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 ...

rMEMrroYi. 291
law, that all our powers, both of body and mind, may be
strengthlened: by applying them to their propert urposes.
Besides, however, the itm-provemenet lwhich IMemory admits
of, in consequence of the effects of exercise on the original
faculty, it may be greatly aided in its operations, by those expedients which reason and experience suggest for employing it
to the best advantage. These expedients furnish a curious subject of' philosophical examination; perhaps, too, the inquiry
may not be altoget:her without use; for, although our principal resources for assisting the Memory be sugg'ested by naturee, yet i.t is
reasonable to think, th-at in this, as in similar cases, by following
out systematically thie hints which she suggests to us, a further
preparation may be made for our intellectual improvement.
ifow lifemory becomes more susceptible anzd retenztive. - Every
person must have remarked, in entering upon any new species
of study, the difficulty of treasuring up in the Memory its elementary principles; and the growing facility which he acquires
in this respect, as his knowledge becomes more extensive. By
analyzing the different causes which concur in producing this
facility, we may, perhaps, be led to some conclusions which may
admit of a practical application.
1. In every science, the ideas about which it is peculiarly
conversant, asre connected together by some particular associating principle; in one science, for example, by associations
founded on the relation of cause and effect; in another, by
associations founded on the necessary relations of mathematical
truths; in a third, on associations founded on contiguity in place
or time. Hence one cause of the gradual improvement of Memory
with respect to the familiar objects of our knowledge; for whatever be the prevailing associating principle among the ideas
about which we are habitually occupied, it must necessarily
acquire additional strength from our favorite stucdy.
2. In proportion as a science becomes more familiar to us,
we acquire a greater command of attention with respect to the
objects about which it is conversant; for the information which
we already possess, gives us an interest in every new truth and
every new fact which have any relation to it. In most cases,