Elements of the philosophy of the human mind. By Dugald Stewart. Rev. and abridged, with critical and explanatory notes, for the use of colleges and schools. By Francis Bowen ...

28 6 IiMEMORY.
unquestionable truth, that a vigorous and retentive Memory
may be fairly ranked among the most important of the qualities
which enter into the composition either of an inventive genius,
or of a comprehensive understanding. In the case, too, of
some individuals of the most powerful and splendid talents, the
same preternatural strength of Miemory has been exemplified,
which, in most instances, is considered, and, perhaps, not altogether without reason, as symptomatical of a weak and superficial judgment. Of this I have already produced some remarkable proofs in the course of the foregoing observations..Why JMemory is not so much cultivated among the moderns. —
It is justly observed by Miss Edgeworth, that such prodigies of
lMemory are not now to be looked for, as we have reason to
believe were not uncommon in Europe a very few centuries
ago.'The art of printing, by multiplying copies of books, so
as to put them within the reach of all classes of the people, has
lowered the value of those extraordinary powers which some of
the learned were then accustomed to display with so much ostentation. At the revival of literature in Europe, a man who had
read a few manuscripts, and could repeat them, was not merely
a wonder, but a treasure; he could travel from place to place,
and live by his learning; and had'far more encouragement to
engrave the words of others on his memory, than to exercise his
own powers of judgment and invention." In later times the
case is greatly altered. A reference in a commonplace-book
to a particular page, relieves the Memory entirely of its burden;
a good index supersedes the labor of years; or (as Pope has
very happily expressed the same idea,)
"Though index-learning turns no student pale,
It holds the eel of science by the tail."
Original differences among men in respect to Memory. The
facts which have been already mentioned sufficiently account for
the common opinion, that the original differences among men
in their capacities of Memory, are incomparably greater than in
the case of any other faculty. Nay, I must confess, they seem
to show that this opinion is not altogether without foundation.