one of these forgetful persons who does not, in many instances, expose a good memory, when inclination happens to have its influence. There are those who can recount the exact succession of cards in a game at whist, and yet shelter the most disgraceful ignorance under the plea of bad memory.

There are three modes, by either of which recollection will generally be supplied: inclination, practice, and association.

There is scarcely any effort or extent to which remembrance may not be enforced, if the inclination be but sufficiently strong. In confirmation of this opinion, reference need only be had to the favourite pursuit or amusement of any one; and it will seldom be found that memory is inadequate to the desired attainment. The astonishing tenacity which is requisite to perform, from remembrance, a musical piece of any considerable length; and the accuracy with which it is thus frequently executed, will sufficiently illustrate this position.

It is however of small consequence to know that inclination has so great an ascendency over the memory, if no useful result be thence obtained. But it seems to suggest, that subjects of instruction should always be rendered as inviting as possible; and that the most pleasing modes of tuition should be devised and adopted.

In this treatise, therefore, narrative has been first introduced, as most interesting, and therefore most easily retained. Description next succeeds, as being nearest in attraction; and reasoning does not follow, until memory shall thus have been trained by habit.

That memory is susceptible of improvement almost incredible, by the force of practice, is proved by constant observation and experience. "Concerning the ideas themselves," says Locke, "it is easy to remark, that those that are oftenest refreshed (amongst which are those that are conveyed into the mind by more ways than one) by a frequent return of the objects or actions that produce them, fix themselves best in the memory, and remain clearest and longest there."* If a person go to a shop where two or three thousand different articles are sold (as is frequently the case), it is seldom found that even the most stupid vendor is at a loss to recollect the commodity required, nor the place wherein it has been deposited. A medical practitioner, by force of habit, recollects, and combines all the probable amelioratives of disease: and a lawyer, by the same power of habit, recurs to and arranges all the authorities which affect his client's interest.

→ Essay on the Human Understanding, b. ii. c. 10.

In like manner, continued practice will enable the young student in the art of public speaking, to retain the leading points of every narrative, description, and argument, which is offered to him, as well as of those subjects upon which his own judgment is employed.

Memory however may be greatly improved, if not almost re-created, by the method of association. Indeed, if memory be strictly examined, it will appear to be nothing more than a faculty, which combines images with each other. We never recall an idea, without acquiring some combination. In reading, we perceive only words, letters, or characters, which certainly do not portray any idea; and yet ideas immediately fellow, because we recollect the thought, sensation, or image, to which those words or characters are the index: hence a poem has been denominated, a speaking picture. The same principle will also apply inversely. A botanist, desirous of ascertaining the name of any vegetable production, examines the root, the plant, and fructification; and thence determines its class, order, genus, species and variety; and from these he collects its appropriate name.

All our

senses assist us in the same manner; sound, feeling, smell, sight, and taste, bring to our memory their respective resources. Thus a blind man

recognizes persons by the voice, and objects by feeling.*

These may be termed natural combinations; but it remains to be seen, whether an artificial mode of association may not also be formed, applicable to every subject and occasion.

If in teaching a child to recollect the five vowels, it were to be instructed to affix them separately to one of the fingers and the thumb of one hand, they would soon be confirmed in the memory; as the child by reference to the indices would instantly recur to their appropriated letters in other words, the pupil by looking at the thumb would recollect a; by looking at the next finger, would remember e; and so on. Many persons tie knots in their handkerchiefs, or twist strings round their fingers, as convenient mementos; and a labouring man has been seen to mark the surface of his shoe with chalk, for the like purpose. As soon as these monitors are observed, they bring to mind the circumstance to be remembered.

A series of palpable objects will, in like man

* It is related of Sir John Fielding, the celebrated London magistrate (brother of the novelist), that as soon as he heard a culprit speak, he could determine whether he had been arraigned before him at any former time, however distant.

ner, serve as indications of a train of events or a course of reasoning; and it will be difficult to look at any one of such indices without recalling the idea with which it has thus been associated. But indeed this method is nothing more than the reduction to a regular system, of that, which natural memory performs in all its exercises.

Dr Watts was aware of the effect of association in fixing any object in the recollection. In his inestimable work "On the Improvement of the Mind," he says: "When you would remember new things or words, endeavour to associate and connect them with some words or things which you have well known before and which are fixed and established in your memory. This association of ideas is of great importance and force, and may be of excellent use in many instances of human life. One idea which is familiar to the mind, connected with others which are new and strange, will bring those new ideas into easy remembrance."

The mode of association is not, however, made a part of the following system for speaking extempore. Memory will be sufficiently aided by the practices and methodical arrangements which are prescribed in the work.

Having thus endeavoured to explain and as