The New Art of Memory/Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
History.
The pupil having acquired some knowledge of the details of geography, including statistical tables, and also of the mode of fixing in his memory the chronological succession of sovereigns, will proceed to the study of history with peculiar advantages.
The following arrangement of some dates will introduce us to the application of the mnemonical principles to history.
| Room | Stripe | Place |
| 17 | 8 | 6 |
| 15 | 2 | 4 |
| 14 | 6 | 0 |
| 12 | 0 | 7 |
| 9 | 7 | 4 |
| 8 | 9 |
There are here units of years, tens of years, or decennials; and hundreds or centuries. As the division into rooms already noticed, will be here resorted to, we cut off the first series of units, and call them places; the next which are rejected are named stripes; and the remaining figures, rooms. For example, 1786, would be seventeenth room, eighth stripe, and sixth place; 1524, fifteenth room, second stripe, and fourth place, and so of the rest. 87 is in O room, or the room of units and tens,[1] eighth stripe, and seventh place. When we view a choice collection of pictures, some impressions of the excellence of a particular picture, and of its situation in the room or gallery, are generally fixed in the mind. The remembrance of one picture will suggest the situation of another, and in this manner it will not be difficult to fix the places of the more conspicuous paintings: and if there are many rooms, the particular room may be distinguished. Instead of a room being filled with pictures, it is easy to imagine that it is occupied by the events of a whole century: in this room are all the years, reduced to localities.
A room is now taken with three walls, (see Plate I. fig. 7.) each of which is divided into three stripes; and each stripe into nine compartments or squares, as we have, in some instances, done on our walls.
Each of these stripes is now a ten; and before the first ten, there is O stripe, which is placed on the floor: on this are put 1, 2, 3, etc. to 9. The number 100 must be placed on the cieling of the second room, which should be divided in the same way. This number will also serve as an inscription to designate the room.
As it will be needful to appropriate a room to each century, there will be occasion for a series of rooms. This series will be thus arranged.
| 0 | ||
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 7 | 8 | 9 |
Here are the hundreds; and those before 100 are placed in the preceding or O room. There is now a necessity for a tenth room. To obviate this inconvenience it will be easy to suppose that the house is a double house. Thus we shall be furnished with rooms for 2000 years.
But whence, it will be asked, are so many rooms to be procured? Every one is familiar with the apartments in his own house. All these rooms must be employed, and named, first, seventh, fourth, etc. and it will be better to choose rooms which are supplied with pictures, furniture, or some other remarkable objects, upon which numbers may be fixed. Each room will be distinguished by one of the symbols. The first room will have the tower of Babel painted upon it; and to fix this more strongly upon the memory, it may be observed that the proprietor of the room is a great linguist, and the idea of the confusion of languages cannot fail to suggest to us the Tower of Babel, the distinguishing symbol of this room.
The second room will be designated by the Swan; the occupant of this room maybe much attached to the study of ornithology; he may be fond of birds, and possess an extensive aviary.
The third room will have Parnassus or the Mountain; this room may be the habitation of a poet, or of one who has a taste for poetry. If there be not a sufficient number of rooms in our own house, some of those belonging to our friends may be engaged, whether they be at London, Edinburgh, or Vienna. Having placed them ideally in order, we are now ready to fix whatever is required to be remembered.
For example, in the history of England it will be found that William the Conqueror began to reign in 1066. This date must be placed in the tenth room, sixth stripe, and sixth place. The tenth room will belong to Goliath, and we shall have associated this idea with the room, by comparing the possessor to Goliath in size and shape, or in character for courage, bravery, or any other similar quality. The second king is William Rufus, who ascended the throne in the year 1087; he will, of course, be placed in the same room, on the eighth stripe, and seventh place, and the whole of the stripes and places between this and the former, may be devoted to William the Conqueror.
Charlemagne, who was crowned Emperor in the year 800, is, naturally, placed on the cieling of the eighth room,—the room belonging to Midas. With Charlemagne may be arranged Egbert, or any king of another country whose reign was coeval with that of Charlemagne.
When the present historical arrangement has become familiar, it will be proper to take a sheet of paper for every century, forming a room and making the proper divisions of three walls and a floor, as above described. A particular fact maybe then put upon paper, by sketching a rude outline of the circumstances, by figures of animate or inanimate beings; this, though it may appear to some unnecessary, will imprint the different facts upon the memory more forcibly than the usual mode of committing them to writing. This will be sufficiently exemplified by the following hieroglyphic:
It is thus explained. A convention was entered into in Egypt, between General Kleber, on the part of the French, and the Grand Vizier, on the part of the Sublime Porte, which was approved by the Cabinet of London. The straight line with the crescent on its top denotes the Grand Vizier, by its superior height to the perpendicular line which is to represent General Kleber; the line drawn through the centre of this line forming 2 acute angles, is intended for the General's sword. To denote the convention two lines are drawn, which meet together in the centre, and represent the shaking of hands, or a meeting. The convention was formed in Egypt, which is signified by a pyramid. The Cabinet of London is typified by the outline of a cabinet on the right of the diagram; the head of a ship placed in the square denotes London, as it is frequented more than any other port by ships.
It is not to be supposed that each division will become more difficult in proportion as it is filled with events. The reverse indeed will be the case. It is a much greater labor to retain a few facts scattered throughout the different squares, than it is to remember a multiplicity of them, each being arranged in order. If we take a few insulated facts, there can be but little connexion between them; but when there is a multiplicity of events disposed in order, by associating them together, the one assists the remembrance of the other, and a strong connecting chain is formed, the links of which can scarcely be broken. The facility of committing these facts to memory is increased by their number. In selecting the facts we should be careful to take the simple facts; and not to mistake their connecting circumstances, or consequences, for the facts themselves.
It may be asked, perhaps, is there not occasion for a different room for every country? Certainly not. The history of one country must never be separated from the history of another country. We can scarcely speak of an event of very great political importance which has happened in England, without involving the history of most of the European States, of the East Indies, etc. etc. The political interests of one country are almost always united with those of another country. Sometimes, the events of one nation are of high importance; sometimes those of another nation. The gradual progress of a nation to power, and the gradual decline and extinction of that power must be familiar to every one who is, in the slightest degree, асquainted with history. The wheel of power, like the fabled wheel of fortune, is continually revolving; and, as one nation, in one century, takes the lead in importance and influence; the next views it sunk into insignificance, and consequently very unproductive of peculiar or striking events.
Some, however, may object, that we shall not be able to distinguish any particular event, so as to assign this event to its proper country. There can be, however, no fear of this. Some particular circumstances connected with, and inseparable from, the fact itself, cannot fail to distinguish the country in which this event happened, whether in England, France, Spain, Germany, or any other part of the world.
Hitherto that period of time only has been considered which is posterior to the Birth of Christ. Antecedently to this period, however, there is a space of four thousand and four years. This time, though embracing a large number of years, is by no means so pregnant with events as that after the Birth of Christ.
Plate I. fig. 8. represents the series of centuries, and on the left of this series are placed the events that happened from the creation to the Birth of Christ.
It would be easy to assign to each year its proper place; but the first 3000 years are so barren of events, that it would be useless to do so; and the difficulty of remembrance would be enhanced by the paucity of dates worthy of being committed to memory. We ought not to take rooms where there is nothing to fix. Itis only necessary to know the true series of facts, the years must be put into words. There are but four years before the four thousandth year. In these the Creation, and the birth of Cain and Abel, are the principal events. From 4000 to 1000 there are not more than thirty principal facts. If there were 300, not more than three rooms would be required. The period which includes the histories of Greece and Rome, will produce a greater number of facts; and there will be more certainty as to the dates. From the building of Rome then to the Birth of Christ, there will be occasion for seven rooms. (See Plate I. fig. 9.)
These remarks will suffice for the antient and modern history,—for the antediluvian and postdiluvian periods. We may, however, wish to remember not only the principal facts in general history, but to enchain and fix the fleeting visions of the moment,—those passing incidents which interest, amuse, or instruct us. "The sacred treasure of the past," is not the only "substantial shadow," which will be registered in our ideal repository. We shall be enabled to arrange future events, and thus have an orderly disposition of every circumstance of business or pleasure, in which we may be engaged. In this repository may be placed passing events, those already entombed in the grave of time, and those which are yet to seek the same sepulchre. Our ideal almanack will enable us not only to register appointments—but to enrol the payment of bills and other mercantile concerns. To the diarist it will be a never failing source of profitable instruction and amusement.
To fix the events of a whole year more places are required. Our year is divided into months, weeks, and days; and into four seasons. Every room has four sides. Every season contains three months, and each wall contains three stripes. (See Plate I. fig. 10.) The months are named first, second, third, fourth, and so on; on each stripe are the days of the month, and consequently a sufficient number of squares or places, in which the facts and events may be arranged. To remember the first, second, and third months, the figures may be changed into letters, and the letters into words, if necessary. If it be required to commit to memory some remarkable circumstance which happened on the 25th of June, we should take the figures 6,25 (sixth month, 25th day,) and change them into letters; these would be d n l; of this we might make Daniel, or any other word that would associate better with the nature of the event. If it be 6,8 (June 8th) we might say d v (dove) and connect it with the leading feature of the event.
The advantage of resorting to symbols for the representation of sensible objects, has, already been insisted upon: it must, however, be repeated, that the rude outline of any one object, if drawn upon the paper, will contribute more essentially to imprint the circumstance upon the memory, than whole pages of laboured description and minute detail. The Egyptian hieroglyphics were formed in this way, and the key to their interpretation (the combination of the different images) was a sacred trust reposited with the priests. The symbols which may be formed will serve the purpose of secret writing: for we may be well assured that they will be as unintelligible to every one but ourselves, as the priest-writing was, to the profanum vulgus of Egypt.
- ↑ The second is the room of centuries.