Memory Systems New and Old/Chapter 3

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Memory Systems New and Old (1888)
by A. E. Middleton

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4730691Memory Systems New and Old1888A. E. Middleton

CHAPTER III.

MODERN MNEMONICAL SYSTEMS.
Dr. Grey.

ABOUT a hundred years ago the only work on memory A supposed to possess any great merit was the curious little work written by Dr. Grey, entitled, "Memorin Technica." The fact that it was published by a scholar occupying a high position, and that he applied his system to matters most difficult to recollect, caused it to have a large sale, and for many years it was the only work of the kind in existence. Previous works had dealt in generalities. Grey was most profuse in details, and with Latin scholars his book was for a time very popular. When the Rev. Richard Grey published his book in 1730, he was rector of Hinton, a village in Northamptonshire. He was afterwards a Prebend of St. Paul's, London, and died in 1771. The third edition was published in 1737.

Dr. Grey attempted, in his system, to grapple with the difficulty in learning history caused by the arbitrary character of numbers. Numbers convey no idea to the mind. The one good quality they possess, consecutiveness, often tends to confusion. We may desire to recollect numbers in connection with a certain fact, but owing to each number being inseparably associated with that preceding and following it, we generally have a difficulty in recollecting the one apart from the other. Dr. Grey changed numerals into letters, vowels, and diphthongs, but fell into the error of replacing arbitrary characters by others almost as arbitrary. His key was as follows:—

a	e	i	o	u	au	oi	ei	ou	y
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0
b	d	t	f	l	s	p	k	n	z

a and b stand for 1, c and d for 2, and so on, either of the two letters being used. This arrangement, he says, will enable one at pleasure to form a technical word to represent any number, or to change a word already formed into one expressing a number. To obviate the repetition of cyphers g was made to represent hundreds, th thousands, and m millions. This arrangement, the Doctor is very careful to impress on his reader, is to be perfectly learnt. The reader is then "to exercise himself in the formation and resolution of words in this manner:—10, az; 325, tel; 381, teib; 1921, aneb; 1012, bybe; 7967, pousoi;" &c. To this intricate system Grey added the abbreviation of words, apparently making confusion worse confounded. "Dorbterboid-aze-poul" represented the diameter of the orbit of the earth (D-iameter ORBitæ TERræ), 172,102,795 miles! "Crothf Deletok Abaneb Exafna Tembybe Cyruts," similarly expressed "The Creation, 4004 в.с.; Deluge, 2348; Call of of Abraham, 1921; Exodus of the Israelites, 1491; Foundation of Solomon's Temple, 1012; Cyrus, or end of the Captivity, 536." In a similar manner the system was used to learn historical dates, astronomical distances, the value of coins, and ancient weights and measures. Geography was taught by simple abbreviation. We are told that "SCOTLAND is divided into Two general Parts: North Scotland, or Highland, beyond the River Tay, containing 13 Counties, among which are Strathnavern, Caithness, Sutherland, Ross, Lochabar, Munray, Braidalbin, P-erth. South Scotland, on this Side the Tay, containing 22 Counties; some of which are Argyle, Fife, LOthien, Marche, Galloway." To learn this one had only to commit to memory the "memorial line ":—SCOT=Strath-Caith, S-uthRos, Loch-Mur, Brai-P; Arg-Fi, Lo-March, Gal!"

The above is sufficient to show the complicated nature of this system. The principle upon which it was based was in itself good; but in riding his hobby Grey lost control over it, and his steed consequently bolted with him. Grey, however, was not alone in this respect. Others not only became infatuated with his system, but were at considerable pains to elaborate it, by applying it to matters not treated upon by Grey. Later editions contain an appendix, originally issued as a tract in 1737, by Solomon Lowe, a Hammersmith schoolmaster, under the title of "Lowe's Mnemonics," which gives further applications of the system to various numerical tables. The last edition was published in 1880, from stereotyped plates. In 1876 an adaptation from Grey, under the title of "Grey's Historical Lines, arranged for general use" had reached its ninth edition.

Grey's system forms the basis of one of "Weale's Rudimentary Series" (No. 105) now published by Crosby Lockwood & Co., London. The work is entitled "Geometry, Algebra, and Trigonometry in easy Mnemonical Lessons," the author being the Rev. T. P. Kirkman. The contents take the form of a series of conversations. Each lesson is compressed into from one to six memorial lines, rhythm and rhyme being used whenever possible. Mr. Kirkman condemns the system of Feinaigle as cumbrous, and extols that of Grey. He terms the latter an ingenious device, and adds,, "with this device he combines most skilfully cadence and contraction." These qualities, however, do not seem very apparent in the examples given. To recollect 3.141592653589793 the pupil has merely to retain in his memory the word "tafaloudsutuknoint!'

Lately, Grey's system has fallen into disrepute, other and better systems taking its place. As a curiosity the "Memoria Technica" is worth perusal. A copy of the third edition can generally be bought of a second-hand bookseller for about eighteenpence.

Feinaigle.

In 1807, Gregor von Feingigle, a native of Baden, visited Paris, and delivered lectures on his "New system of mnemonics and methodics." These lectures were very successful, and were followed by the public performance of remarkable mnemonic feats by his pupils. Feinaigle visited England in 1811, and lectured at the Royal Institution, London, and in the provinces. Feinaigle's course of instruction consisted of fifteen or sixteen lectures, for which he charged a fee of five guineas. His system differed in some respects from the methods that preceded it, and in its application embraced a wide range of subjects. So far as can be ascertained Feinaigle never published his system in any form; but in 1811 one of his pupils published particulars of it in German, and in 1812 another pupil published anonymously complete details of the system in a work entitled "The New Art of Memory, Founded upon the principles taught by M. Gregor Von Feinnigle," to which was added an account of previous mnemonical systems. This work is probably the most complete ever issued in the English language upon this subject. In 1810 a very exhaustive work on mnemonics had been issued in Germany by the Baron Aretin, and Feinaigle's pupil evidently aimed at publishing a work in English equal to it. The compiler was certainly an enthusiast, for he spared neither pains nor expense to make his book complete. The volume extends to nearly 500 pages, and is embellished with a portrait on steel of Feinaigle, and five other large plates in elucidation of the text. Two hundred pages are devoted to Feinaigle's system, the remainder being occupied with details of other systems. Feinaigle's compiler gives long extracts from the older works on memory, in some instances reprinting them in their entirety. In this respect the volume, like that of Aretin, has been a most valuable one to all later writers on mnemonics, and in compiling the present work the author has not hesitated to dip a little into its pages.

Grey in his "Memoria Technica" simply substituted letters for numerals, in a perfectly arbitrary manner, and as he used both vowels and consonants for this purpose the result was unintelligible, and could only be retained in the mind by constant repetition Feinaigle likewise substituted letters for numerals, but he adopted the more intelligent system, originated by Winckelmann [vide page 17] merely re-arranging the order of the consonants.

Feinaigle's key was as follows:—

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0
t	n	m	r	l	d	k g q & hard c	b w v h	p f	s x z & soft c

To assist in readily learning this key, we are told that the letter t was selected to represent 1, on account of its being formed by one stroke; n for 2, being formed of two strokes; m for 3, being formed of three strokes; r for 4, being found in the word denoting four in most European languages, as the English four, the French quatre, and the German vier; l for 5, from the Roman numeral for fifty, or five tens; d for 6, the written d resembling a 6 reversed; k for 7, resembling two sevens joined together at top—g, q, and hard c also used as belonging to the guttural class of k; b for 8, from a certain amount of resemblance, w for the same reason, and v as the half of w; p for 9, from similarity, and also f, from being united with p in the word puff, which proceeds from a pipe shaped like figure 9; and s, x, or z denoted 0, because it resembles in its roundness a grindstone, which gives out a hissing noise like these letters. Some of the reasons given are not very logical, but they were no doubt useful in helping the student to fix the representative letters in the memory. All the letters of the alphabet not employed in representing figures were to be used in combination with the key-consonants to form intelligible words. The consonants being exclusively employed as number-symbols, all the vowels were at the service of the student to form words—a method that allows syllables and words signifying certain numbers to be formed without much difficulty. The number 12 can be readily expressed by the words tin, ton, tiny, eaten, oaten; 20 by nose, onyx, noose; 47 by rook, ark, rake; 547 by lark, lyric; and 1605 by tidy-seal. This system has been condemned, probably unjustly, as the most complicated of any. It has defects, of which more anon; but its chief merit was its tendency to stimulate the inventive faculties of the studeut in forming appropriate words to represent the numbers desired.

With this system Feinaigle combined the plan of dividing a room into fifty consecutive places, and indelibly associating a mental image or hieroglyphic with each compartment. In forming this chain, he appears to have lost sight of the possibility of using words which would immediately suggest the numbers represented. His chain of symbols is formed chiefly of striking objects, their consecutiveness being ensured by the position they were supposed to occupy in each room. Thus, the first compartment was supposed to contain an image of the Tower of Babel. To fix the date of the Norman Conquest, he formed a mental picture of a willow tree with a piece of dead laurel hanging on it, and associated it with the first space. The willow suggested William Villiam; laurel, the conqueror; being in the first space made it William L.; and the consonants in the word "dead" gave the number 66, which, with the thousand understood to be dropped, made 1066, the date of the Conquest. The main defects in the system were the difficulties caused by two or more consonants of the same character being employed to represent two numerals, and two or more others of opposite natures being used to denote one; while the combined ch, th, sh, and other double consonants, which are so largely used in the formation of English words, formed almost no part of the system. Thus, the explodent consonants t, d, and p, b, and the continuant consonants f, v, were each used to denote different numerals; and b, v, consonants of an opposite character, were employed to represent the same numeral, viz., 8, and similarly p, f, represented 9.

The system was applied to teaching chronology, geography, history, and language, rules being given for the committing to memory of prose and poetry, and arithmetic. Appended to the work is a section devoted to instances of remarkable memories, in which a good deal of interesting matter is given respecting Jedediah Buxton, Zerah Colburn, and other prodigies. This work is in the British Museum and a copy can occasionally be bought for about 5s.

Coglan.

What was designed to be an improvement on Feinaigle's system was published by Thomas Coglan, in 1813. Coglan was well known as a lecturer on memory, but his system was never very extensively used. His improvement consisted of a key, which allowed a greater selection of words to represent numerals, and the formation of a series of words, expressing 1 to 100. For the latter, Coglan chose the names of gods, goddesses, animals, and human beings. The list is a curiosity in its way, but of little use except to a classical scholar. The key was as follows:

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0
t	n	m	r	l	d	c	b	p	s
q	h	g	z	j	v	k	w	f	x

To suggest the couples representing each numeral they were converted into the words—Quit, Noah, magi, raze, jail, dove, cook, bow, puff, and sex. The pupil had to be guided by the spelling, not by the sound. The system was applied on the locality plan to various branches of knowledge, including multiplication. The following objects pictured on the wall would give "Seven times"—Equery, Hat, Howe, Mule, Iron, Rope, Lady, Dog, Keys, Cake, Bear—representing 14, 21, 28, 35, &c. Coglan's book, Vol. I., was published at 9s., and is now scarce. The whole system was intended to be comprised in three volumes, but only the first one was published.

G. Jackson.

In 1817, Mr. G. Jackson published in London, "A New and Improved System of Mnemonics, or Two Hours Study in the Art of Memory," 4s. He used as a key ninety-nine symbols located in a Gothic window. The alphabet was as follows:—

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
B	D	G	J	L	M	P	R	T
C	F	H	K		N	Q	S	V
						Z

An excellent mental almanac appeared in 1873, the author being Mr. William Relton, of Liverpool. In this Mr. Relton epitomizes the methods of the Venerable Bede and Professor de Morgan. Aimé Paris's key is used for retaining the figures, and brevity is the key-note throughout. The chief merit of this sixpenny pamphlet is that it is absolutely reliable. It can be obtained from the author, at 25 Mount Street, Liverpool.

Another excellent work on memory was published in 1873, viz., "Memory Helps in British History," by James Macaulay. The key is similar to that given in Chapter V. of this book. Macaulay's book deserves to be better known, the associations being particularly happy, making the acquisition of historical dates a pleasant task. It was published by Porteous, Glasgow, but appears to be now out of print.

In 1875, W. H. Courtley, a clever mnemonist, lectured on mnemonics and taught a system privately, the fee being 21s. Courtley was a pupil of Mr. F. Appleby, and the alphabet is the same. The French genders were ingeniously associated with the Queen's head on a penny piece in a somewhat similar manner to that adopted by Fairchild.

In 1877, William Begg, of Cincinnati, published a ponderous volume entitled "A Centennial Book: Mnemonics or a System of Aids to Memory." The plan adopted much resembles Grey, and the book is little known in England.

"How to Remember" was the subject of a half-a-crown pamphlet in 1877, by J. H. Younghusband, who had previously published a "Chronology of English History," and a "Perpetual Mental Almanack," both of which appear to be included in this pamphlet. The key used is that of Aimé Paris, and the associations and arrangement throughout are exceptionally good.

"Statutes by Heart," by F. W. Head, was published in 1877, and aimed at memorizing the particulars and numbers of various statutes. The key differs but slightly from that used by Beniowski and others, but is only used initially—a sentence suggesting the statute, and the initials giving the number. The sentence, "Mutilating Ledger Intending Robbery," in this way suggests the "Falsification of Accounts Bill," and the initials "m, l, n, r," give the numbers, 38, 24. Many of the sentences are suggestive enough, but others would, without a good deal of study, apply to anything.

Under the title of "The Whole Art of Memory," Thos. Laurie, in 1880, published a cheap pamphlet, but beyond a re-arrangement of Beniowski's key, and a consequent change in the list of consecutive words, it differed but little from other systems.

Another pamphlet, "How to Improve the Memory," by Charles Hartley, appeared in 1880. In it various systems are epitomized, a rather full account is given of Grey's method, and various hints for assisting the memory added.

The latest addition to mnemonic literature appeared in 1886, when Gustavus Cohen, known best as an evangelist and phrenologist, published "Memory: How to Secure and Retain it." A large portion of the pamphlet is made up of extracts from Levison and Fowler, and considerable space is therefore devoted to Phrenology and the cultivation of the perceptive faculties.

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