MNEMONICA, or the art of memory, as it was called by the ancients, has been lately revived and studied in Germany and France. In some notices concerning this subject which we have seen, it is observed that this science is more intimately connected with the Egyptian hieroglyphics than is generally thought, and that this connection may help to explain them. In Germany this art has been revived by M. Aretin; and a
pupil of his, M. Kaestner has been permitted to teach the new doctrine at Leipzig, but on the express condition of not allowing his hearers to write down his lectures. This seems to be a singular, and we may add a silly prohibition. The following account is given of this art in a letter from Paris in the beginning of 1807. "During my residence, says the writer, in this metropolis I heard a great deal of a new method of mnemonique, or of a method to assist and fix our memory, invented by Gregor de Feinaigle. Notwithstanding the simplicity with which he announced his lectures in the papers, I could not determine myself to become a pupil of his, as I thought to find a quack or mountebank, and to be laughed at by my friends for having thrown away my cash in such a foolish manner. Perhaps I should hesitate to this moment about the utility of this newly invented method to assist our natural memory, had I not had the pleasure of dining at his excellency's the Count of Metternich, the Austrian ambassador, who followed, with all his secretaries, the whole course of lectures: they all spoke very advantageously of it, likewise several other persons of the first rank I met there: in consequence of this I was inserted into the list of pupils, and I follow, at this moment, the lectures. All I can tell you about this method is, it is a very simple one, and easy to be learned, adapted to all ages and sexes: all difficulties in such sciences as require an extraordinary good memory, for instance, the names and epochs in history, are at once overcome and obviated. There is not one branch of science to which this method cannot be applied. It is easy to be perceived that such an invention cannot pass without some critique, and even sarcasms, in the public prints: some of them were very injurious, and plausible enough to mislead the public, who, knowing nothing of the method, are always more ready to condemn than to assist. Mr. Feinaigle, to answer all these critics at once, adopted a method not less public for Paris than the public papers, but less public for the rest of Europe: he gave, the 22d of last month, a public exhibition to about 2000 spectators, in which he did not appear at all, only about 12 or 15 of his pupils: each of them made such an application of the method as his situation in life required. The principal parts were the following: history, about names and years; geography, with respect to longitude, latitude, number of inhabitants, square miles, &c. &c.; grammar in various languages, about different editions of the same work; pandects, their division, and title of each book, title, &c.; different systems of botany, poetry, arithmetic, &c. &c. At last one desired the company to give him one thousand words, without any connection whatsoever, and without numeric order; for instance, the word astronomer, for No. 62; wood, for No. 188; lovely, for No. 370; dynasty, for No. 23; David, for No. 90, &c. &c. till all the numbers were filled; and he repeated the whole (notwithstanding he heard these words without order, and but once,) in the numerical order; or he told you what word was given against any one number, or what number any one word bore. It is still more striking, but certainly, likewise, more difficult, to retain as many numbers however great they may be. For words and numbers I could venture myself, with the greatest safety, as far as one hundred of each; and I am sure, after having
Memph's having fixed them once, which is done in less than ten minutes, I could repeat them to you at any period, without ever thinking any more of them *."