Chapter 14

A young clergyman is very apt to imagine that he will correlate together 20 to 100 propositions in every discourse--a theoretical conjecture never verified in fact. In _practice_, he will find that he will very rarely correlate more than ten propositions together, and he will correlate sub-propositions, citations, or illustrations to the respective propositions to which they belong. Instead of correlations, _he may unite his propositions together by analysis_. Each person will manage this matter as he finds most convenient to himself; or, if he desires to literally memorise his discourses, he can do so in the manner pointed out in learning sentences, or by two or three careful perusals. But, by one who speaks without notes is generally understood one who has only memorised his leading ideas, and it is always a judicious practice for a beginner to rehearse his leading topics and their amplifications in private, _that he may test his memory_, and then _become familiar_ with a procedure _in private_ in order to be sure to be _perfect in it before the public_. This private discipline is all the more necessary in the early stages of extempore speaking--if the speaker is at all troubled by nervous anxieties or mind-wandering.

Suppose a teacher of the Art of Expression has studied Moses True Brown's [see his Synthetic Philosophy of Expression] reduction of Delsarte's Nine Laws of Gesture to Brown's One Law of Correspondence--and suppose this teacher wishes to explain to his class, or to an audience, how Mr. Brown proceeded. If he desires to do this without notes, he must memorise the order of those Nine Laws; they are abstractly stated and difficult to correlate, but it can be done. The Laws are as follows:--

Motion, Velocity, Direction or Extension, Re-action, Form, Personality, Opposition of Agents, Priority, or Sequence, Rhythm.

The teacher must correlate these heads or topics of his discourse together, and so memorise his correlations that he can recall the series in the exact order. Perhaps he may proceed thus:

MOTION. [Rate of motion.] VELOCITY. [Relation of motion to time and _space_--.] DIRECTION or Extension. [Direction reversed.] RE-ACTION. [Mould of Action.] FORM. [Form of the Human.] PERSONALITY. [Its extremes.] OPPOSITION OF AGENTS. [First opponent.] PRIORITY or Sequence. [Periodicity of Sequence.] RHYTHM.

Knowing these Nine Laws in the above _order_, he can discuss them one after the other. When he has finished his explanation of the reduction of the three Forms of Motion [Concentric, Poise, and Eccentric] to the Law of Correspondence, he can proceed to the consideration of the sub-topics under Velocity, and so on. When he has fixed the other of his topics in mind, he has a mental chart or map to guide him in his exposition, and similarly in other cases.

EXERCISE.

Learn some of the "Antidotes," and at least two of the following series. Do _not_ learn the extracts from Quain's Anatomy unless you understand what is meant, or are a medical student.

DISTANCES OF PLANETS FROM THE SUN.

MERCURY--36,000,000 [{M}ercury {Sh}ines].

VENUS--67,000,000 [{Sh}e's a {G}oddess].

EARTH--93,000,000 [{P}lanetary {M}other].

MARS--141,000,000 [{Th}is Wo{r}ld's Ou{t}sider].

JUPITER--482,000,000 [{R}ather {F}lattened E{n}ds, or, A {R}oundish {F}orm U{n}equalled].

SATURN--885,000,000 [{F}loods o{f} {L}ight].

URANUS--1,780,000,000 [{D}isturbances {C}aused {F}ruitful {S}earchings].

NEPTUNE--2,789,000,000 [{N}eptune {C}onstitutes a {F}rontier {B}oundary].

1. How many planets are here mentioned? Make your own correlations between each.

EXTRACTS FROM QUAIN'S ANATOMY.

TO BE STUDIED BY NONE BUT MEDICAL STUDENTS.

"The Branches of the External Carotid Artery are eight in number, _viz._, three directed forwards, the superior thyroid, the lingual, and the facial; two directed backwards, the occipital and the posterior auricular; and three extending upwards, the ascending pharyngeal branch, together with the temporal and internal maxillary, the two terminal branches into which the artery divides."

Dissect, or study a model or diagram of these branch arteries, and then the facts are easily learned by means of Correlations:--

CAROTID ... rotten ... ruinous ... IVY (eight branches) ... growth ... advance ... go forwards ...

FORWARDS ... lead forwards ... conduct ... ductless ... THYROID ... spheroid ... earth ... many languages ... LINGUAL ... tongue ... mouth ... face ... FACIAL ... front ... back ...

BACKWARDS ... back of head ... occiput .... OCCIPITAL ... occult ... secret ... confession ... AURICULAR ... ocular ... eye ... high up ...

UPWARDS ... ascending ... ASCENDING PHARYNGEAL ... congeal ... frozen Thames ... temporary ... TEMPORAL ... pour out shot ... Maxim gun ... _or_ "be temperate" ... maxim ... MAXILLARY

To memorise the attachments of muscles, first of all familiarise yourself by diligent dissection with the aspects of the muscles and the actual facts of their attachments. It is possible to memorise their origins and insertions by my System, merely from their written descriptions; but this is not _learning_. It is a vicious system of cramming, which can do no good. When you have thoroughly familiarised yourself with the actual facts proceed to fix these facts in your memory by my System. In dealing with facts of such complexity as the origin and insertion of muscles, it may be needful to have free recourse to the assistance of homophones, &c. In the whole of anatomy there is no task so difficult as that of learning the precise attachments of the muscles of the back. Few students master these attachments thoroughly, and those who do, fail to retain them long.

1. Are all students required to learn extracts from Quain's Anatomy? 2. How many branches are there of the External Carotid Artery? 3. Describe them. 4. Is it an advantage in studying Anatomy to dissect or study a model? 5. How are the facts, then, easily learned? 6. Make original correlations for this Extract. 7. Do you use any unfamiliar words in your correlations? 8. How do you memorise the attachments of muscles? 9. Is it possible to memorise their origins and insertions by my System? 10. Is this _learning_? 11. What is it then?

By the System it is easy to learn facts of Anatomy. But the System is no substitute for _dissection and experiment_. You can get a COMPREHENSION of anatomical facts only by _actual experience_, and to attempt to require an _understanding_ of them from books is to substitute a knowledge of words for a knowledge of things.

The following will indicate one way in which you may proceed in memorising the attachments of the muscles of the back:

(1) First make a homophone of the name of the muscle.

(2) Indicate each attachment of the muscle by two words.

The initial letter of the first word should indicate the part of bone to which the muscle is attached, _e.g._, Sp = spinous process, T = transverse process, R = rib, &c. The second word should indicate by its consonants the _numbers_ of the bones to which the attachment is made.

(3) Correlate the homophone of the muscle to the first pair of words, and the first pair to the second pair. For example:

"The SPLENIUS COLLI is attached, inferiorly, to the spinous processes of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth dorsal vertebræ, and superiorly to the transverse processes of the first two or three cervical vertebræ."

spleniuS COLLi (homophone) SCOLD. SCOLD ... cold ... marble ... SPLENDID IMAGE ... gold statuette ... chimney ornament ... clock ... 'TIS TIME.

In the first pair of words the initial of Splendid shows that the attachment is to the Spinous processes, and the word Image indicates that the vertebræ implicated are the third to the sixth. The second pair show that the transverse processes, from the first to the third, are those into which the muscle is inserted.

"The SPLENIUS CAPITIS arises from the spines of the seventh cervical and two upper dorsal vertebræ and from the ligamentum nuchæ. It is inserted into the lower and back part of the mastoid process, and into the outer part of the superior curved line of the occipital bone."

spleniuS CAPitis (homophone) ESCAPE. ESCAPE ... flight ... projectile ... trajectory ... conic section ... SPLIT CONE. split ... spliced ... ligatured ............ LIGAMENTUM NUCHÆ. new keel ... ship ... mast ................. MASTOID. masticate ... eat ... drink ... sip ........ OCCIPITAL.

1. Do you need to use Homophones in this study? 2. What is the most difficult task in Anatomy? 3. Do students generally master this thoroughly? 4. What makes the learning of Anatomy easy? 5. Is my System a substitute for dissection? 6. How can you get a comprehension of anatomical facts?

POISONS AND ANTIDOTES.

Narcotic poisons are neutralized by vinegar:--NARCOTICS ... torpor ... strong wine ... sour wine ... _vinegar_.

Wine, brandy, coffee, and camphor may be used to rouse those who have taken laudanum or any other preparation of opium ... OPIUM ... opium eater ... intemperate ... _brandy_ ... _wine_ ... beverage ... _coffee_ ... cough ... cold ... camphorated spirit ... _camphor_.

Mucilage, camphor, and oil may be taken to neutralize cantharides:--CANTHARIDES ... hair-grower ... _oil_ ... smooth-running ... ease ... comfort ... _camphor_ ... fur cat ... mew ... _mucilage_.

Ten drops of ammonia in a glass of sugared water sobers a tipsy man:--DRUNK ... alcohol ... volatile spirits ... volatile ... alkali ... _ammonia_ ... to moan ... {t}o {s}igh (10) ... pathos ... sweet tears ... _sugared water_.

ACONITE ... night boat ... sea sick ... _emetics_ ... exhaustion ... _stimulants_ ... hard drinking ... spontaneous combustion ... _animal charcoal_.

1. Are antidotes for Poisons easy to remember? 2. Should not all persons have a knowledge of the antidotes for the ordinary poisons? 3. What method have I given to obtain such knowledge? 4. What is the relation between "Narcotics" and "torpor"?

CHLORIDE OF LIME ... bad smell ... bad egg ... _white of egg_ ... fowl ... grain ... _flour_ ... flour and water ... milk fluid ... _milk_.

Oil, milk (any fatty mucilaginous substance), may protect the coats of the stomach against oil of vitriol and other acrid poisons:--ACRID ... curd ... curdled milk ... _milk_ ... butter ... melted butter ... _oil_.

STRONG ACIDS [Sulphuric Acid (oil of vitriol), Nitric Acid, Hydrochloric Acid] ... alkali ... lemon kali ... effervescing draught ... citrate of magnesia ... _Magnesia_ ... antacid ... _Bicarbonate of Soda_ ... potash ... potash soap ... _soap suds_ ... emollient ... _Emollient Drinks_.

CARBOLIC ACID ... liquid ... oil ... sweet oil ... castor oil ... aperient ... _Epsom Salts_ ... white ... _white of egg_.

Prussic acid (Hydrocyanic Acid) is neutralized by alkalies and freshly precipitated oxide of iron:--PRUSSIC ACID ... tartaric acid ... carbonate of soda ... _alkali_ ... lie on the side ... _oxide of iron_ ... steel file ... rasp ... _artificial respiration_. [HYDROCYANIC ACID ... cyanotic ... asphyxiated ... no respiration ... _Artificial respiration_ ... perspiration ... hot ... _cold effusion_ ... exposed to wet ... rust ... _fresh precipitated oxide of iron_.]

Soap and Sulphide of Potassium are antidotes against arsenic and other metallic poisons: METALLIC ... lick ... cat-lick ... wash ... _soap_ ... potash soap ... potassium ... _sulphide of potassium_.

TARTRATED ANTIMONY ... tartar emetic ... vomiting ... irritating ... _emollient drinks_ ... ladies drink ... _strong tea_ ... bitter infusion ... _tannic acid_.

NITRATE OF SILVER ... silver sand ... seashore ... _sea water_ ... _common salt_ ... white ... _white of egg_ ... fowls ... barley ... _barley water_ ... warm water ... vomiting ... _emetics_.

PERCHLORIDE OF MERCURY ... quicksilver ... white ... _white of egg_ ... piecrust ... _wheat flour_ ... flowers of sulphur ... milk of sulphur ... _milk_.

1. Can you discover more than one relation existing between "grain" and "flour"? 2. Why could we not use the single word "white," to connect "white of egg" to "flour"? 3. What is the relation between "liquid" and "oil"? 4. What two relations exist between "vomiting" and "irritating"? 5. What one, between "fowls" and "barley"? 6. Why? 7. What is the relation between "wheat flour" and "flowers of sulphur"?

STRYCHNINE ... nerve stimulant ... nerve sedative ... _Bromide of Potassium and Chloral Hydrate_ ... organic compound ... heated organic compound ... charcoal ... _animal charcoal_ ... charcoal fumes ... asphyxia ... _artificial respiration_ ... perspiration ... tea ... _tannic acid_ ... acidity ... dyspepsia ... vomiting ... _emetics_.

BELLADONNA ... deadly nightshade ... deadly sick ... _emetic_ ... _mustard and water_ ... brandy and water ... _stimulants_ ... hot ... perspiration ... _pilocarpine_ [p. injected hypodermically causes profuse perspiration].

THE TWELVE PAIRS OF CRANIAL NERVES.

The following list is worked out for practice _much more fully_ than a medical student would do if he were learning the list in his studies. The medical student would doubtless first objectively identify these nerves in dissection, and then use correlations to help him remember those which his natural memory could not carry. If not a medical student, my pupil may omit this and the previous examples from Quain's Anatomy.

THE TWELVE PAIRS OF CRANIAL NERVES.

CRANIAL NERVES ... within the skull ... wi{th}i{n} (12 pairs) ... withdrawal ... draw oil ... oil factory ... OLFACTORY (1st pair) ... manufactory ... smoke ... _smell_ ... scent-bottle ... glass ... optical glass ... OPTIC (2nd pair) ... optician ... eyeglass ... _sight_ ... eye-witness ... ocular demonstration ... OCCULO MOTOR (3rd pair) ocular motions ... _move the eye many ways_ ... tear in the eye ... TROCHLEAR or PATHETIC (4th pair) ... moving ... _move the eye obliquely_ ... obtuse angle ... triangle ... TRIGEMINAL (5th pair) ... gem ... sparkling ... _eye_ ... eyetooth ... _jaw_ ... talk ... _tongue_ ... _taste_ ... good taste ... good feeling ... _feeling_ ... feelers ... _motion_ ... ocean ... sailors ... absent from home ... ABDUCENT (6th pair) ... sent out ... see out ... _moves the eye outwards_ ... face outwards ... FACIAL (7th pair--motor to muscles of expression) ... face ... audience ... AUDITORY (8th pair, sensory for hearing and equilibration) ... ear-ring ... shiny ... glossy ... GLOSSO-PHARYNGEAL (9th pair, taste, swallow) ... congeal ... unfixed ... vague ... VAGUS (10th pair, pneumogastric) ... gusty ... blown back ... backbone ... SPINAL ACCESSORY (11th pair, moves head) _and motor_ ... spines ... sharp criticism ... hypercritical ... HYPOGLOSSAL (12th pair) ... glossary ... foreign tongue ... _Tongue Muscles_.

1. Between "perspiration" and "tea"? 2. Why so? 3. Explain the relation between "Belladonna" and "deadly nightshade." 4. What advice is here given the medical student? 5. Are you required to learn the twelve pairs of cranial nerves if you are not a medical student? 6. What do the words printed in italics indicate in this exercise? 7. Is it essential for the medical student to know these uses? 8. What word indicates the number of pairs of cranial nerves? 9. Through what consonant?

PROTOPLASM.

Albumen, gluten, fibrin, syntonin, are closely allied substances known as proteids, and each is composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen.

PROTEIDS ... Protector ... commonwealth ... for all ... _albumen_ ... all men ... liars ... fibs ... _fibrin_ ... brindled ... spotted ... sin ... _syntonin_ ... toe nails ... hoofs ... glue ... _gluten_.

The foregoing exercises show that there are no facts of Science, &c., or in Daily Life, with which the System cannot cope--thus proving the greatest saver of Labour and Time if the pupil makes an application of it to his studies or business when once he has mastered the system.

BOOKS LEARNED IN ONE READING.

For the past ten years I have printed in my large prospectus a general view of my meaning. I will reproduce most of those views here, premising that I have never suggested that books are to be _learned by heart_, but only the _important_, _useful_ portions of them--such as are new to the reader and which he may desire to retain.

I do not mean such books as Bradshaw's Guide, the London Post-Office Directory, or any other mere collection of names, addresses, statistics, &c., which one may have occasion to _consult_, but which it would be the mere bravado of Memory to learn by heart--though even this is possible enough to the master of my System. What is one's object in reading a book? Simply to retain the IDEAS in it that are NEW and USEFUL to him, as well as the NEW USES that are therein set forth of _old_ and _familiar_ ideas. If the reader is already partly acquainted with a book, there will be fewer new ideas in it than in one with which he is unacquainted. Now, what do I mean by Learning either of these books in one reading? I mean exactly what I say. All that you desire to remember shall be retained--all the leading or subordinate ideas, propositions, illustrations, facts, &c., &c.

There are only two ways of learning a book in this thorough manner:

(1) _The first_ is the traditional method of learning by _rote_ or endless repetition. A celebrated Coach in Anatomy says that no one can learn Anatomy until he has learned and _forgotten_ it from three to seven times! In learning any book in this way, each sentence would be repeated over and over again, and then reviewed and _re_learnt and forgotten and learned again! And then at last the Pupil if he possesses a first-rate _cramming_ memory might answer questions on it. In learning a book by _rote_, the number of times that each sentence and section is repeated, if actually written out and printed, would doubtless cover 5,000 to 50,000 or more pages!--and even then the Pupil passes his examination, if he really does "pass," partly by luck and partly by merit; all his life he is constantly referring to it, and repeating it, and studying it, over and over again--showing really that he possesses little more than a Reference Memory in regard to it! But let us be candid and confess the truth; tens of thousands every year and during successive years try the various professions--law, medicine, divinity, or sciences, history, &c., &c., and utterly fail to "pass," even respectably, because they lack the extraordinary sensuous MEMORY necessary to acquire knowledge by _rote_.

It is only the exceptionally powerful natural memories that win at exacting examinations by _rote_--even then their learning is soon forgotten, unless it is _perpetually renewed_.

(2) The other mode of learning any book in the thorough manner I have indicated, whether it be a book in which the reader finds but _few_ novel ideas or where they are _all new_, as in a scientific or technical work, is by my Method. In fact, I believe no one can learn any book so thoroughly by _rote_, even if he possesses a marvellous Natural Memory and if he peruse it ever so many times, as my Pupils can by my method in a single perusal. Let the reader note that my System has two important aspects--(1) It is a Device or Method of memorising or learning any facts whatever--prose, poetry, dates, data, formulæ and facts and principles of the sciences, &c., &c., &c., or anything whatsoever to be remembered. (2) There is another equally, if not _more_ important aspect of it, namely, as a _Trainer or Strengthener of the Natural Memory_ to any extent the pupil wishes to carry it. And the Natural Memory is so strengthened by the use of the System, that as a Device, the System is no longer required. You then remember from your new Memory-power without taking any pains to remember, and I am happy to add that the diligent student can derive the full benefit of the System as a Memory Trainer by learning the lessons in the way I point out.

Now, those who have thus derived the _full benefit_ of the System, both as a Device for memorising and also as a Memory Trainer, _are the persons who can learn a book in one reading_. "Reading" is used by Coaches in a technical sense; that is, synonymous with "thorough study." By a "single" or "one reading," I mean a single careful perusal _in conformity to the requirements of my System_. I do not mean that they can do this and doze during the process.

I now reproduce most of the plan always adopted in dealing with books whose contents, or the unfamiliar portions of them are to be mastered.

(1) You will not read the book with the _rapidity_ with which some young ladies are said to devour the latest novel. They are often suspected of skipping pages at a time in order to discover the different stages of a plot, until a thoroughly aroused curiosity compels them to hasten at once to the last chapter to fall upon the denouement. This is not the style of perusal I contemplate.