to the brain to memory's detriment, and the object of all the nostrums described appears to be to prevent this. Here is what he pleases to term an "experiment":—"Take the Beed of Orminum, and reduce it to Powder, and every Morning take a small quantity in a Glass of Wine. And they say that the Shavings or Powder of Ivory produce the same Effect, namely, the corroborating of the Brain and Memory; as likewise a Grain of white Frankincense taken in a Draught of Liquor when we go to Bed, dries up the offensive Humours of the Brain. And it hath been observed, that the Application of Gold to that Sutura which divides the Seat of Memory from the other Closets of the Brain, strengthens the Weakness of the Head, drives away all Pain, and hath a wonderful Effect upon the Faculty of Memory." The most valuable part of the work is the fol. lowing rules for aiding the memory:—
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History of Mnemonics.
"1.—Mind the order in which those things were first entered into our memories; for the things that precede will oblige us to think upon those that followed, and the consequences of things will refresh in our fancies that which went before. It becomes us, therefore, to record them in order with a connexion and a mutual dependence, and this order will direct our memories, and help them to find out such things as were lost and defaced by forgetfulness.
"2.—For the better remembering of things, we ought to compare them with those things with which we are familiar, or best acquainted, and that have a resemblance with them, either in syllables, in quantity, in office, employment, &c. For this similitude will certainly imprint the thing or person so in our mind, that if we do casually forget, we shall the more easily recover the lost idea.
"3.—We may imprint in our minds, and fix things in memory by thinking upon their contraries or opposites. sites. He that remembers Hector cannot forget Achilles; he that thinks upon a Goliath will also mind a David.
"4.—If we desire to mind things of importance, we ought to imprint all the circumstances in our memories of time, place, persons, causes, &c. And such circumstances will scarce be effaced if they are recorded in our memories by the assistance of the eyes.
"5.—We may think upon things and remember them by their properties and qualifications. A gross and fat man may be remembered by thinking of King Dionysius."
