Chapter 10

(4) THE PUPIL MUST SEEK _ANALYTIC_ WORDS WHICH ARE _APPROXIMATELY SPECIFIC_, AS BIRTH-DATE WORDS MUST, WHERE POSSIBLE, RELATE TO BIRTH OR JUVENILE EVENTS; MARRIAGE-DATE WORDS, TO EVENTS CONNECTED NEARLY OR REMOTELY WITH THE MARRIAGE; DATE WORDS FOR ANY OTHER EVENT IN LIFE OR FACT IN HISTORY SHOULD, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, RELATE TO SUCH EVENT OR FACT; AND, FINALLY, DEATH-DATE WORDS SHOULD REFER TO INCIDENTS WHICH PRECEDED, ACCOMPANIED, OR FOLLOWED THE FACT OF THE DEATH.

This rule, theoretically correct, must be very liberally interpreted in practice. This lesson furnishes numerous illustrative examples.

As shown heretofore, _the pupil must know the facts_, and the System will then help him to fix their date.

A pupil had loaned money to a horse-dealer who lived at No. 715 of a certain street. He knew the house well, yet he could not recollect the number 715. At length he thought of "{C}a{t}t{l}e" as a figure word to enable him to remember the number. Yet the word is general and apparently unconnected with the house, as it was not a stable but a boarding-house. Yet, as cattle and horse are species of the genus domestic animal, and cattle would recall horses and horse-dealer, he did right to use that term, and it served him well. At first he instantly recalled the word "cattle" whenever he thought of the horse-dealer's residence, and at once 715 was given him. After a time, he directly recalled 715 without first thinking of "cattle." This is always the case where the method is applied. It is soon no longer required in that case. When this pupil told me what he had done, I asked him why he had not used the phrase "(7) {C}ollect (1) {Th}e (5) {L}oan," which was the object he had in view in thinking of, or of sending to, that address. His reply was that "cattle" served his purpose. With one person a single word, with another a phrase, and with another a sentence, is most serviceable. He had other borrowers who lived at other places. Why could this phrase "Collect the loan," which would apply in its meaning to the case of others, remind him of this particular debtor's home? Because, if he had consciously devised that phrase to identify this debtor's address, it could apply in his mind to the address of no other debtor. Thus the _facts help us devise the number phrase, and the phrase helps revive the facts_.

I do not, for instance, undertake in this lesson to teach the pupil that Washington never left America but once, when he accompanied his invalid brother to Barbadoes in 1751, in search of health. But if he knows these facts, my method helps him retain the date, by using those facts for this purpose; as, (1) {T}o (7) {G}ain (5) Is{l}and (1) {T}onic; or (17)51 Hea{l}{th}. We know that "health" is an object with everybody in all countries and in all ages, and is therefore a word of the most general character and of the most extended application. How, then, can it have any _special_ significance in this case? Because by knowing the facts, in the first place, as "health" was the object of the visit of Washington and his brother; and seeking for a date word which spells (17)51, the pupil has discovered that this general word "health" spells that date; and, as the pupil has applied the word "health" to this date and to no other, he has thus made the general word specific for his purpose. Because "tonic" is a health promoter, and "island" is a help to recall the specific Islands of Barbadoes, the phrase (1) "{T}o (7) {G}ain (5) Is{l}and (1) {T}onic," is more specific than "health." But either the single word or phrase becomes specific, if the facts of the case are assimilated, and then by the pupil are applied to furnish a date word.

BIOGRAPHY, HISTORY, AND SCIENCE.

Much of the substance and pith of historic eras can be expressed in the analytic words, phrases, or sentences with which their dates are enunciated. If the foregoing and subsequent examples are carefully, not hurriedly, studied, the student can readily hereafter retain a great deal of the significance of facts, events, or epochs by his infallible recollection of the analytic expression of their dates. As with history, so with the arts and science, etc.

Population of the United States of America is now (1895) 67,000,000 = {G}eneral {C}ultivation or {Sh}arp Yan{k}ees. When dealing with the _number_ of millions or thousands only, it is not necessary to express the ciphers. Pop. of Great Britain = 38,000,000, or (3) {M}ightiest (8) {F}olks; or {M}anufacturing {F}abrics; or {M}oney-making {F}reetraders. Pop. of Africa, 127,000,000 = {Th}e {N}egro Continent. Pop. of Bombay = 804,470 or {F}oreigners a{s} a {r}ule a{r}e E{ng}lish {C}itizens.

A gentleman in Bombay, who had to deal with complaints about water supplies there, told me the true population is 817,564, which he fixed by my method as follows: {F}rightful {T}o {K}eep A{l}l {J}ust {R}ight.

Pop. of Calcutta = 840,000; or {V}iceroy's {R}esidential {S}eat. Pop. of India = 292,000,000; or I{n}dia's {P}opulation E{n}umerated.

Pop. of Australasia, &c., 4,250,000 = Ou{r} I{n}dependent {L}iving Au{s}tralians.

Pop. of Melbourne with its suburbs (1891) = 490,912 = (4) Ou{r} (9) {B}iggest (0) {C}ity's (9) {B}uildings (1) {d}ecidedly (2) u{n}equalled. The "City" contains 73,361 = (7) {G}reat (3) {M}elbourne (3) {M}akes a (6) {Ch}ief (1) {T}own.

Pop. of Sydney (1891) = 386,400 = A (3) {M}ost (8) {V}aried (6) {Sh}eltering (4) Ha{r}bour (0) Ha{s} (0) {S}ydney.

Pop. of Hobart (Tasmania), 1891 = 31,196; (3) {M}any (1) {T}asmanians (1) Ea{t} (9) Ho{b}art's (6) {J}am.

Pop. of Auckland (New Zealand), with suburbs, in (1891) = 51,287; (5) A{l}l (1) {Th}e (2) I{n}habitants (8) O{f} (7) Au{ck}land.

SPECIFIC GRAVITIES.

The Specific Gravity is the relative weight of a body compared to an equal bulk of some other body taken as a standard. This standard is usually water, for all liquids and solids, and air for gases.

1. Gold 19.2--{D}ollars {B}uy {S}u{n}dries.--Gold is made into money. The specific gravity of gold is 19.2; that is, nineteen and two-tenths. The initial consonants of the phrase "{D}ollars {B}uy {S}undries" express through "D" and "B" the figures 19. The "S" of "Sundries" expresses the decimal point, and the first subsequent consonant "n" expresses the decimal two-tenths.

2. Silver 10.4--{Th}e {S}ilver A{s}saye{r}.

3. Platinum 21.5--U{n}usually {D}uctile {S}o{l}id.--Platinum is the most ductile metal known.

4. Lead 11.3--{Th}e {T}in {S}{m}ith.--Lead is used to solder tin.

5. Mercury 13.5--{Th}e {M}ercury {S}o{l}d.

6. Copper 8.9--{V}iew a {Sp}ire.--Copper points the lightning rods.

7. Iron 7.7--Hoo{k} {S}{k}illet.--It means hang up an iron pot.

8. Zinc 6.9--A {Sh}eet {S}u{p}ply.--Zinc is rolled into sheets.

9. Antimony 6.7--{G}erman {S}ee{k}er.--Antimony was discovered by a German monk.

10. Calcium 1.0--Whi{t}e {C}eiling.--Calcium is used in white-washing.

RIVERS.

Mississippi (4,382 miles long).--{R}ushing {M}ississippi's wa{v}es E{n}croach. --The Mississippi River frequently overflows its banks.

Nile (3,370 mi.) --(3) {M}ighty (3) {M}editerranean's (7) {G}reatest (0) {S}tream.

Volga (2,400 mi.) --I{n} {R}ussia's {S}oil {S}uperior. --The Volga is the largest river in Russia, and, in fact, the largest in Europe.

Ohio (1,265 mi.) --{Th}e Ohio {N}ow {Sh}ips {L}ighters.

Loire (530 mi.) --{L}oire's {M}ajestic {S}weep.

Seine (470 mi.) --{R}olling {G}ay {S}eine.

Spree (220 mi.) --{N}otice {N}oble {S}pree.

Jordan (200 mi.) --A K{n}own {S}alty {S}olution. --The River Jordan is impregnated with considerable salt.

1. Why could we not substitute the phrase "{Th}e {M}ercury {S}hie{l}d" for "{Th}e {M}ercury {s}o{l}d," since "S" stands for "0," and "h" has no value? 2. Why not use the phrase "Whi{t}e {s}ea{l}ing" to express the Specific Gravity of Calcium? 3. Could the Atomic Weight of Silver (108) be expressed by the phrase "{Th}e {V}a{s}e?" 4. If not, why not? 5. Would the phrase "{Th}e {S}ilver {V}ase" be better? 6. In dealing with the length of the Mississippi, why do you not give the figure value of "W" and "E" in that part of the phrase which includes the words {W}aves {E}ncroach? 7. Would you indicate this value by a cipher, then? 8. If not, why?

MOUNTAINS.

Mt. Everest [29,002] {N}amed U{p}on a {S}urvey {S}trictly U{n}ique; or I{n}dia's {P}eak I{s} {C}ertainly U{n}equalled.--This is the highest mountain on the globe; or I{n}dia's {B}oundary {S}ummit I{s} U{n}approachable. Kinchinjunga is 28,156 ft. high. We shall know what Mountain is meant if we omit the first syllable "kin." Hence we can use the formula, "{N}ext E{v}erest {D}awns {L}ofty {Ch}injunga."

Popocatepetl (17,783 ft.)--{Th}e {G}reatest {C}rater o{f} {M}exico.

Mt. Brown (16,000 ft.)--{Th}is {Ch}arming We{s}tern {S}cenery {C}elebrated.

Mt. Blanc (15,781 ft.)--{Th}is A{l}pine {C}one {F}ascinates {T}ravellers.

Jungfrau (13,720 ft.)--{Th}is {M}ountain A{g}assiz {N}imbly A{s}cended. --Prof. Agassiz was one of the first who reached the summit of this mountain.

Ben Nevis (4,406 ft.) --He{r}e {R}eview a {S}nowy {G}iant.

Snowdon (3,570 ft.) --{M}ajestic Hi{l}ls {G}reet {S}nowdon.

Saddleback (2,787 ft.) --{N}ear {K}eswick {V}iew a {C}raig. --This mountain is situated near the town of Keswick.

1. Are there any letters in the word "Ohio" which have a figure value? 2. Do you see any way by which you can make the word "Known" stand for 2 by my figure alphabet? 3. How can you infallibly retain these figure-sentences?

LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE.

No one can have very definite or exact ideas of Geography who does not know the Latitude and Longitude of the chief Cities of the World.

Lat. = 55°--00' } (5) {L}ondon's (5) {L}atitude (0) Ea{s}ily (1) LONDON } (0) {S}een. Long. = 0 } (0) {S}tarting-point.

Lat. = 40°--52' } (4) Yo{r}k (0) {C}ity's (5) {L}atitude (2) NEW YORK CITY } (2) {N}amed. Long. = 73°--59' } (7) {C}ommercial (3) {M}etropolis' } (5) {L}ongitude (9) {P}ortrayed.

Lat. = 40°--00' } (4) {R}epublic's (0) {Z}ealous (3) PHILADELPHIA } (0) {S}tatesman (0) {S}igned. Long. = 75°--10' } (7) {Q}uaker (5) {L}ongitude (1) {T}oo } (0) {S}ober.

Lat. 41°--45' } (4) {R}ebuilt (1) {T}own's (4) {R}eal (4) CHICAGO } (5) {L}atitude. Long. = 87°--50' } (8) {F}ires (7) {C}annot (5) {L}ongitude } (0) {S}acrifice.

Lat. = 42°--20' } (4) Ha{r}vard (2) U{n}iversity's (2) {N}earest (5) BOSTON } (0) {C}ity. Long. = 71°--05' } (7) {G}ives (1) {T}ea (0) {S}pillers' } (5) {L}ongitude.

Lat. = 30°--00' } (3) {M}ississippi's (0) {S}outhernmost (6) NEW ORLEANS } (0) {S}eaport (0) {S}erene. Long. = 90°--00' } (9) "{B}utler (0) {S}tole (0) {S}ilver } (0) {S}poons."[F]

Lat. = 39°--41' } (3) {M}ountain (9) {P}eaks (4) O'e{r}look (7) DENVER } (1) {D}enver. Long. = 105°--00' } (1) {D}enver's (0) {C}ertain (5) {L}ongitude } (0) {S}afely (0) A{s}certained.

Lat. = 37°--30' } (3) {M}etallic (7) {C}alifornia's (8) SAN FRANCISCO } (3) {M}etropolitan (0) {C}ity. Long. = 122°--00' } (1) {Th}e (2) {N}avigator (2) {N}ow (0) {S}ees } (0) {S}an Francisco.

Lat. = 34°--19' } (3) {M}en (4) {R}elish (1) Ho{t} (9) {B}aths. (9) HOT SPRINGS } Long. = 93°--00' } (9) {B}athing (3) {M}ust (0) {S}ave } (0) {S}ickness.

Lat. = 40°--29 } (4) I{r}on (0) {S}melting (2) Hau{n}ts (10) PITTSBURG } (9) {P}ittsburg. Long. = 79°--50' } (7) {G}reat (9) {P}ittsburg's (5) {L}ongitude } (0) {S}ecured.

Lat. = 43°--02' } (4) {R}oaring (3) {M}agnificent (0) {C}easeless (11) NIAGARA FALLS } (2) {N}iagara. Long. = 79°--12' } (7) A {C}ataract (9) {P}ours (1) A{t} } (2) {N}iagara.

Lat. = 18°--53' } (1) {Th}e (8) {F}irst (5) Is{l}and (3) {M}et. (12) BOMBAY } Long. = 72°--53' } (7) {K}ipling's (2) {N}ativity (5) We{l}l } (3) {M}entioned.

Lat. = 22°--34' } (2) {N}umerous (2) {N}atives (3) {M}igrate (13) CALCUTTA[G] } (4) He{r}e. Long. = 88°--24' } (8) A {V}iceroy (8) {F}avours (2) {N}atural } (4) {R}emembering.

Lat. = 37°--49' (S) } (3) {M}elbourne's (7) {G}rounds (4) Ya{r}ra (14) MELBOURNE } (9) {B}isects. Long. = 44°--58' (E) } (4) Ha{r}bour's (4) {R}iver (5) We{l}l } (8) {F}urrowed.

Lat. = 33°--55' (S) } (3) {M}athematical (3) {M}apping (5) Wi{l}l (15) CAPETOWN } (5) {L}ast. Long. = 18°--28' (E) } (1) {T}able Bay (8) {F}avours (2) {N}umerous } (8) {V}essels.

[F] No one supposes that Butler really stole spoons.

[G] Lord Elgin, the present Viceroy, gave Prof. Loisette H. E.'s patronage when the Professor lectured in Calcutta. As his system is the foe of all artificial methods, it is _par excellence_ the "Natural" System.

EARLY TRAINING IN FIGURES.

If the mind-wandering mode of _rote_ learning is no longer practised, but an _assimilating_ method is substituted for it; if we abolish the "mind-wrecking" procedure of forcing immature minds into and through studies which they cannot comprehend, and which, therefore, create chronic habits of Inattention; and if the idea of numbers and their elementary processes are _objectively_ taught, until habits of sure enumeration and calculation are formed, then, when the child reaches maturity, he will rarely if ever require any conscious aid in remembering a series of 2, 3, 4, or more figures.

Meantime, a thorough training in this system tends to do away with the injurious effects of false mental habits; to set the Memory and Attention at work in a natural way, and greatly strengthen both; and while learning a large number of dates in a short time, or many figures in one series may still require the use of the System, unless the Numeric Thinking prior to this chapter has been mastered, yet, in the ordinary way of meeting figures in reading, study, or business, there will seldom occur any _necessity_ for resorting to the method taught in this lesson.

WHAT MUST BE DONE FOR AN ACQUIRED ATTENTION.

In the case of those who have not inherited, but who have _acquired_, a great power of Attention, a decided _benefit_ will ensue, however, if throughout life they occasionally use the System in regard to numbers and in learning prose and poetry by the Analytic-Synthetic and Interrogative Analysis Methods.

1. Will a pupil always require an aid to remember figures? 2. What is required of him in order to enable him to do away with any _conscious_ aid? 3. What does a thorough training in my system accomplish in the meantime? 4. Will there ever be any _necessity_ of using the figure alphabet? 5. Will not a decided benefit ensue to those who have acquired a great power of attention?

Where a great power of Attention has been renewed or originally acquired, it requires considerable effort to _continue_ that power. The unnumbered objects of thought which civilization constantly brings before the mind, without giving any opportunity for a mastery of many of them; the fierce rivalries of interest, and the enervating habits of body which are constantly being formed or perpetuated--all alike and together tend to break down an acquired power of Attention. It is said that Alexander Hamilton used to go through the demonstrations of Euclid's Geometry before the commencement of each Session of the early Congress. For what purpose? In order to be able to make use of geometrical knowledge in debate? Certainly not. He reviewed this study to stiffen the back-bone of his power of Attention. And he possessed this power in an extraordinary degree by nature. I am not suggesting any such severe course of self-discipline. But if the pupil whose _attention was formerly weak_ will never allow a date to come before him without fixing it in mind by my method, and if he will also occasionally learn by heart a passage of prose or poetry by my _assimilating_ methods, he will train his Attention in a pleasanter and more effective way than Hamilton did his by his studies in Euclid--besides making himself conspicuously accurate where most men are notoriously inaccurate.

[It is a most misleading mistake to suppose that the principles of the following or either of the previous chapters are to be _consciously and constantly_ used by the pupil, whether he be a student or a man of business. It is only used at all during the training period--rarely afterwards. But during the training period, I desire the pupil to make as much use of the devices and principles of the system as he possibly can--and the more he uses them the sooner he no longer has occasion to use them.]

1. Does it require any effort to _continue_ that power? 2. What tends to break down an acquired power of attention? 3. What suggestion is here given the pupil in regard to this? 4. Is this method easier and less severe than Hamilton's? 5. Is it not more effectual?

THOUGHTIVE UNIFICATIONS.

CONNECTING THE UNCONNECTED.

A Congressman could not remember the name of Zachary Taylor, the twelfth President of the United States, but he could always readily recall his nick-name, "Rough and Ready." In this case there was no _revivable_ connection established in his mind between the _name_ Zachary Taylor and the idea or image of the _man_ known as Zachary Taylor--but there _was_ a revivable connection in his mind between the name "Rough and Ready" and the idea or image of that man. Now the thing to be done to enable this Congressman to readily recall the name Zachary Taylor was to _establish_ or _make a revivable connection_ between the name Zachary Taylor and the image of him, or some characteristic of him, as it was known to that Congressman; or to connect the well-remembered name "Rough and Ready" to the usually forgotten name Zachary Taylor. This would be a _device_ for helping him to revive this hitherto unrecallable name. But another and better way to aid him would be to STRENGTHEN his REVIVING POWER GENERALLY, so that he could readily recall the name Zachary Taylor as well as his other previous experiences; for there is no doubt that he had a _record_ in his mind of the name Zachary Taylor; for whenever he failed to recall it, he _recognised_ it the moment he saw it, or it was mentioned in his presence. This proved that he _knew_ the name but could not _revive_ it.

1. What difficulty did the Congressman have in connection with Z. Taylor? 2. What caused it? 3. What would have been his best aid to remember the name?

HOW TO HELP THE MEMORY.

There are therefore two ways of helping the memory. (1) By a device resorted to in each separate case to help make a more vivid First Impression. Nearly all Memory Systems hitherto taught have only been such Devices; of little benefit except in the cases where they have been _actually applied_--mere temporary appliances, and many of them of doubtful value, devoid of any strengthening power. (2) By a Method of Memory TRAINING. This is the unique character of my System. It is used as a device during the process of developing the latent powers of the Memory and the Attention, but the _result of its use_ is to so strengthen the Memory that, as a Device it is no longer required. As a trainer my System operates in three ways. (1) It increases the general _Impressionability_, so that all First Impressions must be more vivid than they have ever been before. (2) It increases the general _Revivability_, so that First Impressions are more under the control of the will, and can be afterward recalled when desired. (3) It compels the Intellect to stay with the senses and thereby it abolishes mind-wandering.

1. Did he have a _record_ of the name in his mind? 2. How many ways are there of helping the memory? 3. What is the first way? 4. The second? 5. What is meant by Memory Training? 6. What is the unique character of my system? 7. What is the result of its use? 8. In how many ways does my system operate as a Trainer? 9. What are they?

A one-sided view of the Memory proclaims that if vivid First Impressions are made in all cases, that is enough. This opinion implies a limited acquaintance with the different kind of memories. In some cases where a person is troubled with chronic forgetfulness, a vivid First Impression may be received, and no recollection of it will long survive. That a vivid impression was received is proved by the fact that, shortly after the occurrence, his memory of the details of it is possibly nearly perfect, and yet, after the lapse of a few days, or weeks, or months, the recollection of every trace of the occurrence has vanished. After the total oblivion of the matter in his waking moments, he will sometimes recall all the details of the affair in a dream. This is demonstration irresistible that the trouble in this case lies, not in receiving vivid First Impressions, but in the weakness of his reviving power. In fact, some memories are much oftener weak from deficiency in reviving power than from feebleness of first impressions. If, however, Impressionability be increased to the highest degree in all cases, and Revivability be strengthened to the same extent, all memories will be good, however bad some of them may theretofore have been in any or in all respects.

MODES OF ESTABLISHING CONNECTIONS.

RECOLLECTIVE ANALYSIS is used to memorise a series of words or facts between every pair of which the relation of In., Ex., or Con. exists. It equally applies to a single pair of such words or facts.

RECOLLECTIVE SYNTHESIS OR THOUGHTIVE UNIFICATION is used where _no relation exists_.

A _revivable_ connection is established in such cases by means of a Correlation which always consists of one or more unifying intermediates. And the words, hitherto un-united, which are thus cemented together, are called Extremes.