Assimilative Memory Part 3

Dying.

Cholera.

Terror.

Now recite them from memory at least five times forward and backward, and then recite the entire thirty words from Building to Terror, and from Terror to Building, the same number of times.

For further training, let each pupil recite the foregoing series of thirty words forward and backward two or three times per day for an entire month. He need not stop further study, but whatever else he learns let him at least practise this daily recital for one month.

REMARKS ON THE THREE LAWS.

1. Since words have different meanings, we may sometimes find that a pair of words exemplify all three Laws, as plough and sword. The relation between them may be In., since both of them are _cutting_ instruments; one cuts and hacks human beings and the other cuts and turns over the soil. It may be Ex., in a metaphorical sense, as one is the emblem of peace and the other of war, and it may be Con., as we have _often thought of them together_ as we read in the Bible of beating swords into ploughshares.

2. Learning a series of words by heart by thinking of the _Relations_ between them is wholly unlike learning it by _rote_. In the latter case, three or five words at a time or all ten words are read over from 10 to 20 times. This reading secures scarcely anything more than a _succession of sights to the eye_ or _sounds to the ear_. No _study_ of the words is required. The _action_ of the _intellect_ is not invoked. It is the _mere sensuous_ impression of Eye or Ear or both together that holds the words together, and thus _many or endless_ repet.i.tions are required to memorise a series which a _conscious thoughtful use of those Laws_ enables us to learn by _one painstaking_ perusal.

Another way of learning such a series by _rote_, is to limit the _extent_ of the repet.i.tions. Instead of reading over the entire series or a large part of it many times, the series is slowly read over once or several times _by pairs_, only two words at a time, but the method of _acquirement_ is precisely the same as in the former rote process. Let us look at this last proceeding in detail. (1) It is usually applied only where there is a _natural suggestiveness_ between each pair of words. (2) But no previous study is prescribed in regard to what _const.i.tutes_ this suggestiveness, nor are the _varieties_ of it set forth and required to be mastered. (3) But above all, no _study_ of the _pairs of words themselves_ is insisted upon. On the contrary, all such study is emphatically deprecated. The mind is not allowed to be _directed_ to anything in _particular_ in reading over the pairs. It must be _left_ without a _rudder_ or guide to float wherever it listeth.

It is not to be "interfered with" by our will. What is this but intellectual dawdling? A method of Vacuity pure and simple--the exact opposite of Mental a.s.similation. (4) If in reading over many times an entire series, only the ear and eye are mainly affected and the _intellect is left to wander_, much more must it wander here. In running over many words, the intellect might be arrested by chance. But here the series consisting of two words only and all attempt to occupy or engage the intellect being purposely avoided, and nothing being done to enchain the attention to the consideration of the meaning or sounds of the two words, or the _relation_ between them, the intellect wanders away from want of occupation. If when we wish to retain in our memories a paragraph of fine sentiment or lucid reasoning, we find our attention wanders, so it must wander here where only a pair of words is before it, and we are not only not furnished with any tests or guides or stimulus or motive for examining the words or for _finding the relation_ between them, but on the contrary we are forbidden to interfere with the spontaneous action of the mind. The _intellect might be abolished_ so far as its _partic.i.p.ation_ in such an operation is concerned. What is absorbed in such a case is absorbed intuitively and blindly. Hence we see that what is accomplished by these two processes of _rote_ learning is weak impressions upon the memory and a distinct cultivation of mind wandering.

This method of _rote_ learning by pairs was invented and first taught by Thomas Hallworth in New York in 1822. His method was adopted without acknowledgment by Carl Otto in Germany and Austria, and his followers in England and America.[A]

[A] These followers make a great boast of learning a series of suggestive words in pairs and without interfering with the mind's action in doing so, when they are clearly indebted to Thomas Hallworth for this inadequate method, yet they never have the grace to acknowledge their indebtedness.

3. The opposite of these two methods of _rote_ learning is my method, which injects an _active process_ between each pair of words. Each pair of words is appraised and dovetailed by the Laws of Memory. And hence the reader can notice the _fundamental difference_ between all other methods and mine. My method is to keep the mind in an _a.s.similating, absorbing condition when trying to learn_ by making the Intellect stay with the Senses. In the process of _endless repet.i.tion_ or learning by _rote_ as evinced in the two methods above given, the mind is in a _pa.s.sive_ state. But when learning the above series by _my_ method, it was kept in an _active_ state. The _intellect_ was directed by the will into certain channels and kept there. It was _searching_ for what was _in common_ or _different_ between the pairs of words. It was _noting_ points of likeness and cla.s.sifying them. _This is thinking._ And the most vivid _First Impressions_ always result from the action of the _intellect_ upon the sensuous _stimuli_ from ear and eye. _Intellectual a.s.similation_ is a proper name for my methods.

4. The Three Laws are Forms or Modes of Mental a.s.similation. But when used _consciously_ for any length of time, they operate much more efficaciously than formerly--and they greatly increase the Impressionability and Revivability--as any student can affirm who faithfully carries out my instructions, and then his General Memory becomes largely improved without a conscious use of my method.

A TRAINING EXERCISE IN ATTENTION.

Whoever wishes to increase his permanent Memory power and his power of Attention must not omit to learn and practise the following exercise _precisely as I prescribe_. He will experience great satisfaction in carrying out my directions to the letter, because his conformity in this and in other respects will bring the reward of a NEW MEMORY power almost immediately. And if he were to disregard my directions, he will have no one to blame but himself.

He must write down the first two words, "Ice" and "Slippery," the latter word under the former. Let him ascertain the exact relation between these words. He will find that "Ice" is a concrete word, and "Slippery"

indicates a quality of "Ice" and of other things. He places opposite the abbreviation In., by A. and C. In a similar way he proceeds to write down one word at a time, and at once ascertaining its relation to the previous word, and indicating that relation by the appropriate abbreviation. When he has a.n.a.lysed ten words in this painstaking manner he must recall them backward and forward from memory at least five times, and each time faster than the other.

Let him deal with the next ten in a similar manner in all respects, and then let him repeat the twenty words both ways at least five times, and so on till he has a.n.a.lysed, learned and recited the entire one hundred words; and, finally, let him recite the one hundred words both ways at least once a day for thirty days, in connection with the Building Series and the Presidential Series and Series of English Sovereigns hereafter given.

As the result of this a.n.a.lysis and recitals, the pupil will make these Laws of In., Ex., and Con. _operate hereafter in an unconscious manner_, with a power a hundred-fold greater than before practising this method.

Ice. Hounds. Hose. Chicken.

Slippery. Bark. Rose. Feathers.

Smooth. Tree. Bush. Down.

Rough. Woods. Guerilla. Up.

Ruffian. Prairie. Rill. Upstart.

Prison. Air. Water-power. Begin.

Crime. Wind. Manufacture. Bee.

Crimea. Hurricane. Man. Honey.

War. Reign. Manager. Hives.

Army. Governor. Conductor. Wives.

Navy. Steam-engine. Cars. Mormon.

Ship. Newspaper. Track. Brigham Young.

Sail. Ream. Trotting. Old.

Auction. Quire. Fair. Cold.

Bid. Inquire. Foul. Winter.

Compet.i.tion. Inquest. Chanticleer. Summer.

Pet.i.tion. Jury. Chandelier. Ft. Sumter.

Signatures. Decide. Gas. Stone.

Cygnet. Cider. Coal. Mason.

Net. Apple. Mine. Maize.

Ensnare. Orchard. Shaft. Fodder.

Capture. Charred. Arrow. Cattle.

Cap. Burned. Quiver. Catalogue.

Gun. Stove. Indian. Log.

Hunter. Fire. Black-Hawk. Saw-mill.

I occasionally find that a bright, highly-gifted person makes a poor learner of my system, because he acts on hasty inferences of his own instead of attending to my long-tried and never-failing methods. To ill.u.s.trate: Instead of _a.n.a.lysing the above series in pairs_, and _discovering_ and _noting_ the _relation_ between each pair as I require, _he reads over the entire series_. His previous study of the Memory Laws has, however, so impressed his mind with their influence that he is able to retain this series after only two or three perusals.

Or, instead of reading over the entire series, he may even _slowly read the series in pairs, but without a.n.a.lysis, without trying to ascertain and realise the exact relation between the words_. This is the method of Vacuity or Dawdling formerly mentioned. But his study of the three Laws in learning the Building Series has so sharpened and quickened his appreciation of In., Ex., and Con., that he _learned the one hundred words in this wrong_ way _very readily_.

_But why should he not follow my directions?_ Why not pursue my plan and thereby acquire the _full power_ of my system instead of the small portion of that power gained by disregarding my direction? On the other hand, pupils of only average natural ability are very apt to follow my directions to the letter and thereby acquire an amount of Memory Improvement which the above gifted, but non-complying pupil, seems unable to understand.

If a person is afflicted with a _very_ bad memory in any or all respects, and particularly if this memory weakness is traceable to _mind-wandering_, or if it co-exist with the latter infirmity, such a person may find it best to make a series of from _one hundred to five hundred words_ on the model of the foregoing series, and learn the same and _recite it daily both ways_ for a month or more in addition to the prescribed exercises, and if any trace of mind-wandering remain after that, let him make and memorise another series of the same extent and practise it for the same period. The _worst cases of mind-wandering_ and _of weak memories_ always yield to this training treatment.

In like manner, but in much inferior degree, _the recital of what has just been heard_, such as anecdotes, narratives, contents of plays, lectures, &c., not only tends to fix the recited matter in the memory, but also to strengthen the memory generally, _provided the recital takes place_ shortly after the listening, as that is like a continuation of the original experience.

TRAINING THE INTELLECT TO STAY WITH THE SENSES.

_Attention is the Will directing the Intellect into some particular channel and keeping it there._ There are virtually two processes involved in Attention. The Intellect is directed into a particular channel, but to keep it there, all intruders must be excluded. To ill.u.s.trate. A student attempts to learn a proposition in Geometry. To do this he must keep his mind on the printed explanations, and if his thoughts attempt to fly away, he must repress that attempt. To guide his mind into the channel of the printed exposition, he calls into play the Directory power of the attention. To prevent intruders or extruders from withdrawing his mind from the text, he exercises the Inhibitory function of the Attention.

To fully understand what takes place when trying to study, let the pupil recall that there are three sources of knowledge.

First: The Senses carry into his mind reports from the outside world--Sensation--sight of the letters, words and sentences, &c. Second: The Intellect operates on these undigested elementary Sense-reports, or Sensations, and find _relations_ among them. This is Perception, or relations among Sensations. Third: The mind acts on the _perceived relations_ and finds relations among them. This is Reason or relations among relations.

Now the geometrical student in reading the printed instructions to himself or in reading them aloud, might simply occupy his _eye_, or _eye and ear_ with them and his Reason might soar away to other subjects, climes or ages.

Remember that the Intellect is always active and busy, and the question for us to answer in our own case is--shall it co-operate with the senses or the matter before us, or shall it wander away?

What the geometrical student requires and what we all require in such cases is to _compel the Intellect to stay with the Senses, and follow the printed train of thought_.

Interest in the subject helps to secure this co-operation. And the _Process or Method of study_, if it be an a.s.similating one, also compels this co-operation. And one of the processes which is most of all effective in TRAINING the Intellect to obey the Will and thereby to stay with the Senses (where it is not a case of pure reflection), and thereby to inst.i.tute and develop the Habit of the activity of the Intellect co-operating with the action of the mere senses, is practice in the use of the Laws of In., Ex., and Con. To ill.u.s.trate: In reciting the last training example of one hundred words, the Directory power is exercised and then the Inhibitory power is brought into play, and so on _alternately_. Suppose the reciter has got to "Signatures." If he does not inhibit or exclude from his mind the word "Pet.i.tion" he can make no advance. If he dwells upon "Pet.i.tion" he will never reach "Cygnet." But if he inhibits "Pet.i.tion" his Directory power sends him on to "Cygnet,"

and then inhibiting "Signatures" he proceeds from "Cygnet" to "Net,"

&c., &c. In this most simple, elementary way he exercises and trains the Directory and Inhibitory functions to co-operate in recalling the entire Series, and notice how many distinct and separate times he has exerted the Directory function and how many times the Inhibitory function in reciting a short series. And if _he has learned_ this and other Series _as I direct_ and then _recites them forward and backward as long as I require_, he is sure to greatly strengthen his Attention and thereby habituate the intellect to stay with the senses and thereby help to banish mind-wandering. And when the Intellect is thus trained into the Habit of staying with the sense of sight or hearing in reading or listening, the geometrical or other student can keep his mind on the subject before him until it is mastered.

IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS OF a.n.a.lYSIS.

It sometimes happens that we wish to quickly learn five or twenty Proper Names, the whole or part of which are _entirely new_ to us, as a list of members of a committee, a series of facts in science, &c. We can usually do this by a.n.a.lysis.

Recollective a.n.a.lysis, or a.n.a.lysis for the purpose of helping to learn by heart, is not an originating or _manufacturing_ process. It simply _finds_ relation _already existing_ between the words or the ideas which the words suggest or evoke. But where there is _no existing relation_ between the words or ideas, it is a case for Synthesis, to be taught hereafter.

The highest a.n.a.lysis relates to _objects_, or rather to the _ideas_ we have of them, and the lowest to _mere words_, to mere articulated sounds, or their written or printed representatives. The great body of examples and ill.u.s.trations in my lessons pertain to ideas; but in the list of twenty-four Presidents I deal with the proper Names as words only, as words or articulated sounds--words which are nearly devoid of meaning except as marks or sounds for naming persons, or as words containing syllables which may have a general meaning in other applications. I need scarcely add that the Laws of In., Ex., and Con.