"Paris, 2d March, 1807.
"During my residence in this metropolis, I heard a great deal of a new method of mnemonique, or of a method to assist and fix our memory, invented by Gregor de Feinaigle. Notwithstanding the simplicity with which he announced his lectures in the papers, I could not determine myself to become a pupil of his, as I thought to find a quack or mountebank, and to be laughed at by my friends for having thrown away my cash in such a foolish manner. Perhaps I should hesitate to this moment about the utility of this new invented method to assist our natural memory, had I not had the pleasure of dining at his excellency's the Count of Metternich, the Austrian ambassador, who followed, with all his secretaries, the whole course of lectures: they all spoke very advantageously of it, likewise several other persons of the first rank I met there: in consequence of this I was inserted into the list of pupils, and I follow, at this moment, the lectures. All I can tell you about this method is: it is a very simple one, and easy to be learned, adapted to all ages and sexes: all difficulties in such sciences as require an extraordinary good memory, for instance, the names and epochs in history are at once overcome and obviated. There is not one branch of science to which this method cannot be applied. It is easy
