GENERAL HINTS AND HELPS.

WILL take

it

for

granted that you have done what

you could
ditions

to insure
;

(see VI.)

good health and the best conyou should now practise all the
fair
trial.

methods and the Systems, and give each a

ticular

This means concentrating your attention on one par-

method or System

at

a time, and getting

it

interest in that

method, either because

will

be an

advantage to you to improve your memory

particular purpose, or else because the

for

some
itself

method

has some interest.

For example, try to get

at the
it is

reasons for these Systems, asking yourself what

that children most easily remember.

Or

again, study

how Language

is

made and changed

(see

XLL).
and

While you are trying any particular System, keep

records of your progress in respect of facility
rapidity

and permanence or

reliability.
fair
trial

Then, when you have given a

to

all,

choose whichever methods or Systems are most suitable to

you

individually.

You

will find that it is quite

worth while to spend some considerable time

testing

in

and choosing, so that you may make quite sure that some method or System will not suit you,
before

you decide to

reject

it

altogether.

The way

not to try

these

Systems

is

fo

rush

through the book, and then to try them casually on

198

HOW
few instances

TO

REMEMBER
at

taken

random.

You cannot

properly judge of the merits and demerits of any

System
it
,

until

at first slowly

you have taken it by itself, and tried and repeatedly, until you have got
is

the foundations firm, that

cesses

to say, until the pro-

have become almost automatic.

in

Do
will

not

grudge the time spent at the outset

first

securing the

steps

whatever you do, no

real

good

be

accomplished unless the foundations are laid deep

and firm
all

this applies universally

it

holds good for

all

Games, such as
If

Golf,

and

for

occupations

(see

XLIV. and XLVI.).

some
up a
particular

method

or

System does not

it

suit

you,

if it is

your weak point, as

time to practising
it.

were,

then

give

little

It will

be a

good way of making use of any odd moments.

Each method and System having been fairly it is now time for you to pick and choose your methods according to your faculties. You will have to study and find out by observation
tried,

which

are

your best

faculties

this

means

that

you

will

have to go over your

find

mental

stock-in-

trade.

You may

that your faculty for seeing

is

pictures in the
for

mind

stronger than your faculty

reasoning or for understanding ideas.

For ordinary purposes, then, you will choose the method or System which suits your best faculties. And, secondly, you must be careful to choose your method or System according to the subject thus,
;

GENERAL HINTS AND HELPS

for casual

199
re-

engagements, which only need to be

for a

membered
you
will

few days, and are then best forgotten,

find
'

probably

the

'

Initial-System
'

'

(see

Section

XXVII.)
effort,

or the

Link-System (see XXIII.)

to be the best.

On

the other hand, you will have to

give

more

or to use the several Systems side

by
for

side, for really

important subjects.
lists

In Education,

example, complete

are

among

the topics best

worth remembering.

As

far as

you possibly
;

made examples

for

can, use your own homewhat you make for yourself you

are likely to find

more valuable

to

you than what

In the
'

you receive ready-made from

time and place (see XXIII.).

others.

Link-

System,' for instance, use your

own

associations of

For general improvement of many powers of the

mind,
I

should suggest Essay-preparing: not the

writing of actual Essays, but the jotting

down and

arranging of Headings for Essays.

plan
is

Another good
only a

to analyse

and make

lists

of the main ideas

if
it

of every book that

novel.

you

read, even

is

Afterwards go

through the book quickly,

and see what you have omitted.

One word
attempt
to

of warning must be repeated: do not

apply

any of the Systems

fairly
skilful

for

any

important purpose before you have practised them

well,

and have become

by,

with

them.

And

even then you ought never to use a System to

without
first

remember a thing

realising

the

2oo

HOW
itself.

TO REMEMBER
all,

thing

But, above

do not be stingy of

time, especially your spare time, for practising the

Systems which
which
suit

suit

you

best,

and even the Systems

you

least.

One
is

of the greatest difficulties of remembering

the difficulty of forgetting.

One does
is

not wish
constantly

to

remember

everything,

and yet one

one's

forced to take ideas into

mind without the

There are many
like to forget

power of getting
short time

rid of

them.

things of which the interest only lasts for a very

things
:

which we should

as soon as possible

we do not wish

to

burden our
oblivion

memory with them.

achieved
?

How

can

this

be

Note-books and pieces of paper

are perhaps the most useful

for

Memoranda
relieving

means of

all for

memory and of all Note-books the 'ABC,' or Where is it ? Note-books are perhaps the best. They certainly classify the subjects in such a way
the
; '
'

that
is

you can

easily find anything

you want.

There
and
kinds
so in

of course a great objection to Note-books

if

Memoranda
as there of
is

they are used in excess, just exactly

all
life,

a great objection to leaving

others.

work to be done by
it is

remembering,

to get others to
for one's self.

a fine art to precisely what do for one, and precisely what to do If one left nothing for the servants to
for

As know

in

do, one

would have no time

many
left

of the higher

duties of life;

and

so, if

one

nothing for the

GENERAL HINTS AND HELPS

exercising the

201

Note-books to do, one would be spending time and

memory

unnecessarily.

But, even for very useful subjects which one really

wishes to remember, Note-books are of the greatest

value.

at night,

of

time for using them is the last thing when one can jot down all one has thought during the day. At intervals the ideas should be

A good

revised

and rearranged.
are,

Note-books often
it

though one does not

realise

at

first,

a form of teaching.

When

one

is

writing

Notes on Essays and Articles, one

is

putting one's

own thoughts and ideas on to the paper. Whether they will be read by anyone else (besides the servant)
one does not know, but at any rate
that nothing clears the
it is

quite certain

an idea so definitely

mind so much, nothing fixes and firmly, as this or some

other form of self-expression.

Of

late years I

have taken to small Cards rather

than to Note-books.
single idea or

I do not write more than a Heading on each Card, and I always The ideas carry about a number of Cards with me. compartments of a special the or Headings I put into I

Card-holder, about which

particulars to

shall

be glad to send

anyone who writes to

me and

encloses

a stamped and addressed envelope.

PART
RIGHTLY USED.
SECTIONS

VII.

THE RAISONS D&TRE, AND THE ADVANTAGES OF GOOD METHODS AND SYSTEMS, WHEN
FACE
. .

XLI. Reasons and Justifications

XLII.

.205
.

Passage from the New Testament of Remembering, especially Advantages XLI by Means of the Systems XLIV. Advantages for Special Purposes and

221

1 1.

225

Subjects

.231
.

XLV. Advantages for Special Classes XLVI. Advantages for Special Powers
.

235

and

Faculties

.238

'

SECTION

XLI.

REASONS AND JUSTIFICATIONS.

In

this Section I

wish to give reasons for the various

I

methods and Systems which

them.
one,
I shall

suggest,

and to

justify

take the methods and Systems one by

to the reader's reason, asking
rational to apply such

and shall appeal him whether it is not

and such

a process for so useful a purpose as

learning and
of inestimable
I.

remembering: that memory

value, I

itself is

have already explained

in Section

Let

me

take the oft-repeated example to start

with- the reader

knows the shape of

Italy because

I say to he knows that it is like a booted leg. If you can remember Italy by this means, him,
'

why
far

should you not find the principle which makes

Italy so easy to

remember, and apply

proceed to
:

this principle

more widely ?
But, before
I

details, let

me

first

ask a

simple question
best?'
If

'

What
in

is it

that
list

you do remember
of various things
will find
it

you go through a

that are firmly fixed that

it

your mind, you

;

includes Advertisements

in

fact

is

part

of the Advertiser's business to set things forth in

such a

way

that great masses of people shall and

must remember them.

Therefore,
is

would say,

study them and see what there

about them which

3o6

HOW
:

TO REMEMBER
remember, so impossible to

makes them
forget to

so easy to

find the underlying principles

and apply them

Jesus taught,
lesson
etc.
:

some more
said
'

useful objects.
this

When
a

he

From

sight

learn

'.

The
To-day

sights were

mostly natural scenery,

he would include the sights of City-life

teach

he would

many

lessons from

modern machinery, and

that children

not a few from modern Advertisements.

best;

Ask yourself what make a list of

it

is

remember remember

the things, and find out the

for

underlying principle;

instance, they

very well anything which appeals to their eye, or to

their sense of
principles,

humour.

Having found the various

children can learn

apply them for the purpose of rememberfor, if

ing various things;

by

this
this

means, surely grown-up people can learn by

means
things,

as well, or even better.

Find out

why
I

it

is

that

we do remember

certain

and

think that you will arrive at the conall

clusion that

these

methods and most of these

artificial,

Systems are founded not on anything

on principles that we do constantly use

but
life.

in daily

These
at

methods and by these means;

remember,

Systems
I

have

been

arrived

have found the

WHY

and

HOW
easily

of those things which masses of people do

I

have

classified

these

WHYS
from

and

HOWS

tried to

and then I have apply these general Systems elsewhere.

into general Systems,

Recognising

that

every individual differs

REASONS AND JUSTIFICATIONS

another in his powers and
that
faculties, I

207

have realised
will

the

same method
I

or

System

not

suit

everybody.
a
fair
trial

have therefore suggested that after each reader should choose for himself

those which suit

him

individually

but

that no one can possibly decide that

I must repeat any one of these

methods or Systems
tried
it

will not suit

him
It
is

until

he has

by personal
There
is

experience.

well

known

that

many

people assert that they would not like

said to have been a certain

oysters.

man
one

who

insisted that oysters

tried one,

would never

suit

him

day he

and that same day he managed

to get through five dozen.

At

first

he had no idea proved

of these

that they

would

suit
it

him, but
will
:

experience

otherwise:

and so

be with

many

methods and Systems

no one has a right to say

him or her, without having given them a fair trial. So I would say this try all the methods and Systems before you reject any. And now to the details. Of good health and of
that they will not suit
:

satisfactory conditions for learning

need not speak

defend

here

these two

ways of helping the memory need no

justification

on

my

part.

Nor need
start with,

my

advice that the learner should concentrate his attention

on a single thing to

whether

it

be a
this

single

method, or a single part of the method;

till

must be done

that single thing becomes easy.

Nor need
a
subject

defend
aids

my

statement that an interest in

to

the

memory

an

extraordinary

208

HOW
'

TO

REMEMBER

degree.
attention
'

The
is
',

greater the interest, the greater the

'

Interest

sense being

a commonplace in Psychology. by the way, has two senses, the

as

first

we have

seen

advantage

a thing

has an interest for you because you will gain something

for yourself or for others or for

both yourself
sense

and others
of
'

by attending
'

to

it.

The second

interest

is

the

commoner

a thing which strikes

you
are

interests

you, and hence comes the power of

unexpected or epigrammatic sayings.

Things which

humorous
'

also interest

you by
:

tickling

you and

by
an

attracting your attention

interest
'

they force you to take

in the subject.

The System
justify either
:

of collecting Headings
it is

hardly need

sufficient to

say that, unless you

carefully

and methodically make a collection of

probably
will

Headings, you

forget

some,

if

not

many.
Complete
lists

of Headings
I

have

sufficiently

explained in Section X.

need only say here that

full

they are as useful, for the memory, as a bag

all

of

necessary things for travelling

It
is

is

useful

when you
to say
for the

travel.

no objection to complete

lists
;

that they are too complete for the purpose task

of rejecting and discarding whatever you do

is

not want

a very light one

it is

so easy to select.

But
lists

must say one word to justify these complete from a charge which might be brought against
I
;

them

they might be accused of being a method of

REASONS AND JUSTIFICATIONS

'Cramming'.
of the

209
at

Anyone, however, who looks

one

lists (e.g. in

Section IV.) will agree with

me

that they are not facts which are

pupil's

crammed

into the

mind, but are more of the nature of questions

'

which say to the reader,

about
think about
it ?

Do you know

anything

this subject, and, if so,

'

what do you know or

In fact they do very

much what
in

questions do in teaching.
class, in

Imagine a lesson

which the master told the boys to write

:

down what they had prepared

lamentable.

the result would be

What
:

does the master actually do?

He
and
is

asks questions

he says
?
'

'

What do you know

receives answers,

about this and that

elicits

and then he

what

his learners
lists

know

already.

This

what the complete

Again,
I

would do.

need not

justify

my
it

recommendation to
will

reject as

much

as possible, for
If only ten

save unneces-

sary trouble.
bered, to

things are to be

remem-

add another

five gratuitously is

not to be

recommended.

Arrangement of
to XII.,
lists

Headings perhaps needs

I

less

excuse and apology than any other method.

refer

where

show that the Headings

in

some

can be arranged in such a

way

that each

Head-

ing will naturally lead on to the next.

The
list

difference

between the trouble of learning a

of carefully arranged
;

of

Headings jotted down higgledy-piggledy, and

list

the trouble of learning a

Headings,
14

is

almost incredible

and the exercise

of

210

HOW

TO REMEMBER
is

arranging the Headings

the mental faculties.

one of the very best

for

In arranging the Headings one must be guided as

far as possible

by the

relations
;

between the

ideas,

such as cause and effect

so,

if

you

find out the

causes and effects, you will be helping the arrange-

ment of the Headings considerably. As to the method of mastering a rough outline before you consider details, it scarcely calls for remark. Before you can see what any part means, you have to understand the whole of which it forms a part you cannot understand what the hand does
:

you understand its connexion with the the body, and especially the brain besides
unless
;

rest of
this,
I

may mention

another reason

why

a rough outline

must precede the study of

details,

and that

is,

that

only a few things can be mastered at one time, and

to try to learn fifteen details at once
is

generally a

hopeless task.

But,

when they
it

are taken one

by

one,

and when you have already got a general idea of the

underlying principles, then

becomes easy to master

each of them separately, although the details

may
It

be a
is

little

inaccurate or even very inaccurate.

a pity, of course, but this must be put up with

the errors can easily be corrected afterwards.

To

'

realise

'

is

one of the great secrets of memory,

I

and of

this

again

need say

little.

picture of that which

you wish

to

That a clear remember should

is

be before you in your mind's eye,

absolutely

REASONS AND JUSTIFICATIONS

essential to the learning of nine things out of ten.

an
It

must be borne
are

in

mind

that

'

realising

'

can be done

not only by the eye, but also by the reason.

There

some who master things

that are spoken or read

by forming a
in
'

definite picture; there are others

who

cannot (or rather, do not) realise things as pictures

the
'.

mind, though they can

'

realise

ideas

But

in

the latter case the

them as eye-memory
'

would be a great advantage.

The

cultivation of the

eye-memory

by the fact that we realise things much better when we have seen a picture of them, for instance an illustration in a book, or a
is

justified

photo.

Of

the realising of ideas

it

need only say here,

in

addition, that

is

greatly helped
this
itself
is

by

clear personal

concrete language;
factor
in
life

too important a

to

need any words of mine to debeen mastered, to study

is

fend

it.

If the general outline has

and analyse each Heading separately

strictly scientific process
;

of course a
scientific

it

would not be

to try to master all the

Headings
is

in a mass,

but to

master them one by one

a sound plan, as sound

as Rome's plan of conquering her enemies one by one and of using her conquered enemies as a means of conquering fresh enemies. In Section XLII. I shall try to show how the use of parallels and comparisons and contrasts, for helping the understanding and the memory, lies at

2ii

HOW
Testament.

TO REMEMBER
the

the root of a good deal of Jesus' teaching in

New

We
for use,

have

many comparisons and

;

contrasts ready

for use in

our minds

and they are not only ready

;

but they are also meant to be used

If

for a

few of them see Section XVIII.

justify

one wishes to

as a

any further the employment of comparisons means of learning and remembering, one need

only mention the

stantly use.

many metaphors which we conThe whole of Language has been

it is

epigrammatically described as a storehouse of faded

metaphors.
ideas, not

This means that

common

to express

by a

direct description of them, but

by

means of comparisons.

In order to

make people
easier

understand what they meant, speakers have had to

compare the idea with something which was

to

understand

anger, for instance, they expressed

to a
fire

by comparing
borne
in

it

or to a storm.

If this

is

mind, the process of using analogies and

contrasts, for purposes of

remembering, ceases to be
is

an

ultra-artificial
artificial

System, and

at

once shown to be

no more

than Language

itself.

To

teach others anything has always been con-

sidered one of the very best

ways of learning

it

and

of remembering
then,
I

it

for one's self.

This method again,

need not defend.

repetition
it

And
ing; as

needs as

little

defence as teach-

is

scientific to hit
if

a nail again and again

to be driven securely

on the head

one wishes

it

REASONS AND JUSTIFICATIONS

into a piece of

213

wood, so

it

is

scientific to
if

repeat the
it

idea again and again and again

one wishes

to

be driven into the mind.

Of

all

the very best.

methods of Repetition the Risume'e-tnethod is It was by making sure of what she

had already won, before she proceeded to fresh conquests, that Rome became mistress of Italy and
afterwards of the Mediterranean.
It
is

the Systems themselves which need

:

most

justification

the above methods scarcely need any

they are

constantly neglected by

99 people out

of 100, but theoretically they are perfectly sound.

I

shall

now say

a few words about the Systems.

The

observation of useful points, such as of those

which we noticed

in the case of the Kings and Queens of England, saves a great deal of trouble

fixes things in the memory more securely. The points are there already, and to find them and to make sure of them encourages our power of

and

observation and our power of ingenuity.

The
most

'

Linking System

'

might,
all
:

artificial

system of

it is said, seem the when two words are

(apparently) not connected with one another,

it

seems

a very unnatural thing to find some third word which

will

connect the two

this, it

but,

if
is

there

is

an easy word

which will do
refuse to use

surely

a very great mistake to

it.

However,

let

us spend a

moment

in finding

out

what these Link words

really are,

whether they are

214

HO IV TO REMEMBER
entirely
in
'

connected with the other words, or whether the con-

nexion

is

artificial

'.

Consider the riddles

it

and puns
is

Comic Papers, and ask yourself why

that the ideas are connected with one another;

it is,

why

for instance, that the person,

who was

told

that a

friend

was suffering from Meloncauliflower

friend

and Haricot Veins, immediately knew that the

Veins

was actually suffering from Melancholia and Varicose

;

obviously the words were connected together

alike.

because they sounded

is

Whether the connexion

is

artificial
I

or not does not matter for our purpose

to emphasise
there,
it

what
not

mean
it

that

it is

there already,

and, as

is
it.

is

hard to say

why we

should

utilise

The
matter,

fact of

it

is

that,

when we examine
in

into the

we
in

see

that the words

;

our

minds are

groups we cannot help it, we do not make the groups like Topsy, they grow One thing is bound to suggest a number of things, as we have seen in the case of the green gooseberry (in XXIII.). The number 7 suggests the
arranged
consciously
'

'.

days of the week, and also the numbers 6 and

8,

between which
other ideas.

it

comes
'

The
;

and 7 may suggest many Link-System does not invent

;

'

these groups and the connexion between them, but

solely uses

them

it

uses that which

it

finds already

existing,

and uses

this for a

good purpose.

XXIII.

For the various other kinds of connexion, see It might be that some of the Links which

REASONS AND JUSTIFICATIONS

I

215

suggested in Section V. seemed very forced, especi-

ally the
for

connexions by contrast

but
'

if
'

moment you
'

will realise that

'

white
'

you think is in your

'

mind connected with black that right is connected with wrong and so on. The history of Language shows that it is full of such connexions, and that they have influenced our speech more
', ',

than

we can
to the
'

possibly imagine.

As
again,

Localising

'

principle,

it

admits of
;

less

defence than most of the other Systems

if

but here
all

you have a room of which you know

it

the

parts thoroughly, surely

seems a pity that you

should not put this knowledge to some use.

You

remember where things are by thinking of the place where you put them for instance, you say I put it The Localising System is on the mantelpiece
' ;

'.

'

'

just

the same, except that

to

it

is

applied to ideas
let

you want
say,

remember the idea of a King,

us

and you put the idea of the King on the

mantelpiece
certain

you put the idea of a colony in a corner; now when you want to call to mind
;

the king or the colony,

piece or the corner
all,
;

you think of the mantelis

it

not so unscientific after

is

it?

At any
it

rate thousands

have found

it

exceedingly useful.

Again,

might seem that

it is

an

artificial

system

to learn anything
is

by

starting with something which

for instance, the learning of

easier to

remember,

the

Map

of Greece

by

starting with the figure

216

HOW
;

TO REMEMBER

(Diagram XXI.) and the palm of the hand (Diagram This is IX.) the unthinking critic says at once,
'

amount oi what we have learnt we have learnt by similar means. We learn by starting with what we know, and by means of that we acquire something fresh which was hitherto unknown. The technical term
most unnatural
'.

Yet, after

all,

a great

for

this

simple

process

is

'

Apperception

'.

No

teacher can afford to neglect this rule.

The more
it is

one examines into the System of learning Italy by

means of the booted

really scientific,

leg,

the more one sees that

it

because

not only helps one to

the best use of init

learn about Italy,

and

to

make

formation which otherwise would be unused, but

also often throws fresh light

on various branches of
if

knowledge.
learn

To

use another technical term,

we

about the growth of a State (History and

(Natural

by studying the growth of a plant or an History), each subject becomes clearer by being correlated with the other. The System of Substituting is as old as Algebra. For purposes of convenience, it is usual to represent complicated things by a simple x, the reason being
Politics)

animal

'

'

'

'

that

x
:

is
it

an easier thing to grasp, a simpler thing to

saves the trouble of mentioning the whole
;

write

every time

so

we
is

substitute

for the

whole thing.
substitute

The
is

principle

that the thing which

we

easier to

remember and

easier to deal with than

it.

the thing for which

we

substitute

'

REASONS AND JUSTIFICATIONS

Of
The
'

217

Initialising

'

we have
;

already said enough.

sufficient to call to our

H.R.H. are quite minds His Royal Highness we do not need more.
initials

this

being

sufficient,

When
to
really

the initials of various Headings are

-

made

form some word (Cabal

System), then we are

together

connecting the different Headings

;

into a unity

this

is

something

like

tying faggots

together into a single bundle instead of carrying

them

separately.

It

is

true that the

new word does

it

not contain the whole of each Heading, but

tains quite

con-

enough

to bring the

whole Heading to
is

our mind.

The

general

principle

that

in

this

case, instead of taking the

whole Heading or word,

in

we take

its

prominent part and learn that instead.

part
:

Everything that we learn we learn

not as yet

we do
'

know

the whole of anything.

We

learn

people by learning only a part of them, especially

their faces; and, as

we can remember people by

prominent part of them, so we can remember words

by a prominent part of them, the prominent part

being
e.g.

the

initial,

but sometimes the ending.

Blend- Words, of which Lewis Carroll was so fond,

are quite natural, though they are mostly unconscious
in

everyday

life

their

general effect
it

is

not only

clear but also striking:

impresses

itself

on the

memory.

The word macinproof

of the

suggests at once

macintosh and waterproof.

p.

322

foil,

I have pointed out, on book on Essays, that most of our

'

218

HOW

TO

REMEMBER
of
e.g.
'

Grammatical mistakes are a blend or mixture

two correct constructions,

handled
is

The
'

subject

is

rarely

in books,
'

and

still

less rarely in
'

the pulpit
'.

a blend of less

commonly

more

rarely

But

how natural the blend sounds. The use of absurdities for the purpose
bering

of remem-

may seem

strange at

first,

but think of what

has been taught by means of Comic Papers, think

what an educational
been serious

factor

'

Punch has been

'

to the
;

English people, partly owing to

it

its

absurdities

had
for

it

would have taught very

it.

little,

most people would not have read

Rhythm

helps the memory, as

we

see in the case

of advertisements, and, since they are a fine

means

of remembering,
verses for a

it

is

not unscientific to use these

good

object.

Rhythm,

again, appeals

to nearly every one,

tribes,

including children, barbarous

;

and many animals it therefore can be justia means of remembering, because it is something which we already have and which we now turn
fied as

to a good purpose

the

same

will

apply to music,

and
ing

also to alliterations.

The
is

defence of Epigrams as a means of remember-

that they are very striking,

and compact, and

:

that they emphasise one idea at a time

for all these

three reasons they are specially adapted for leaving

an impression on the mind. Last of

all,

the

suggestion

that

the

different

methods and Systems should be used alternately or

REASONS AND JUSTIFICATIONS

in

219

is perfectly sound. As to the altersome Systems suit some people and some subjects par excellence ; and, as to the use of combinations, where it is important to remember

combination

native use,

'

'

a thing,

it is

obviously wise to have two strings to

one's bow,
alone.

and to use two means rather than one

practice which
I

The

principles

o'f

have

laid

down

in

XXXIX.

are

somewhat new, but

:

think that nothing

can be said against them

to start with doing a part

of a thing at a time, and to do that part correctly,

slowly, consciously,

and repeatedly,

till

it

becomes

sub-conscious and self-working, and then to proceed

to the

second part, this cannot but be

alone can

scientific.

Practice

make

perfect,

but

it

must be
is

practice of the right kind.

And my System
justifications

not

mere practice
Let
which

it is

practice of the right kind.

for

me now sum up the may seem most open

I

that

to

objection in

these

methods and Systems.

Throughout,
the mind, and

have tried not to bring

in

new
in

materials, but to use materials

which are already

to apply for a serviceable purpose

lie

what

would otherwise

unused.

And
are

the same with the faculties

in the
I

faculties
little

which

already lying dormant

mind,

used or

unused or even misused, these

for a really serviceable purpose.

have tried to apply

of foreign vocabu-

Of what

use are our long

lists

220
laries,

HOW

TO

REMEMBER

and of what use are our thousands of quite casual associations? As it is, you must admit that
they are lying idle; you must also admit that to

be able to learn and to remember by means of

them would be a great blessing. My methods and Systems endeavour to show you how to use what would otherwise be unused, and to
use
it

for

purposes which might otherwise be unful-

filled.

Let
else

me add

one more word.

It

can be nothing

but reasonable and

scientific to

get a clear imto

pression of whatever

you wish to remember, and

repeat that impression, and to connect together and

link together into a chain

Headings which would

;

otherwise be indistinct and isolated

it

cannot but

be reasonable and

scientific to

remember the whole

it,

by means of a prominent part of

prominent part
is

provided that the

sufficient to recall the

whole

SECTION

XLII.

A PASSAGE FEOM THE NEW

TESTAMENT.

To

prove that these methods which

unscientific,
I

have suggested

above are not

wish to give a quotation

from the Sermon on the Mount to show that the

greatest of teachers

employed
is

at

any

rate a

number

of them.

The
first

reader

advised to read through the

passage

by

himself,

and

to
it

work out

for himself
I

what principles and methods

quote the

illustrates.

shall

Revised Version
a simpler

Translation, referring,
is

however, to

English version which

of
13
find

quoted

from

'The
only
not
it;

Teaching
contains

Jesus
verses,

To-day.'

The passage
reader

and

the

must
in

expect to
it

every principle
vii.

illustrated

is

from

Matthew

(15

to 27).
"

Beware of
their fruits

false prophets,

which come to you

in

sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

By

ye

shall

know them.
?
;

Do men
Even

gather

grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles

so every

good

tree bringeth forth

good

fruit

but the corrupt

tree cannot

tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

good

bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring

forth

good
fruit

fruit.
is

Every

tree that bringeth not forth

good

hewn down, and

cast

into

the

fire.

222

HOW

TO REMEMBER
ye
shall

Therefore by their
every

fruits

know them.
;

Not
shall

one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,

the
will

enter into

kingdom of heaven
of

but he that
is

doeth the

my
me

Father which
in

in

heaven.

Many

will

say to

that day, Lord, Lord, did

we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out devils, and by thy name do many mighty
works?

And
:

then will

profess unto them,

never

knew you

depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

of

Every one therefore which heareth these words

man, which
built his

mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise

house upon the rock

floods came,
;

and the

rain descended,

and the

and the winds

:

blew, and beat upon that house

it

and it fell not for was founded upon the rock. And every one that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his
house upon the sand
:

and the
the
it fell

rain descended,

and

the floods came, and

winds blew, and smote

:

upon that house

thereof."
I

and

and great was the

fall

will

content myself here with naming some of

the methods which are employed in this teaching:

for further details, see the
foil.),
'

book on Essays and The Teaching of Jesus To-day.'

(p.

211

First of all the

of the hearers

it

word Beware aroused the woke them up, as it were.

'
'

interest

Secondly, the comparisons appealed to the mind

they not only helped

it

to understand

and

realise

'

A PASSAGE FROM THE

NEW TESTAMENT
it

223

the real meaning, but they also helped

that

to

'

repeat

meaning

(see XVII.).

About good and bad

little,

things the people

knew comparatively

but they

understood what was meant by a wolf and a sheep,

by grapes and thorns and figs and thistles understood what was meant by a fruit-tree,
houses built on rock or on sand.

they

or

by
e.g.

These same instances

on sand
learnt

also include contrasts

the house on the rock was contrasted with the house

;

by

this

means the

ideas were clearly

listeners,

and

firmly impressed on the

minds of the

who

and remembered because the teacher started

with something which was familiar to them already

(cp.

XXV.).

Notice also the repetitions

tions,

not only
also,
is

direct repeti-

but practical repetitions

where the same

idea

is

expressed again and again by means of different

illustrations.

Notice again the realising: there

no abstract
there

language like
will

"

the assertion of previous great acts

"
;

prove absolutely unavailing

no,

is

definite clear picture.

Many

people will say certain

things to him,

and then he

will

say certain things to

is

them

before

the listeners there

set
in

a definite

scene which they can easily imagine

eye.

their mind's

For the importance of

this picture-painting in the

mind, see XV., and observe here also the vividness

of the pictures of the two houses
;

notice

how each

224

HOW
and

TO

REMEMBER

detail helps to
fact stronger

make

the impression of the whole

clearer.
is

As
in

to rhythm, there

hardly a rhythm of sound

is

the original Greek, but there

;

what we may
fail

call

a rhythm of sense

for

no one can

to observe

how

perfectly the last

two sentences balance one

another; every detail about the house on the sand

has, to balance
it,

a corresponding detail about the

house on the rock.

As

to

the

arrangement, at
is

first

one might
at

be
all,

inclined to say that there

no arrangement
into

that the whole thing

was put

no order.

But,
is

when one
a
strictly

looks more closely, one finds that there

scientific

arrangement, the

best for

its

particular purpose.

The

fact

of

it

is

that,

in

this

section

of the

Sermon on the Mount, only one Heading is taken, the Heading being that the really good are not those of pious appearance, or who say pious things, or

who do
inward

great acts, but those

nature,

who
in

are

good

in

their

and therefore
;

appearance
is

and

word and
perfect, for

act as well
it
:

the arrangement

therefore

is

specially fitted for emphasising this

great

idea

the

arrangement

has,

as

its

special

object, that

which we saw was absolutely

vital if a
:

thing was to be properly learned and remembered

the reader will guess at once that the purpose was

to concentrate

and focus

the attention of the thousands

upon a

single idea at a time.

SECTION XLIII. ADVANTAGES OP EEMEMBERING, ESPECIALLY BY MEANS OF THE SYSTEMS.

In this Section I wish to mention a few of the advantages not only of having a good memory, but
also of cultivating the

memory according
;

to these

particular

methods and Systems

advantages
will

stood that the

must be underonly come if the

it

methods and Systems are properly carried out. Throughout it must be borne in mind that these
advantages do not stop at any particular point
instance,
if
;

for

the

memory

is

good

for the

purpose of

learning

Geography, then one

other

mind
for

that the learning of

must also bear in Geography is itself good

for

many

purposes,

business

pleasure and for the study of history.

effect is sure to

and for Each good

become,

in its

own

turn, a cause of

good

effects.

The
Systems

chief are

advantages
that

of these

methods and
to

they

help

people

develop

gradually, consciously, and systematically that skill

instinct.

which a genius employs by an unconscious kind of To learn anything in this way is not only
is

better for the learner himself, but

also better for

If

those

whom
IS

he

may

think

of teaching.

he
it

understands the process, and has been through

226

HOW
is far

TO

REMEMBER
be able to explain
it

himself, he

more

likely to

to others

and

to sympathise with their difficulties

will

and the practice with these Systems

for

be useful Proper

forming the habit of practice

in general.

practice at one
thing.

thing helps practice at any other

In considering the advantages of remembering,

one must also emphasise the disadvantages of

getting;
forget
it

for-

obviously

is

great

disadvantage to
of
people,
to
:

the

names

and

addresses

forget engagements, to cut one's friends,

and so on

by saying that it has been quite unintentional, but all the same the disadvantage remains. Thousands of pounds or dollars may depend on a single slip of the memory.
one
one's self

may excuse

We may
How much
one seldom

now

turn

to

the

general advantages,

beginning with pleasure, for which

men and women

sacrifices.

have ever been wont to make such great

of the pleasure of
realises.
life is

due to memory
of things which

The memory

we have heard
all

or seen or read, of things which

we

have experienced, and of things which we have done,

these are

among

the very highest pleasures which

life offers.

Besides giving pleasure,

memory

can give useful

moments while walking or travelling or waiting, you can always be developing your memory in some way or another; you can always be seeing and observing, you can always be listening
work
for idle
:

ADVANTAGES OF THE METHODS

227

and observing, you can be classifying Headings and you can be linking Headings together.
Moreover, the practice of these various methods

and

Systems during your spare time

interest

will

give a

wonderful

to

thousands

of things which
dull.

otherwise would seem trivial and

These methods and Systems

to

make

enable you good use of many things which you know

will also

already, besides helping

ledge.

you

to acquire fresh

know-

As they

will

enable you to remember a far

larger

number of things than you could possibly

security, in less

remember otherwise, with greater

time,

and with

less

effort

than would be needed

otherwise, they will also afford

you more time and

or for physical

more opportunities
recreation.

for self-culture

for

The certainty and the permanence of the memory a number of things will be bound to give you a
and
self-sufficiency,

business-like self-confidence

and

will also by degrees develop in you the habit of

remembering.

The
side

return, the habit of

the

humorous
little

habit of answering letters by making puns, the habit of seeing of life, all these are well known,

but

attention

is

generally called to the habit of

a good memory.

If

you adopt these methods and

Systems, you will quite get out of the

getting things
;

way

of for-

you

will

acquire a facility and a

after a time, if

tendency to remember, and,

you use

the methods and Systems properly, you will get to

228

HOW
And
the

TO REMEMBER
automatically and

remember things
sciously.

quite

subcon-

amount of worry and self-distrust which a good memory will save you is beyond all
After you have acquired
skill

reckoning.
in arranging

your

Headings

clearly

and

in

good
will

order,

and

after

you
be

have cultivated your power of using these Methods

and Systems

easily,

you

find that

you

will

saving a great amount of energy every day.

The
to

work of actually committing names and

lists

memory
instance,

will

be given over to your lower

faculties, for

your faculty of association of time and

place (see

XXI 1 1.),

or your faculty for

remembering

Rhymes and Rhythms. The process will be very

will also

rapid, the saving of time

will

be the saving of money, you

not have

to re-learn

what you have once learned, and thus

you

will

be enabled to give a great deal of time to

those pursuits which you like best, or which are best

for you.

Again, you
life,

will

have added another interest to

'

you
will

will

have added another

hobby

'

having

worked out these methods and Systems

for yourself,

you

henceforth study with great care your

will

own

mental workings, you

process
will

now know more

utilise

of the

by which you
to

learn

and remember, and you

various powers

know how
and
will

improve and

in yourself

in others.

There

be no mere absorbing of methods and

ADVANTAGES OF THE METHODS

Systems invented by others
will
;

229

for

you

will
:

be forming

your own Links and your own Rhymes

be good
for

your work you because you will be doing it by yourself and for yourself and others. New lines of research will open before you, and there is every
chance of your finding out something which

may

be

of great service towards helping others to learn and

to

remember.

The
you
:

practice of

memory
you.

will

be morally good for

will find

it

will discipline

And you

that

the tedious kinds of practice can be dispensed with

before very long.
in
life,

If

you lay firm foundations early

for

you

will

have prepared yourself

be
yours in

whatever

occupation

may

after-life.

Let
it is

me
that
shall

emphasise

this point here, let

me

ask what

we

are likely to be doing in

after-life.

We

certainly be speaking, conversing, reflecting, judging,

writing,

acting;

every

one
is

of these

processes

is

based on memory.
will

There

not one of them which

if

not be the better done

the

memory
let

itself

be

improved.

Let
the

me

take a more concrete instance,

me

take

day of a business-man.

things in a certain order

calls, to

he
;

He

has to do certain

has to pay certain

write certain letters

then he has to take a

journey by train at a certain time, to walk by a certain

route to a certain place
to
;

here he

is

to be introduced

two men,

whom

it

is

important that he should

remember; he has

to

remember each man's name

230

HOW

TO REMEMBER
in

and some characteristic he meets these men

have clearly
in his
it

his appearance.

When

is

important that he should

In the evening, not only
after

mind
talk.

the Headings of that about

which he means to
will

he have to talk at dinner, but perhaps

dinner he will have to not wish

to

make a
refer

speech, and he does

have to
:

to

any written notes

during his speech

by

nature, however, he

may

be

nervous and subject to

lapses of memory.

Then, which

again, in the course of the

day various

ideas,

he wishes to remember,

may

occur to him.

Now

supposing he has studied and practised the methods

and Systems,

all

these various things will be done

slightest effort.

by him without the

all

To remember
as eating or
If

these will be quite as easy to

him

drinking, and almost as easy as breathing.

you
will

imagine yourself in the position of such a

he has never cultivated his
then see

man when
you
in life,

memory

at

all,

how
is

terribly he

is

handicapped

and

how

great

the difference between a good

memory
Moral
;

and a bad one.

The development and

training
still

of

the

Memory
it

is

a matter of a separate

greater
to

moment

but

requires

book

itself.

Professor

Elmer Gates, of Washington, has written ably with

reference to this subject.

SECTION XLIV. ADVANTAGES FOR SPECIAL

PURPOSES AND SUBJECTS.

Not
its

only

is

the possession of a good

memory, and

cultivation

on these
also
is

lines,

of very great general

utility,

but

it

or

may
I

be a wonderful help for

will

certain special purposes.

details.
It
is

begin with a few

quite
if

possible that sleeplessness

may

be

avoided,

the

memory
:

of certain things were called

in

into requisition

one could rehearse

imagination

certain actions or certain scenes, choosing especially

those which would have a soothing

that
it

effect.

believe

would be even possible to practise games and athletics in imagination and to improve one's self by
recalling the various actions in one's

memory.

When no
memory
is

paper or pencil

is

handy, then a good

of exceptional value, for example,

when

you are introduced to people and you wish to

remember some
with
their

characteristic of their face together

If

name.
this

you have practised

not
entail

e.g.

the

Link-System,
difficulty.

will

the

slightest

Names and addresses, appointments, birthdays, names of books and their authors, names of hotels and streets, all these can be mastered with the

232

HOW
permanence

TO REMEMBER

greatest
greatest
lists

ease and the greatest certainty and the

;

again,

if it

is

necessary, long

of towns, of stations on

certain lines,
for

of presents

(for

instance

of useful

presents

weddings, or

birthdays, or boys), of things which one has to buy,

of sights which one has to see, in fact

lists

all

kinds of

which one so often

uses,

can be remembered

without any trouble at

all.

To be
lists,

able to keep fixed in one's

lists

mind

certain

especially

of things in a fixed order, and

of things which one wishes to

remember both backsurely a

wards

and forwards,

this

is

great

con-

venience and a great gain.

Take, for example, the

is

things which one has to learn in the case of what

considered
lists

'

full

education

',

think

of the

huge
the

in

History, Geography, Medical

generally,
Literature,

Science,

Sciences
guages,

Architecture,
:

Lanof

Philosophy,
lists is

and

Art
But,

the

process

acquiring such
in the

perhaps the greatest drudgery

if

whole of education.

the methods and

Systems
difficulty

were properly practised

beforehand, the
disappeared,
lists

would have almost

entirely

and the actual process of learning the have become quite interesting.
In the various Sections in this book,
to

would

show how the memory

for

I have tried numbers and dates

or

Maps

or Plans (for Geography, etc.) can

I

all

be

improved.

have

studies carefully

show that anyone who the reasons and the principles of

tried to

'

ADVANTAGES FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES

these methods
a considerable

233

and Systems has on the way learnt amount about Psychology, Philology, and Etymology; he who has practised earnestly
will

have learnt how to paraphrase and

will
;

have
will

gained a very great

command
will

of language

he

have acquired a certain power of writing (perhaps of

writing Poetry)
;

he

be able to make

'

speeches

of various kinds, whether they be sermons, or lectures, or

speeches at debates, or simply conversawill

tional

he

have improved

his

power of

writing,

whether he wishes to write

to papers, or only letters.

articles

and contributions

He
while

will

have a number of things to think of

is

he

walking or

travelling,
will

and anything
even have im-

which he does think of he

without writing
it

be able to remember
will

down.

He

proved

his

power of translating anything into a

curious

foreign language.

One
Systems
ant that

very
is

point

about

the

Memory-

that they are equally valuable whether

the thing which

we wish to remember is so importto remember it absolutely and for ever, or whether it is so unimportant that we wish For both to remember it perhaps only for a day. of these classes of things the Memory- Systems are Whether you wish to learn equally applicable. we wish

for ever, or whether you do not wish to remember it, let us say, beyond some Examination, the Memory-Systems, or the combination of the

something

234

HOW

TO REMEMBER'
be your quickest and your

Memory-Systems,
surest method.

will

As

have shown frequently, the Methods and

will
life

Systems
everyday

apply to the commonest incidents of

:

let

me
to

take

another

day's

work.
call

You have

to call

on Jones at noon and then to

on Robinson, then
Exercises,
to

buy a

tie

or order a book, to

write a letter, to meet a friend, to

do some

special

prepare a conversation (few

people
it

ever think of preparing conversation, and yet

surely worth while),

is

and then to look out a

connexion

train.

Now
things
that

what
?

is

the
is

between

all

these

There
to

no connexion whatever, except do them

all
;

you have

here to-day
I

and yet

you wish to remember them

there can be any better

do not think that

way

of remembering them

than the Memory-Systems.

There

is

scarcely

any learned work on memory

for a

which gives any practical assistance

day's

common

work

like
I

this,

though

the

methods and
practice

Systems which
beforehand
tice

suggest (such as Initialising and

Rhymes) demand a considerable amount of

;

but even during the drudgery of pracforget that on the

intellectual

you must never

only
but you

way you

are

not

improving your

and moral

faculties,

may

also be acquiring a great deal

of useful information.

SECTION XLV. ADVANTAGES FOE SPECIAL

CLASSES.

There
that

are

some

special classes for

which
will

hope

these
help.

methods and
For learners

Systems

be a very
not

great

generally,

merely
special

those

who

are learning with a view to

some
to

examination, but for

those

who wish

acquire

any information of any kind, and of course especially

for

examinees (so much of whose future

for

will

depend

on their doing good Exams.),

examiners

teachers also and

for

all

these the methods and Systems

might be most serviceable.

All
public

speakers,

whether

they

be

clergymen, or

speakers, or

lecturers,
will

or debaters, or even
find that they
will

merely

conversationalists,
if

succeed far better

their

they attend to the cultivation of

memory.
clear,

If before they

speak they get their

in

Headings
and
will
if

and arranged they then work on the

having
of
to
refer

the right order,

lines I suggest,

they

soon be able to speak with absolute confidence,

to

without

any

notes

at

all.

At
by

first,

course,

they

may have

the

notes

their side,

ready to refer to in case of emergency.

This practice with the methods and Systems will

also

help

writers,

whether

they

be

authors

or

236
essayists, or
it

HOW

TO

REMEMBER
who
enter for Missing- Word

whether they be merely letter-writers

will

even help those

!

Competitions

The
XII.,

practice in arranging
will

and

in

realising (see

XV.)
will

be of value

for poets, for artists,

and
men,

for scientific
lists

men.

And

the methods of learning

for
scientific

be of value not only

but also for doctors and lawyers,

to

who

often have
fingers'

keep a

list

of

important cases at their

ends.

Advertisers,
it is

if

they would succeed, must find what

:

that people learn most easily

this is the

very

essence
possibly

of their

business

and
or

this

book

might

teach

them one
it

two things of which

to

they had not thought before.

For business-men
save as

is

especially important

much time

as possible

and

to

be absolutely

certain of never missing

an engagement: they too

Chess and Whist need an

might be helped.
Players of

Games
drill

like

exceptionally strong memory.

might memorise

by the means
list

Soldiers and sailors movements and various things suggest; and I may conclude the

of

classes with the

all

inventions

and ready the numbers of things which are daily sent to the
Missing
Property
Offices

mention of inventors (for depend very largely upon a good memory), and of the absent-minded:
throughout
left

the

United

Kingdom, things which have been

behind and

ADVANTAGES FOR SPECIAL CLASSES

forgotten
at

237

various

places,

and which represent

only a part of the things which have actually been

left

behind, these of themselves are quite a sufficient

proof that there are millions whose

memory

sadly

needs development and culture.

SECTION XLVI. ADVANTAGES FOR SPECIAL POWERS AND FACULTIES.

The

part that

memory
I

plays in the development

faculties
is

of our various powers and

apt to be

overlooked, as

have already shown

in

Section

I.

For the proof of the statement that many of our

faculties are

developed but misused, that others are

only partly developed, and that others are absolutely undeveloped,

the subject.
this
I

refer to

what

have already said on

realise that

But as a rule we do not

has anything to do with our memory.

is

Memory, however,
these
faculties
;

intimately associated
it

with
to

in

fact

is

no exaggeration
faculties

say that without

non-existent.

memory these Memory supplies

would be

our

imagination,

our power of reasoning, our power of reproducing,

and our power of inventing.

venture

Take away memory

and you take away these powers.

I

Systems

to assert that if these methods and and others (which the reader can find

for himself)

were

carefully

studied

and put

into

practice, the
intellect

and of the and of morality would be most extrawill

development of the

ordinary.

careful study of the

methods and Systems

238

that

ADVANTAGES FOR SPECIAL POWERS

is

239

improve the faculty of observation (a faculty which

so terribly neglected in our ordinary education),
association, the faculty
effects,

the faculty of

of working
of
picture-

out

causes

and

the

faculty
I

painting in the
the word
'

mind
'),

(a faculty

often denote

by
of

realising

the faculty of classifying things

and putting them

illustrating
logies,

in

good

order, the

faculty

or

and enforcing ideas by suitable anaby contrasts, the habit of sympathy,

which can only result from a wide knowledge and

a retentive

about others,
the

memory, the habit of being thoughtful all these must depend largely on
to

degree

which the memory

the
habit
of

is

consciously

cultivated.

To
:

take this last point, thoughtfulness thinking

about

others

out
self,
:

things before

beforehand would lead one to say to one's

paying a
shall
I

call,

'

am
?
'

going to see So-and-so

what

talk

about

One would
upon
one's

instinctively think

out beforehand what would interest him, and one

would impress
be surprising.

this

memory

the differ-

ence in the effect which one would produce would

The
of

faculty of defining a thing clearly, the faculty

connecting
I

or to

linking

one

thing

to

another,

which

show

be helped by making rhymes

the power

the faculty of
the
glorious

teaching and explaining to others,

faculty of self-correction,

of practice, the power of inventing (which means combining in a new way things which we know

'

240

HOW

TO REMEMBER
these cannot but be improved

and remember)

all

by memory-culture. So far I have spoken only of the higher mind to the list one might perhaps add self-confidence,
which can partly
arise
this is

from the

certainty

of re-

membering.
of a

But

not nearly the whole effect

conscious

and

careful

improvement of the
well, and we we were meant

memory.

Our
to

faculties

were made to be used

:

do not use them well by nature

think

out

that has been given us, and

to
in

how we ought to use each thing we were not meant

as

go on using things

people
is

around

us

are

the habit of using them, that

to say, in the

customary, thoughtless,

slipshod
'

way;
is

we were
gift,

meant
ought

to say
I

to

ourselves,
it ?

Here

what
one

to

do with

The
but of

unscientific use of our lower faculties

is

of the most deplorable signs, not only of this age,

all

ages.

I will

not go into details here, but will only men-

tion a few other things that

we

are

wont to remember

(and to remember very insecurely and inadequately)

by a method which is not only unscientific, but also extremely tedious and unsatisfactory in every way, The if indeed it can be called a method at all. way in which we are wont to remember faces,
names,
figures,
Is

numbers,

pieces
:

of

poetry,

and

foreign words

lamentable

the

effort

expended

ADVANTAGES FOR SPECIAL POWERS

in the process in prodigious;
is

241

and the worst of

it

by learning such things in such a way we do not develop our minds in the very least. The labour is as desperately mechanical and degrading
that
as anything can be.

But

all

the time that

we

are learning these things

left,

in the hardest possible

way, we have

unemquicker,
after

ployed, certain faculties which could do

infinitely better

the work

and more

safely, infinitely

and with

infinitely

less effort, faculties

which

a time could be

made

to do the

work by themselves
impressed

quite automatically.

We

have the

faculty

of

being

by

Rhymes and Rhythms, and of receiving into our minds, whether we wish for them or not, a number
of trivial details, things associated together

by time

and place
materials
solutely
faculties

(see XXIII.).

These

faculties

and these

unused, and

and many others stay in our minds abyet I have shown that the

and the materials (see IV. and V.) admit of being used with the most satisfactory results. If my suggestions were adopted, not only would
the higher faculties be improved, but

others

also,

such as learning
vast

by

rote,

would be relieved of a

amount of tedious

labour,

and new

faculties

would be developed, which would do the work more satisfactorily, and would use up materials which we
already possess.

In conclusion,
16

must remind the reader that each

242

HOW
:

TO

REMEMBER
number
ot

one of us has within himself only a certain amount

of mental energy things
certain

that he has a vast

which he ought to remember, and only a

amount of energy which he can put

remembering
;

forth

in the process of

would appeal to

his personal experience to prove that the ordinary

methods of learning and remembering things exhausts an extraordinary

this will

amount of

effort.
I

think

be readily granted.

And

now

ask the

reader to try whether such methods and Systems

as
I

suggest

would not

give far

more excellent
effort.

results with a far smaller

expenditure of

PART

VIII.

OBJECTIONS ANTICIPATED AND ANSWERED: WITH A REFERENCE TO SOME USEFUL BOOKS.

SECTIONS

PAGB

XLVII. Objections Anticipated and Answered.

XLVIII.

245

A Few Reference Books

.266

SECTION XLVII.

OBJECTION'S ANTICIPATED

AND ANSWERED.

SUPPOSING any teacher were

of the

to say to his pupils,

"The names
Lauderdale.
first letters

CABAL
Clifford,

ministers in the reign of Charles the Second

were

Ashley, Buckingham, Arlington,

You

see that the

word

CABAL

is

formed of the

of these five names, but

names by this means ", we should naturally ask, " Why not, if this makes the task easier?" But as a matter of fact no
teacher but the grossest pedant would say this to his pupils.

you

must not remember these

five

Yet if using a very very old 'Initialising' example I advised people to learn the right order of the colours, Red Yellow Green Blue Violet, by the word RYGBU, and if I
suggested to them, as a link between COLOURS and RYGBU, the word Rainbow, so as to make a strong and firm chain

(COLOURSrainbow RYGBU),
drop on

there are

many who would

line.

me and
'.

say

'

No

here we draw the

This
is

is

mere trick Supposing

ask them, in reply, whether this

not an

extension of the principle of

CABAL,

of the principle by which

let Initials stand for whole words or names (e.g. V.C., K.C.B., S.P.C.K., B.E.O.P., etc.), whether it is not at any rate a very easy way, and whether it is not at any rate a very safe and sure way, have they a leg to stand upon ?

we

Supposing
to say that

were to go a step further supposing

were

we

see

at

we never remember the whole of any object that the most we usually remember only one or two
prominent parts, and that the remembering of is the remembering of a thing by part, does not their whole objection
it

more or

less

Yellow by the letter Y means of one prominent fall to the ground ?

The

fact of

is

that there

still

survives a large class of

246

HOW

TO REMEMBER

people who lay down a rule that, if a thing is learnt in an easy or pleasant way, it cannot be a part of Education. Their ideal of education is a list of the Kings and Prophets of the Old Testament to be learnt " by heart " in chronological order CABAL, they say, may pass some initials, they say, may be allowed to stand for whole words but beyond these no. Thus far shalt thou go, and no further. This class, which is unfortunately very large, and very powerthe ful in the land, may be stigmatised as narrow pedants fact of it is that they lay upon the shoulders of learners tasks grievous to be borne, weights difficult to hold, and all because they themselves have not troubled to observe the actual processes by which we do remember things, and, above all, those
! :

by which we remember them best. They have had Manuals of Psychology, but they have not known them, or else they have scorned to use what they have known they have had the Science of Philology to show them how we remember words, but they have failed to turn it to account they might have noticed the ways of the children about them, but they have not done so. They have preferred to perform the function of a brick wall opposed to the progress of simple and sure and rapid and pleasant methods of learning and of remembering. And to what extent have they actually succeeded in improving the memories and the minds of those for whom they have
; ;

laid

shall

down these severe Laws of Prohibition ? By their fruits ye know them they have failed miserably. Have they managed to teach people to remember simply,
:

development ? Very very little. While they have done their best to stop up every short cut, they have made even the long way round, which is often the best way after all, as rough and unreliable and slow and dull as any journey well could be. But let me cease from abusing them let me turn and answer not only them, but others who really do conscientiously want to have their objections answered who have a genuine desire to know whether their scruples against learning how to remember' are justifiable or not.
surely,

rapidly,

pleasantly,

and with

of the faculties of arranging, of reasoning,

marked and

so on

'


OBJECTIONS ANTICIPATED AND ANSWERED
247

Among

the

unanswerable

objections

to

many

Books on Memory, including Books on Mnemonic

Systems, the following suggest
themselves as the

most important
(a)

The masses

of technical terms.
I

I
:

gave a
"

specimen above, and

give

another here

The

nerve cells of our cerebral hemispheres are so completely dependent, for that excitation of force
constitutes intellectual action,

which
from

upon the

stimuli con-

veyed to them through the

the

sensory ganglia

organs

of

sense, as

are

those of our spinal

to

cord

upon the
irritation

stimuli

conveyed
afferent

them

either

from the superior nerve centres or from the peripheral

of

an

nerve. "

The
as
this

meaning may be quite

perfectly
clear,

correct, and, to a specialist,

is

but

it

such language

that

has

helped to prevent ordinary people from

studying

memory
is

at

all.

Unfortunately,

'

against

such there

no Law'.
to

The average reader who wishes

the Physiology of the subject in
its

understand

outlines,

might

almost as well read a page of a Hebrew Lexicon. The variety in the type would at least be a greater
rest for the eye.

Some Systems have been for the earmemory alone the Loisette System insists on it
ib)
:

too much, while for the

little

eye-memory he gives too

is

exercise.

Geography
ear so

not, as a rule, to

be

learnt

by the

much

as

by the eye: and

248

HOW
eye
should

TO REMEMBER
used
for

the

be

sights

and pictures
Insist

more than
(c)

for words.

Other

Systems

do the reverse: they

too much, e.g., on the eye-memory, the memory the still worse for sights seen or imagined, or

memory
apt to
or

for

words or

letters

seen or imagined.
too, are often

Both of these one-sided Systems,

insist

on the remembering of words (sounds

rather

letters),

than

on

the

previous

under-

standing and realising of the ideas for which the

words stand.
(d)

Few books
first,

insist

enough, indeed few

insist

at

all,

that the individual learner shall choose

the System or Systems that suit

that he shall choose the
suit

him

best

secondly,

System or Systems that

;

each particular subject best

at
least

thirdly,

that
trial,

he
in

shall

give other Systems a fair

case he
also.
(e)

may

be able, after practice, to use them

Many
have
is

books are crammed

given
concrete

full

of details, and

begin with abstract and general statements before

they

clear

examples.

The

subject

hard, very hard,

and

at the outset should

come

at

any

rate a simple outline, and, in nearly

every case, at least one concrete instance.

Details

need not be

excluded, but they should

be kept

until the outlines

and instances have been given.

faults
in

(/)

might mention a number of

individual Systems, but one

must

suffice.

In the

OBJECTIONS ANTICIPATED
Link-System,
above)
'

AND ANSWERED
take the
',

249

supposing

Colours

Rainbow RYGBU
another
to

we

chain
the
as

(see

word
well.

Rainbow may belong to Some words may belong

confusion

chain

several

chains,

may
is

arise

to

change the metaphor

one

and

may
many

'

take the wrong turning at the cross-roads

'.

But there

no
and

real
in

need to use the same word

times,

actual practice (as opposed to

is

theory) the confusion

seldom experienced.

Let me repeat once more that there are bad Memory-Systems, and that there are abuses of good

Memory-Systems
that cannot

many

objections have been

made

Such bad Systems, and such abuses of good Systems, are to be condemned. Let me also add that my book is not merely a
be refuted.
collection

of

Memory-Systems

it

includes them,

but be

it

also

shows how a great many things can

without

learnt

and remembered, and should be learnt any

artificial

and remembered,
at
all.

System

Let
which
I

me now
I

proceed to the objections themselves,

will

put into the words of the objectors.

if

shall

be very grateful
list.

any of

my

readers will

kindly add to this

1.

"

There

are

many
to

things,

which

Memory-

Systems help one

remember, but which are not

all."

worth learning or remembering at

2 so

HOW
:

TO

REMEMBER
'

Perfectly right

but this has nothing to do with

I I

me.

suppose you to come to me, saying,

want do
is

to learn
to say,
'

and remember so-and-so

'

all
I

that

Try

this
'

method, or

this

'

do not profess
in

to say to you,

Learn and remember anything

'.

the wide wide world

am

not

choosing what

you are you may

materials,

to

learn

and remember, but only how

learn

and remember any things which

you yourself
I

choose.

to

You are responsible for the some extent for the fixing and

securing of them.
2.
'

Surely there

is
:

only one

way of
by

learning

and

remembering things

that

is,

seeing

the causes

and
such

effects

and

other connexions!
certain subjects,

For learning and remembering

as,

for

instance,

some

of
is

the

causes

of

England's success

(cp. IV.), this

one of the best

ways

and even here there are other ways as well

which few of us can afford to neglect.

about a day's work
certain

But how want to remember to do

order,

things in
I

certain

and to

forget

none of them.
to call

want to write a on Brown, to mention to him

things
to

letter to Jones,

five absolutely

distinct

(without

having to

look

at

my
on.

Mems),

buy a
8

ticket for the theatre,

and so
I

Or
to

have to go to a
things,

dinner-party,
3

and

want

mention

to

Now how
is

does your plan come

A, 2 to B, 3 to C. in here? What
Jones,

the

connexion

between

Brown,

the

OBJECTIONS ANTICIPATED AND ANSWERED

things
I

251

want

to say to

Brown, the theatre

ticket,

and the rest?

am

perhaps the only connexion.

They may be

isolated items, only connected together

to-day because

/ have to do them

here.

they are not connected for any one

else.

To-day To-morrow

and elsewhere they

all,

will

not be connected together at

even for me.

after
all,

And,
in
life.

these are the

commonest things
lives at

Mr. H. has a red nose and

Terrace
;
;

3
is

St.

the

L
really

's

dinner-party

on

the 30th
It is
'

and so on.

here that
'

we

need something beyond

cause and effect

3.
'

be the best
is

The ways that most people use now must ways of learning and remembering : it

not likely that a better

not be used,

when

there are so

way would exist and would many old and clever

people everywhere'

Let

me recommend

a study of the progress of

'

the World, for example, of

inventions

'.

Did not

people say just

every

the same before Watt

lived
?

lived, before

inventor

Is

it

likely that
will

we know
but a
the

everything yet?

Believe

me, you
to

live

poor

life

if

safest guide.

you always trust If you want to

of
is,

custom as

see the

extreme of

this policy, look

at the Chinese
it

The
in

fact

my

dear reader, that

many
place

things are going on

now which have no proper

our age

they belong rather to the Middle Ages

252

HOW
they
are

TO

REMEMBER
They have
less

or to the times before them.

survived,

but
best

not

good

still

are

they

the

possible. possible,
is

And
that

the
for

best

possible, the

very

best

which we are meant to

a
in

search.

For a long time slavery was customary

it

but

was not good

for

long time

Bath-

rooms were practically unknown

houses, but their

English PrivateI
'

absence was
it is

not good.

will

not

weary you
'

enough to say that

'

cus-

tomary
4.
'

is

not the same as

the best

'.

be the

The natural way of remembering must best' is a somewhat similar objection.

is

surely

This

so

it

is
;

the best if the natural

way

is

also the right

way

but generally

it is

not the right

way.
I once asked a well-known Lawn Tennis player what was the best way of gripping the racket.
'

Oh

',

he
be

said,

'

the natural
for

way
',

is

the best

'.

'

It

may
"

the
"

best
grip

you

thought,
:
'

for

you

naturally

the

racket

rightly

but

how
racket

about

those
'

who

" naturally "

grip

the

wrongly ?

No

it is

not every one

of
nature,

who does everything

instinctively. in
virtue,

right
in

by the

light

Neither
nor
that

learning and

remembering, nor

in

anything

else in this world, can

we expect

we

can get on as well as

we should without

correction

self-correction, to a certain extent;

but do not trust

to that alone.

For you cannot be sure of standing


OBJECTIONS ANTICIPATED AND ANSWERED
altogether outside yourself
in

253

and of judging yourself an unbiassed way from a stranger's point of view.

:

you must ever be prepared to learn from and must ever be prepared to mistrust your own ways of doing things.
others,

No

Akin

to this objection

is

the following
little

'Each has his or her own

way of
best

learning

and remembering, and

herl

that

way

is

for him or

But even

this little

way may

not be quite perfect,

and the addition of other ways (especially according

to the subject)
it

may

be of great value.

At any

rate,

will

not be waste of time to try the other ways.

if

It is

probable that,

you were

to ask for

and get

a candid opinion, your friends would

pleased
to
tell

be only too

you that your memory was not

'

absolutely infallible.

Each has
piano

his

own
it,

little

way

'

of holding

cricket-bat, of holding a
:

violin-bow, of playing the

to get out of

and better way,

involve
that
it

may

at first

and to acquire a sounder seem clumsy it may

even a backward movement.

But

for

all

may

be the only possible means of improve-

ment, at least for the average individual.

5.
'

Memory-Systems, for instance

the

System of

remembering by means of Rhymes, are degrading! then degrading to the Rhymes If you mean
'

',

you mean,

suppose, that

it is

degrading a thing to
:

make

it

serve a useful purpose

for, if it

helps the

'

254

HOW
it

TO REMEMBER

memory,
that
as
is

But, because

may be made to serve a useful purpose. Rhymes are used in beautiful Poetry, no reason why they should not also be used
Because printing
is
is

a means of remembering.

used for Theological discussions, that

no reason

why

it

should not be used for Cookery Books.

if

But,

you mean that

I

it

is

degrading for you,

it is

then you mean,

suppose, that

degrading

for

you

to

use

the faculty of remembering well

(if,

by

means of Rhymes

of course, you

have that
well.

faculty) for the purpose of

remembering
of

Once

admit

the

importance

remembering

certain things surely,

and once admit that Rhymes

(if

are a help towards this

they

are, in

your

case),

and you
for

at once

have the

right, if

not the duty, of

using them.

Rhymes,

like the

Sabbath, were made

man.
It

was a great
chief

poet,

moreover,

who
not

said

that

the

function

thoughts beautiful
reverse

but
at

of

Rhymes was
them
to be

to

make

their effect

to help

was often quite the remembered. I

Systems
'

cannot recall his exact words.

Lastly, there

are

some

'

artificial

'

(to

say nothing of the methods which are not

artificial

Systems
mental
the mind
'

all)

which positively develop certain

such as that of picture-painting in

faculties,
:

see further Section

all "

XLVI.
is

Memory-Systems are

low " and degrading'

still

more sweeping statement than the above,

for

OBJECTIONS ANTICIPA TED AND ANS WERED

there are
'

255

the

many Memory-Systems, and all have not same office'. You cannot bundle up into a
pile

great

such

Systems as the Linking- System

(XXIII.), the Localising-System (XXIV.), the connecting

the

with

things easier to

remember (XXV.),

the

Rhyme- or Rhythm- System (XXX., XXXI.), and the They must be treated separately, lest perothers. The chance you burn the wheat with the tares
Initialising-System (XXVII.), the
'

'.

'

Connecting-System

',

for

example, has

its

found-

ations deeply laid in the

is

mind

itself

its

principle

one without which we can hardly expect to learn

all.

or to teach anything at

To

treat as

if

they were on the same level a

of, let

right use of this

System and a wrong use

for dates

us
is

say, the Substituting- System

(XXVI.),
it.

a gross piece of unfairness, to say the least of

If these

Systems, or some of them, save time

then

which we can thus devote to the use of our higher

faculties,

such

as

the

reason,

they are

not

more 'degrading' than it would be to travel by train instead of by coach, or to send messages by post or telegraph instead of by a personal visit. Memory-Systems weaken the memory! 6.
'

This
that

is

easy to assert, and

it

is

easy to prove

a misuse of some Memory-Systems

may do

much harm.

But the truth

is

that personal experi:

ence alone can decide for certain

and the personal

experience of the great majority of those

who have

256
tried

HOW
has

TO

REMEMBER
as the

good Systems (such

been
the

Loisette-System)
of
this.

fairly,

very

reverse

The
I

Memory

has been wonderfully strengthened.

No
weaken
colours

one would claim that the methods which

in

have suggested
(or
fail

Section VI.

foil,

could possibly
it

to

improve) the memory; but

might be thought

that, for instance, to link together

and

RYGBU
It

(above) by the word Rainbow

might weaken the power of remembering any two

words together.

jump a stream but always cross

stones,

you
it.

will

that, if you never by easy steppingsoon altogether lose your power of

might be said
It

jumping

This comparison, however, does not hold good of

mental processes generally

rather,

by going over

the steps carefully again and again (see XXI.), one

gradually

strange as

it

may seem

acquires the

power of doing without the steps. There are numbers who had a bad memory when they began the
Loisette-System, but

who now have

;

a capital memory,

and are hardly conscious of the process of linking any two words together somewhat as an experienced

Rowing-man
his stroke
parts.

is

hardly or not at

all

conscious that

can be analysed into a large number of

are tied together as quickly

The two words

is

as a piece

played on the Piano

the whole thing

scarcely any

has come to be done easily,

longer to

we seem

know how.
after
all,

And,

there

is

another question worth

'

OBJECTIONS ANTICIPA TED AND ANS tVERED

asking,
viz.
'

257
?

How

do

we remember
will see that

certain things

some Memorymore than a description of what is actually going on in your mind again and again when you remember the System would have you do purposely and practise thoroughly and apply widely that which you are already doing in a few
Find out
this,

and you

Systems are

really little

cases,

but are only doing in a very slipshod manner.

learnt to bicycle
first
:

Many have
to hold

up the bicycle at

by getting some one the power of keep-

ing the balance has usually been strengthened rather

than weakened by the holding hand.

7.
'

Memory-Systems are apt

for honest learning!
say as

to

become a mere

substitute

Let

me

former

master at a

Public

School, and as an

Honours Coach, with an unusually

'

wide experience, at Cambridge, that, with most boys,

the thousands of hours of Public Schools, at

honest learning

'

at our

any
up

rate,

have been most lamentthe mind.

it

ably barren of real mental development, or even of

useful ideas

stored
little
!

in

The
the
it

present

system has
throw

to boast of that

should dare to
learning
is

stones
'

The
',

greater part of

may

be

honest

but assuredly most of

very

dull at the

time and very useless afterwards.

our
Public

Take

away from
their social

Schools

their

discipline,

intercourse, their

splendid

Games and
of which

Athletics,

and you leave them very

feel

little

England can
17

proud.

'

258

HOW
Of course,
as
I

TO REMEMBER

have admitted, a boy

'

may
'

learn a

long

list

of things by means of
:

other system
heavily
!

and

by

the

way

he

Loisette

or
'

some

usually

scores

But it yet remains to be proved that his any the worse off for it than that of the average boy who tries to learn up his text-book by rote, and only succeeds in remembering half of

mind

is

the

lists

even half-an-hour afterwards.

as to 'honest learning' and really useful and sound methods I think they will be found in abundance in Sections VI. to XXI. of this work.

And

If

misuse one

any one chooses to ignore these pages, and to or more of the Systems on the subis

sequent pages, that

'

his

look-out, not mine.

Parrot-like

learning',
is it

of which

have been accused,

condemned
is

measured terms

to

some Systems book in no be found where some

in this
if

Memory- Systems
where
alas,
it

are misused, but

there are places

does

flourish,

they are our Schools, and, This

is

our Universities as well.

are

a general

statement, for there

notable

exceptions

both

among learners. Speaking for my own part, I know that mitted to memory a quantity of English
among
teachers and
(viz.

com-

Poetry

pieces from Shakespeare

great poets) of which the

and Milton and other meaning never entered into

it

my
it

mind

at

all.
it

still

can recall

nearly

is

only as

entered

my mind

then

all,

but

as a mere

mass of sounds, and occasionally as a

line

or two

OBJECTIONS ANTICIPA TED AND ANS WERED

written on a page
:

259

practically

no ideas have come

with the sound or the sight.

Had

achieved the

same

result,

of merely remembering the sounds, by

I

any System,
been of
I

cannot conceive that

it

could have

less

value to

me

now.

Had
e.g.

known what
effect

know now

(Section VII.

foil.),

that the ideas

of

should have been realised

learning,

first,

the

the

and of the ideas and words learnt and remembered, might have been more precious to me
than silver and gold.
as
it

But no one ever told me, and,

never occurred to

me

till

quite recently,

never

profited
8.
'

by it. The means are more

lazy,

trouble

than

the

end

achieved: they are not worth while!

So thinks every

unreflecting,

self-satisfied

son and daughter of Folly.

Let

me

quote again

from personal experience.

There was a time when

length

used to take Back-

handers at Tennis in quite the wrong

I

way

when

at

was told why

acquire

*, I at

first

tried to acquire

the right
best
to

method without any

it.

definite plan
failed.

therefore

of how Then I

worked out a System

step

for learning the right

method

by step
results

and

put this System into practice.

I

The
more

were not at once apparent, but now

foundation to

have a
:

fairly solid

my

stroke.
I

Nay
my
other

knowing the why and the how,

can help

* See

'Tennis and Racquets' (Isthmian Library), and

works on Games.

260

HOW
I

TO

REMEMBER
I

others.

do not regret the labour and drudgery,

practise

which, however, would have been far lighter had

been told how

are

to

(XXXIX.).
in

For the
form

fruits

now showing themselves

I

the

of an

improved standard of play.

Again,
stropping
Yes, but
I

once
razor;

had a
a

five

shilling

lesson
will

in

small

thing,

you

say.
far

have saved

my
I
:

razors

and have had

better shaves ever since.

In Geography, again,
to

used never to be able

do Maps from memory

it

but

found out an easy

System, and practised

carefully,

and now
in

can

draw them quite

I

easily.

need not multiply instances, but

each case

feel that

(a)

the practice,

though at

first

not very proresults

in

ductive,

has
;

brought most

satisfactory

the end
(b)
tise,

and that
I,

had

at the beginning,

much

of the drudgery and

known how many of the

to prac-

mistakes

and wastes of energy, would have been saved. So, if you get hold of the right way to learn and to practise, and if you do learn and practise
carefully, especially in
will give

a new interest to

your many odd moments, it life and to these moments

result will

in

particular,

and the ultimate

will

be that

your memory

be greatly benefited.

That

this

ultimate result would be worth while

:

you cannot doubt

or, if

you

do, read

what

is

said

26!

OBJECTIONS ANTICIPATED AND ANSWERED

in
I.,

and

in

XLIII.
of
is

foil.,

as to the value of the

memory and
Not only
then, but

its

cultivation.

the end achieved

to achieve

a real blessing,
the end are ex-

the means

cellent in themselves.
9.
'

/ myself (or some others) have tried a System,

and

it

was a failure'
is

This
(a)
(b)

quite likely, but

tried tried

you may have you may have

a bad System a System which was good

but did not suit you or

enough

for certain people,

;

your particular subject

(c)

or

you may have

properly

tried a good System, but not you may have misunderstood it, you may
it

have practised
value, or

far too little for

it

to be of

you may have tried it a fatal mistake before you realised (see XV.) the ideas which you were trying to remember. Or if, at the very outset,
' '

any

real

you

tried to

apply

it

to a

somewhat

difficult

in-

stance,
It

no wonder you

failed.

must be remembered that the Systems are

foil.,

intended to follow the methods in Section VI.

if

the Systems are to be used at

10.
'

all.

/ already have a good enough memory!

well, then, if

Very
mark
all I

dealings with
this

have
is

you

!)

are quite contented,

you (and others who have any and also

to be contented, then
I

good reason

can say

that this book, as

clearly state in

the Preface,

is

not intended for you.

Only, there

is

262

HOW
It
is

TO

REMEMBER
you
it

just this.
faculties

possible that
:

still

have some
for

undeveloped
(XII.),

whether
for

be the faculty

arrangement

seeing logical connexions the

(XIII.), or for picture-painting in

mind (XV.),
I

or for sounds (such as words

say.

and names),

cannot

But there

is

a possibility that you

may

be the

better for developing

have.

any weaker faculty which you For a person who had these and the other
(see

faculties

XLVI.)
is this

all

equally

fully

developed

would be a prodigy and unique.

And

there

also

you may
:

at

some time

or

other be called up to teach others

in that case you,

who say you remember

knowing how,
forget so
learn
will

all

things so easily, without

probably be an execrably bad

teacher: you will

little

understand

why your
fail

pupils

many

things, or even altogether

ever to

them.

If

Systems, believe

you study the methods and the me you will be none the worse.
'

And,
this

if

anyone should say to me,

can

This

man
:

or

woman
I ?

remember

well

enough without
a System
this fallacy.

being conscious of a method or

should not
well cuts
',

warn him against

a

why As
really

might you say that some genius of a Cricketer

splendidly without (as
rule)

being

conscious of any difficulty, and therefore

why

should

not you f
is

It is

not every one,

assure you,
!

who

born with a genius for everything

And

suppose

you have not the genius for doing a thing well, then you must be content to spend time and toil in doing

OBJECTIONS ANTICIPATED AND ANSWERED

the initial steps slowly and accurately

263

'

in laying for

yourself those

foundations

which our friend the

he knoweth

genius has found already laid for him,

not how'.

Those who,

like myself, believe in the

doctrine of Reincarnation would say that the person

has developed his special power in a previous

or in previous lives.
it

life

However

that

may
,

be

seems to

me

quite satisfactory

and
:

anyhow the
life.

person has the genius ready-made in this

11.' But memory cannot be improved by practice

it is

one of the gifts which a person either has or has

not

he cannot acquire
'gift'

it for

himself'
not

Of what

has

this

been

said?

Of

Poetry, of English Composition,

of Piano-playing,

of every game, of virtue

'

itself, it

has been said that

the skilled exponent

It is
It
is

'

nascitur non fit.

only half a truth.

a complete truth that

'

it

is

not every kind

'.

of practice which can

the

wrong kind never

make perfect can make perfect.

is

Practice of

But, on the other hand, there

nothing that can

be done that
the

cannot be improved by practice of Only, right kind and under the right conditions.
practice

the

must be of the

right

kind.

Seeon, all

ing, hearing,

reasoning, arranging, and

if

so

can be improved

we

practise

them

in the right

way.

in the case

But the right way ? There's the problem, which, of memory, I do not profess to have


264

HOW
But
I

TO
I

REMEMBER
have given some materials
it.

solved.

hope

that

may

help others to solve

Notice that few objectors give any reasons. simply dictate and lay down a
'

They

Law

Do

not use

',

say they,

'

the Link-System, or the

'.

Rhyme-System, or any other System

But what of those strong

for

faculties

such as that

remembering things linked together by sound or

(see XXIII.), or that for

by meaning
things that

remembering
?

Rhyme

or that sound alike

leave these strong faculties unused

be so

useful, just

because you,

Are we to when they might forsooth, lay down a

for,
if
?

Law?
And
is

What were
not
'

these faculties given us

not to be employed for every possible good purpose

remembering a good purpose

'

Again,

my

good Lawgiver, what of those myriad

associations firmly impressed in our

minds?

There

they are

we

we

to leave

useful, just

Are them unused when they might be so because you lay down a Law? What
for
if

cannot help having them there.

were these materials meant

ployed for
not
'

not to be em-

every possible good purpose?

'

And

is

remembering
to

a good purpose
to
all

Are we

trust
it

chance

for

remembering

everything, to do

hap-hazard, in the dullest

conceivable way, to leave grand powers within us

undeveloped, rich materials within us untouched, to

save no time by any System, and
all

because an

unreflecting pedant has failed to grasp the Principles

OBJECTIONS ANTICIPATED
of Psychology
offered every

AND ANSWERED

265

and Philology, or to observe what day for his observation ?

it is

is

No, dear readers,

to

not a matter for the pedants

decide.

It

is

for you,

you yourselves and no

before

others, to try the

to

methods and even the Systems,

fair
trial,

give
let

them a

you
If

condemn.

Only
really

me

ask you

one thing.

you would

know whether
is

the methods or Systems

may
and
slow

be useful or not, do
(there
lots

be content to give up some time

spare)
if

to

to

careful
first

practice,

not

to

be impatient

the

steps

are

and apparently unprofitable.

rapidly hereafter,
patiently now.

If you wish to work you must be prepared to work

do not pull
real plant.

it

When you have planted the seed, up immediately to see if it is yet a

Above
systems

all,

will

do not imagine that all methods and Yours may suit you equally well.
excellence,

be the sight-memory par

or the sound-

memory, or the arranging-memory, or the reasonThere are means of testing: do not ing-memory.
expect that
all will

succeed equally well with you.


SECTION XLVIII. A FEW REFERENCE BOOKS.

FOR
as

details with regard to

is

methods and Systems,

the reader
well

advised to look at
at

some
the

of these books,

as
:

the

Article

in

Encyclopaedia

Britannica

Barter.

Granville.

* Green.

Holbrook.

A Wonderful Memory and How (Simpkin, Marshall & The a Good Memory (Walter (Kegan Memory and How Strengthen Memory
to

Acquire

it

Co.).

Secret of

Scott).

Its Cultivation

Paul).

to

the

(Fowler

&

Wells,

New

York, and Fowler,

Ludgate Circus). ** James. Talks on Psychology (Houghton

Mifflin, Boston).

Kay. Memory (Kegan Paul). ** Knowlson. The Art of Thinking (Warne

&

Co.).

Loisette.

Assimilative

Memory
Essays,

(Larrowe-

Loisette).

Miles.

How

to

Prepare

Lectures,

Articles,

Books,

Speeches,

and Letters

(Rivingtons).

A
Miles.

FEW REFERENCE BOOKS

Miles

267

Eustace

System

of

Physical

Culture.

Ten Rules of Health. Quick and Easy Recipes.

A Week of Proteid Diet.

Morrell.

Eustace Miles Restaurant Recipes. Outlines of Mental Philosophy Memory (Houlston). Manual of Psychology
(Clive).

(Stewart).
Stokes.

** Stout.

* These works will be found especially useful.

INDEX
After-life, 229.

Air, 57.

ABC Note-Books,
A
Common
A-Becket, 43.
Ablative, 85.

200.
:

Alcoholism, 83.

priori Reasoning, 28
Sense.

and see

Algebra, 182.
Alliterations, xv, 44, 46, 156.

Absurdities, 43-44, 152, 174, 218.

Alphabet (use

of), 73,

174-175.

Alternative giving and receiving,

in.
foil.

Abstract and Concrete, 92

Abstract Language, 92

Alternatives, 40-41,

45-46,

48-

foil.

49, 145, 162 foil., 218-219.

Abuse, no argument against proper

use, 155.

Accumulations, II 8.
Accuracy, 36.
Acting, 27, 95.

Amateurs, 194. America, 58, 86. Analogies, 29 and see Compari:

sons.

Analysis, 9, 27, 96, 98

199.

foil.,

186,

Adaptation, 162.
Addresses, 231
:

see Engagements,

Card-System. Advantages of a

Anatomy, 167. Anchor-System, 35

185.

foil.,

134

foil.,

Good Memory,
foil,

3-8, 68-69, 167, 225

of Memory-Systems,
146.

etc.,

97,

Appearance, 125, 127. Apperception, 216.

Appointments, 231
ments.
:

see Engage-

of

Comparisons and Contrasts,

104
foil.,

108-109.

Apprenticeship needed, 183

Practice.

see

of Concrete Instances, 21, 105. of Dates

and Numbers,
foil,

177.

Archer (Mrs. W.), 62. Arrangement, 25, 81

224.
foil.,

of the Systems, 225

of Teaching,

178,

no.

Advertisements, xi, xv, 130, 206, and see Additional 236

:

Asparagus, 125
Associations
foil.,

foil.

Notes.
Aeolic, 173-174.

the Mind, 123 264: and see Links.

in

Athletics, 56, 65.

270
Attaching-System,
:

INDEX
Capitals of Eastern World,
173-

and see 185 Peg-System. Attention concentrated, 63 foil.,

191, 197.

172-

Card-Holder, 201.
Card-System, 73, 82, 185, 201.
Caricatures,

Audience (imaginary),
Augustus, 24, 148.

10.

43-44

and see Ab-

surdities.

Automatic

(or

half- automatic)

Carroll (Lewis), 43, 150-151.

Cat's Cry, 159.

Action, 6, 64-65, 196.

Avoided

(foods), 144.

Cato, 28.

Ayer's, 130.

Cause and

Effect, 83-84,

87

foil.,

128, 225.

B
Backhanders, 259.

Causes
of Forgetting, 14
foil.,

113.

of Rome's Success, 21-49.

1

Backwards
177.

repetition,

17-1 18,

Cecil Hotel, 142.

Central Cause, 88.

Certainty, II, 245.

Bag

for Travelling, 108.

Barter, 188, 266.

Battle Creek, 62.

Change important,
Chess, 236.

56, 61, 65.

Beginning important,

127

and

Children (lessons from), 26, 91,

153, 206.

see Easy, Initialising.

Blend System, 42-43,

-

150-151,

Choice by Individuals, 162

198, 253, 265
ginality.
:

foil.,

217.
Blood-circulation, 55.

and

see Ori-

Bonds of Union, 103-104.

Brain, 8
foil.

Brevity, 72.

Cincinnatus, 44. Circulation of Blood, 55Classification, 239 : see Arrange-

Brewer's Guide, 98-99.

Britain

ment.
Clearness, 92
foil.,

and Colonies, 103-104.

21

1.

Brunch-System, 42-43, 150-151,

217.

Clergymen, 235.
'Clotch,' 150.

Brute-beasts, 5.

Codes, 142.
Collection of Headings, 72
201.
foil.,

Buckle, 87, 105.

Business-men, 229-230, 234, 236, 250-251.

Colonies, 103-104.
Colours, 143, 245.

Combinations, 40-41, 45-46, 4849, 145, 162 foil., 218-219.

Comic Papers,
Cabal-System, 142, 217. Call (Miss A. P.), 62.
Capital Letters, 85.

152.
xiii,

Common
205

Sense,
:

28, ioo-ioi,

foil.

and see Objections,

Preface.

INDEX
Comparisons, 23, 28-29, 102-106,
113, 124, 134, 148, 179, 212,

271

222-223, 2 5<>.
Competition, 67.

Diagrams Rome and the Tiber, 36. Arrangement of Headings,

Genealogical Trees, 87. the Resume'e, 117.

82.

Complete

Lists,

Complex
118.

and

76 Simple,
foil.

8,

64,

Links, 122.

Compression, 72. Concentrated Attention, 63

191, 197.

a Room, 132. Greece, 136.

foil.,

Concrete, 128,

Concrete Language, 92
(good), 56 foil., 192.

foil.,

211.

a Pig, 137England, 169, 172. Mediterranean Lands, 171. Eastern Lands and Capitals,
173-

Conditions (different), 81.

Confusion, 254-255.

Greek Tribes, 174. Greece and Asia Minor,

foil.,

174.

Connections, 26, 83, 87

:

120,

and 122, 134 foil. Arrangements, Links.

Conscious Effort,
7,

see

Diet, 55, Different

I44-H5Memories,
foil.

6,

foil.,

114
Different

64, 195, 225.

Contamination, 150.
Contrasts, 29, 105-109, 179, 212,

265

Methods and see

for Individuals,

Individuality.

type, 85.
Difficulties, 3 foil., 177.

215, 222-223.

Correction, 90, 117, 169, 254.

Disadvantages of forgetting, 226.

Discipline, 191, 229.

Correlation of Subjects, 216.

Cramming, 209.
Cricket, 7, 262.

Disconnected things, 250-251. Discovering an interest, 63.

Doctors, 236.
Doric, 173-174.

Cross-roads, 249.

Double Links, 129

foil.

Drawings, 27, 118, 137. Drudgery, 191, 229.

Darwin
177

(date), 140.
foil.,

Dates, 31, 37, 137, 139

foil.

152,

E
Ear-Memory, 8
179, 258.
foil.,

Dative, 85.

Day

of a Business-man, 229-230.

69-70, 115,

Debaters, 235.
Definitions, 91 foil.,

239

and see
253.

Questions.

Ease, II, 245 foil. : and see Easy. Eastern World (Capitals of), 172173-

'Degrading' Processes,
Details. 90, 248.

xi,

Delegating "Work, 200, 228.

Easy Beginnings, 59,

118, 137
foil.,

60, 102 foil.,

foil.

174

271

INDEX
(false)

Economy Economy

75.

Faculty (use of the word), 10.

Failure (causes of Rome's), 22.
Failures, 261.
'

of energy, 62, 64, 240.

:

of time, 200

and see Time.

216-217,

Education, 66,
257, etc.

no foil.,
xii,

Fair Copies,' 47.

125, 154, 167

Fallacies, 54, 118,

Old Methods,
1

66, 68, 154,

foil.

195, 249
tions.

foil.

and see Objec

67, 178, 240, 245

Effect

and Cause,
:

83-84,

128,

225.

False economy, 75, 118. Familiar Sights and Sounds, 137

foil

65 and see Conscious. Egypt, 87. Emperor's powers, 148.

Effort, 7,

Starting-points, 28.

Fancy

words,

143

and

see

Emphasising, 82

foil.

esp. 84.

Brunch.
Feasibility, 80.

Ending important,

127.

Energy, 62, 64, 241-242. Engagements, 184-185, 229-230. England (Maps), 169, 172.
England's Success (Causes), 22.
English Education,
Education.
xii
:

Figures (useful), 174-175.

First letters,
itialising.

143

and

see

In-

First Starting-points, 134.

and

see

English Kings and Queens, 121.

Food, 55, 144. Foreign Languages, 47, 146, 158, 219-220, 233.
Forgetfulness,
its

Enjoyment, 56. Environment, 58 foil. Epigrams, 48, 90, 160-161, 218.

Essays, 78, 199, 233, etc.

Causes, 14
etc.

foil.

Forgetting, 3, 200, 226, Foster (Prof.), 92.

Foundations, 198.

Everyday

life,

234.

Framework, 89
line.

foil.

see

Out-

Exaggerations, 48, 86, 105.

Examiners, 235. Examples (home-made), 199. Exercises, 61 foil. Experience (personal), 207
see Originality.
:

Froebel, 66.

Fulness (excessive), 36.

and

Extreme instances, 105. Eye- Memory, 8 foil., 27, 69-70,

114, 126 foil., 174 foil., 179,

Games and

Athletics, 56, 65, 194,

198, 231, 257, 259, 262.

193, 198, 2IO-2II.

Genealogical Trees, 87-88.

General Hints, 197 Genius, 225 foil.

Golf, 198.
Facility,
1 1
:

foil.

and

see Ease.

Good

Conditions, 56
261.
62.

foil.,

192.

'Faculties combined,'

and see Combinations, Unused.

116:

'Good enough,' 'Good Health,'

INDEX
Gooseberry, 124.

73

Grammatical Mistakes, 151.

Granville (M.), 266.
Ideal

Way
:

of Learning, II.
34,

Greece, 135 foil., 173-174Greek Tribes, 173-174.

Ideas

important,

187

foil.,

Green, 267.
Grouping, 25
:

and see Arrangeideas, 214.

and see Realising, 248 Reasoning. Idle moments, 226 and see Odd
:

ment.

Moments.
Illustrations,

Groups of words and

23,

211

and see

Comparisons.

H
Habit of remembering, 227.
Habits, 63.

Imaginary audience, no.

Imagination,
foil.,

4,

26,

27,
1,

34,

91
it),

184, 210-21

223, 231.

Importance (arrangement by
65
:

Half -automatic, Automatic.

and

see

S3-

Improvement impossible
263.
186, 201
:

(fallacy),

Hammering,
Headings, 72
Health,

113.
foil.,

and
see

see Card-System.

Impurities in food, 55, 144-145. Inaccuracy, 90, 136, 160.

Indenting, 82.
Individuality, xviii, 197, 198,

53 foil., 59: Additional Notes.

and

206265,

'

Health Culture,' 62.

xii.

207,
etc.

248,

253,

261,

Heart (learning by heart),

Helps to Memory, 53 foil., 197. Hexameters, 47. Hindrances to Memory, 14 foil., 113 and see Forgetting.
:

'Information' not absorbed properly,

Initial

in.
73
:

letters,

and
foil.,

see

In-

itialising.

Hints (general), 197

Hobbies, 228.

foil.

Initialising, 36,

38

42, 137,

142
217.

foil.,

163,

172-173,

Holbrook, 266.

'Honest learning,' 257. Hope, 4. House (plan of), 76.

Instance remembered

without Systems, 21-30. with Systems, 31-49.

Instances (value
248.
Interest, 12, 63,
of),

How long to practise, How to leam, etc.

Practice, etc.

61.

21, 77, 105,

see Learn,

66-71, 197, 208,

How

to

remember,
(J.):

11, etc.

227.
Intervals, 84, 129, 169.

Hudson

see

Additional

Notes.

Invention, 239-240, 251.

Humour, 43-44:
surdities.

and see Ab-

Ionic, 173-174Issues, 180.

Italy, 35, 103.

Hurry, 118.

18

274

INDEX
Loisette, 32,
99,

121, 139

foil.,

jamais, 122.

James

(Prof.), 266.

and see Links. Loss of Memory, 3 foil.

267
:

Jesus as a teacher, 29, 107, 206, 221 foil.

Lower

faculties, 228, 240.

Journey (things useful

use of journey, 155-

for

it),

77.

M
Macinproof, 217.

Joy, 56.
Juliurr, 152.
Justifications,

205

foil.

Malaprop Maps, 35,

(Mrs.), 214.
80, 135 foil., 167
foil.

K
Kay, 266.
Kindness, 239, Kings of England, 121.

Massage, 57. Mechanical work should be perfect,

196.

Mediterranean

(Map
201.

of), 170.

Meicklejohn

(Prof.), 169.

Knowlson, 266.

Mem. -Holder,
Systems.

Memoria Technica,

121

foil.

see

Mems, 72
Landmarks, 148. Language, 92 foil., 211, 212. Languages of Mediterranean,
Latin, 47.

foil.,

185, 201.

Mental Photography, Additional Notes and see Realising.

:

173.

Metals (fusion

of), 100.

Cases, 85.

Metaphors in Language, 212. Method, 259 and see Learning,

:

Lawyers, 236. Learning, 2, 1 13, 191

etc.

Practice.
foil.,

235,

Metre, 157-158
Miles, 266-267.

and see Rhythm.

of Poetry, 186-188.

by

'heart,' xii, xxii.

Mistakes in Grammar, 150. Misuse of Systems, 197 foil., 261,

Lecturers, 235.

no argument against proper use

193.

Length of Practice,
Light, 58.

see Objections.

Lines before details, 169

Links,
32,

foil.

Misused Materials, xvi Unused.

141,
'

and
see

see

123

foil.,

128,
foil.,

faculties,'

xvi

and

Un-

164, 180-1.81, 213

245,

used.

256.
objections, 247, 249.
Lists, 232.

Models, 27. Moderation, 56. Money (economy), 226.

154,

useless,

68,

71,

232,

Morality, 60.
Morrell, 267.

246.
Localising, 34, 132
foil.,

184-185,

Motives

for learning,

23

and

see

2IS.

Advantages, Interest.

INDEX
Miiller (Max), 154.

275

Muscular tension, Repose.

Music, 47-48, 159.

14

and

see

Originality, xvii, xviii, 55, 70, 74, 99, i5, 162, 197, I98-I99.

229, 255, 261, 265.

Outlines,
foil.,

89
210.

foil.,

99,

137, 168

N
Names and
addresses,

231

see

Engagements, Card-System. Names and appearance, 251. Napoleon, 63.

Narcotics, 55, 144-145.

Packing luggage, 81.

Parrots, x, 46, 186, 258.

Part and whole, 128, 142

Part-by-part, 27,
foil.,

foil.

58-59, 64,

98

'Natural
253-

is

best' (fallacy),

252-

117, 169, 187.

:

Neglected Education, 167, Nerve-energy, 62, 64.

etc.

Parts (prominent), 142, 146 see Initialising. Parts

and
Eye-

of

men

(useful

for

New

Testament
foil.

examples,

221

Memory), 175.
Pedants, 245
185.
foil.,

264.

Note-Books, 74, in, 185, 200. Numbers, 31, 37, 139 foil., 177
foil.

Peg-System, 35

foil.,

134

foil.,

Peloponnese, 136, 170.

Periodicals, 62.

O
Objections, 125, 154, 247
foil.

Personal
3. 55.

experiences

important.

157-158, 207: and see

Originality,

and Additional

Obscurity, 93.

Notes.
31,

Observation,
239Obstacles, 14

104,

169,

Personal Language, 92 foil. Philip's Conquests, 163 foil.

Philology, 127.

foil.

Odd moments
Old Education,
cation.

(use

of),

24,

38,

Phonograph,
186
:

xii,

112,

115, 179,

74. 140, 226.

xii
:

and

see

Additional

and
foil.
:

see

Edusee

Notes.

Photographs, 27, 211.

Old Methods, 245

Education.
Omission, 79
178.
foil.,

and

Photography (mental)
'

see

Ad-

ditional Notes, Realising.

140, 168

foil.,

Physical Culture,' 62.

foil.

Physical Exercises, 61
:

One

thing at a time, 64
Part-by-part.

and see

Physiology, 91, 167.

Piano-playing, 195.
Picture
3.
-

Open-mindedness, xxiii. Ordinary things disregarded,

'

painting,

26

and

see

Realising.

Organisation ' defined, 27-

Places for practising, 193.

276
Plan of a house, 76. Plan of the book, xvi
Plans, 167
foil.
:

INDEX
foil.
,

206.

Rainbow, 245.
Rapidity, 11.
Realising,
26,
34,
1,

Proteid

Food Note on p.
153

see
149.

Additional

91
223.

foil.,

158,

184, 210-21

Pleasure, 226.

Poetry,
foil.

foil.,

157

foil.,

186

Portmanteau-words, 150-15 1.
Position of the body, 57Practical lessons, 23.
Practice,
6,

Rearrangement, 84. Reason and raison, 129. Reasoning, 28, 70, 115. Reasons for practising, 194, 205
foil.

Recall,

38,

49, l9>

58-59, 72,
130,

and remember, Records kept, 68, 197.

II.

85, 95.

l.

183,

Rehearsing,

Iio-m.
foil.,

esp. 191 foil., 199 foil.,

219,

Reincarnation, 263.
Rejection, 79
140, 168
foil.,

263.
'Practice'

and

'practice,' 137.

178.

Preparation

needed,

140,

183

Relaxation, 61-62.
Repetitions,
105,

and

see Practice.

113

foil.,

187,

Present methods, 240.

Principles of Practice,

212, 223.

199

foil.

Repose, 61-62,
Representation, 79
stituting.
:

see Practice.

and see Sub-

Problems, 58.
for teachers, 66.

Reproduction, 116.
Responsibility, 68.

Processes, 64.
Professionals, 194.

Rest, 61-62.

Progress, 6.

Resumed,
'

30, 116 foil., 187, 213.

Progressions, 182.

Prominent

parts, 142, 146, 245.

Review of Reviews,' 152. Rhyme, xi, xv, 42, 44, 152

163, 186 foil., 253.

foil.,

Prompters, 138.
Proportional Health, 54.
Proteids, 55-

Rhyming
Rhythm,
157
224.

Dictionary, 45, 135.

xi, xv, 42,
foil.,

46, 126, 153,

foil.,

Proverbs, 90, 160: and see Epi-

163, 186

218,

grams.

'Punch,' 152.

of sense, 224.

Punishments, 68.
Puns, xiv,
Purity, 60.
12, 127, 174, 214.

disadvantages of

Rhyme and

Rhythm,
Right action,
Rivalry,

157.

Riddles, xiv, 127.

Q
Queens of England,
121.

5.

67

and

see Competi-

tion.

Questions, 27, 96, 98 foil. Quickness, 11 : and see Rapidity.

Rome, 35-36. Rome's Success

(Causes), 21-49.

INDEX
Room-System,
Heart.
34, 132.
xxiii
:

277

Stammering, 157.

Rote (learning by),

and see
see Out-

Starting-points, 28, 70, 102

foil.

Statues, 27.
foil.
:

Rough

Outline, 89

Step-by-step,

30

and see

Re-

line.

sumee.

S Sandow, 65.
Schoolboys, 44
tion.
:

Stimulants, 55, 144-145. Stimuli, 138.

and

see

Educa-

Stokes, 133, 170, 174, 182, 267.

Stout
66,
68,

(Mr.

G.

F.),

4,

9,

91,

Schools,

257

and

see

267.

Education.
Scientific

men, 236.
:

Strengthening weaknesses, 117. Striking ideas, 44, 48, 160-161

Selection, 79 foil.
Self-activity, xv, xvi
ality.

and
see Origin-

see Absurdities, Interest.

:

Sub-conscious, 65
matic.

and see Auto-

Self-confidence, 227.
Self-correction, 117, 169, 239, 254.
Self-sufficiency, 227.

Sub-Headings, 41, 82. Subjects to be remembered,

11.

xxii,

Sense important, 187

foil., 248: and see Realising, Reasoning.

Substituting-System,
foil.,

37-38,

139

164, 180, 217.

Sentences, 42, 144, 139-140.

Success as a motive, 23.

Success of Rome,
etc.

Sermon on the Mount, 221

Short intervals, 129, 169.
Sights, 58
:

foil.

(Causes),

21-39.
Surroundings, 58
foil.

and see Eye.

:

Simple and Complex, 8

and see

Complex.
Sleep, 56.

Sympathy, 96, 104, 239. Synonyms, 128. Systems illustrated, 31-39.

in detail, 121-164.

Sleeplessness, 231.

Small Cards, 201.

Sound-connections, 84, 125 129 : and see Links.
foil.,

advantages, 225
misused, 197
see 139
:

foil,

foil,
:

not recommended, 43' foil.

foil.,

and

Sounds, 58

and see Ear.

an<3

160

foil.

Sounds without sense, 157

see Additional Notes.

Sparrow-grass, 125
Speakers, 235. Special Purposes

foil.

T
Tadema
(A.), 137.

and Subjects,
foil.

Tarquin, 181.

231

foil.

Teaching,

2,

29,

104,

no
foil.,

foil.

'Faculties,'

238

148, 201, 212, 225

26Z

Specialists, 89, 93.

Spelling, 64.

Technical terms, Telegrams, 72.

7.

xxii, 92, 247.

Stages passed through,

Temperature, 57.

278
Temptation, 57. Tennis, 259.

INDEX

Tennyson, 154. Tension of Muscles, 14 Repose.

Thoughtfulness, 239. Tiber, 35, 36.

and see

Value of Memory, 3 foil. and see Advantages. Variety, 56 and see Change. Various Memories, 6 and see
: : :

Different.

Time (economy
Times

of),

226.

Ventilation, 57.
foil.,
:

for practising,

60

193.

Vowels, 140, 147, 159.

Topical System, 34, 132

Localising.
Transitions, 83
tion.
:

and

see

and

see Connec-

W
Walker

(Rhyming

Dictionary),

Translation, 128, 233

see Foreign

ISS-

Languages. Trouble worth while, 258

see Practice.

Weak
:

points strengthened,

117,

and

130.

Weakening of Memory,
Wealth, 128.

255-

Type, 85, 178.

What

to

remember,
practise,

xxii

and
:

see

U
Unconnected things, 250-251. Unconscious Memory, 115.
Underlining, 84.
Unfairness, 254-255.

Subjects.

When
'

to

60

foil.

and

see Time.

Where

is it ?

'

Note-Books, 200.

Whist, 236.

Whole and

part, 128.

Unimportant

things, 233.
of),

Why one

should practise, 194.

Union (bonds
Unity, 83.

103-104.

Will, 59, 65.

overtaxed, 59:

Universities, 66
tion.

and

see

Educa-

'Unnatural' systems, 125, 253.

Word-memory, 1 14 foil., 127, 248: and see Additional Notes. Worth while, 259.
Writing (of Articles,
etc.
),

Unused

Faculties,

xvi,

12,

219,

233.

227-228, 241, 264.

Wrong way
12,

of using Systems, 197

Unused
Unusual
Useless

Materials, xvi,

101,

foil.,

261.

104, III, 128, 214, 219, 227.

type, 85.

Useful points observed, 104, 169.

lists,

68, 71, 154.

Zodiac-signs, 133.

Printed by

Ballantyne Hanson

s*

Co.

Edinburgh b* London

WORKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR

ABOUT FOOD
Exactly How to Begin a Health-giving Change of Diet (easily, economically, scientifically, successfully) 45 Quick ana; Easy Recipes for Healthy Meatless Meals A Week's Proteid Diet The Story of the Famous Daily Mirror Food Test
. .

s. d.

.01 .02
10
6

Better

Food

for

Boys

ABOUT HEALTH, FOOD, AND EXERCISE

Health and Fitness

The Simplest Cures

...

ABC

for Constipation Breathing Quickness Ten Rules of Health A Health and Counsel Bureau . . Curative Exercises The Eustace Miles System of Physical Culture (with 2 Charts) Chart of Health (to hang on the wall) . Prevention and Cure The Uric Acid Fetish (with C. H. Collings) . . .
.

..........10 .26 ..........16

. . .

02 6 10 10 10
1

2 3

CHIEFLY ABOUT THE WHND

Balanced Life Let's Play the Game Essays in the Making
1 1

The Power

How

of Concentration, and How to Acquire to Prepare Essays, Articles, and Speeches

it
.

.36 .60
10
fi

ABOUT ATHLETICS,

&c.

Lessons in Lawn Tennis Racquets, Tennis, and Squash

FOR BOYS AND YOUNG MEN

Wanted Men and Men)
:
!

(The Standard

Work on

the Training of Boys

.20
3

Fitness for Play

and

Work

10
6

A Boy's

Control and Self-Expression

RELIGIOUS, &c.
Mathematical

Law

in the Spiritual

World

.10
2 2

The World's Prayer and Creed The Teaching of Jesus To-day

Life after Life

10
6

MISCELLANEOUS
Diversions

The Mad Annual (with E. F. Benson) Day by Day (with E. F. Benson)

M.A., 4. 41

.26
W.C.

10

EUSTACE MILES,

&

43

CHANDOS STREET,