CHAP. I. Of remembring common affairs.

MNemonica, or artificial Memorie, so far as it falleth under our present considerati­on, is two-fold: in Writing, or without Writing.

The Written way of Remembring, de­pendeth on naked hand-writing, which is more certain and facil then the o­ther; and therefore alwaies to be used when oportunity doth permit. In treating hereof, it were superfluous to speak of writing notes superfluous to speak of writing notes in Table-books, or to pursue every trivial mat­ter, but onely deliver such things as seem more usefull: First I will handle Notation of common business, after­wards such things as pertain to learn­ing

Concerning the former of these two I will onely adde one precept, omit­ting such as are in frequent use, Pro­vide an Almanack with blank pages, in which every evening, against the proper day of the moneth, set down your chiefest business of that day, and also the names of such persons as you have conversed with about any serious affair, either at home or abroad. Though the utility hereof be not pre­sently conspicuous, yet many times afterward, it is of great consequence to resolve difficulties of very great im­portance. Suppose that after some re­volution of time, three months, a year or more, question arise about the very day whereon such or such a thing hap­ned, an exact knowledg whereof will be very profitable; the certain day you have forgotten, but well remember it was on the same day your sheep were shorn, or the day after such friends di­ned with you; this being considered, your Almanack will exhibit the parti­cular day. Moreover by the mens names with whom you spake that day, haply you may learn many things most neces­sary to be known in the present cause.

This briefly shal suffice concerning re­membring ordinary business.

CHAP. II. Of remembring Words.

THere are four kinds of Memoran­dums belonging to Discipline, or Learning: Words, Phrases, Sentences, and Set-Speeches.

A Word may be remembred by De­rivation or Connexion. Derivation is pro­per, or Improper; Proper Derivation is an apt interpretation of Words; as Pel­lex an Harlot, of [...], and [...] of [...] a word compounded of [...] and [...] the division of man and wife; or if you please of [...] and [...] be­cause an Harlot is a Divided Wife. [...] blessed, as it were of [...] im­mortal: Filii and filiae, Sons and Daugh­ters, [...], from the love they procure between Parents▪ vir a Man, à viribus; Mulier a Woman, quasi mol­lior, from the Sexes tenderness; Puer a Boy, à puritate corporis; Panis Bread, of Pan, who (as Olaus Magnus saith) first in­vented [Page 4]the Bakers Art; Popa a Glutton or Victualler, from Popina a Cooks-shop; Lucus a Grove, à lucendo, for it proper­ly signifieth a place planted with trees, enlightned with Torches, and hallow­ed to some Idol: Babble of Babel; a Sol­dier of Soldurius, who served under Ce­sar, Lib. 3. Ces. Com. or if you had ra­ther, quasi sole duratus; Church, antient­ly called Kirk, of [...] sup. [...], the Lord's-house; Neighbour, as it were nigh thy bower, a word formerly used for a dwelling house; Gospel, of good spel, antiently used for speech or tidings; Par­tridge, of parting a ridge, for they are u­sually found in ridges of Land.

Improper Derivation, is a strained in­terpretation of a word; as [...] drunk­enness, [...], because after sacrifice they feasted their pallates; [...] smoke, as it were [...], the steam of something burning; [...]: Lachrimae à lace­rando, so Tears in English, of tearing the heart: Monumentum quasi monens mentem; Domus ex do & mus; Cottage as it were a coat for age: Beer as it were Bee-here; Gos­sip of go-sip; Simony as it were See-mony; and Derivation howsoever absurd or [Page 5]wrested, printeth words in Memory; yea the further it is fetched, the deeper impression it maketh.

A Word is retained by Connexion, when it is aptly composed in a sentence a­mongst other words: Homer said well, Words have wings, both because being spoken, they cannot be recalled; and that if they be neglected in the scope of sentences, they are forgotten: for example, let these words Oestrum a Gad-bee, and Cynomya an Horse-flie, be pro­pounded to be remembred, they may be comprehended in a sentence thus; Viminia tibi lotione macerantur, quae cynomya adeoque etiam oestro vehement ius pungent; Rods steeped in piss, sting worse then a Horse-flye or Gad-bee: So these words, Vitricus a Father-in-law, Acupedius a Footman, illunis moonless, are thus com­prised in a sentence; Illunis licet, sublu­stris tamen nox erat, quâ Acupedius ad Vi­trici aedes deflecteret; It was a light night, though the moondid not shine, in which the Footman called at my Father in law his house. Again, suppose these words to be kept in mind; Alyptes a Surgeon, succenturiatus substituted, tympanotriba a Drummer, strigosus bare bone: they may [Page 6]be thus framed into a Sentence; Aly­ptes strigosus in locum tympanotribae caesi suc­centuriatus est; A bare-boned Chyrur­geon was substituted in place of the slain Drummer. This is a profitable kind of exercise for unknown, out-worn, for­reign or seldom used words, which oc­cur sometimes in reading, and are to be observed, that they may be better known. Learners, who study the pri­mitive words of any Language; as La­tine, Greek, or Hebrew, may reap no smal benefit by Derivation and Connexion of words, if they imitate the following method Having provided a Paper-book to contain the Primitive words, divide every page into three Columns, of which let the third be broadest: In the first columne write down the Primitive words, in the second their significati­ons, in the third their Etymologies, or Derivations. But if you meet with any word that doth not presently admit Derivation either Proper, or Improper, leave the space in the third columne void, and pass on to the next word, that you may not lose time by a perplexed indagation of the Etymology: Then col­lect all the words you find in the page, [Page 7]which decline Derivation, into one sen­tence, so by Connexion you may im­print those words in Memory, which you cannot by Derivation. Every such sentence must be written at the bottom of the page; I will give you an Exam­ple in the first twelve primitive words of the Greek tongue, as they are exhi­bited in the Catalogue of John Surcinus, in this order.

[...]; What should a fool do with heaps of goods?

Here you may see two words admitting no derivation, comprehended in one Sen­tence; but the Verb [...], to love, is so frequent, it needeth no connexion. The manner of exercise to learn these, is thus: First, lay a flat Ruler, or your finger, over the middle Column, in such sort, that the words of the first and third Column (which contain the primitives & their de­rivations) may appear on both sides; by mutual comparison of which, you must try to investigate the significations latent under the Ruler: Afterward conceal the first Column in like manner, that by [Page 9]comparing the significations and deriva­tions lying in sight, you may study the primitive words latent under the Ruler or your finger. If you dispatch but one page a day after this order, (which is scarcely an hours work in few dayes you may fix all the primitive words of the whole tongue in your mind without any labor, nay rather with delight. If you can pro­cure some companions in scrutinie, of the derivations, equally lovers of the same study, your labour will be rendered much more delectable and facile.

CHAP. III. Of remembring Phrases.

A Phrase may be committed to memo­ry, by accommodating it to some fit subject; as if this phrase were to be re­membred, Very much estranged from filthy affections; I apply it to a Christian Soul­dier, as to a meet subject in this manner, A Christian Souldier ought to be very much estranged from all filthy and sordid affections of mind.

Or this example, To forgoe manhood through effeminate delicacy, may be fitly accommodated to Sardanapalus King of Assyria; thus Sardanapalus by effeminate delicacy and luxury, lost all manhood, and led a Womanish life.

Again, this example, A man furnished with abundant store of Learning, may be thus applyed; Usher the renowned Bishop of Armagh, was furnished with abundant store of good Literature, and manifold Learning; so that he did justly bear the prize from most [...]relates of the World.

This manner of applying Phrases, is principally necessary in learning the Ele­gancies of any Tongue, and is very well worthy to be more frequently used in publike Schools: I confess Masters do u­sually command their Schollars to collect phrases and elegant sentences out of their Lectures, and to write their gleanings in Books, not in loose Papers, which is som­what; but if they did, also urge them to refer every phrase by them collected, to some friend or acquaintance, they would by this means reap a far greater Harvest of Learning: For phrases thus accom­modated, sink deeper, and continue lon­ger in memory.

CHAP. IV. Of remembring Sentences.

SEntences worthy of Memory, are ei­ther frequently or seldom used: Sen­tences of common use (I mean such as we desire to preserve not onely in paper, but in our hearts, because of their singular Elegancy, serious Gravity, concise brevi­ty, or witty ingenuity) are to be stored in a Manual every kind in a peculiar place: Epigrams by themselves, Anagrams by themselves, so Proverbs, Epitaphs, Jests, Riddles, Observations, &c. by themselves: This Enchiridion wherein you write such remarkable sentences, ought always to be carryed about you, (and may therefore be called, Vade mecum) that you may peruse the same at leisure-hours when you are a­broad, not having other employment; by which means, Time, most precious of all things, will not be unprofitably spent: And hereby you will keep in mind things worthy remembrance, better, safer, soon­er, more certainly, profitably, and de­lightfully, then by that monstrous repeti­tion, [Page 12]prescribed by some Authors in this Art of Memory, which nevertheless can­not be effected without long study, very great defatigation of the understanding & pernicious damage of the memorative fa­culty; besides, a perpetual Oblivion of some Idea's, occasioned by so long space of time interposed.

A sentence seldom used, is either an in­terpretation of some Classick Author, or a common Observation; by Classick Books or Authors, I mean those which are accounted Authentick by common consent of professors in every Science; such are the Scriptures among Divines, Decrees and Statutes among Lawyers, the works of Hypocrates, Galen, or Paracelsus, among Physicians: Euclids Elements a­mong Mathematicians, &c.

If you meet with any memorable in­terpretation of a Classick Book, note it down in short hand in the Margent, near the Text to which it properly relateth; or if you had rather, cause clean paper to be bound between every leaf, to receive such Comments: Or, (which is better) have plenty of white Paper bound at the end of the Book, in which write your In­terpretation, and relate them to the text [Page 13]by like numbers or letters prefixed before the Notes and Text.

CHAP. V: Of remembring long Speeches.

NOw lastly, I will treat of Speeches; A speech, according to my acceptati­on, is any large Treatise composed of many sentences of one kind; such are Ser­mons, Orations, Declarations, Heads, or Se­ctions of Books; or finally, any long Trea­tise, or memorable Speeches, are either such as are framed by our selves, or by others: Again, Speeches of other men are either extant in Books, or are deliver­ed by word of mouth.

If the Speeches to be remembred, are already extant in print, it is sufficient to set down their Titles in your Common­place-Book, under their proper Heads, to advertise you in what Chapter or part of a Book, this, or that Argument is more largely handled: As for example, In the first Book of Calvin's Institutions, and thirteenth Chapter, the three persons of the Godhead in one Essence, is proved by [Page 14]divers reasons; to transcribe which Trea­tise, though in Epitome, would be very laborious: Therefore it is better under the title of Trinity, among other com­mon observations pertaining to the same purpose, to write down these words, That three Persons are contained in one onely Es­sence of God, Cal. Institut. Lib. 1. Cap. 13. By which Citation you are directed to that place of Calvin whensoever you please.

If the Speech you desire to preserve be verbally pronounced, you must take it in short-hand, if you have skill; otherwise in long hand, with as much celerity as you can: If you be at any time left behind through nimble volubility of the Speak­ers tongue, it will be sufficient to write onely the essential words of every Sen­tence (as for the most part are Substan­tives and Verbs) leaving vacant spaces, in which either words of less weight may be interposed, which must be supplyed im­mediately after the Speech is ended.

Four things must be observed, that spee­ches contrived by our selves, may be deeply fastened in memory; Method, Wri­ting, Marginal Notation, and Meditation; the Method ought to be so disposed, that e­very [Page 15]part of an entire Speech, and every sentence of those parts, precede accor­ding to their dignity in nature; that is, that every thing be so placed, that it may give light to understand what followeth: Such a method is very effectual to ease the memory both of Speaker and Hearer; for in a speech methodically digested, each sentence attracteth the next, like as one link draweth another in a Golden Chain, therefore Method is called the Chain of Memory: For this cause let every former sentence so depend on the latter, that it may seem necessarily related thereunto.

In writing a Speech, let your first care be, that your Lines extend not too far, but that space enough be left in the Mar­gent: In the next place, that your whole speech be distinguished into heads; for a distinct mind apprehendeth better then one confused. After you have compiled a Speech you are shortly to deliver, do not transcribe it, though it be both blotted and interlined, lest you lose as much time in new Writing, as would suffice to learn it: Besides the blots and interlining do more firmly fasten in mind the sentences so blotted and interlined, then if they were otherwise. This is also to be noted, [Page 16]that although it be necessary to write o­ver the intire Speech, or at least, brief notes thereof, before it be publikely pro­nounced; yet ought that Transcription by no means to be seen publikely, unless Memory languish, and be weak: For the mind doth better recollect it self in the absence of Notes, and by united force is better prepared to speak.

Marginal Notation is when one or two chief words of every sentence is placed in the Margent, which so soon as seen, (which is with the least cast of an eye) revoketh the whole sentence to mind: As if this ensuing small Treatise of the Re­surrection were to be learned by heart; I distinguish the sentences thereof by words placed in the Margent, by which means they are speedily remembred.

That there shall be a Resurrection of the dead at the last day, is confirmed by these reasons.

Because it is im­perfect.First, that which is imperfect, is unca­pable of perfect felicity in its kind; but the soul separate from the body is imper­fect, and therefore not capable of perfect felicity. Thence followeth a necessity of the Bodies Resurrection, that by the con­junction thereof with the Soul, the Elect [Page 17]may enjoy perfect felicity: How are they happy, Tertullian. (saith Tertullian) if they shall perish in part?

Seals of Salvation.Secondly, If the Body by Christs com­mand, ought to be as well partaker of the seals of salvation, as the Soul; then it shall as well participate of Eternal Salvation; but the Body, according to Christs insti­tution, ought to partake of the seals of salvation: For the Body is washed with water of Baptism, and nourished by Bread and Wine in the Lords Supper: Ergo, &c.

As Seeds.Thirdly, Like as Seeds cast into the Earth dye, and revive again; so humane bodies buried in the ground, dissolved and corrupted, shall rise again at the last day, by the quickening virtue of Christ: Paul brandeth him with folly, 1 Cor. 13.35. who cannot conclude the resurrection of the dead out of the vivification of Seeds bu­ried in the ground;1 Cor. 13.35. whence Augustine, Augustine. He which vivisieth dead and putrified Seeds by which men live in this world, more facilely will raise you up to live eternally.

Revolu­tion of things.Fourthly, The Revolution of all things is an argument of the Resurrection; as Day followeth night, Waking Sleep, Rest Labor, and Winter Summer; so Life fol­loweth [Page 18] death, and Resurrection Sepulture. That which Tertullian speaketh in his Book Of the Resurrection of the flesh, Tertullian. is pertinent hereto; Day (saith he) dyeth into night, yet is enlivened again with glorie all over the world.

Fiftly, It is evidently proved by the Resurrection of Christ; seeing Christ, which is our head, is already risen, it is a testimony that we also, who are his members, shall live after death. Where the head is, thither will the members be gathered;Christ our head. 1 Cor. 15.20. in this respect Christ is termed the first fruits of the dead, 1 Cor. 15.20.

Resurre­ction of o­thers.Sixthly, The particular Resurrection of some, to a temporal life in this world, was a sign of the general Resurrection to eternal life to be at the end of the world.

These were raised again after death.

• 1. The son of the widow of Sarepta, 1 King 18.22.
• 2. The son of the Shunamite, 2 King. 4.33.
• 3. A certain man by the touch of Elias bones, 2 King 13.21.
• 4. The son of the widow of Naim, Luke 7.15.
• [Page 19]5. The daughter of Jairus, Luke 8.48.
• 6. Lazarus, John 11 43.
• 7. Tabitha, Acts 9.40.
• 8. Eutichus, Acts 20.10.

Who though.All which, though they dyed a­gain, after their Resurrection, yet may we not think those Saints dyed any more, of whom mention is made, Matt. Saints cut of their Tombs. 27.52. who rose out of their Tombs after Christs Resurrection, that they might passe to eternall life with him, by ver­tue of whose Resurrection they were rai­sed.

Finally, there are almost innumera­ble places of Scripture,Places of Scripture, which may be produced to evince to the certainty of this Article, of which I will onely cite a few at present.

Job 19.25, 26, 27. For I am sure that my Redeemer liveth, Job 19.25. and he shall stand the last on the earth; and though worms destroy this body, yet shall I see God in my flesh, whom I my self shall see, and mine eyes shall behold, and none other for me.

Isaiah, 26.19. Thy dead men shall live, Isai. 26.19 even with my body shall they rise: awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust, for thy dew is as [Page 20]the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

Ezek.Ezek. 37.5. 37.5, 6. Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones, behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and make flesh grow upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, that ye may live, and ye shall know that I am the Lord. These quota­tions were indeed spoken to the Pro­phets, Isaiah and Exekiel, of the Restau­ration of the people out of Captivity, neverthelesse thereby the Resurrection is evidently confirmed;Tertullian. as Tertullian saith, that must be necessarily first, which illu­strateth another; a Similitude, Comparison, Metaphor, or Allegory, cannot be dedu­ced out of nothing.

Dan. 12.2. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth, Dan. 12.2. shall awake, some to e­verlasting life, and some to shame and perpe­tual contempt.

John 5 28▪ John. 5.28 For the hour shall come in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and they shall come forth that have done good, unto the resurrection of life, but they that have done evil, unto the resurrecti­on of condemnation.

1 Cor. 15. Paul in that whole Chap­ter,1 Cor. 15. treateth of the Resurrection of the body, and establisheth the same by many reasons, which I will not presse further, but onely reply to a common argument of Atheists, wherewith they do stubbornly seal up their hearts a­gainst this truth.

They Object,Object. Resoluti­on of bo­dies. that oft times the bo­dies of many are buried in one and the same monument, whose carcasses must inevitably be commixed by cor­ruption; that the bodies of some are burned to ashes, that others are drow­ned in the sea, and devoured of fishes, those fishes perchance of men, and those men of beasts and ravens; lastly, that there are men in some Regions who eat humane flesh, by which means the substance of one must be necessa­rily converted into the substance of the other; How then say they, is it possible, that every mans proper body should be restored in fire?

I answer,Ans. Above our capacity. that the Resurrection is a work above mans capacity, whereof we are no more able to assign a certain rea­son, than of the worlds creation; wherefore though the above recited [Page 20] [...] [Page 21] [...] [Page 22]things seem impossible to us to be done, yet all things are possible to God. You may ask, saith Tertullian upon the Apo­calyps, how matter when it is dissolved, may be restored?Tertullian I reply, you who once were not, are made, and so when you cease to be, shall be made a­gain.

Furthermore, we see that a skil­full Alchymist, Alchymist by his Chymical art, can seperate and extract Gold, Silver, Tinne, &c. each severally apart out of the same masse; cannot God then produce out of the Elements humane bodies, how many alterations soever they undergo? seeing the bodies of the dead are onely changed, never reduced to nothing.

God created light out of darknesse, ill things out of nothing,Light out of darknes power out of weaknesse, grace out of sinne, and pro­cured us a blessed life out of our Savi­ours cursed death. Shall not any thing be possible to him? It is impossi­ble.

Conclusi­on a secret part.I conclude, At the final Resurrection, every person shall have a secret portion of his body, out of which by operati­on of Divine Omnipotencie, it may [Page 23]be formed a new intire,Of the Rib. so that a man may be perfect. He which created the woman of the mans rib, and cause a grain of Mustard-seed to become a stately plant, can also compose an intire body of the least part of one. Like as in the seed of plants, there is some hidden thing by which they dayly gain vigour and grow;As in the seeds of Plants. so there is some hid­den thing in every humane body, out of which the body (dissolved) will be again new made.Aquinas. Thomas Aquinas think­eth it is the primary being of each per­son, which being restored to every one in the Resurrection, will be dilated in an instant, as Adams rib in the womans creation, and the loaves of Elizeus and Christ,Loaves. with which so many were sa­tisfied. What nature produceth by long intervals of time, God can effect in an instant.

Thus having dispatched Marginal notes, I descend to Meditation, concern­ing which, take these following Ca­nons.

Can. 1. After you have copied over your whole Speech or Sermon, aptly divided into heads, and marked the principall words of each sentence in [Page 24]the Margent, go diligently to meditati­on, trying whether you can repeat all the Sentences in their order by bare sight of the Marginall notes. You need not be sollicitous of every word, so that you do accurately remember the sense or scope, because the minde esteemeth it an unworthy thraledom to be obli­ged to every conceived word; Horace hath most truly said,

But if you stick at any place, read o­ver the sentence (which the Marginall note doth not suggest) with no lesse di­ligence and attention of minde, than if you had never seen the same. I dare promise such manner of proceeding in Meditation will produce more happy success, then Opinion can readily con­ceive: If you do not benefit your self by Marginal notes either in Learning a Speech or Sermon, you will make slow progress, and be sensible of very great [Page 25]trouble in Meditation; whereas by their help, you may fix sentences in Memory with great celerity (not to say, with plea­sure) as you may make an experiment, if you please, in the foregoing Tractate.

Can. 2. The manner of Meditating, is to learn by parts; That is, First to com­mit the first Section to Memory, then the Second, afterward the Third, and so forth; the rest in their order: When you have dispatched all the heads severally, apply your self to repeat the whole, observing Quintilians method, to learn with low voice and soft murmure, whereby Memory is be­nefitted with the double motion of spea­king and hearing. This counsel seems e­specially appropriated to such whose minds are slippery, and subject to wan­der, starting presently aside, if they be not thus restrained; on the contrary, fixed stable minds will experience silent Medi­tation the more speedy and efficacious way to imprint Notions in Memory.

Can. 3. Furthermore seeing a vehe­ment and earnest application of mind is required in Meditation, whereby the spi­rits are much exhausted, you must be care­ful to avoid longer study then agreeth with your health, least your spirits fail [Page 26]through too great intention of mind: And beware you do not lose a moment of that little time you assign unto Meditation; when you must meditate, let it not be with weariness, but do that willingly, which you must do necessarily.

Can. 4. The first and last hours of the day are most apt for Meditation; that is, immediately before and atfer sleep: Let your first Essay in Learning your task be at Evening, about an hour after Supper, reading over twice or thrice what you in­tend to commit to Memory against the next day, your study being finished, be­take your self to your rest, that your mind (no other ways diverted) may re­pose upon your Evening Meditation. In the morning so soon as you have shook off drowziness, and prepared your self, repeat those things diligently you medi­tated the night before. It is to no pur­pose to study before sleep, unless in like man­ner you ruminate after sleep.

Can. 5. All that speak publickly, espe­cially Dispensers of the Word, ought to make it their great care, not to utter things disorderly, but throughly digested by Meditation; lest they be be like such Cooks as buy good meat in the Shambles, [Page 27]but marr it in the Dressing, sending it raw, or half-boiled to the Table. Be­sies, if any man appear publickly, either in Pulpit, or otherwise, before he is pro­vided what to say, he becometh timorous, and the vital spirits (the eies of reason) have recourse tot he heart through fear, whereby he is rendred much more unapt to speak then before.

Can. 6. Lastly, which is peculiar in de­livering Sermons, let Speakers apply more general Doctrines to themselves jointly with the rest, in Confession, Petition, De­precation, imprecation, intercession, thanks­giving or praising God, as occasion is given by the Doctrines themselvs; so they shall not onely remember all things bet­ter, but also edifie their own consciences; Nay further, frequent use of this ioint-application, proveth finally a Manudu­ction to speak with sense of Divine grace and evidence of Spirit, which is the most excellent ornament of a Preacher.

CHAP. I. Of remembring without writing.

HAving dispatched vulgar ways of Memory, I descend to helps con­ducing to the same purpose without Hand-writing, which is then most plea­sant, when we are destitute of the aid of Paper, Ink, or Table-Books, or when by some obstacle we are debarred the free use of them. This consisteth of two o­perations, Reposition and Deposition.

Reposition is the manner of charging Memory with Note-worthy things; here­in it is not to be expected that each par­ticular word of every sentence be retai­ned; but onely, that the general sence be fastened in mind. At all times when a man is about to commit any thing in custody to his Memory, first let him stu­dy to drown all unnecessary thoughts in [Page 29]oblivion, that he may perfectly intend the things he is to learn; Oblivion being such a principle of Memory, as Privati­on is of Generation; and a ready remem­brance most commonly proceedeth from right understanding the thing in hand; therefore a man must prepare himself diligently, and so unite the force of his imagination, that he may as it were engrave and imprint occur­rent things in his Memory. Lead doth facily receive impression, because it is tenacious, which Quick-silver cannot admit, by reason of its Fluxibility: In like manner fleeting inconstant minds continually hurried into new & strange cogitations, is far from gathering fruit by any thing heard. The method of a speech is chefly to be observed, regard­ing seriously what is the general subject thereof; Secondly, the greater parts, and with what Logical Arguments each part is handled; the perfect Method of a speech doth much conduce to remem­ber the whole; or if the Contexture thereof be inartificial, imperfect, and unsatisfactory, comprehending many things forcibly applied, rejecting things of a like kind, yet a strong Memory will [Page 30]retain the same by observation of the absurdities and rude Artifice of the whole.

Deposition is when we recollect things committed to memory; and having transcribed or transacted them, dis­charge our memories of them, which is alwayes to be practised at the first opportunity: Things charged in Me­mory by day, are to be deposited at least before sleep, if not sooner; things charged by night, are to be deposited immediately after sleep, that the mind be no longer burthened then is conve­nient, and that things negligently laid up in mind, be not forgotten, Writing being the faithfullest Guardian of Me­morandums. If in dis-burthening your Memory, something charged happen to be forgotten, shut your eyes, that no no external obiect may divert your mind, and try to recall it by importu­nate scrutiny; which operation may be called Revocation, and is an Art that by help of certain Rules teacheth the in­vestigation of things lapsed out of me­mory.

To conclude, Deposition, or dischar­ging things committed to mind, is not [Page 31]unlike expunging writing out of Table-Books: If therefore there be any Art of Oblivion (as some affirm) it may be properly referred hither. So much in general; now to explicate the particu­lar species thereof.

CHAP. II. Of remembring by certain Verses purpose­ly born in mind.

THe method of charging Memory without writing, is twofold, Poe­tical and Ideal.

The Poetical way of remembring, is accomplished by virtue of Poetry, ei­ther by Verses purposely afore-compo­sed, or ex tempore. The manner of re­membering by Verses already compo­sed, is when a man doth excogitate or retain remarkable things by repetition of Verses provided to that purpose. Sup­pose an Attorney be to wait upon Jud­ges riding the Circuits from one County to another, it may be worth his labour to repeat these verses at leaving his lodging, least he forget some necessary [Page 32]thing, which we may imagine formerly framed by him to this end.

Thus a Carpenter oft employed to work abroad, may ingenuously make the Tools and Instruments belonging to his Art, in Verse; by repetition of which on occasion, he may be admo­nished what Tools to take along with him: In like sort all ordinary business frequently incumbent upon any man, may be conveniently committed to memory in Verses, which may adver­tise him to omit nothing.

Here I have thought expedient to propose certain Verses lately composed by my self, that they may be benefici­al [Page 33]to others (if they please) as they have sometimes been to me, which are these.

These Verses (craving the Readers pardon for the ruggedness) contain twen­ty two Questions of excellent use to in­vent, retain, as also to recall to minde things of great concernment and worthy memory in urgent affairs; which being prudently applyed by way of interroga­tion, do necessarily extort the answer of all Logical places, which (though I sup­pose no man will deny) may be thus illu­strated.

• [Page 34]1. If there be any such thing?
  If?
  This question is referred to an indefinite argu­ment.
• 2 Who was Author of the
  • Motion,
    Who?
  • Work,
  • Fact,
  • Saying,
  • Writing,
  • Counsel.

This question respecteth the efficient Cause. Definition.

• 3. What
  • it is? Effects.
  • doth it contain? Effects.
  • doth depend on it? Effects.
  • is moved? Effects.
  • is done?
    What?
    Effects.
  • is spoken? Effects.
  • is written? Effects.
  • is consulted? Effects.
• 4: Whose it is?
  Whose?
• 5. To what it is compared,
  To what?
  either in
  • quantity
    • equal,
    • greater.
    • lesser.
  • quality
    • like,
    • unlike.
  • [Page 35]6. Whither it tendeth?
    Whether?
  • 7. Why the final Cause?
    Why?
  • 8. About what subject or object
    About What?
    in
    • procreating?
    • conserving?
    • abolishing?
    • destroying?
  • 9. How was it done,
    • naturally?
      How?
    • purposely?
    • necessarily?
    • accidentally?
    • carelesly?
  • 10. VVhat fashion
    • form,
    • connexion,
      What Fashion?
    • description?
  • 11. How much quantity?
  • 12. By what? whether
    • alone? as principal equal,
      How Much? By what?
      inferior
    • with others? as principal equal, inferior
    • with instru­ments? as principal equal, inferior
  • 13. Of what matter?
    Of what?
  • 14. In what it
    • is contained?
      In what?
    • is exercised?
  • [Page 36]15. From what it is is distinguished, as
    • diverse,
    • unlike,
    • related,
    • contrary,
    • contradictory,
    • privative.
  • 16. How long?
  • 17. How often?
  • 18. How manifold? distribution
    • of causes,
    • of whole into parts
    • of effects,
    • of genus in species
    • of subjects,
    • of accidents.
  • 19. Whence
    • came it?
    • is it derived?
    • is it proved?
  • 20. VVhere?
  • 21. VVhen?
  • 22. How many? induction of
    • causes,
    • parts,
    • effects,
    • species,
    • subjects,
    • accidents.

Hereby it doth accidentally appear, these Verses are both useful to recollect things slipt out of memory, and also to invent new; in handling any subject, ma­ny things may escape our scrutiny, which a careful repetition of these Verses, and prudent application, may prompt the mind: As for example, suppose a learn­ed Counsellor were to be consulted about some difficult nice Case, in which a man would not willingly omit any material business, lest his labor be frustrated; let the Interrogations included in these ver­ses, be severally applied to the cause in controversie, viz. asking,

• 1. If such a suit be triable in such a Court▪
• 2. Who are the adversaries Counsel­lors? Who his Witnesses? Who enjoined to him in a strict tye of friendship? Who did, spake, writ this or that? Who is Te­nant of the controverted form?
• 3. What is exhibited in the Adversa­ries Declaration? What he thinketh they do now deliberate?
• 4. To what Mannour, the Farm in question appertaineth?
• 5. To what case this is like?
• [Page 38]6. How far he hath proceeded in the business, and how far he is like, till the suit be determined?
• 7. Why he said, or did such a thing?
• 8. About what the controversie chief­ly dependeth?
• 9. How he must proceed in the cause?
• 10. What is the condition of the Jud­ges?
• 11. How much cost the drawing of the Reply or Declaration?
• 12. By what means the possession was regained?

The most material passages in any de­pending cause, may be investigated by propounding such like questions: I hope no man will repent his labour in commit­ting these lines to Memory, whereby he may reap so much benefit in his studies and common affairs.

Whereas I first made mention of an in­definite Argument, I shall entreat the Readers patience, whilest I declare the cause thereof, not finding any sufficient Reason to banish or expel an Indefinite Argument out of the Logical Common­wealth, and admire that Ramus hath pre­termitted it: I think (reserving place for better Judgment) an argument absolute­ly [Page 39]consentaneous, is branched more arti­ficially in this manner.

An argument absolutely consentane­ous, is indefinite, or definite; indefinite is that which argueth a thing indefinitely, as, God is. There is a fift Essence; Definite is that which argueth a thing definitely: Defi­nite is the cause and effect.

Now in this axiome (God is) we do not affirm that God is this or that, but sim­ply, that he is: And when we say (there is a fift Essence in rerum natura) we do not shew what causes it hath, or what effects, subjects or adjuncts, onely indefinitely pronounce, there is such a thing. To con­clude, it is manifest, that an indefinite ar­gument is sufficiently distinguished from all other arguments, because it doth pro­perly answer this peculiar question (If it be?) which yeildeth very profitable use in Discourse: This by the way.

Lastly, In this way of remembring by Verses formerly excogitated, both the parts, Reposition and Deposition, are dispat­ched in like manner as before; for like as by one repetition of the Verses we charge the memory; so by another we discharge it: Whence there is no need here of any Rules of Revocation, seeing that if the [Page 40]Verses be once firmly fixed in memory, no part of them will be to seek.

This may suffice for the first Poetical way of remembring, that is by Verses provided before-hand: Now I will pass to the next way of Remembring by extem­porary Verses.

CHAP. III: Of remembring by ex tempore Verses.

THis order of remembring by extem­porary Verses, is when the occur­ring subjects to be remembred, are dispo­sed in Verse, in the same order as they present themselves; by repetition of which they are again recalled to mind: First, I will handle how to charge the memory ex tempore, afterward I will propound the Deposition or discharging of things so committed to mind.

Extemporary Reposition is, when many sentences are delivered in custody to the mind, by certain essential words interwo­ven in Meeter, and often repeated; in which case great care must be used to im­print the first Letter of each portion [Page 41]perfectly in memory. For example, suppose in a Sermon preached in your hearing, you do principally observe these Senten­ces, which you would preserve in mind, Viz.

1. Earth digged out of a Well, how deep soever, exposed to the air upon a high Tower, although it seemeth to re­tain no Seed of Herbs, neither is sown by man, yet of its own accord produceth green Herbs; Whence is proved, That there is an innate faculty in every part of the Earth to germinate, infused by God thereinto in the Creation, by his Word, Let the earth bud, &c.Gen. 1.11.

2. It is better to doubt of secret things, then to strive about such as are uncertain, Augustine.

3. The birth of God is to be silently adored, not busily pried into. Nazian­zene.

4 Not to sin is God's Righteousness; man's Righteousness is God's Indulgence. Bernard.

5. Magistracy cannot compel to Faith and Religion; but may and ought to con­strain to the means of Faith and Reli­gion.

[Page 42] 6. The folly of School-men is ridicu­lous, not unlike Mahomets Dreams, con­tending that the place of Terrestrial Pa­radise was elevated many degrees above the Earth level, when as Paradise was cer­tainly defaced by the Deluge, if not be­fore.

7. He who moderateth himself in un­lawful things, never falleth into unlaw­ful.

8. In natural and civil actions, man doth yet retain free-will; but in spiritual and super-natural he lyeth in a dead-sleep til he be vivified by infusion of Christ's Grace.

9. In sacred Baptism, the administrati­on is of great efficacy; but the Admini­strator of small.

10. Missa, whence cometh the English Word Masse, of the same signification, denoted no more primarily, then Missio, like as Remissa is the same as Remissio, and Offensa as Offensio: It is certain, the original thereof was derived from a custom among the Fathers living in the primive times, of celebrating the Eucharist alwayes after publike prayers, and reading and expoun­ding the Scriptures; at which Novices in the faith, persons unbaptized and excom­municate [Page 43]might not be present, though they had all permission to attend at Prayers and Sermons. Therefore a Decree was made, that they which did not communicate of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, should be dismissed before the Celebration. Coun. Carthage, 4. Can. 8. Whence Augustine in his Sermon of Time, 237. saith, Behold after Sermon, dismission is pronounced to such as are not sufficiently instructed in Christian Religion; the faithful stays. Hence it is manifest, the Papistical Mass is far different from that of the Fa­thers; for neither do the Priests dismiss those who do not communicate, but do not somtimes admit any to the Sacrament.

11. Eph. 5.14. Wherefore he saith, Rise up thou which sleepest, stand up from the dead, and Christ will give thee light. By the first clause of this verse (wherefore he saith) seems to be implied, that Paul did not pronounce this sentence of his own Au­thority, but cited it from some other place; yet seeing this sentence is no where read in Scripture, it is probable that Paul doth here introduce Christ, speaking by his Apostles in their ordinary Gospel-Mi­nistry, saying, Rise up thou which sleepest, &c. These words are daily pronounced [...] [Page 46] Reg. 1. If any portion of a Sentence negligently committed to memory, be lost in deposition, you must try if it may be recovered out of oblivion, by the number of syllables of which such por­tion did consist; for the number of the syllables will either bring it to light, or instruct yee to conjecture probably what it was. For example, in the pra­ctise of Poetical Reposition, delivered in the former Chapter, suppose that the second portion of the second Verse be forgotten, the first and third portions being these:

By numbering the syllables of these two known portions, the middle-porti­on is found to consist of four syllables; which consideration alone may happi­ly recall the latent portion.

Reg. 2. If this way fail, bend your stu­dy to finde out the first Letter of the same, repeating the Letters of the Al­phabet in order, taking good heed which your mind doth suggest to have been the first Letter, wherein your me­mory will certainly prompt you, unless you were very remiss and negligent in charging the same: The first Letter be­ing [Page 47]found, the rest unknown, you must apply that severally to every Letter of the Alphabet, because your mind will likewise acquiesce, when you come to that which was the second. Thus having reco­vered the two first Letters of the elapsed portion, though the rest be unknown, they may be easily enquired out by help of a Dictionary: As in the former ex­ample, running speedily over the words beginning with Un, you will soon meet with unconstrained, which was the first word of the lost portion.

Reg. 3. If you cannot attain to the same this way, you must compare the parts placed on either side (if the latent sentence were any part of a continued Sermon composed methodically) to in­form your self how the Speaker passed from the precedent to the subsequent; be­cause if a man remember the fourth and sixth observations of a late-heard Ser­mon, disposed in good method, he may regain the fifth, lying as it were in the way, with little or no trouble, by consi­deration of the method, how he descen­ded from the fifth to the sixth.

Reg. 4. If still you remain unresolved, take in hand the indagation of the mat­ter [Page 48]and form thereof; By matter, I mean the subject of the sentence in quest; by form, I understand the structure thereof (Conscience is a natural faculty of the mind, placed in the supremest part thereof, assenting to good, disallowing evil, and therefore of it self never sinneth) the matter of this Sen­tence is Conscience, the form, the descrip­tion of the same.

If the Matter of a sentence be swal­lowed up in Oblivion, then the more ge­neral Classes of common places are to be leisurely perused, possibly when you come at the right head, the mind demurring there, may produce the whole Sentence, or at least, the matter thereof will disco­ver it self. The more general Heads or Classes (in my Opinion) are these.

• Of God in general.
• Of the Trinity.
• Of the Holy Ghost.
• Of Christ.
• Of the Counsel of God.
• Of the Creation.
• Of God's Providence.
• Of the World.
• Of Time.
• Of Angels.
• [Page 49]Of Devils.
• Of man in general.
• Of godly men.
• Of wicked men.
• Of brutish Creatures.
• Of insensible Creatures.
• Of the blessings of this life.
• Of the affliction of this life
• Of Duties.
• Of sin.
• Of indifferent things.
• Of Houshold Government.
• Of Policy.
• Of the Church in general.
• Of the typical Church.
• Of the Evangelical Church.
• Of the Word of God.
• Of Sacraments.
• Of Heresies.
• Of the end of the World.
• Of eternal Life.
• Of eternal Death.

In like manner to find out the latent form, the formal words included in this Hemistick, are to be rehearsed, which do naturally shew the form of any Sen­tence.

Not, Some, Or, Though, Therefore, Like as, If, None, And, All.

That these words, or their Synony­maes, do shew the formal manner of all sentences, may thus appear.

• Negative, The Note whereof is, Not,
• Particular, The Note whereof is, Some,
• Disjunctive, The Note whereof is, Or,
• Discretive, The Note whereof is, Though,
• Illative, The Note whereof is, Therefore,
• Relative, The Note whereof is, Like as,
• Conditional, The Note whereof is, If,
• General Negative The Note whereof is, None,
• Copulative, The Note whereof is, And,
• General Affirmative, The Note whereof is, All.

If, the Matter being found, the form be still wanting, then apply the Matter of the Sentence leisurely to all Logical pla­ces, enquiring first if it be? in the next place, What are the efficient causes, matter, form, end, subjects, adjuncts thereof, &c. So may you extort it, though it were dor­mant in the Brains remotest Cell, or drowned in the River Lethe.

Finally, If the Sentence sought for, cannot be discovered by any of these ways, let it pass, and despair not of find­ing [Page 51]it; for though now it be concealed, when you seek it; yet if that portion of the sentence comprehended in your verse, be read or heard any where, that same, or the next day, it is a hundred to one but the whole sentence will present it self to mind.

Here we will conclude the manner of Remembring by extemporary Verses, which seemeth principally referred to them, who imploy their study much in Poetry, and are indued with a good me­morative faculty. Thus much may also suffice for the Poetical Art of Remem­bring: Now let us pass to the method of remembring by Idea's, which quickeneth even the dullest memories.

CHAP. I. Of Repositories.

THe Art of Memory, which we now treat of consisteth of Ideas, and pla­ces, wherein we will first handle the Reposition of Idea's, and afterward their Deposition.

Reposition of Idea's is, when things to be remembred, are charged upon Me­mory by Idea's, disposed in certain pla­ces of a Repository; but before I dis­cend to the manner of Reposition, it is necessary for better explanation, to speak of Repositories, Places, and Idea's in distinct chapters.

A Repository is an imaginary fabrick, fancied Artificially, built of hewen stone, in form of a Theater, the form whereof followeth; suppose the Edi­fice to be twelve yards in length within the walls, in breadth six yards, [Page 53]and in height seven yards, the roof thereof flat, leaded above, and parget­ted underneath, lying wholly open to view, without any wall on that side supposed next us: Let there be imagi­gined a Stage of smooth gray Marble, e­ven and variegated with a party co­loured border, which Stage is to be extended over the whole length and breadth of the building, and raised a yard high above the Level of the ground on which the said Edifice is e­rected: Let all the walls, that is, the opposite wall, & two ends be wain­scotted with Cypresse beards, so artifici­ally plained and glewed, that the joynts be indiscernable; suppose also a Groove or Gutter cut in the middle of the Marble Stage, three inches broad, extended from the opposite wall to the hither side of the Stage, whereby it is exactly divided into two equall parts, and that upon the further end of the said Groove, there is erreared a Column, a foot and half thick, arising up to the Roof of the building, almost touching the opposite wall, and deviding it into two equal parts, as the Groove divideth the Stage; so that by the Groove, and [Page 54]the Pillar, the whole Repository is parted in twain, and consisteth of two Rooms, siding each other, each of them being six yards long, six yards broad, and six yards high. For the better under­standing this invention, I have caused a Type of the Repository to be here deli­neated, the explanation whereof im­mediately followeth.

The Letters, a, b, c, d, shew the length of the Edifice, a, c, b, d, the height, a, e, b, f, the height of the Stage, g, i, k, h, are boundaries of the opposite wall, e, c, i, g, the side wall upon the left hand, h, k, d, f, the side wall of the right hand, c, l, m, d, de­sign the Roof, g, i, n, p, the opposite wall of the first Room, e, g, o, p, the Stage of the first Room, r, q, k, h, the opposite wall of the second Room, s, r, h, f, the Stage of the second Room, n, o, the Pillar dividing the opposite wall, o▪ p, the Groove wrought into the Stage.

A Repository according to this fa­shion, is to be represented before the eyes of our minde, wheresoever we are, as oft as we intend to practise this Art; supposing our selves to stand about two yards distant, against the midst thereof.

CHAP. II. Of Places.

A Place (as to our consideration) is an apt space in a Repository, de­signed for reception of Idea's.

There are onely two Places in every Repository of equal form and magni­tude, that is the two rooms of each Re­pository determinated as a foresaid by the Pillar and Groove.

That place is said to be the former, which is on the right hand of the Re­pository, that which is on the left hand, the latter; That part of the Reposi­tory is said to be on the right hand, which is opposite to the left hand of a man standing against the middle of the Repository, that on the left hand which is opposite to the right.

Thus in the Scheme exhibited in the former Chapter, the letters, g, i, n, o, demonstrate the opposite wall of the right hand part, or first place or room of the Repository, and the letters, e, g, o, p, the Stage thereof; so r, q, k, h, are Indices of the opposite wall of the left hand part, or second Place or [Page 58] room of the Repository, and s, r, h, f, the Stage of the same.

CHAP. III. Of Idea's in General.

AN Idea is a visible representation of things to be remembred, fra­med by a strong imagination, by help whereof the minde by reflexion cal­eth to memory, together with the Idea, the thing represented. Idea's are to be vested with their proper circum­stances, according as their natures require, for like as Writings, the fair­er they are, are more facilly read; so Idea's, the more aptly they are conceived, according to the exigency of their nature, are more speedily re­called to minde; and also consequent­ly the things by them signified. Mo­tion is to be attributed to Idea's of move­able things; quiet to Idea's of quiet things, and good or evil savours, to Ideas representing things so qualified. Examples of moveable Idea's, are Ar­tificers at work in their shops, women [Page 59]dauncing, Trees shaken by the wind, Water running from Cocks, and such like. Idea's of quiet things, are Henns laying in their nests, Thieves lurking under bushes, &c. Idea's to which sound is ascribed, are a Lion roaring, a Bell ringing, whistling, murmure of Trees, a Quirister singing, a Huntsman hol­lowing, &c. Moreover, if Perfume, burning in a Chafing-dish, be used for an Idea, a sweet and pleasant odour must be attributed thereto, on the contrary to vaults under ground, a filthy, unwholsome stink, is to be as­signed; so Idea's of merry men, require cheerfulness of countenance, of sick­men, pale-nesse and sadnesse. After this manner Idea's sot Edifices, Machines, and all Artificial things whatsoever, ought to be signalised; proportion of form, and splendour of colours, must be attributed to Pictures, grace and livelinesse of Letters, to Writings, glory and excellency of Wormanship, to En­gravings,; Finally, every Idea must have such illustration as may render it most notable and conspicuous, and seem principally coherent to its na­ture.

But before I proceed further, it is expedient to take into consideration, the common Affection of Ideas, their Species, shall succeed after, in a more proper place.

The common Affections of Idea's are three: Quantity, Position, and Co­lour.

CHAP. IV. Of the Quantitie of Idea's.

AN Idea in respect of Quantity, is ei­ther equal, greater, or lesser then the thing represented.

An equal Idea is, when the thing re­presented, is bestowed in a Place of the Repository, in its proper and due magnitude, as being neither too great to be contained therein, nor so small it cannot be discerned by one standing before the Repository; such are Chairs, Pictures, Tables, Beds, Heaps of Stone, Piles of Wood, two Combatants in a single Duel, and the like.

An-augmented, or greater Idea, is when the thing to be remembred, is in­creased [Page 61]to a multitude, that it may be bet­ter viewed at a distance, which else being small, would not fall under cognizance; as if the thing to be deposited in the Re­pository, were a Penny, a Pearl, a Grain of Mustard-Seed, or a Spider, which are so small, that disposed in a Room of the Re­pository, they escape the sight of a man standing before the Repository: In such ca­ses, instead of one Penny, imagine a heap of Pence new coined; Instead of one Pearl, a multitude of Pearls; Instead of one Grain of Mustard-seed, fancy certain Bushels scattered about the Stage; And for one Spider, suppose a multitude creep­ing about the opposite Wall.

A contracted or lesser Idea is, when the thing to be remembred is so great, that it cannot be comprehended in its proper natural quantity, within such narrow li­mits as a room of a Repository, & is there­fore imagined to be pourtrayed with ele­gant lively colours, in a Picture fixed to the opposite Wall. Thus space of places how far soever distant, & all great things, may be facilely represented in a Picture: As if the thing to be remembred were a Battel, a triumphant spectacle, hunting or hawking through Woods and Groves, [Page 62]a Naval conflict, large Territories, Ca­stles, a Mountain, or Church, &c. whose Idea's cannot be contained in the me­morial places, unless contracted, and aptly and artificially comprized in a Picture, conceited by imagination hanging against the opposite Wall, that so it may be fully comprehended.

CHAP. V. Of the Position of Idea's.

LEt the Position of every Idea be such as in vulgar use doth most commonly appertain to the thing sig­nified; Let the Idea's of things usually hanged against a Wall, be so disposed in the Repository, as Musical Instruments, Arms, Looking-Glasses, Pictures, Brush­es, written Tables, &c. Such things as are customarily fastened to, or in a Wall, imagine them accommodated in the Repository in like manner, as Ti­tle-pages of Books pasted against the Pillar, Proclamations, or printed pa­ges nailed to the Wall, Funeral-Strea­mers, or Pendants, in the higher part [Page 63]of the opposite Wall, as you see in Churches: Such things as are com­monly set upon shelves, fancy them so placed in the Repository, as Vessels of Gold, Silver, Glasses, Books, Mercery Wares, &c. Such things as are usually placed on a Table, conceive them so marshalled in the Repository, as Victu­als, Sums of Money, Table-Boards, &c. such things as lye, or are any ways sci­tuate on ground, must be so placed in the Reyository, as heaps of Wheat, a Cra­dle, Chest, Table, living Creatures, whether standing, fitting, or lying, &c. Such things as are frequently under ground, are to be supposed under the Marble-Stage; for though they escape the eye of a man standing before the Repository, yet they cannot be concea­led from the eyes of his mind, which are onely exercised in this matter; of this sort are Graves, Wells, Wine-Cel­lars, Mettaline-Mines, Subterranean passages, through which streams have their course, as Blood in the Veins, &c. Like method is to be observed in site and position of all other things.

CHAP. VI. Of the Colours of Repositories and Idea's.

HEre you are to be admonished, that though every Repository is suppo­sed to be uniform in Building; yet they are distinguished from one another by the pillar in the middle of every Repo­sitory, which must be imagined of seve­ral colours; as if you use ten, that which you design for the first, must be concei­ved to have a Golden Pillar; the second a Pillar of Silver: the third of black stone; the fourth of blew stone; the fift of red stone; the sixth of yellow stone; the sevench of green stone; the eighth of purple stone, the ninth of white stone, the tenth of Cinamon colour. Now for distinction sake, Gold is called the colour of the first Repository; Silver the colour of the second Repository; black of the third Repository; and so successive­ly as before. If you use more than ten Repositories, you must repeat the same colours over again, as before; so that [Page 65]the eleventh is imagined to have a gol­den pillar, the twelfth a silver pillar, the thirteenth a black pillar, the four­teenth a blew pillar, and so the rest in order. After the same manner every I­dea must be conceived cloathed, adorn­ed, or some way illustrated with the proper colour of the Repository, where­in it is imagined to be placed. Take an example or two for better explanati­on: Suppose a Saylor in a Canvase Suit be retained for an Idea in the first Repo­sitory, I represent him standing there with a Golden Chain over his shoulder like a Belt; if in the second, imagine he weareth a silver Chain a­bout his neck, with a Whittle fastened thereto: If in the third, that he hath black Boots on his legs: If in the fourth, that he hath a blew Skarf on his Arm, tyed in a rose-knot: If in the fifth, that he wears a Red Monmouth Cap on his head: If in the sixth, that he swagger­eth with a yellow Feather in his Cap: If in the seventh, that he hath a Green Silk Garter on his right leg: If in the eighth, that his Canvase Coat is imbel­lished with a border of Purple Velvet: If in the ninth, that his neck is beauti­fied [Page 66]with a very white Orient Pearl; If in the tenth, that he hath a pair of Cinnamon coloured Breeches.

Howbeit, if the Idea of its own na­ture be any ways related to the colour of its Repository, whereby it may be pre­sently understood to have the colour thereof, it will need no other attribu­tion: For example, if a Mayor of a City, (who in regard of his Office is dignified with a purple Gown, and Gold Chain) be placed as an Idea in the first or fift Repository, there will be no need of Attribution of colour, because the Golden Chain doth manifestly re­present the colour of the first Repository, the purple Gown the colour of the fift. In like sort, if a black Bull be placed as an Idea in either room of the first Repo­sitory, his horns must be conceived gild­ed with Gold; if in the second, with sil­ver; if in the third, black, being the pro­per colour of that Repository, excludeth any other addition: If in the fourth, let him be decked with a Chaplet of blew Flowers; if in the fift, with a Garland of red Roses, &c. So a Picture imagined to be painted on the opposite Wall of the first Repository, must be illustrated with [Page]Gold in some convenient place: If in the opposite Wall of the second Repository, with silver; of the third, with black, &c.

This attribution of a Repositories co­lour, is of marvellous use, both to keep in mind the Idea's themselves, as also their order; hereby the mind re-peru­sing Idea's formerly bestowed, hath al­wayes some certainty to guide it self, and recollect any Idea at present latent; because it's unquestionable, that the missing Idea is either wholly, or at least in part, illustrated with the proper co­lour of its Repository.

Moreover, in attributing a Repositories colour to an Idea, (of it self not parta­king thereof) you must be careful that the colour of the Repository be accom­modated to the most eminent part of the Idea, or as near as may be: If the History of the Prophet Jonah thrown into the Sea by Mariners, be used as an Idea, it must be represented in a picture according to the third Chapter prece­ding; in which, though the Whale, Sea, Ship & Land are to be pourtrayed, yet the Effigies of Jonah himself is the most remarkable part of the picture, because Jonah is of the History there painted: If [Page]therefore this Story be to be deposited in the first Repository, let the border of his Gown be supposed of Gold; if in the second, of Silver; if in the third, let the Gown be fancyed black; if in the fourth, blew, &c. so the top of a heap of Wheat is the most conspicuous part; therefore if a heap of Wheat be placed in the first Repository, imagine a Golden Streamer two foot long fixed in the top of the Heap; if in the second Repository, let the Streamer be Silver; if in the third, black; if in the fourth, blew, &c.

Thus much may suffice for common Affections of Idea's, in quantity, positi­on and colour; their species follow.

CHAP. VII. Of Direct Idea's.

AN Idea is simple or compound: A simple Idea is uniform, and is fourfold, direct, relative, fictitious and written.

A Direct Idea is when a visible thing, or conceived under a visible form, is be­stowed in the Repository, according to [Page 69]the same form, under which it is natu­rally apprehended: So a Goat is the di­rect Idea of a Goat; a Rhinocerot of a Rhi­nocerot; a Peacock of a Peacock; a Dove of a Dove. Thus a Majestical man a­dorned with a Scepter, Imperial Dia­dem and Robe, is the Idea of a King: A person arrayed in Academical habit, of a Schollar; An ancient woman in mour­ning weeds, weeping and wiping her face with an Handkerchief, of a widow: A Virgin apparelled like a Nun, of a Nun: A Satyr, as the Poets describe them, of a Satyr: So a Temple is the direct Idea of a Temple, a Book of a Booke, a Bed of a Bed, a Sheath of a Sheath, an Image of an Image▪ a picture of a picture, an Epistle of an Epistle, a Bond sealed, of a Bond: So good An­gels and Spirits, though they be incor­poreal and invisible, (seeing they are commonly conceived under visible forms) may be reposited as the other. To conclude, the minde of man doth naturally & immediately present direct Idea's of all visible things, or such as are conceived under a visible form, that it is in vain to excogitate any, but ra­ther life those that offer themselves. If [Page 70]a man hears the relation of a Naval Battel, doth not he presently seem to behold the Sea, Ships, smoke of great, Ordnance, and other things obvious in such matters. If speech be made of muttering an Army, doth not the Hea­rer form in his minde the Effigies of a Field, replenished with Souldiers mar­ching in Military postures. No precept in this kind is delivered, which Nature it self hath not dictated; but onely to imprint these Idea's more deeply in me­mory, we bestow them methodically in some place, left otherwise they be for­gotten through light apprehension. To explain this more evidently, I will use an example.

CHAP. VIII. Of Relative Ideas.

A Simple relative Idea is, when some­thing to be rememembred is ex­pressed by his Correlative.

First, when the Cause is signified by the effect, as Melancholy by a sad man, with his hat pulled over his eyes, his arms folded a cross, his eies looking on the ground, standing immoveable: The Spring by Green Meadows and Flow­ring trees: Winter by houses, Plants, earth, and all other things covered with Snow, and rigid with Frost: Glut­tony by a Fat man, vomitting half di­gested morsels.

Secondly, when the effect is signifi­ed by the Cause, as you did note the oppression of the poor, by some eminent Oppressour, generally spoken against for his unjust accumulation of riches: bla­sphemy by some notorious blasphemer, whose discourse is frequently forced with impious oaths.

Thirdly, when the Subject is noted by an Adjunct, as Regal dignity, by a Scepter and Crown; a Tavern, by a Bush; Exorcisme, by a Figure or charm; the Planets and twelve houses, by their proper characters appropriated unto them.

Fourthly, when an Adjunct is signi­fied by the Subject; as Cold, by Ice; heat, by fire; light, by a candle; love, by a [Page 76] heart, the seat of affection; pride by a Peacok spreading his tail; Gluttony, by an Estrich; Drunkennesse, by a noted drunkard; Impudence, by a norious whore; Avarice by a rich man count­ing money, &c.

Fifthly, when one like thing, is put for another, as Parallel Circles, for the world; a clean writing book▪ for a soule; a Serpent with a tail in his mouth, for a year,; a woman embracing a broken pillar, for Fortitude; a Virgine veiled, holding a drawn sword in her right hand, & a pair of ballances in her left, for Justice; a Winged old man, having long hair in the forepart of his head, bald behind, and holding a Sythe in his hand, for Time: A man lading wa­ter out of a pond with a Sive, for a fool undertaking an imposible thing, &c.

Sixthly, When a sentence is denoted by some particular example, by which the truth thereof is notably demon­strated▪ as, No Element is qualified with gravity in its proper place: This Philoso­phical axiome may be fitly illustrated by a man diving under water, who so long as he is in the Water, is not sen­sible that is ponderous, but out of the [Page 77]water findeth exprimentally a pail full of water heavy: The quantity of such Ideas is equal; for I imagine all the Stage of the Memorial place, where this Idea is to be represented, convert­ed into a Bath, with a capacious Mar­ble Cistern, a foot thick round about, filled to the brim with fair water, in the middle whereof a naked man stan­deth upright, lifting a Tankard of wa­ter with both his hands, as if he were shewing it: If this Idea be placed in the first Repository, the Tankard must be supposed of Gold; if in the second, of Silver; in the third, of Potters earth, black, in the fourth, blew, &c. that the Idea may be some way related to the co­lour of its place.

CHAP. IX. Of Fictitious Ideas.

A simple Fictitious Idea, is when any thing is bestowed by way of a substitute, wherewith it is faigned to have some supposed conveniency; as when a word of Homonymous significa­tion, denoting some visible thing in one sense (either in our our own lan­guage, or another) is substituted for something invisible or unknown. Af­ter this manner proper names are of­ten reserved in Memory: as in Latine, Ramus, a mans name, may be signi­fied per ramum viridem, a green branch; Remus, per remum, an Oare; So in En­glish, Smith a mans name, may be re­posed by a Smith blowing up fire in his Forge. Pinke, by the Flower so called: Carpenter, by one of that trade plaining boards: Penelope, by the Picture of Pe­nelope and her web: Lucrece, by the Pi­cture of the Roman Lady so called, pro­curing her own death. Thus stran­gers names may be conserved by [Page 80]friends or acquaintance of the same name; as John a strangers name, by a brother or friend, so cal­led; so Grace, signifying favour, may be retained by Grace, a womans name.

Thus words or names (which at large signifie no visible thing) which divided into parts, signifie one or ma­ny things, may be laid up in Reposito­ries on the Stage, wall, or hangings in decent order; as these Barbarous words in Latine, [...]er, [...]s, sis, sus. Aperglissus, by a Clay banke, on the right hand whereof (which is towards our left hand) a Bear wallow­eth, and on the left (toward our right hand) a Sow. Tedaspis, by a Torch and an Asp, [...]a, aspis. [...]. Bosarnos, by an Oxe and a Lamb. Araphos, by an Altar and a Light. [...]. Sustineamus, by a Sow, a Moth, and a Mouse, according to that noted [...]rse,

So Coxcomb in English, may be repre­sented by two Cocks fighting, & pulling each other by the Comb. Birdlington, by a Bird, Ling fish so called, and a Tunne. Harbottle, by a Hare and a Bot­tle, &c.

Some men to fix single words and letters more firmly in memory, use the images of men and women for substi­stuted Ideas of Letters, and for ani­mation (to use their own phrase) attri­bute actions to them, whereby the minde may be provoked to the affecti­ons, Mercy, Mirth, Lust, Feare, Ava­rice, Wrath, &c. But such Ideas are by no means to be approved, First, be­cause it is impious, and dangerons to cherish lustfull or scurrulous images in the mind, which infect the soul, and render it more dull in performing its Office. Secondly, it wholly pervert­eth the natural manner of Remembring; for Nature teacheth men from their infancy, by the images of men, to ap­prehend men, not letters, which or­der to infringe, is all one as to unteach Nature, which is both dangerous and difficult. Thirdly, too much time is lost in animation of such Ideas, which, [Page 82]is therefore done, that being revol­ved in Memory, they may be more deeply engraven. Lastly, it is vain and altogether unprofitable, to frame an Alphabet of living Creatures, and learn them by heart, seeing they serve onely to apprehend naked Letters or single words, whose use is not fre­quent.

CHAP. X. Of Written Idea's

A Single written Idea, is when the thing to be Remembred, is imagi­ned to be written with black letters in a plain white Table, four foot square, hanging against the opposite wall of the Repository. Written Idea's will per­haps at first seem too weak and infirm to prompt the Memory with any thing to be remembred; but if all our Rules which are required in disposing writ­ten Idea's, be strictly observed, you will think otherwise.

In every such Idea, six things are re­quired.

First, that the Characters (such as are Letters and Arithmetical figures) be supposed of such magnitude, that they may be plainly read by one stand­ing somewhat remote; for so they are most easily attracted by the visual fa­culty, and transferred to Memory, such like writings and inscriptions are fre­quently seen in walls of Churches and houses.

Secondly, That every Idea be con­ceived written in the same form as are commonly exposed in Books or Paper.

In remembring Proofs, you must fancy the names of the Books abbrevi­ated, as Gen. 20.6. Rom. 8.13. Cata­logues of names are distinguished by their descent downward in order, as in the Alphabetical Catalogue of the He­retiques.

• Aetians.
• Agnoites.
• Albanenses.
• Anthropomorphists,
• Apollinaries.
• [Page 84]Apellites.
• Arrians.
• Artemonites.
• Athelites, &c.

Distribution of parts distinctly pla­ced, being referred to the whole, are thus explicated.

Jewish feasts have been

• more solemn, 3.
  • Passover.
  • Penticost.
  • Feast of Tab.
• less so­lemn, 3.
  • New Moons, or of blow­ing the Trumpet.
  • Feast of Expiation.
  • Feast of Dedication, in­stituted by Herod the Great.

A Syllogisme consisting of a Proposi­tion, Assumption, and Conclusion, is placed in divers distinct sections, after this manner.

He which devoureth things consecrated to God, procureth destruction to his own family, Prov. 20.25.

But he which appropriated a portion of Glebe (pertaining to the Priest) to himself [Page 85]and his heirs, devoureth that which is conse­crate to God, Ezek. 45.4.

Therefore he which appropriateth a Por­tion of Glebe, &c.

A Comparison distributed into its two parts, hath Protasis and Apodosis collate­rally disposed thus.

As there is great difference between the faculty of seeing, and the act of seeing; for the faculty is alwayes present, the act is often intermitted.

So there is great difference between the faculty of faith, and the act of believing: re­generate persons after conversion, do alwayes possess the former, but the latter is often in­terrupted.

So Poetical fragments are expressed in single Verses and Lines, long Sentences in prose are described in Lines of equal length, summarily fancy all kind of wri­tings in their usual mode.

Thirdly, it is required, That you sup­pose the Writing to begin at the upper end of the Table.

Fourthly, One word at least in every written Idea, must be very carefully ap­prehended [Page 86]and supposed to be expressed in Text-Letters, with all the Vowels in Gold, especially let the first Letter be ve­ry great, and the other transcendent Let­ters, if there be any, drawn somewhat longer then customarily. Here you may observe, that of the small Letters some are interlineary, some transcendents: In­terlineary letters in all kind of Writing, are such as lye equally between two pa­rallel lines, as a, c, e, m, n, o, r, u, w.

Transcendent letters are such as ex­ceed the Interlineary space, some of which do onely penetrate the upper line, as b, d, i, k, l, t, h, some the lower, as f, s, j.

Fifthly, It is necessary, according to the Doctrine delivered in the sixt Chap­ter, that every Idea be rendered some way partaker of the colour of his Repo­sitory) that the frame or border of every Table be imagined of the same colour as his Repository.

Lastly, you must so long contemplate your supposed written Idea, till you have made at least some small impression there­of in your memory, diligently observing in your mental meditation, the length of the whole; Writing the first letter of the [Page 87]principal word, as in the fourth Rule the Golden Vowels, transcendency and or­der of the letters, with such like conside­rations as chiefly conduce to imprint the written Idea firmly in your imagination: For seeing Writings make less impression in the mind, then things, they must be more carefully and longer revolved in mind, that they may accomplish by assi­duity, what they cannot perform through imbecillity.

These generally required in every writ­ten Idea, may suffice: Now I will descend to particular Rules; but considering that to treat of every particular kind of writ­ten Idea, would be both laborious and unnecessary, I will onely insist upon the more usual, which are four, a Word, a Proof, a Phrase, a Sentence.

A single Word, and a Proof, cannot be supposed to have any principal Word, because they be singular, which never the­less must be carefully taken notice of as in the fourth Rule.

Let this Word (Spagyrus) be the Ex­ample of a Word to he imaginarily writ­ten, signifying according to Paracelsus, one which can dexterously discern good [Page 88]from evil, truth from falshood: Fancy the same thus written.

CHAP. XI. Of Compound Idea's.

THis kind is compounded of single I­dea's, representing either a naked word or sentence: A compound Idea signifying a single word, consisteth of a Fictitious and written Idea; As for exam­ple:

If you were to remember (Edline) a friends Name, imagine (Ed) written on the opposite Wall on the right hand, and a line extended thence all along to the left aside.

So Lambert may be retained by a Lamb placed in one of the Repositories, and [ert] written on the opposite Wall on the left hand.

Many words may be conveniently re­posited by Idea's compounded of fictiti­ous and written Idea's.

A compound Idea representing an in­tire sentence, is twofold, consisting either of a Direct and Written Idea, or of a Rela­tive and Written Idea; the nature of both will appear perspicuous by exam­ples.

CHAP. XII. Of chusing Ideas.

IT is sufficiently manifest out of the five precedent chapters, what Idea, and how qualified, every thing to be re­membred doth appropriate to it self; but to render all more perspicuous in this chapter, I will briefly ennumerate the Rules dispersed in several places, for [Page 100]choice of Idea's; though such Recapitu­lation may be accounted tautology; yet it is very profitable; the Rules follow.

Rule 1. All Histories, Actions, Fables, Apologies, common businesses, visible things, or conceived under a visible form, all sentences whose subject or matter is visible, and without any dependent writ­ten illustration, ought to be laid up in the Repositories by a Direct Idea, in quanti­ty equal, augmented or contracted. Cap. 1.

Rule 2. All Histories, Actions, Fables, Apologies, Morals and Similyes, remark­able for some coherent Verses or Wri­ting, as all Epigrams, Epitaphs, Ana­grams and Impresses are generally to be expressed by a compound Idea, consisting of a Direct and Scriptile. Cap 2.

Rule 3. All Emblems and Sentences il­lustrated by some notable Example, or ex­pressed Hyeroglyphically, are to be be­stowed in Repositories by a compound Idea, consisting of a Relative and Scrip­tile, Cap. 2.

Rule 4. All Characters, single Letters, nakes Numbers, Calculations of Nati­vities, Cosmographical descriptions and citations, are to be always disposed in Repositories by a Scriptile Idea.

Rule 5. All single words signifying no visible thing, whose Idea either relative, fictitious, or compound of fictitious and scriptile, doth presently occur, is to be so placed in the Repository, either relative­ly, fictitiously, or compoundly: If no such Idea occurr, then it is to be repre­sented by a Scriptile Idea.

Rule 6. All Phrases and Sentences in­expressible by a Direct Idea, may be con­served by a Relative Idea, or compound­ed of a Relative and Scriptile, if any present it self commodiously, or if no such offer it self quickly, by a Scriptile Idea. Cap. 8.10. & 11.

So much shall suffice for choice of I­deas.

CHAP. XIII. The manner of Reposing Ideas.

NOw there remains to speak of the manner of laying up Idea's in their places, to which purpose take these en­suing Rules.

Rule 1. Every Idea is to be placed in its order, viz. that which first occurreth [Page 102]in the first place; the second in the se­cond place of the first Repository; the the third in the first, the fourth in the second place of the second Repository; fift in the first, the sixt in the second place of the third Repository; the like method is to be used in all the Reposi­tories, till all the Idea's be placed.

Rule 2. Due quantity, convenient site, colour of the Repository, and pe­culiar attributes, are to be imposed on each Idea, and very carefully minded.

Rule 3. After you have rightly dis­posed the first Idea of any Repository, note it very diligently with the eye of your mind, as if it really stood there, observing its kind, subject, quantity, site, attribution of the Repositories co­lour, and other such like peculiar attri­butes, if it have any. For example, whether the Idea deposited in the first place of any Repository (as to the kind) be direct; as to the subject, concerning a man; in respect of quantity, equal; in regard of sight, placed on the ground; and as to peculiar attributes, whether moving or yeilding a sound; go over all these things in your mind, saying, The Idea which I have here bestowed, is Di­rect, [Page 103]of a man, equal, placed on the ground, moving and yeilding a sound: For by such considerations an Idea is more firmly graven in memory.

Rule 4. After you have fitly disposed the second Idea of any Repository, you must excogitate fome apt relation thereof to the former, in respect of like­ness or unlikeness of site, likeness or unlikeness of subject; or else in regard of the action of the latter Idea refer­red to the former; you can pitch upon no Idea which may not be related to the former by one of these five wayes, which shall plainly appear by example: if both Idea's of one Repository, pre­cedent and subsequent, be fixed to the wall, placed on a table, the ground, or under ground, &c. they agree in site: But if one be fastened to the Wall, the other placed on a Table, on the ground or under ground, they are unlike in site: When the subject of both Idea's is Justice, Sin, a Man, War or Sleep, &c. they agree in subject; but when the sub­ject of one Idea is Justice, of the other Drunkenness, the one of a man, the other of a stone, or any other opposite thing, they disagree in subject. Taken an [Page 104]example of transferring the action of a latter Idea to a former: Suppose that a man in a Gown, sitting at a Table, and over-looking some Books of Ac­counts, with Counters lying ready to compute the total sum, be an Idea dis­posed in the first place of a Repository; and the Idea to be placed in the second room of the Repository, be a Farryer giving a Horse a Drench with a Horn: In this case, that the action of the lat­ter may have some dependance on the former, imagine that the Horse (as soon as the drench is poured into his mouth) leaps back and disturbeth the man in his reckoning, who sits at the Table in the first place of the Repository. This mutual Relation of Idea's placed in the same Repository, is as it were a linking of them together, and doth admirably conduce to the remembrance of both.

Rule 5. If two or more distinct Idea's concur, whose relation to one another is found so near, as if they were com­bined together; bestow them in one same Memorial Place: As if the Idea immediately preceding be a Silver Ba­son full of fragrant Water, set upon a joyned Stool, and the subsequent Idea [Page 105]be an idle man doing nothing; you may conjoin these two Idea's in one, imagining that this man washeth his hands in that odoriferous Water; so if the former Idea be two Virgins talking together, the latter a Skein of Green Silk, to join these two Ideas by a pro­per connexion, you may fancy that one of the Virgins holdeth the Skein upon her wrists, whilest the other windeth it off her hands into a bottom. In like manner if the Antecedent Idea be Scriptile, and the Consequent likewise Scriptile, if so be you allow space e­nough in the Table, the latter may be subscribed under the former in a con­venient distance from one another. Thus three Scriptile Ideas concurring together, if they be not too large for one Table, may be supposed written therein; the first in the highest place, the second in the middle, the third in the lowest, allowing nevertheless a fit distance. But alwayes when you com­prize two or three Ideas in one place, you must remember carefully, that so many Ideas were constituted in such a place.

Rule 6. When you have laid up a­ny Idea in its Place, (whether it be in the first or second Room of the Repository) peruse all the foregoing Idea's in their order, if you have time, that they may reside more deeply in Memory, and make the stronger impression in minde. For as a School-boy by often reading over his lesson, learneth it by heart, so the more frequently you peruse Idea's, the more firmly you will retain them.

Rule 7. Lastly, have a care not to load your Memory with a more nume­rous multitude of Idea's then is fit, for as it is unwholsome to burthen the sto­mach above its strength, so also to o­verwhelm the Memory with multiplici­ty of Idea's, doth lead into great con­fufusion. Temperate men admit only so much meat as they think they can well concoct; so do you only commit such worthy things to Memory, as you trust faithfully to remember; for it is better firmly to retain a few remarka­ble things, then many of mean base nature.

CHAP. XIV. Of the practise of the Art of Memory.

I Think now convenient to illustrate the premised precepts by examples, whereby the practise of this Art, may be rendred more facile. First, I will propose examples of common affairs, afterward of observations; Lastly, I will briefly exhibit the Art of Dictating, and discharging of Memory.

CHAP. XV. Of Dictation and Reposition.

MOreover, the practical part of this Art is perspicuously seen in the Exercises of Dictating and Repetition.

The use of Dictating is, when a per­son is to dictate to several Scribes or Secretaries, what every one must write, so as to direct and exercise them all at once, which is frequently incumbent upon Princes and Generals of Armies in perillous times: In such cases there must be assigned a peculiar Repository to every Scribe, wherein the affairs and sentences by him to be dispatched must be reported in order; that is, the first Repository to the first Scribe, the second Repository to the second, the third to the third, the fourth to the fourth, and so forth if there be more: All Idea's of things to be dispatched by the first Secretary, must have some [Page 126]attribution of Gold appertaing to them; all Idea's of the second Reposi­tory, something of Silver; of the third, something of black, of the fourth, blew, &c. In this case also it is permit­ted to place two, three, or more Idea's if it be necessary, in one place of a Re­pository: All businesses and sentences being thus reposited in order, & faith­fully digested before in mind, it is no difficult matter by the first Idea of the first Repository, to dictate to the first Scribe what he must write first; by the first Idea of the second Repository, to tell the second Scribe what he shall write; by the first Idea of the third Re­pository, to inform the third; and in like manner all the rest in their order. Again, by the second Idea of each Re­pository, the second sentence is facile­ly delivered to each Scribe: By the third, every Scribes third business; by the fourth Idea their fourth, and so for­ward in the residue. This is the Exer­cise, which by some is called the Art of Dictating.

Repetition is when a man repeateth sen­tences spoken by several persons, so as to return each persons sentence in order as [Page 127]it was delivered; as if six, seven, or more friends sitting together (to experience your happy memory) do every one in or­der speak some sentence, to have them repeated again, after the same or a retro­grade manner, which way they please; dispose the Idea's of your first friends sentences in the first Repository; of your second friend in the second Repository; of your third friend in the third, and so forward in the rest. All which being rightly disposed, you may with little trou­ble restore to every friend his saying, ei­ther in the same order as they were spo­ken, or in a retrograde or inverted or­der.

I have not thought expedient to illu­strate these with Examples, because I think them sufficiently explained by what hath been already said; as also, that this Exercise of Dictating and Repeating have little or no use, but vain ostentati­on; though I have inserted them here, it was not done as necessary, but because the knowledge of them did not seem su­perfluous for such as are learned of this Art.

CHAP. XVI. Of irregular Reposition.

I Have thought good to annex a few words of irregular Reposition, which is onely one Rule, that is, a real Reposi­tory may be sometimes substituted instead of a feigned, which irregularity is admit­ted upon a double occasion:

First, A thing it self being at hand, may be fitly used instead of its proper I­dea: As if a man sitting in his Study, light on some Book whose sheets are transplaced, which he intendeth when he goes forth of his Study, to send to a Book­binder to be amended: That Book is to be cast at the threshold of the Study, that the sight thereof may admonish him de­parting, to get it bound: So also if Ink be wanting, an Ink-Glass or Bottle may be set by the Book.

Secondly, When a man must exone­rate one or more Idea's, as soon as he hath reposited them; as when something offers it self to a mans mind, talking to a powerful or rich man, which he judg­eth [Page 129]convenient to be communicated to him with the first opportunity, let him speedily reposite the Idea of that thing in the same house, field, plain, or where­soever he then is, in some certain place conversant before his eyes, that he may be always put in mind to propound the same when occasion serves: As if he think to do some friendly office for a person ab­sent, by preferring some business of his to the rich man; let him imagine that Friend always obvious in some determi­nate place in sight, not suffering the ob­ject to slip out of view, till he have cur­teously performed his officious enterprise. Or if there intervene some thought of buying fewel, whereof the rich man hath great plenty, let him suppose a great quantity of Wood piled up in some place not distant out of sight: This is all I have to say of irregular Reposition.

CHAP. XVII. Of depositing Idea's.

HAving spoken copiously of reposit­ing Idea's, now I will conclude with Depositing them.

Deposition of Idea's is, when things charged upon Memory by Idea's, are re­called, and the mind exonerated of them, the Memorial Places after such Depositi­on, being left empty, and prepared to re­cive new Idea's. Now in this case, if it happen at any time that an Idea negli­gently reposited, is lost or forgotten, when it should be deposited, the recovery thereof must be endeavoured by these en­suing considerations.

First, This is always assuredly known, every lost Idea did bear the colour of his Repository, either in whole or part; therefore the first thing to be inquired is, in what respect the colour of the Repo­sitory did agree with the Idea sought; by this sole consideration, forgotten Idea's are oft discovered.

The Idea being not discovered thus, make diligent indagation for its relation to the Idea placed in the same Reposito­ry, in regard of site, subject or action, Cap. 14. Rul. 4. One Idea of a Reposito­ry being known, doth easily call the o­ther to mind, by mutual dependence whereby they were connexed together, unless there did precede very negligent Reposition.

If still you are disappointed, happily you may find it out by repetition of such things as are especially remarkable in laying up Idea's, of which I have spoken in the 13. Chapter. That is by enquiring whether the latent Idea's was

• Direct,
• Relative,
• Fictitious,
• Scriptile,
• Compound,
• Double, treble, &c.

• [Page 132]Of God,
• Of Christ,
• Of the Holy Ghost,
• Of Angels,
• Of Men,
• Of Animals.

• Equal,
• Augmented,
• Contracted,

• Under ground,
• Upon ground,
• Upon a Table,
• Upon a Shelf,
• Against a wall.

• Moving,
• Quiet,
• Giving a sound.
• Yeilding a smel.

An Idea is oft recovered by discussing these few questions in a mans thoughts.

If it be certain the forgot Idea was Scriptile, but the inscription is in oblivi­on, the first inquiry must be, whether it were a single word, proof, phrase, or [Page 133]sentence or one or more clauses; a single word, proof, or principal word of a sentence, may be regained by ap­plying each Letter of the Alphabet in the same manner as is prescribed in the second Rule of Poetical Revocation, in the second Book, Cap. 3. till you have obtained the first Letter; the other Let­ters may be found by transcendencies and gilded Vowels; the chief Word be­ing obtained, the rest come easily to mind.

If you cannot yet discover the Idea, have recourse to the third and fourth Rules of Poetical Revocation, 2. Book. 3 Chap, an Idea being revocable in the same manner.

Finally, if it continue irreparable by all these ways, let it pass, and be no long­er sollicitous in search thereof: For as a Book carelesly laid up in a Study, is not many times to be found when it is sought, though you remove several Volumes; yet afterward comes to hand beyond expe­ctation, when another Book is reached that stands by it: So it doth oft happen in this business, though an Idea negli­gently reposited, cannot be found when it is sought, yet at another time when a Notion reposited in the cell of Memory [Page 134]near it, is excited, that also of its own ac­cord discovereth it self.

If a man do prudently follow these Rules of recovering latent Ideas, as with Ariadnes thred, he will doubtless wind himself out of the Labyrinth of blind Oblivion, and with admirable facility recall to mind forgotten sentences, and vanished Idea's.