them all—an astonishing aid in the study of geography and history!"
In the Monthly Magazine for September, 1807,[1] there is a letter under the signature of Common Sense, which, though somewhat illiberal in its remarks, displays considerable knowledge of the principles of the 'local and symbolical Memory.'
"Any person (says this writer) who wishes to try an experiment on the power of association, need only make use of the succession of rooms, closets, stair-cases, landing-places, and other remarkable spots or divisions, of his own house, with all the parts of which he may be supposed to be very familiar. Let him apply any word or any idea to the several parts of the house, in any determined order of their succession, and he will find it almost impossible, in recalling the same order of the parts of the house, not to associate the idea or word which he had previously annexed to each part. Thus, for example, a person may learn the succession of the Kings of England in ten minutes, by annexing the names of each succeeding monarch to the successive rooms, closets, and principal parts of his own house, beginning at the upper story, and regularly de-
- ↑ Vol. xxiv. p. 105.
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