Mysteries of Memory.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 22 May 1914, Page 8

Mysteries of Memory.

(By GARIiETT P SERVISS.)

An Rngiish. writer has just been recalling the remarkable history of the Rev. Thomas Threkheld, a Presbyterian minister, of Rochdale, who, it is averred, carried the entire Tiihle in his head, so that if the number of a chapter in any of the books war; given to him he could iramediately recite the entire chapter fro in memory. He was a living encyclopaedia of dates and facts of all kinds, and could speak ten languages. Similar instances of extraordinary memory frequently arise, and they possess a certain importance for the liftht they throw upon a'faculty of ::nruo;)se value, which most of us .entirely neglect to train and develop. ', The popular belief that a powerful memory is not an accompaniment of great intellectual ability does not appear to be well founded. Napoleon could go among -his guard and call by name any member of it who happened to attract his attention. Macaulay's memory was the basis of his enormous productivity as a writer. Many other men of firstrate ability have had extraordinary powers of memory. Still, it is true that the many instances of remarkable memory relate to persons who were either eccentric or defective in mentality. The famous dwarf, Tom Thumb, had a perfect memory of musical sounds, although he possessed no scientific knowledge of music, that upon hearing- a new piece he could sit down and play it at once. The "Learned Blacksmith," EHht Burrii.t, who continued to practise bis trade; nearly all his life, learned fifty languages. He learned Latin and Greek, and read the AEneid ami the Iliad, while he was still an apprentice at the forge. Antionio Magliabecchi, a poor Florentine, never forgot anything thai, he read. On one occasion he h;\;;tily read over a manuscript that s writer had lent him as a test, ::i)d immediately took away. Long afterv-ard, when the writer came to him io distress, saying that his inanu«rnt had been burned, Magli.*.b?cchi repeated every word of !f Tin- Duke Cosmo 111, made

mm his librarian, aoid learned men of all | kinds used to come to . him for facts and dates rather than take the time and trouble necessary to consult the books. He was never at a loss, whether the subject was history, theology, or literature. He was allowed to travel in order to carry away in his head the treasures of other libraries. Once the Grand Duke asked him where he could find a certain book.

"There is but one copy in the world," said Magliabecchi, "and that is in the Grand Signior's library in Constantinople. It is the seventh book, on the second shelf, on the right hand as you enter."

This calls attention to a peculiarity of memory which persons possess. ' They can recall places as if they saw them before their eyes. I have often been aided in searching for a particular passage by an instinctive recollection that it is on the right or the left hand page, and near the top, the middle or the bottom, even though I may not have seen the book for years.

Some psychologists divide memory into two classes—memory of form, or visual memory, and memory of sound, or audible memory. Many persons never forget what they hear, but quickly lose what they have seen. How often do we meet a face that we recall perfectly, without the slightest recollection of the name of person that it belongs to ? This is another proof of the educational value of pictures, whether "moving" or "still."

On account of the almost universal existence of visual memory, systems of memory training are frequently based upon the association of the things to be recalled with a series of visible or tangible objects. A speaker will sometimes utilise his fingers, his rings, his watch-chain, or objects in his pockets to assist him in recalling the dhfeions of his subject, or the statements that he intends to make. Sometimes he will as it were, plant the divisions of his discourse in the various corners of a room, or upon striking objects' that it contains, confident that a glance will find them when he wants them.

Memory is a faculty that must not, according to my experience, be too much burdened or worried. It likes to be trusted. Run lightly over the facts and statements that you wish to put into speech, and do not strain the mind over much in trying to memorise them by frequent repetition. Let them rest in the background, and give rein to the imagination. Then they will flock to you as if they were glad to come, and often they will bring associated things that you had not thought of in advance. Memory is a chain whose links may be broken by too much pulling, but when it is allowed to run lightly upon invisible wheels it often amaz.es its possessor by its riches.—"London Bud-

get."