The Holy State, Book 3 · Chapter 10
CHAP. 10. Of Memory.
IT is the treasure-house of the mind, wherein the monuments thereof are kept and preserved. Plato makes it the mother of the Muses. *Metaphys. lib. 1 cap. 1.Aristotle sets it one degree further, making Experience the mother of Arts, Memory the parent of Experience. Philosophers place it in the rere of the head; and it seems the mine of Memory lies there, because there naturally men dig for it, scratching it when they are at a losse. This again is twofold: one, the simple retention of things; the other, a regaining them when forgotten.
Maxime 1Brute creatures equall, if not exceed, men in a bare retentive Memory. Through how many labyrinths of woods, without other clue of threed then naturall instinct, doth the hunted hare return to her muce? How doth the little bee, flying into severall meadows and gardens, sipping of many cups, yet never intoxicated, through an ocean (as I may say) of air, steddily steer her self home, without help of card or compasse. But these cannot play an aftergame, and recover what they have forgotten, which is done by the mediation of discourse.
2Artificiall memory is rather a trick then an art, and more for the gain of the teacher then profit of the learners. Like the tossing of a pike, which is no part of the postures and motions thereof, and is rather for ostentation then use, to shew the strength and nimblenesse of the arm, and is often used by wandring Souldiers as an introduction to beg. Understand it of the artificiall rules which at this day are delivered by Memory-mountebanks; for sure an art thereof may be made (wherein as yet the world is defective) and that no more destructive to naturall Memory then spectacles are to eyes, which girls in Holland wear from 12 years of age. But till this be found out, let us observe these plain rules.
First soundly infix in thy mind what thou desirest to remember. 3What wonder is it if agitation of businesse jog that out of thy head, which was there rather tack'd then fastned? whereas those notions which get in by violenta possessio will abide there till ejectio firma, sicknesse or extreme age, dispossesse them. It is best knocking in the nail overnight, and clinching it the next morning.
Overburthen not thy Memory to make so faithfull a servant a slave. 4Remember Atlas was weary. Have as much reason as a Camell, to rise when thou hast thy full load. Memory, like a purse, if it be over full that it cannot shut, all will drop out of it: Take heed of a gluttonous curiositie to feed on many things, lest the greedinesse of the appetite of thy Memory spoyl the digestion thereof. Beza's case was peculiar and memorable; being above fourescore years of age he perfectly could say by heart any Greek Chapter in *Thuan. obit. doct. virorum. pag. 384.S. Pauls Epistles, or any thing else which he had learnt long before, but forgot whatsoever was newly told him; his Memory like an inne retaining old guests, but having no room to entertain new.
Spoyl not thy Memory with thine own jealousie, 5nor make it bad by suspecting it. How canst thou find that true which thou wilt not trust? S. Augustine tells us of his friend Simplicius, who being ask'd, could tell all Virgills verses backward and forward, and yet the same party, *Testatus est Deum, nescisse se hoc; esse ante illud experimentum, August. Tom. 7. lib. de anima & ejus orig. cap. 7.vowed to God, that he knew not that he could do it till they did try him. Sure there is conceal'd strength in mens Memories, which they take no notice of.
Marshall thy notions into a handsome method. 6One will carrie twice more weight trust and pack'd up in bundles, then when it lies untowardly flapping and hanging about his shoulders. Things orderly fardled up under heads are most portable.
Adventure not all thy learning in one bottom, 7but divide it betwixt thy Memory and thy Note-books. He that with Bias carries all his learning about him in his head will utterly be beggerd and bankrupt, if a violent disease, a mercilesse thief, should rob and strip him. I know some have a Common-place against Common-place-books, and yet perchance will privately make use of what publickly they declaim against. A Common-place-book contains many Notions in garison, whence the owner may draw out an army into the field on competent warning.
8Moderate diet and good aire preserve Memory; but what aire is best I dare not define, when such great ones differ. *Plato, Aristotle, Tully.Some say a pure and subtle aire is best, another commends a thick and foggy aire. For the *Singulari valent memoriâ quo urbs crassiore fruatur acre, Mercat. Atlas in Tussia.Pisans sited in the fennes and marish of Arnus have excellent memories, as if the foggy aire were a cap for their heads.
9Thankfulnesse to God for it continues the Memory: whereas some proud people have been visited with such oblivion, that they have forgotten their own names. Staupitius Tutour to Luther, and a godly man, in a vain ostentation of his memory repeated Christs Genealogie (Matth. 1.) by heart in his Sermon, but being out about the Captivity of Babylon, I see (saith *Melchior Adamus in vita Staupitii, pag. 20.he) God resisteth the proud, and so betook himself to his book. Abuse not thy Memory to be Sinnes Register, nor make advantage thereof for wickednesse. Excellently *De civ. Dei lib. 7. cap. 3.Augustine, Quidam vero pessimi memoria sunt mirabili, qui tanto pejores sunt, quanto minus possunt, quae male cogitant, oblivisci.