Publisher's Synopsis
The object of this little book is to make a bad memory good, and a good memory better, by teaching a system which will enable any one to use the natural memory to wonderful advantage, as well as to perform the extraordinary feats of memory' with which Mnemonists astonish the world. The system is based upon sound philosophical principles, and is so simple, that the youthful schoolboy can master it with the same ease as the accomplished scholar. It will be found of immense service to everybody, be it tlie business man, the farmer, the student or the lady. In short, it is useful to anybody in remembering anything. It has been tested in public and in private, and the author is satisfied, in common with his pupils, that it is superior in simplicity and completeness to other systems, possessing all their advantages with fewer defects. By its means, the weakest memory is enabled to accomplish what would be beyond the power of the strong- est memory, unassisted. Scholastic authorities recommend it as strengthening to the intellect generally; while it diminishes the probability of over-taxing the faculties, removes anxiety, and, by greatly saving time, gives opportunity for further studies, or for enjoyments. The first part of the book contains a select compilation from standard works on memory, showing how to improve this faculty in the ordinary manner, how to study, etc., besides giving an interesting account of the nature of memory, and of its relation to the other qualities of the mind. The object of education is two-fold - to store the mind, and to train it. Artificial Memory aids both. No one can question its power of storing the mind with facts, who has witnessed the feats of memory achieved by mere boys after a short instruction. No one, who has himself acquired the art, can doubt its power to train the mind, to educate it, in the best sense of the term. It substitutes thought and imagination for mere mechanical and hurtful repetition; it transforms a painful task into a positive pleasure. Some of the feats placed within the reach of everybody who uses this system are: To remember hundreds of words, facts and figures, after hearing or reading them over once, so as to retain, with astonishing accuracy, the details of a lecture, conversation, book, newspaper, etc. To commit to memory, with ease, long and difficult tasks, such as statistics, populations, heights of mountains, astronomical magnitudes, logarithms, etc. - history, geography - a boy may learn more geography in one hour by this means, than he would learn by months of ordinary study. To recollect, with certainty, whenever desired, any number of ideas, engagements, er- rands, etc., that may occur to the mind at any moment.
