THE POWER OF MIND. William Walker Atkinson
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Three Henrys we see.
Two Edwards, third Richard,
If rightly I guess;
Two Henrys, sixth Edward.
Queen Mary, Queen Bess.
The Jamsie the Scotchman,
Then Charles whom they slew,
And then, after Cromwell,
Another Charles too.
Next Jamsie the second
Ascended the throne;
Then William and Mary
Together came on.
Then Anne, four Georges,
And fourth William past,
Then came Queen Victoria,
Now Edward is last.
In our chapter on the Memory of Dates we have given further examples of this kind of doggerel, which may be used occasionally as an easy means of connecting names, events, etc. Law students and medical students have a number of rhymes of this kind by which they group parts of their studies, definitions, etc.
The “figure alphabet” is sometimes used to accomplish “trick memorizing” in this way: A number of figures, one hundred or more, are written down and the slip handed to a friend. The writer then rapidly calls them off. He repeats the trick with different figures as often as desired. The explanation lies in the fact that he has memorized the “figure alphabet,” and taking the words of some well known song or poem, he translates the letters into figures which are marked down. To recall the figures, he simply does mentally that which he has just done on paper, and translating the same words into figures, he of course repeats what he had previously written down. It is very simple, but quite effective as a trick.
The law of association is sometimes used to easily join together for the purpose of recollection different things having some relation to each other. Thus Dr. Watts coined the word vibgyor as a means of easily remembering the names and order of the primary colors, the initial letter of each color, in their proper order, forming the said word, thus, Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red. The word news is composed of the initial letters of the four points of the compass, thus: North, East, West, South. The name of the vicepresident who first served with Lincoln, may be remembered by thinking of Lincoln’s name in this form: abrahamlincoln. Franklin Pierce was the fourteenth president, which fact may be remembered by his initials F (ourteenth) P (resident). We recite these things merely to show how many ways there are whereby one may remember things by attaching them to “pegs.” The great trouble is that, while a few things may be remembered in this way, it is generally harder to remember the “pegs” than the things themselves, after one has burdened himself with a number of them. They are artificial, and Nature in the end revolts.
Looking back it will seem that the plan of Simonides, or the “topical system” as it is sometimes called, was the first in the field, and still shows signs of life. Then came the “figure alphabet,” which is still very much with us, in a much improved form, and elaborated almost out of resemblance. The latter is quite fascinating at the start, but a little later on—well, just try it. The plan of memorizing a date by words containing a certain number of letters corresponding to figures to be memorized, looks easy, but one soon tires of it—and you are apt to get your words mixed, thereby mixing your centuries. Very artificial! The third in order, the “associative” or “correlative” method, is interesting, but is apt to bring on mental dyspepsia if used as a steady diet by the memory. Even if these systems were practicable, they would do little more than to aid in the memory of dates, leaving the development of the other faculties of the mind to other methods.
The better plan is to develop the several faculties, to the end that they may readily receive impressions, and retain them, and by practice to so train the recollection that previously received impressions may readily be revived. We have tried to point out the way in this book, and we trust that everyone who has read its pages will put into practice the principles therein taught.
FINIS.
Memory: How to Develop, Train, and Use It
CHAPTER I. MEMORY: ITS IMPORTANCE.
CHAPTER II. CULTIVATION OF THE MEMORY.
CHAPTER III. CELEBRATED CASES OF MEMORY.
CHAPTER V. THE SUBCONSCIOUS RECORD-FILE.
CHAPTER VIII. PHASES OF MEMORY.
CHAPTER XI. HOW TO REMEMBER NAMES.
CHAPTER XII. HOW TO REMEMBER FACES.
CHAPTER XIII. HOW TO REMEMBER PLACES.
CHAPTER XIV. HOW TO REMEMBER NUMBERS.
CHAPTER XV. HOW TO REMEMBER MUSIC.
CHAPTER XVI. HOW TO REMEMBER OCCURENCES
CHAPTER XVII. HOW TO REMEMBER FACTS.
CHAPTER XVIII. HOW TO REMEMBER WORDS, ETC.
CHAPTER XIX. HOW TO REMEMBER BOOKS, PLAYS, TALES, ETC.
CHAPTER XX. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS.
CHAPTER I.
MEMORY: ITS IMPORTANCE.
It needs very little argument to convince the average thinking person of the great importance of memory, although even then very few begin to realize just how important is the function of the mind that has to do with the retention of mental impressions. The first thought of the average person when he is asked to consider the importance of memory, is its use in the affairs of every-day life, along developed and cultivated lines, as contrasted with the lesser degrees of its development. In short, one generally thinks of memory in its phase of "a good memory" as contrasted with the opposite phase of "a poor memory." But there is a much