Lesson 8

Phases of Memory
One of the first things apt to be noticed by the student
of memory is the fact that there are several different
phases of the manifestation of memory. That is to
say, that there are several general classes into which the
phenomena of memory may be grouped. And accordingly we
find some persons quite highly developed in certain phases of
memory, and quite deficient in others. If there were but one
phase or class of memory, then a person who had developed
his memory along any particular line would have at the same
time developed it equally along all the other lines. But this is
far from being the true state of affairs. We find men who are
quite proficient in recalling the impression of faces, while they
find it very difficult to recall the names of the persons whose
faces they remember. Others can remember faces, and not
names. Others have an excellent recollection of localities, while
others are constantly losing themselves. Others remember
dates, prices, numbers, and figures generally, while deficient in
other forms of recollection. Others remember tales, incidents,
anecdotes etc., while forgetting other things. And so on, each
person being apt to possess a memory good in some phases,
while deficient in others.
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The phases of memory may be divided into two general
classes, namely (1) Memory of Sense Impressions; and (2)
Memory of Ideas. This classification is somewhat arbitrary, for
the reason that sense impressions develop into ideas, and ideas
are composed to a considerable extent of sense impressions,
but in a general way the classification serves its purpose, which
is the grouping together of certain phases of the phenomena
of memory.
Memory of Sense Impressons of course includes the
impressions received from all of the five senses: sight; hearing;
taste; touch; and smell. But when we come down to a practical
examination of sense impressions retained in the memory, we
find that the majority of such impressions are those obtained
through the two respective senses of sight and hearing. The
impressions received from the sense of taste, touch and smell,
respectively, are comparatively small, except in the cases of
certain experts in special lines, whose occupation consists in
acquiring a very delicate sense of taste, smell or touch, and
correspondingly a fine sense of memory along these particular
lines. For instance, the wine-taster and tea-tasters, who are
able to distinguish between the various grades of merchandise
handled by them, have developed not only very fine senses
of taste and smell, but also a remarkable memory of the
impressions previously received, the power of discrimination
depending as much upon the memory as upon the special
sense. In the same way the skilled surgeon as well as the skilled
mechanic acquires a fine sense of touch and a correspondingly
highly developed memory of touch impressions.
But, as we have said, the greater part of the sense impressions
stored away in our memories are ,those previously received
through the senses of sight and hearing, respectively. The
majority of sense impressions, stored away in the memory,
have been received more or less involuntarily, that is with the
application of but a slight degree of attention. They are more
or less indistinct and hazy, and are recalled with difficulty,

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the remembrance of them generally coming about without
conscious effort, according to the law of association. That is,
they come principally when we are thinking about something
else upon which we have given thought and attention, and with
which they have been associated. There is quite, a difference
between the remembrance of sense impressions received in this
way, and those which we record by the bestowal of attention,
interest and concentration.
The sense impressions of sight are by far the most numerous
in our subconscious storehouse. We are constantly exercising
our sense of sight, and receiving thousands of different sight
impressions every hour. But the majority of these impressions
are but faintly recorded upon the memory, because we give
to them but little attention or interest. But it is astonishing, at
times, when we find that when we recall some important event
or incident we also recall many faint sight impressions of which
we did not dream we had any record. To realize the important
part played by sight impressions in the phenomena of memory,
recall some particular time or event in your life, and see how
many more things that you saw are remembered, compared
with the number of things that you heard, or tasted, or felt or
smelled.
Second in number, however, are the impressions received
through the sense of hearing, and consequently the memory
stores away a great number of sound impressions. In some
cases the impressions of sight and sound are joined together,
as for instance in the case of words, in which not only the
sound but the shape of the letters composing the word, or
rather the word-shape itself, are stored away together, and
consequently are far more readily remembered or recollected
than things of which but one sense impression is recorded.
Teachers of memory use this fact as a means of helping their
students to memorize words by speaking them aloud, and then
writing them down. Many persons memorize names in this
way, the impression of the written word being added to the
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impression of the sound, thus doubling the record. The more
impressions that you can make regarding a thing, the greater
are the chances of your easily recollecting it. Likewise it is very
important to attach an impression of a weaker sense, to that
of a stronger one, in order that the former may be memorized.
For instance, if you have a good eye memory, and a poor ear
memory, it is well to attach your sound impressions to the sight
impressions. And if you have a poor eye memory, and a good
ear memory it is important to attach your sight impressions to
your sound impressions. In this way you take advantage of the
law of association, of which we have told you.
Under the sub-class of sight impressions, are found the
smaller divisions of memory known as memory of locality;
memory of figures; memory of form; memory of color ; and
memory of written or printed words. Under the sub-class of
sound impressions are found the smaller divisions of memory
known as memory of spoken words; memory of names;
memory of stories; memory of music, etc. We shall pay special
attention to these forms of memory, in succeeding chapters.
The second general class of memory, memory of ideas,
includes the memory of facts, events, thoughts, lines of

reasoning, etc., and is regarded as higher in the scale than the

memory of sense impressions, although not more necessary nor
useful to the average person. This form of memory of course
accompanies the higher lines of intellectual effort and activities,
and constitutes a large part of what is known as true education,
that is education which teaches one to think instead of to
merely memorize certain things taught in books or lectures.
The well-rounded man, mentally, is he who has developed his
memory on all sides, rather than the one who has developed
but one special phase of the faculty. It is true that a man s
interest and occupation certainly tend to develop his memory
according to his daily needs and requirements, but it is well
that he should give to the other parts of his memory field some
exercise, in order that he may not grow one-sided. As Halleck
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has said: Many persons think that memory is mainly due to
sight; but we have as many different kinds of memory as we
have senses. To sight, the watermelon is a long greenish body,
but this is its least important quality. Sight alone gives the
poorest idea of the watermelon. We approach the vine where
the fruit is growing, and in order to decide whether it is ripe,
we tap the rind and judge by the sound. We must remember
that a ripe watermelon has a certain resonance. By passing
our hands over the melon, we learn that it has certain touch
characteristics. We cut it open and learn the qualities of taste
and smell. All this knowledge afforded by the different senses
must enter into a perfected memory image. Hence we see
that many complex processes go to form an idea of a thing.
Napoleon was not content with only hearing a name. He wrote
it down, and having satisfied his eye memory as well as his ear
memory, he threw the paper away.
In this book we shall point out the methods and processes
calculated to round out the memory of the student. As a rule
his strong phases of memory need but little attention, although
even in these a little scientific knowledge will be of use. But in
the weaker phases, those phases in which his memory is poor,
he should exert a new energy and activity, to the end that these
weaker regions of the memory may be cultivated and fertilized,
and well stored with the seed impressions, which will bear a
good crop in time. There is no phase, field, or class of memory
that is not capable of being highly developed by intelligent
application. It requires practice, exercise and work but the
reward is great. Many a man is handicapped by being deficient
in certain phases of memory, while proficient in others. The
remedy is in his own hands, and we feel that in this book we
have given to each the means whereby he may acquire a good
memory along any or all lines.
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