How to Improve the Memory

Front matter

Edwin Gordon Lawrence

By

Edwin Gordon Lawrence

Preface

IN offering this system of memory training to the public the author frankly states that it is not a secret that is imparted for so many dollars, nor one that can be obtained without labor. It is intended to show how the mind can be strengthened so as to enable it to perceive, retain, and reproduce incidents that have passed; how words, dates, facts, and pictures may be stored away in the brain and recalled at pleasure; how by a right use of the mental power memory can be made to perform wonderful feats.

There is no reason why it should take a public speaker ten times longer to memorize his speech than it does to write it, nor is there any reason why matter once committed to memory should speedily be forgotten.

The author has devoted a lifetime to the training of orators and actors, and this system of memory training, now given for the first time to the public, has been the growth of years, and been thoroughly tested by him on vast numbers of students. He therefore offers it to all who desire to possess a good memory with the assurance that their wish can be gratified by a faithful study of these pages.

Edwin G. Lawrence.

Memory

How to Improve the Memory

LESSON I MEMORY

WHAT is memory?

Memory is the mental power of recognizing past knowledge. It is a recalling of facts, words, faces, or pictures that had been put aside. A business act has been performed and the facts are then stowed away in the recesses of the mind, but some time later a dispute arises concerning these facts and it is necessary that all the details of the transaction should be recalled; an acquaintanceship springs up between two travelers, they part, and do not meet again for many years, but finally they come face to face; a gorgeous sunset is witnessed by one as he is journeying near the tropics, the sun sinks to rest and the picture is gone. Recalling the facts pertaining to the business act, remembering the face of the acquaintance, reproducing the picturesque sunset, are acts of the memory.

How does memory act?

It acts through several processes of the mind known as perception, retention, reproduction, representation, and recognition.

What is meant by perception?

By perception is meant the power of gaining immediate knowledge by means of one or more of the senses. We may perceive by the eye, ear, nose, tongue, or skin. These all act as means for conducting emotions to the brain, the brain communicates with the organs of expression, and they show how what is perceived acts upon the perceiver.

What is meant by retention?

In its application to memory, retention means the power by which knowledge is kept in the mind, subconsciously, to be reproduced at will.

What is meant by reproduction?

Reproduction means the process of the mind whereby any object, be it a fact, word, face, or picture, once known but not perceived for some period of time, is brought back into conscious use.

What is representation?

It is the process by which the mind presents to itself objects which it has previously known.

What is recognition?

By recognition is meant a second knowing; a re-knowing of what has been known before.

We thus see that in order to have a good memory it is necessary for the mind to be healthy and vigorous so that it may see, retain, reproduce, represent, and recognize.

PERCEPTION

The power of perception may be strengthened by paying attention to things, noticing their peculiarities or distinguishing traits. Some speakers, for instance, arrange their speeches on cards 3x5 inches, placing one paragraph or one section of the speech on one card, and in memorizing the written matter they keep before them an image of the card containing the particular matter that is on that card, familiarizing themselves with the appearance of the matter on the card, and when they rise to speak, these cards pass before their mental vision and it is easy for them to recall the matter that is written thereon. Other speakers use different colored sheets of paper instead of cards and associate the matter with the color of the paper.

The arrangement of letters or words often aids one in memorizing matter; as,

And this our life, exempt from public haunt, Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, Sermons in stones, and good in every thing.

—Shakespeare.

The observant eye will note the t in tongues and trees, the b in books and brooks, and the s in sermons and stones. After these things have been perceived by the mind it will be a simple matter easily to memorize the passage and it will prove a pleasure to recall it at will.

RETENTION

In order that we may reproduce, it is necessary for us to retain; we cannot dispose of a thing that has passed from our possession; therefore after an object has been perceived it must be retained so that it may be reproduced. Retention is one of the great essentials of memory. The only way for persons to retain what they have seen, heard, or felt is for that particular thing to make an impression on them; therefore if they wish to retain they must perceive closely, examine the thought or object intently in order to find out its significance, study its purpose or meaning until they feel that they know all about it, and when satisfied on that point they may rest assured it has been perceived in such a manner as will enable them to retain it.

REPRODUCTION

To be able to retain will be of little use unless we can at the same time reproduce, but if one has stamped the object on the brain it will be a simple matter to reproduce it as many times as the person may desire, and this reproduction can be continued until the brain wears out. In this connection the brain is much like a phonograph record: an impression is made on it, and it may then be reproduced indefinitely, the quality of the reproduction and the ability to reproduce depending on the perfection of the impression and the ability of the mind to recognize it when reproduced.

RECOGNITION

The power to recognize is as essential as the ability to reproduce, for unless the mind recognizes the repro- duction, memory will fail to act. The following incident will explain this fact: Henry W. Longfellow and Ralph Waldo Emerson were intimate friends, both living to a ripe age and achieving renown. Longfellow retained possession of all his faculties until he died, but Emerson's mind had lost its marvelous power some years previous to his physical dissolution. On the death of Longfellow, Emerson's daughter conducted her father to where the funeral services over the body of his departed friend were being held, and as he gazed upon the peaceful face, encircled with its snow white hair, he said: "It is a sweet, sweet face; he was a lovely character;" then, turning to his daughter, he continued in a tone indicating that he was trying hard to recall whose face it was, "but I have forgotten his name." This showed that all the processes of memory had not worked—that of recognition was lacking—and while Emerson's mind perceived, retained, reproduced, and represented, it failed to recognize, and consequently he was unable to remember.

By this time the student will perceive that this system is not a hocus-pocus trick, a juggling of figures or words, but an honest setting forth of the means by which the mind can be made to see, retain, and reproduce objects, facts, and words by the simple process of exercising thought. In order that one should have a good memory, it is necessary for the brain to do its duty, and it will be impossible for it to perform this duty unless it is in a healthful state. Brain power is essential to the health of the brain, and this power can only be attained through keeping the brain in action. In other words, it must be used in order that it may become strong, active, and healthy. It must be educated, not necessarily educated in the sense we call schooling, but educated by the mental activity that observes things, studies the form, purpose, and effect of them, and reasons the consequences that may arise from any action. Men are foolish who think they can deaden the brain with liquor, stupefy it with drugs, and poison the system with nicotine and yet have a good memory. If any there be who have accompanied us thus far on our journey who think they can persist in dissipation and at the same time acquire a good memory, they had better stop right where they are and not hug that flattering unction to their souls. Note the words that Shakespeare puts in the mouth of Lady Macbeth:

When Duncan is asleep (Whereto the rather shall his day's hard journey Soundly invite him), his two chamberlains Will I with wine and wassel so convince, That memory, the warder of the brain, Shall be a fume, and the receipt of reason A limbeck only.

—Macbeth, Act 1, Scene VII.

By this it is not meant that men must neither drink nor smoke if they desire to possess good memories, because both these things may be indulged in with moderation without doing any serious harm to the mind, but it is the author's opinion that overindulgence of any kind (drinking, eating, or smoking) tends to weaken the mind and thus injure the memory.

The means employed for strength- ening, developing, and controlling the memory are:

1. Attention. (1) Note the location of figures, letters, words, phrases, or objects. (2) Lay hold of the thought.

2. Apposition. Similarity of figures, words, thoughts, or objects.

3. Opposition. Difference between figures, words, thoughts, or objects.

4. Combination. Arrangement of figures, words, thoughts, or objects.

5. Sequence. An orderly following in space, time, or arrangement of figures, words, objects, or thoughts.

The student should study carefully the definitions and explanations given in this lesson as they will prepare him for grasping readily the instructions on Attention, which will be the subject of the next lesson.

Attention

LESSON II ATTENTION

ATTENTION, as here used, is a strong, voluntary, focused application of the mental powers to some special word, figure, object, or thought. The longer a mind is capable of being concentrated on an object, the stronger will be that mind. The monkey is incapable of intelligent action for the reason that it cannot direct its attention to any particular thing for any length of time; it no sooner starts to do one thing, than it stops, turns to something else and fails to remember what it originally intended to do. Many human beings, for lack of attention, are not much better than monkeys. How ir- resolute, changeful, and forgetful are many persons. Some will start to tell of an occurrence, stop to mention some other matter, forget what they started to say, and then remark, "What was it I wanted to tell you?" The difference between the mind of a Plato and that of an ordinary being is simply this: a Plato possesses the power of continuous mental attention, he is capable of focusing his thought; while the ordinary person cannot control his mentality so as to concentrate its powers for any length of time on any specific object. Now then, the first step toward training the memory is to learn to pay attention.

Consider the lines from As You Like It, quoted in the first lesson:

And this our life, exempt from public haunt, Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, Sermons in stones, and good in every thing.

A moment's attention given to this passage will stamp it upon the mind so that it will never be forgotten. An inattentive person would notice nothing peculiar about this quotation; he would most likely see that it spoke of trees, brooks, and stones, but he would fail to notice the bearing that the words tongues, books, and sermons had on them. The attentive person would instantly grasp the fact that the initial letter of tongues is the same as that of trees, that of books the same as brooks, and that of sermons the same as stones, and he thereby immediately has transferred the thought of the poet to his own mind by means of attention, and the details are so thoroughly seen and understood as to make a deep impression on his mind and render him capable of reproducing the lines at any time.

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same day. How many Americans know the date of the death of these two famous men? By a simple process of reasoning, taking up but a moment's time, the fact can be placed on the tablet of the mind so that it can never be erased. They died on July 4, 1826, the semi-centennial of American independence. It is a simple matter to remember that they died on the anniversary of the birth of their country, thus fixing the day and month, and by calling the attention of the mind to the fact that the year of their death was the semicentennial of their country's birth, the year 1826 will become closely associated with the death of Adams and Jefferson. This, of course, requires some thought at the moment you desire to place the fact in the charge of memory, but after you have given it the necessary attention in order to impress it upon the mind, you need give it no further attention, nor be concerned when you have occasion to use it. The fact will be so well known that you will have no trouble in knowing it again whenever you desire to produce it from its repository. Another interesting fact of a similar nature is that James Monroe, fifth president of the United States, also died on the anniversary of his country's birth. His death occurred five years after the death of his predecessors, and he was the fifth president of the United States. These facts will make it easy to remember that he departed this life in 1881. While these facts are so distinctive as to render them easy to memorize, all facts worth remembering possess some attribute that will enable an attentive person to lay hold of the distinguishing trait and recall the fact at will, provided it has been sufficiently studied to make it known.

At this period of our work let us understand that the first requisite to a good memory is attention. Without this quality it is impossible for the mind to retain and reproduce what it has seen by the eye, ear, or any other sense. If one desires to remember matter that he reads, he should read intently, studying all the incidents and arranging them consecutively, looking more to the thought that is conveyed by the words than to the words themselves. For instance, Horace Mann, in his address on education, expresses himself thus:

From her earliest history, the policy of this country has been to develop the minds of all her people, and to imbue them with the principles of duty. To do this work most effectually, she has begun with the young. If she would continue to mount higher and higher toward the summit of prosperity, she must continue the means by which her present elevation has been gained. In doing this, she will not only exercise the noblest prerogative of government, but will coöperate with the Almighty in one of His sublimest works.

Now, how is one, after reading this passage, to be able to gather the thoughts so as to retain them sufficiently to enable him to repeat the substance of the paragraph? Simply by giving attention to it while reading it. Note that from a certain period it has been the policy of a special country to do two particular things, in a specific manner. That if that country is to continue her illustrious career, she must continue to make use of the means which have produced her present prosperity. In doing so, she will perform two important duties. After gathering these facts from an attentive perusal of the matter, they should be carefully arranged in a sequence so that their orderly arrangement will assist the mind in reproducing them. (1) From her earliest history, (2) the policy of this country (3) has been to develop the minds of all her people, (4) and to imbue them with the principles of duty. (5) To do this work effectually, she has begun with the young. (6) If she would continue to mount higher and higher toward the summit of prosperity, she must continue the means by which her present elevation has been gained. (7) In doing this, she will not only exercise the noblest prerogative of government, (8) but will coöperate with the Almighty in one of His sublimest works. Again, (1) earliest history, (2) policy of country, (3) develop her people, (4) principles of duty, (5) begun with the young, (6) continue the means, (7) exercise prerogative of government, (8) coöperate with the Almighty. After the passage has been examined in this particular manner it will be thoroughly known and cannot be forgotten.

A face can be remembered by making use of the same means as given for remembering language. When you desire to retain a knowledge of a face, examine it minutely, look for distinguishing marks, such as small or large ears, protruding or retreating chin, color of eyes and hair, style of nose, open or closed mouth, or any peculiarity or mannerism of any of the features. After having noted the characteristics of General John A. Logan's face, it would be impossible for a healthy mind to forget it. The long, straight hair, high cheek bones, Grecian nose, and piercing eye, were of so distinguishing a nature as to stamp the General's features upon an attentive mind in such a manner as to make his face known as long as the person retained his faculties. Recall to mind the face of Washington, of Lincoln, and of Grant, and think what special feature is most prominent or characteristic, and it will then be perceived why these faces are easily remembered. Think of the face of a friend, and ask yourself if it is not his curly hair, squinting eye, or pleasant smile that presents itself first to your mind when you recall his face. By these means it will be found that a face, if seen only for a moment, may be remembered for years.

In like manner one may remember his pathway through a strange country so as to find his way back to his starting point. Instead of noting peculiarities of the features of the face, he must note those of the country through which he passes. He must note particularly any circumstance at a cross road or fork in the trail that will enable him to turn in the correct direction. Sometimes a bush, a stone, a tuft of grass will suffice to direct the traveler on his way in sections where there is not a fence or house to mark the direction he should take. The author recalls an instance when he was journeying on horseback through a sparsely settled section in southern Florida that his being able to locate a cactus plant, not a foot in height, was the only thing that saved him from taking the wrong direction where two trails crossed, and going many miles out of his way. What fastened the remembrance of the cactus on his mind was the fact that he paused to examine it, because it was the first one he had seen in Florida, and he was surprised to see it growing in that section, so he dis- mounted in order to find out if it resembled the cacti of Arizona. As he gazed at the little plant, he noticed that it was growing close to the east side of the trail (he was then traveling toward the southwest), and that only a short distance south from where the cactus was growing was another trail bearing to the northwest. On his return journey he was uncertain as to whether he should take the trail bearing to the northwest or the one to the northeast, but as soon as he saw the cactus over on the east side of the trail leading to the north-east, he knew that was the road for him to take. This proved a valuable lesson to him regarding the advisability of paying attention.

The rule of Attention far excels in serviceableness any other rules that have ever been put forward by any other system of memory training, be- cause they apply only in special cases, while it applies in all cases.

The author wishes it to be understood clearly that he desires the student to pay particular attention to the thought, this being the most important part of memory training, and that placing the attention on the position of figures, letters, words, etc., is only to be done as a means to an end, the end being a recalling of the object or thought. Lay Hold of the Thought.

Apposition

LESSON III APPOSITION

THE AUTHOR, in his use of the word apposition in these lessons, means the addition of one word or phrase or object to illustrate another. Apposition is the placing side by side of two or more things. With the aid of apposition the mind is assisted in perceiving, and as perception is one of the principal attributes of memory, apposition must be a power in strengthening that faculty. By means of apposition we are enabled to see the similarity of things; as,

Abraham Lincoln, president of the United States, issued a proclamation on January 1, 1863, freeing three million slaves.

Abraham Lincoln and president of the United States are one and the same, and by means of apposition we learn that Abraham Lincoln was president of the United States. President of the United States is added to Abraham Lincoln to show that at the time the Proclamation of Emancipation was issued Abraham Lincoln was the chief executive of the United States.

How does apposition assist the memory?

It assists the memory in that it causes the mind to put forth effort in comparing one object to another, in this way intensifying the application and causing an impression to be made on the mind; as,

My friend lives at Ridgway, which is located in a beautiful section of country about one hundred miles from the city of Buffalo.

In order to remember the name of the place where the friend resides, it is only necessary to examine the word and associate it with two things: ridge and way. Think of a ridge and then of a way through the ridge, and the name Ridgway is stamped upon the mind. This mode of remembering is by means of apposition or similarity.

Similes are aids to the memory. A simile is a form of comparison. It directs the mind to one object by comparing it to another; as,

The day is done, and the darkness Falls from the wings of Night, As a feather is wafted downward From an eagle in his flight. >>>—Longfellow.

Here the poet compares the darkness falling over the earth to an eagle winging his flight, and represents how softly the darkness falls by comparing it to the almost imperceptible dropping of a feather from the eagle to the earth. The picture that the poet wishes to convey is the gradual coming on of night, and he fastens this point upon our minds by calling our attention to the fact that the darkness falls as slowly, gently, and noiselessly as does the soft, light feather from the bird in the air. By noting closely the similarity of the falling of darkness and the wafting downward of the feather, it will be impossible to forget that the darkness came slowly. Had the darkness suddenly fallen upon the earth, the poet would have compared it to the blowing out of a light, or the action of some quickly moving object.

Homer, in the Iliad, in order to show the vast number of the Greeks, uses this simile:

As the bees came forth continually in fresh numbers, so fresh bands of Greeks keep con- tinually pouring forth from the ships and tents.

This gives a clear and comprehensive idea of the number of Greeks, because of their being compared to bees continually coming forth in fresh numbers. We think of bees swarming from their hives, and this gives us a vivid understanding of the hordes of Greeks pouring from the ships and tents. Nothing would more clearly explain the number of the Greeks, nor impress upon our minds the fact that they were many, better than does this statement made in the form of a simile.

Here is a portion of a speech which Shakespeare places in the mouth of Othello after Iago has convinced him of the wantonness of his wife. It is a passage from the thrilling drama which is difficult for many persons to memorize:

Like to the Pontick sea, Whose icy current and compulsive course Ne'er feels retiring ebb, but keeps due on To the Propontick, and the Hellespont; Even so my bloody thoughts, with violent pace, Shall ne'er look back, ne'er ebb to humble love, Till that a capable and wide revenge Swallow them up.—Now, by yon marble heaven, In the due reverence of a sacred vow I here engage my words.

What have we here to aid the memory? Many things, after the passage is understood. We should be aware that the ancient historians stated that the Pontick (or Black) Sea ever flowed out into the Propontick (or Marmora) Sea, but that it never flowed back again to the Pontick. Here, then, is the means of easily memorizing the passage. The idea is of something ever going in the same direction, and by means of the similarity of action of the Pontick Sea and Othello's thoughts, both ever flowing out but never returning, we get a clear understanding of Othello's fixed determination not to retire from his purpose until his object is accomplished. As the Pontick ever flows into the Propontick, never ebbing back, so will his bloody thoughts of vengeance continue, never turning back to his earlier fond thoughts of love. Here is a clear case of apposition, and by means of the simile the idea is quickly perceived, firmly impressed upon the mind, and easily recalled.

Names of persons, places, and things are easily memorized and recalled by means of noting the similarity between them and others; as,

1. Shakespeare (Shake-speare)

2. Blackstone (Black-stone) 3. Portchester (Port-Chester)

4. Williamsbridge (William's-bridge)

5. Recollect (re-collect)

6. Disease (dis-ease).

Thus by means of thinking of the shaking of a spear the name of the great dramatist is recorded; of a black stone, that of the expounder of legal principles is deposited in the keeping of memory; of the Port of Chester, the name of the city of Portchester is introduced to the mind; of William's bridge, that of Williamsbridge. By analyzing the word recollect we find that it means re-collecting, a second gathering together, a reuniting of scattered things, and thus the word is ours for all time. In the same manner, disease means dis-ease, the prefix dis signifying apart or asunder, thus showing that disease means apart or away from ease, con- sequently when we are ill we are away from ease, because to be at ease is to be well. In this way, which is nothing more than a careful examination of objects, the names of persons, places, and things can be easily perceived, retained, and reproduced. In other words, they can be remembered.

By the same means speeches can be memorized; as,

When you come to a good book, you must ask yourself, "Am I inclined to work as an Australian miner would? Are my pickaxes and shovels in good order, and am I in good trim myself—and my sleeves well up to the elbows, and my breath good, and my temper?" And, keeping the figure a little longer, even at the cost of tiresomeness, for it is a thoroughly useful one, the metal you are in search of being the author's mind or meaning, his words are as the rock which you have to crush and smelt in order to get at it. And your pickaxes are your own care, wit, and learning; your smelting-furnace is your own thoughtful soul. Do not hope to get at any good author's meaning without those tools and that fire. Often you will need sharpest, finest chiselling, and patientest fusing before you can gather one grain of the metal.

—John Ruskin.

In the first place lay hold of the things used for illustrating the thought: The Australian miner as representing the reader; the pickaxes and shovels symbolical of the working tools; the metal compared to the author's mind, his words to the rock, the smelting-furnace to the thoughtful soul. Now we are prepared to see the picture which the simile produces, to grasp the thought, and to commit it to memory with ease.

By means of analogy (apposition) facts are readily recalled; as,

Andrew Johnson was the only president of the United States whom it was ever sought to impeach, and he escaped impeachment by one vote.

The singular words "only," and "one," and the initial letter "A" in the word Andrew, are the means by which the facts contained in the above sentence can easily be remembered. A, in Andrew, is the first letter of the alphabet, only (one or first) qualifying president of the United States, one qualifying vote, are the simple means whereby we may remember that Andrew Johnson was the only president of the United States whom it was ever sought to impeach, and that he escaped impeachment by the narrow margin of one vote. The analogous facts that Andrew Johnson was the only president whom it was sought to impeach, and his escaping impeachment by one vote, will enable a person to recall them without trouble, because of their similarity. This being another instance where memory is strengthened by means of apposition. At the same time, we must not lose sight of the fact that we should lay hold of the thought.