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Speaker 1: Cultivation of the memory. This book is written with the

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fundamental intention and idea of pointing out a rational and

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workable method whereby the memory may be developed, trained and cultivated.

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Many persons seem to be under the impression that memories

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are bestowed by nature in a fixed degree or possibilities,

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and that little more can be done for them, In short,

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that memories are born, not made. But the fallacy of

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any such idea is demonstrated by the investigations and experiments

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of all the leading authorities, as well as by the

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results obtained by persons who have developed and cultivated their

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own memories by individual effort without the assistance of an instructor.

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But all such improvement to be real must be along

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certain natural lines and in accordance with the well established

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laws of psychology, instead of along artificial lines and in

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defiance of psychological principles. Cultivation of the memory is a

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far different thing from trick memory or feats of mental ledger. Domain.

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If the term is permissible, Ka says that the memory

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is capable of indefinite improvement, there can be no manner

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of doubt. But with regard to the means by which

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this improvement is to be effected, mankind are still greatly

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in ignorance. Doctor Noah Porter says, the natural, as opposed

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to the artificial memory, depends on the relations of sense

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and the relations of thought, the spontaneous memory of the

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eye and the ear, availing itself of the obvious conjunctions

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of objects which are furnished by space and time, and

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the rational memory of those higher combinations which the rational

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faculties superinduce upon those lower. The artificial memory proposes to

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substitute for the natural and necessary relations under which all

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objects must present and arrange themselves, an entirely new set

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of relations that are purely arbitrary and mechanical, which excite

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little or no other interest than that they are to

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aid us in remembering. It follows that if the mind

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tests itself to the special effort of considering objects under

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these artificial relations, it will give less attention to those

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which have a direct and legitimate interest for itself. Grandville

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says the defects of most methods which have been devised

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and employed for improving the memory lies in the fact that,

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while they serve to impress particular subjects in the mind,

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they do not render the memory as a whole, ready

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or attentive. Fuller says, surely an art of memory may

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be made more destructive to natural memory than spectacles are

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to eyes. These opinions of the best authorities might be

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multiplied indefinitely. The consensus of the best opinion is decidedly

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against the artificial systems and in favor of the natural ones.

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Natural systems of memory culture are based upon the fundamental

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conception so well expressed by Helvatius several centuries ago, when

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he said, the extent of the memory depends first on

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the daily use we make of it, secondly upon the

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attention with which we consider the objects we would impress

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upon it, and thirdly upon the order in which we

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range our ideas. This, then, is the list of the

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three essentials in the cultivation of the memory. One use

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and exercise, review and practice, two attention and interest, and

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three intelligent association. You will find that in the several

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chapters of this book dealing with the various phases of memory,

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we urge, first, last, and all the time, the importance

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of the use and employment of the memory in the

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way of employment, exercise, practice, and review work. Like any

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other mental faculty or physical function, the memory will tend

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to atrophy by disuse, and increase, strengthen and develop by

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rational exercise and employment within the bounds of moderation. You

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develop a muscle by exercise. You train any special faculty

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of the mind in the same way, and you must

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pursue the same method in the case of the memory,

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if you would develop it. Nature's law lause are constant

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and bear a close analogy to each other. You will

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also notice the great stress that we lay upon the

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use of the faculty of attention accompanied by interest. By attention,

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you acquire the impressions that you file away in your

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mental record file of memory, and the degree of attention

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regulates the depth, clearness, and strength of the impression. Without

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a good record, you cannot expect to obtain a good

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reproduction of it. A poor phonographic record results in a

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poor reproduction, and the rule applies in the case of

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the memory as well. You will also notice that we

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explain the laws of association and the principles which govern

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the subject, as well as the methods whereby the proper

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associations may be made. Every association that you weld to

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an idea or an impression serves as a cross reference

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in the index, whereby the thing is found by remembrance

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or recollection when it is needed. We call your attention

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to the fact that one's entire education depends for its

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efficiency upon this law of association. It is a most

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important feature in the rational cultivation of the memory, while

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at the same time being the bane of the artificial systems.

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Natural associations educate, while artificial ones tend to weaken the

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powers of the mind if carried to any great length.

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There is no royal road to memory. The cultivation of

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the memory depends upon the practice along certain scientific lines

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according to well established psychological laws. Those who hope for

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a sure short cut will be disappointed, for none such exists.

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As Halleck says, the student ought not to be disap

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pointed to find that memory is no exception to the

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rule of improvement by proper, methodical and long continued exercise.

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There is no royal road, no short cut to the

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improvement of either mind or muscle. But the student who

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follows the rules which psychology is laid down may know

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that he is walking in the shortest path and not

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wandering aimlessly about. Using these rules, he will advance much

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faster than those without chart, compass, or pilot. He will

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find menomics of extremely limited use. Improvement comes by orderly steps.

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Methods that dazzle at first sight never give solid results.

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The student is urged to pay attention to what we

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have to say in other chapters of the book upon

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the subjects of attention and association. It is not necessary

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to state the particulars that we mention there. The cultivation

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of the attention is a prerequisite for good memory, and

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deficiency in this respect means deficiency not only in the

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field of memory, but also in the general field of

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mental work. In all branches of the New psychology, there

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is found a constant repetition of the injunction to cultivate

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the faculty of attention and concentration. Hallick says haziness of

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perception lies at the root of many a bad memory.

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If perception is definite, the first step has been taken

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toward ensuring a good memory. If the first impression is vivid,

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its effect upon the brain cells is more lasting. All

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persons ought to practice their visualizing power. This will react

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upon perception and make it more definite. Visualizing will also

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form a brain habit of remembering things pictorially and Hence,

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more exactly, the subject of association must also receive its

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proper share of attention, For it is by means of

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association that the stored away records of the memory may

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be recovered or recollected. As Blackie says, nothing helps the

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mind so much as order and classification. Classes are few

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individuals many. To know the class well is to know

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what is most essential in the character of the individual,

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and what burdens the memory least to retain. And, as

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Hallick says, regarding the subject of association, by relation, whenever

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we can discover any relation between facts, it is far

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easier to remember them. The intelligent law of memory may

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be summed up in these words. Endeavor to link, by

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some thought relation, each new mental acquisition to an old one,

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bind new facts to other facts by relations of similarity,

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cause and effect, whole and part, or by any logical relation.

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And we shall find that when an idea occurs to us,

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a host of related ideas will flow into the mind.

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If we wish to prepare a speech or write an

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article on any subject, pertinent illustrations will suggest themselves. The

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person whose memory is merely contiguous will wonder how we

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think of them. In your study for the cultivation of

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the memory along the lines laid down in this book.

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You have read the first chapter thereof and have informed

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yourself thoroughly regarding the importance of the memory to the

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individual and what a large part it plays in the

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entire work of the mind. Now carefully read the third

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chapter and acquaint yourself with the possibilities in the direction

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of cultivating the memory to a high degree, as evidenced

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by the instances related of the extreme cases of development

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noted therein. Then study the chapter on memory systems and

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realize that the only true method is the natural method,

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which requires work, patience, and practice. Then make up your

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mind that you will follow this plan as far as

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it will take you. Then acquaint yourself with the secret

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of memory, the subconscious region of the mind, in which

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the records of memory are kept stored away and indexed,

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and in which the little mental office boys are busily

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at work. This will give you the key to the method.

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Then take up the two chapters on attention and association respectively,

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and acquaint yourself with these important principles. Then study the

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chapter on the phases of memory, and take metal stock

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of yourself, determining in which phase of memory you are

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strongest and in which you need development. Then read the

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two chapters on training the eye and ear, respectively. You

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need this instruction. Then read over the several chapters on

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the training of the special phases of the memory. Whether

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you need them or not, you may find something of

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importance in them. Then read the concluding chapter, which gives

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you some general advice and parting instruction. Then return to

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the chapters dealing with the particular phases of memory in

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which you have decided to develop yourself, studying the details

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of the instruction carefully until you know every point of it. Then,

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most important of all, get to work. Is a matter

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of practice, practice, practice, and rehearsal. Go back to the

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chapters from time to time and refresh your mind regarding

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the details. Reread each chapter at intervals. Make the book

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your own in every sense of the word, by absorbing

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its contents.