An Improved System of Mnemonics/Chapter 3

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CHAPTER III.

When the learners have studied the division of the two rooms, and the exercise of the figures and letters, they may proceed to the use of the symbols, which are 100 in number, i. e. a symbol for each place. The following is a list of their names.

First Room.

1 Ate—goddess of revenge.
2 Ino—wife of Athamas, king of Thebes, who in a fit of insanity killed Learchus, his son; Ino escaped the fury of her husband, and threw herself into the sea, with Melicerta (another child) in her arms.
3 Guy—earl of Warwick, encountering a cow.
4 Roe.
5 Leo—or Lion.
6 Ida—a mountain near Troy, or the one in Crete.
7 Oak.
8 Obi—the Spirit of the West Indies; also a Charm. Three-fingered Jack is introduced, with an old witch.
9 Ape.
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10 Atys—a son of Cræsus, king of Lydia.—He was born dumb, but recovered his speech from a fright, in seeing his father attacked by a soldier at the storming of Sardis.
11 Equity—represented like Justice, but her eyes are uncovered.
12 Autonoe—daughter of Cadmus, and mother of Actæon; whose transformation by Diana caused her death.

13 Time.
14 Equery.
15 Atyla—a valiant Scythian.
16 Tuova—a chief of the Marquesas Islands.
17 Teuca—an old Egyptian lady.
18 Toby—Philpot
19 Tupia—chief priest of the island of Otahcite.
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20 Æneas—a Trojan prince.
21 Natio—goddess of nativities.
22 Noah.
23 Hygeia—goddess of health, daughter of Esculapius.
24 Hero—celebrated for her love of Leander.
25 Hyale—one of Diana's nymphs.
26 Naiad—an inferior Deity, presides over rivers, and fountains.
27 Inca—monarch of Peru.
28 Hebe—goddess of youth, and cup-bearer to the gods.
29 Hope.
———
30 Egeus—king of Athens, father of Theseus. He threw himself into the sea (since called the Egean Sea).
31 Muta—the goddess of silence.
32 Egeon—a giant, (same as Briareus) who made war against the Gods.
33 Gama—(Vasquez de) a celebrated Portugueze navigator.
34 Maria—(Sterne's)
35 Milo—A famous wrestler of Crotona.
36 Medea—A celebrated enchantress, who assisted Jason to possess the golden fleece.
37 Egica—A king of Spain, who slew Fasilia, that he might obtain his wife.
38 Mab—queen of the fairies.

39 Gopiæ—in the Indian Mythology, the same as the muses.
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40 Iris—messenger of the gods; the Rainbow.
41 Erato—the muse of lyric poetry.
42 Urania—the muse of astronomy.
43 Argo—the ship that carried Jason to Colchis.
44 Zara—captive queen in the Mourning Bride.
45 Ariel—in the play of the Tempest.
46 Zaida—in the Moorish tale of Alcanzor and Zaida.
47 Yarico—in the story of Incle and Yarico.
48 Arab—mounted.
49 Europa—Daughter of Agenor, king of Phœnicia, carried away by Jupiter in the shape of a bull.
50 Æolus—God of Winds.

Second Room.

51 Lot—pillar of salt.
52 Juno—queen of heaven.
53 Lama—a high priest of the Chinese Tartars.
54 Lear—King.
55 Jael—who killed Sisera.
56 Jove—king of gods.
57 Lyco—a peripatetic Philosopher.
58 Juba—king of Mauritania.
59 Alope—daughter of Cercyon, king of Eleusis, changed by Neptune into a fountain.
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60 Idœus—who fled from the field of battle when his Brother was killed in the Trojan war by Tydides.
61 Adyte—one of the Danaides, for the murder of her husband, condemned to fill with water a vessel full of holes.
62 Diana—goddess of hunting and chastity.

63 Adam.
64 Dairo—a hero, "of the happy deeds," in the poems of Ossian.
65 Edile—a Roman magistrate to superintend buildings and markets.
66 Ovid—the poet.
67 Educa—goddess of new-born infants.
68 Adeba—a merchant of Egypt.
69 Deiopeia—a Nereid, or sea deity.
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70 Eacus—king of the island of Enopia.
71 Cato—a noble Roman.
72 Cain.
73 Cymo—a sea nymph.
74 Cora—a Peruvian lady—in Pizarro.
75 Clio—muse of history.
76 Cadi—an Eastern magistrate.
77 Cooke—Captain
78 Keowa—son of the king of Owhyee, where Capt. Cook was killed.
79 Copia—goddess of plenty.
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80 Ibis—the Egyptian stork.
81 Buteo—a Roman consul.
82 Aboan—a captive in Oroonoko.
83 Bagoe—a nymph who instructed the Tuscans to divine by thunder.
84 Oberea—queen of Owhyee.
85 Abel.
86 Beda—in Blue Beard.
87 Bacai—a learned Mussulman.
88 Woba—a Turcoman, (a native of Turcomania)
89 Ibif—a Circassian nobleman.
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90 Apis—an Egyptian god, worshipped under the form of an ox.
91 Poet.
92 Pan—god of shepherds, &c.
93 Fame.
94 Fury.
95 Paoli—a Corsican general.
96 Fido—an Argive, who invented weights and measures.
97 Peace—the goddess.
98 Fabia—a vestal, sister of Terentia, Cicero's wife.
99 A Fop.
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100 Esau.

One cause of the selection of these symbols, by the author, in preference to others, may be very soon observed; for the consonant, or consonants, that are in each name, represent the figure, or the number of the place to which they are to be attached; thus Ate is the first symbol, the only consonant in her name is t, which is a character for 1.—Ino is the second symbol, the consonant n being the character for 2—and thus with Guy, the Roe, Leo, Ida, Oak, Obi, and Ape.

The symbol for 10, must have two consonants, one for each figure.—Atys represents it. Equity represents 11, Autona 12, and thus throughout the whole series.

The superior advantages arising from this arrangement, will be felt orly by those who have applied other symbols, and are also familiar with the consonants that are the signs of the figures.

But independently of the assistance that this classification affords in retaining them, the learners must not confine themselves to simple repetition, they must localise each symbol in its proper compartment, that is, they must transfer the image or figure of each, to the place intended for it; thus Ate must be supposed in the first place, on the floor; Ino in the second, Guy in the third, &c.—To effect this desirable knowledge of the symbols, without which they can receive very little advantage from the art, their fancy or imagination must be called into action: A grotesque assimilation will be often very powerful; circumstances arising from situation, furniture, pictures, &c. are of great importance: thus, if a cane, or any weapon should be in the corner of the room, where Ate is to be placed, they can observe that it is dangerous for it to be there, lest Ate, the goddess of revenge should attack them with it.

If the fire-place should be near where Ino ought to be; as she is observed to be jumping into the sea, they might remark, that as they are deprived of seeing the sea; they suppose the fire must have dried it up.

Where Guy is encountering the cow, they may apprehend danger to the furniture.

The Roe may be supposed bounding over a chair.

Leo is placed in the centre, to keep their enemies in awe; or any association of a similar nature, that they may deem best calculated to attain their object; but above all things they must observe, that not only in localizing the symbols, but in every other association they make with them, that they constantly attend to this important rule—To gaze intently upon the place—first looking at the hieroglyphick attentively, to renew their knowledge of its form, and then fancying it in its proper place, and endeavouring to make some ideal picture of the subject that they intend to recollect, interwoven with their symbol; this mode may appear to cost them some little trouble at first, but they will be amply repaid, by the advantages they derive in their recollection,

The power of making those kinds of mental pictures, may be supposed difficult, but a very little practice, and entering with spirit into the arrangement, will render each effort easier than the former. This faculty of the mind like every other, may be cultivated and improved, to become of the greatest importance to us.

The author is aware, that objections to his symbols may be started by some, on account of the supposed difficulty of remembering the hard names of several of them, particularly in their application by children; but, in all such cases, the symbols may be described without reference to the names: thus, instead of saying Ate, to a child, it might be taught, that the first symbol was a Woman, with a dagger in her hand, which would be as easy to recollect, as any symbol that could be devised.—Instead of saying that their second hieroglyphic was Ino; simply call it, a Woman, with a child in her arms, and shewing the picture, will be found effectual.—Atys may be termed a Dumb prince—Equity, a woman with a pair of scales, &c. &c. and occasionally mentioning the names, they will become familiar; when there will be this advantage attending them, that children will thus early acquire a knowledge of a number of personages, that, as scholars, will be essential to be known by them; for with the curiosity generally attendant upon youth, they will be anxious to learn who these characters were; in their search of information, they will acquire more, and thus be doubly benefitted.

It had been observed to him by many persons, who afterwards acknowledged their error, that objects, or symbols more common, would be better; thus the 16th symbol might be a Toad, instead of Tuova; but, independently of the inferiority of the former, as a medium of association, the word might be wanted for some purpose connected with figures, when it would be extremely aukward and confusing to have the word Toad, as the mnemonical word for 16, perhaps, assimilated with the very next symbol to the one of the same name; considerations of a similar nature directed his choice in all—to avoid those names that might be wanted for common use—whether as words for degrees of longitude and latitude, or any other purpose.

Another arrangement he has effected, which may be found useful; wherever two figures of the same kind are combined, the symbols that belong to them, have the two consonants in their names, that are employed to represent them individually; thus the 11th symbol being formed of two ones, has the consonants, q and t, in the word Equity.—The 22nd symbol has the letters n and h, in the word Noah, the same with 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 88, and 99, in the names Gama, Zara, Jael, Ovid, Cooke, Woba, and Fop. For some of them he could have chosen more familiar names, thus Aurora and Dido might be used instead of Zara and Ovid; as they would equally represent 44 and 66, but then the above mentioned object would be frustrated; for, by this modification, if the original combination of the consonants and figures were lost, they are sure to be found in the symbols, Equity, Noah, &c. &c.

A variety of other motives that would be idle to detail, influenced his choice; thus Numa, and Nero, would be easier recollected as symbols, than Hygeia and Hero; but as they were monarchs, whose order of succession to be remembered, will cause them to be associated with the symbols, it would appear singular and objectionable, to have them at the same time, media of association, and objects of recollection, with other symbols. Niobe would appear a more appropriate emblem for 28 than Hebe, as n may be supposed to be easier recollected than h for 2; but Niobe would be less useful, for she could not be easily supposed in any other situation than transfixed with grief for the fate of her children, whereas Hebe can be placed in a thousand situations for which the former would be unfit.

The Author ought to apologize for delaying the course of his subjects, by observations that may appear unnecessary, but as he knows the improving spirit of the ingenious may urge them to alterations to benefit the system, which he is as anxious to see as any other person; he wishes to remove every obstacle to an object so desirable, by pointing out the motives that directed him, that they may not mistake change for improvement, by adopting arrangements that may appear simple, without being powerful,

He cannot, however, dismiss this part of the subject, without observing, that as it is decidedly essential for mne-monicians to be able to describe the symbols, and refer to them without any pause or delay; he knows no arrangement so well calculated to effect it, as the one he has chosen—to has the symbols at the same time numerals—for they can always recollect, or they ought to recollect, the consonants that belong to the figures, which at once presents to their mind any symbol they require : thus if they were asked the name of their thirty-fifth symbol, they know that it will be found ideally depicted on their third wall, fifth place; where, if they took any pains to imagine it, they are sure to find it: but in default of this, if it were a mere arbitrary picture, they might be at a loss: But, by the present arrangement, they may or may not refer to their wall, and with a rapidity of mind, far outstripping that mode, they resolve the figures 3 and 5 into m and l, which directly presents Milo to their view; and in like manner with every other.

Before the students attempt to apply the arrangements of the next chapter, they ought to be tolerably well acquainted with at least ten of the symbols, but a greater number would be desirable.