The art of memory a treatise useful for such as are to speak in publick / by Marius D'Assigny ...

CHAP. II. Of Memory, its Seat, and Excel∣lency. (Book 2)

ST. Austin names Memory the Soul's Belly or Store-house, or the Receptacle of the Mind, because it is appointed to receive and lay up as in a Treasury those things that may be for our Benefit and Advantage. Divers Names and De∣scriptions are given to it, but all may be reduced to this one Definition, That it is that Faculty of the Soul appointed by our wise Creator to receive, retain and preserve the several Ideas convey'd into

it by the Inlets of the Understanding, whether intellectual or sensitive.

Two Vertues belong to it, readily to receive, and long to retain whatsoever is committed to its Custody by the Un∣derstanding: For Perfection of Memory consists in these two Qualities, quickly to receive the Impressions or Images of things, and to keep them long from Ob∣livion, that the Intellect might there find them to employ them for such Uses as Reason may require. There are likewise three differing Acts of this Faculty, tho some reckon but two; 1st, That which we properly call Memory, which is a Re∣tention of the Ideas of things admitted into the Soul. 2dly, Recordatio, Remem∣brance, or a calling to Mind, or a refresh∣ing those Ideas that are there closeted up. 3dly, Reminiscentia, which is a Reco∣very of the same Ideas which were for∣merly lost, or a renewing of those Im∣pressions in the Memory that were blot∣ted out, or defaced by Forgetfulness. The first may be found in some measure in the Brutes, and other Animals, who have a kind of local Retention of the Objects that are either grateful or hurt∣ful to their Natures; so that the presence

of those things cause them either to fly from, or to run to them, having had a former Sense of their good or evil Qua∣lities. This Animal Memory differs in this from that of Man, in that it requires the presence of the Objects to mind the dumb Creatures of their past Experience; but the Soul of Man having more perfect and excellent Assistances, needs not the Representation of Things to remember the former Passages; neither is his Me∣mory so narrow, so weak and infirm, as that of the Brutes. But the two latter Acts of Memory are not to be found in them, because they depend on the rea∣soning of the Understanding, and cannot be produced without that Ability, which we cannot admit in other Animals.

And tho these two Acts, which some reckon to be but one, be produced by the same Faculty as the Acts of Memory, yet they differ in this, that the Memory may be without the use of reasoning, but the others require the Assistance of the Rati∣onal Faculty to recover the lost Ideas, by the help of certain Circumstances that remain yet in our Mind. Besides, it's very common, that some who are excellent for Memory, may be the more apt to be

guilty of Forgetfulness, and to let slip out of their Thoughts many weighty Matters. Again, Memory precedes Re∣membrance in relation to Time, for we can't call to mind Things that we ne∣ver had in our Memory before. And I judg there is this difference between Re∣cordatio and Reminiscentia, that the first is a plain Remembrance of Things re∣maining yet in the Memory, but not thought upon before, by reason of the multiplicity and crowd of other Ideas; whereas Reminiscentia is a recovery of the lost Ideas which were blotted out of the Memory, and again refreshed and renew∣ed by the assistance of some known Cir∣cumstances and Passages, that lead us to the minding again of those Things that we had forgotten: however we must ac∣knowledg between them the difference of magis & minus. Now there are four natural Motions observable in Memory; First, the Motion of the Spirits, which convey the Species or Ideas from the thinking Faculty to that of Memory. Secondly, the Formation or Reception of those Ideas, and the fixing or imprinting them into the Fancy. Thirdly, a retur∣ning back of those Spirits from the me∣morative

Faculty to the rational. Fourth∣ly, that Action by which the thinking Faculty reviews what is treasured up in Memory, which indeed is the very Act of Memory. Therefore some have de∣fined Memory, Apprehensio in Anima ex∣istentium specierum cum indagatione & in∣quisitione; An Apprehension of the Mind of those Ideas that are in the Soul, ac∣companied by a Search and Inquisition.

We must here make one Observation more; That as the Peripateticks commonly distinguish three distinct Things in every Faculty, so we must note the same in that of Memory. First, there is the Faculty, Power or Ability of Memory, which we fancy to reside in the Soul as in its proper Subject, and to produce Acts by that Or∣gan appointed by our wise Maker, name∣ly the Cerebellum. Secondly, to this Abi∣lity or Faculty belongs the Habit of Me∣mory, which is acquired by repeated Acts; for there may be a Faculty in the Soul, which through Neglect or otherwise may be useless, and it often happens that the Faculty is perfected by a constant and continual Practice and Habit, whereas Slothfulness decays and ruines the most excellent Ability. The third Thing

observable in Memory, is the several Acts produced by the Faculty, which at last make up an Habit. We shall find this Distinction to be of some use in the fol∣lowing Chapters.

Now the Seat of Memory is generally acknowledged to be in the hinder part of the Head, which we call Occiput; in the third Closet, named Ventriculus, Puppis, or Cerebellum. For as all the Naturalists are of opinion, that in the Brain there are three Operations of the Soul, the Imagi∣nation, Reason, and Memory; they have from the Direction of Experience, assigned to the two first the two greater Closets of the Brain, and to the latter the less and hindermost. For I need not busy my self to prove that all the Functi∣ons of Life have their particular Organs; and the Soul acting little or nothing without the concurrence and assistance of the Body, our wise Creator hath ap∣pointed the several distinct parts where the Spirit is to move and act, to produce the differing Actions of Life; according to that old and approved Saying of the Physicians,

Cor sapit, & pulmo loquitur, fel suscitat iras, Splen ridere facit, cogit amare jecur:

The Heart is the Seat of Wisdom, the Lights are employed in Speaking, the Gaul moves us to Anger, the Spleen inclines to Laughter, and the Liver to an Amorous Temper. Thus in this Clo∣set of Memory the Soul treasures up the Ideas of Things, making use of a clear and subtile Spirit, ascending from the Heart, to form the Impressions, which contain either a longer or shorter space, answerable to the Temperature of the Body, and the Largeness of this Closet: For they have observed, that such have a capacious Memory whose hinder-part of the Head is larger than ordinary; but when that part is otherwise, plain, and narrow, such Persons are seldom gifted with a rich and an officious Memory. It is most certain that the good or evil Dis∣position of the hindermost part of the Head contributes much either to the largeness or shallowness of Memory. For when that part of the Brain is sound, and the Passage open and wide, by which the Spirits ascend up to it with Ease, and without any Obstruction, such Men are quick of Apprehension, and their Memo∣ry is the more happy, and the more sus∣ceptible of the Ideas. But if the way be

obstructed that conveys up the Spirits, or if there be any natural or casual De∣fect in that part, they will quickly find it by the decay of Memory. Some having received a considerable Blow in that side of the Head, as a Greek Author relates, forgot all their nearest Relations. And it is reported of Messala Corvinus the Orator, that by an Accident he became so stupified as to forget his own Name. The Casualties therefore that may hap∣pen to this excellent Faculty, by the Pre∣judices to which this part of the Brain is subject, should awaken our Care and Diligence to preserve and defend it.

But as the Parts of the Body, and the Soundness and Perfection of the Brain, are great Helps to a good Memory; they have caused the Naturalists to divide Memory into Natural and Artificial. The Natural is when the Person hath this great Advantage from his Natural Parts, without any help from his own Industry, and when his wise Maker hath bestowed upon him all the inward Qualifications needful for a large and happy Memory. The Artificial is that which is acquired by our Care, Study, Invention and La∣bour. For it is the Opinion of Cicero,

That the goodness of our Memory pro∣ceeds not always from our Natural Per∣fections, but sometimes from the Contri∣vance and Art of Man. And our Expe∣rience can verify the same, that Memory is capable of increase and decrease; and that the Art of Man may add much, and accomplish this excellent Ability. How∣ever, if we offer to neglect, and suffer this rare Faculty to be unpolish'd and co∣vered over, as it were, with the Rubbish of Idleness and Debauchery, when God and Nature have been bountiful to us in this respect, we cannot expect to use it with that Advantage, as others who have laboured to increase their Maker's Gifts by their Study and Industry. Of some it hath been reported, that they had prodigious Memories. Mithridates, that famous Enemy of the Roman State, was once a King of two and twenty King∣doms, where so many differing Langua∣ges were spoken; which he understood so well, that he could speak every one of them, and to all his Subjects, without an Interpreter. The Great Cyrus had so large a Memory, that he could call every Souldier of his numerous Army by his proper Name. Likewise Seneca tells us

of himself, that he could repeat 2000 distinct Names that had no dependance. And in our late Days, the Cardinal du Perron was able to repeat, without missing a Word, two hundred Verses which were spoken before Henry the Fourth by a famous Poet, and never heard nor saw them before. Likewise in our Age and Nation, some carry with them whole Libraries in their Memory: Which in reason cannot be expected, un∣less Men endeavour to improve this rare Gift of God by a continued Exercise. I need not inlarge upon the Usefulness and Excellency of Memory, to incline Men to the practice of the Means to attain to it. All other Abilities of the Mind borrow from hence their Beauty, Ornaments, and Perfections, as from a common Trea∣sury: And the other Capacities and Fa∣culties of the Soul are useless without this. For to what purpose is Knowledg and Understanding, if we want Memory to preserve and use it? What signify all other Spiritual Gifts, if they are lost as soon as they are obtained? It is Memory alone that enriches the Mind, that pre∣serves what Labour and Industry collect, which supply this Noble and Heavenly

Being with those Divine Excellencies, by which it is prepared for a Glorious Im∣mortality. In a word, there can be nei∣ther Knowledg, neither Arts nor Sci∣ences, without Memory: Nor can there be any improvement of Mankind, either in respect of the present Welfare, or fu∣ture Happiness, without the Assistance and Influence of this Supernatural Abili∣ty. Memory is the Mother of Wisdom, the common Nurse of Knowledg and Vertue, as the Poet very well hath express'd,

Sophiam me vocant Graeci, vos sapientiam, Ʋsus me genuit, mater peperit memoria.

But as these Lines are designed for the Benefit and Encouragement of their Me∣mories chiefly who are to appear in the Pulpit, or at the Bar, to speak in the Audience of the People; I need not tell them with St. Austin, Memoria in primis oratori necessaria, That there is no Ability more useful to an Orator than Memory: For it gives Life to what is spoken, and makes a deeper Impression in the Minds of Men; it awakens the dullest Spirits, and causeth them to receive a Discourse

more kindly than otherwise; it adds a Grace, and an extraordinary Excellency, both to the Person and his Oration, and is the greatest Ornament of that part of Rhetorick that we commonly name Pro∣nunciatio. So that if there is any thing worthy to be esteemed or valued in that Art, so useful in a Common-wealth, 'tis all borrowed from Memory alone; which gives the greatest weight and efficacy to the Words that are spoken. It is repor∣ted of Eschines, that when he came to Rhodes, he read to the Inhabitants a fa∣mous Oration of Demosthenes, which they very much admired, tho pronounced without the Grace of an Orator: But said he to them, Quid si ipsum audissetis? How much more would you admire and esteem this Oration, if you had heard it from his own Mouth? But our daily Ex∣perience can declare more of the Excel∣lency of this rare Ability.

I shall therefore proceed to examine what Temper is most agreeable with a good Memory.