GOOD MEMORIES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 13, 23 December 1911, Page 11

GOOD MEMORIES.

— « Pliny says that Cyrna the Great knew* the names of every ono of his soldiers,. and Cicero, iu his "Bo Sonoctuto," asserts that Themistoclos could coll twenty thon-| sand Athenian citizens by name. Sir AVilliam Hamilton, in liis "Lecturos oa Metaphysics and Logic," mentions a Corwho. could repeat a list of thirty, six thousand names. Tho historian \iobulir restored from memory part of a book of accounts that bad been destroyed. Ben Johnson claimod ability to recall every word he had ever written, and "wliolo Ixioks" besides that he had read. It is well known that for sovcral celi-turie-s tho Homeric poems were transmit-, ted from generation to generation solely by recitation. They were not reduced in writing until fivo or six centuries after tho supposed date of tho poot. Mozart memorised the music of tho Sliscrero after bearing it twice only; and it is among musicians to-day that memory is most used as an every day accomplishment.. Ilundrods of pianists and others can play for hours, or oven days, from momory. Many orchestra conductors can dispense with tho ecercs.