the last war. By degrees he recovered what he had loft; partly by the fpontaneous revival of his memory, and partly by information. He is ftill alive, though old and infirm; and as intelligent as people of his age commonly are. I may further mention, that I have several times in my life been in a fwoon; twice, as I remember, by falls from a horfe; and once, on going fuddenly to a great fire, from the damp air of a winter night and that, on each occafion, I obferved, as others in like cafes have done, that, when I recovered, I had utterly forgotten what happened just before the deliquium came on, and was not a little furprised when the perfons present told me of the circumftances. A like failure of Memory I have once and again been confcious of, when awake and in health, on being startled at fome alarming incident. These facts prove, that our foul and body are closely united, and do mutually affect each other; and that, by disorders in the brain and other contiguous parts, the intellectual powers may be difcompofed. But from thefe facts we are not warranted to infer, either that the brain is the organ of Memory, or that impreffions are made upon it by what we externally or internally perceive; or that, fuppofing them to be made, they are at all neceffary to re membrance.

SECT.

SECT. II.

The Subject continued.-Laws of Memory.-Importance of Attention.

T

HE moft lively remembrance is not fo lively as the fenfation from which it is derived: and, for the most part, Memory becomes more faint, as the original fenfation becomes more remote in time. What I faw last year, I remember more diftinctly than what I did not fee thefe feven years. This, however, is not always the cafe. Old men can give a more exact account of what happened in their youth, than of more recent events. And any man remembers better the face of a dear friend whom he has not feen for many days, than that of an indifferent stranger whom he chanced to fee yesterday. Of the books, too, which we read, and of the narratives which we hear, every one knows, that fome we forget immediately, and that others we retain long.

That is likely to be long remembered, which at its first appearance affects the mind with a lively fenfation, or with fome pleasureable or painful feeling. Thus we remember more exactly what we have feen, than what we have only heard of; and that which awakened any powerful emotion, as joy, forrow, wonder, furprife, love, indignation, than that which we beheld with indifference. Here we difcern the reafon of a cruel piece of policy, which is faid to be practifed in fome communities, and was once, I believe, in this; C

that

that of going round the lands once a year, and at every land-mark fcourging one or two boys, who were taken along for that purpose. For it was prefumed, that thofe boys could never forget the places where they had fuffered pain; and would of course be able, when grown up, or grown old, to give teftimony concerning the boundaries, if any difpute fhould arife on that fubject. We all know the difference between a difcourfe or narrative which we forget as foon as we hear, and one that leaves a lasting impreffion. The former gives no entertainment, and awakens no paffion : the latter amufes with a variety of examples and images, or by the force or beauty of the style; or gives rife to wonder, hope, fear, pity, laughter, or other lively emotions.

The antient moralifts were at pains to illustrate their precepts by examples, parables, and other allufions to things external. This made the hearer both understand their meaning, and retain it: for in those days, recourfe could feldom be had to books; and it was neceffary for the people to remember what was delivered to them, if they intended to profit by it. Religious, political, and moral doctrines, when enforced by facts and appofite examples, lofe their abftract nature, and become, as it were, objects of fenfe; and fo engage attention, are easily understood, make a deepimpreffion upon the mind, and produce a durable remembrance. This ought to be carefully attended to, by those whose business it is to inftruct mankind by speaking to them. What is written is permanent, and may be reviewed at leifure; but what is addreffed to the ear is immediately gone; and, if it take no hold of the Memory, is good for nothing.

The

The force wherewith any thing ftrikes the mind, is generally in proportion to the degree of attention we bestow upon it. And therefore, what we attend to, is better remembered, than what we confider fuperficially. Inattentive people have always bad Memories. At leaft, their Memory is bad in regard to thofe things to which they are inattentive:-for there is no perfon of a found mind, who has not fome purfuit, and fome favou→ rite sphere of obfervation. If our attention is engaged by matters of importance; by the duties and decorums of life; by hiftorical facts; by philofophical researches; by the trade, manufactures, and other political concerns of our country; our Memory will be stored with matters of importance: but if we are captivated by trifles. only, we shall remember only trifles. It is therefore of great moment, that the views and attentions of young people be properly directed. Where parents are given to foolish talk, or infipid ftory-telling, children often acquire the fame propenfity. For it is certain, that the bent of the genius is partly determined by thofe early habits of attention or inattention, whereby the Memory is either enriched with what is valuable, or encumbered with what is frivolous.

The great art of Memory is attention. Without this, one reads, and hears, to no purpose. And we shall be more or less profited by what we read or hear, as the objects of our attention are more or lefs important. To read in hafte, or without reflecting on what we read, may amufe a vacant hour, but will never improve the understanding. And therefore, while we perufe a good author, let us, from time to time, lay the book afide, and propofe to ourfelves the following queC 2

ries:

ries: What is it this author aims at? What is his general plan? How far has he proceeded in his fubject? If I were to give without book a fummary of the laft chapter, how should I express myfelf? Is the author quite clear and fatisfactory in what he has hitherto advanced? If he is not, what are his principal defects? How much of his fubject is still before him? From what I know of his plan, of the parts he has already gone through, of his principles, and of his method of illuftration, may I not form conjectures in regard to what is to follow?-It is this fort of intellectual exercise, that improves both the Memory and the Judgment, and makes reading equally agreeable and beneficial.-And, in like manner, after hearing a discourse, or bearing a part in converfation, it may be of ufe to recollect the heads of it: taking care to treafure up thofe fentiments that were remarkable for their truth or beauty, or that came recommended by the piety or benevolence of the speaker; and overlooking every levity, fophiftry, and ill-natured obfervation, that feemed to betray depravity of principle, or hardnefs of heart. By cherishing habits of Attention, and of Recollection, in the various circumftances of life, the mind is continually improved but idleness, inadvertence, and inaccuracy, extinguish genius, and eradicate virtue.

When we are engroffed by a multiplicity of affairs, new objects cominand but a flight Attention, unless they be very striking. And therefore thofe things are moft attended to, and best remembered, which occur when the mind is at eafe, and unemployed; as in the early part of life, or in the morning. Hence, that is well remembered, of which we have had a previous ex

pectation;