Assimilative Memory Part 18

William Cullen Bryant, from a fall, died in 1878. The last two figures 78 are found by Concurrence in the initial consonants of the phrase "(7) {C}ullen's (8) {F}all." Cullen will be easily identified, as the middle name of Bryant. When Jefferson became Vice-President, in 1797, he wore the customary big-wig; and the first two consonants of "{B}i{g}-wig"

express by Concurrence that date.

Artillery was invented in 1340. 340 indicates that date, and by Concurrence we find those figures in the first three consonants of "{M}e{r}{c}iless." Or (3) {M}urderous (4) A{r}tillery's (0) {S}courge.

Plymouth (Ma.s.s.) was settled in 1620. 620 will indicate it. We find these figures in "{Ch}a{n}{c}e," which by Concurrence describes the risk they ran. The Telephone was invented in 1877. Whoever has listened to the telephone to identify a speaker, and heard others talking in the shrill tones that strike upon the ear, is apt to think of the cackling of hens, and "{C}a{ck}le" expresses the date 77.

Jefferson Davis disguised himself in the hood, shawl, and dress of his wife in 1865. "{Sh}aw{l}" by Concurrence expresses that date. The Const.i.tution of the United States was _adopted_ in 1787, which spells "{Th}e {G}i{v}i{ng}." To adopt the Const.i.tution, it required the States to give their a.s.sent. They _gave_ the Federal Government all the power it possessed. "{Th}e {G}i{v}i{ng}" is therefore a case of Concurrence. A circ.u.mstance connected with settlements is _selecting_ the site.

Jamestown, Va., was settled in 1607, which spells "{Th}e {Ch}oo{s}i{ng}."

This phrase relates to the settlement by Concurrence. Harvard College was founded in 1636, which spells "{T}ea{ch} {M}u{ch}." Whether we take this phrase as describing the object or result of founding that college, it is a case of Concurrence. A college is sometimes called a seat of learning. Yale College was founded in 1701, which spells "{T}oo{k} a {s}ea{t}." This phrase describes the locating of the college, and is therefore a relation by Concurrence.

(4) THE PUPIL MUST SEEK _a.n.a.lYTIC_ WORDS WHICH ARE _APPROXIMATELY SPECIFIC_, AS BIRTH-DATE WORDS MUST, WHERE POSSIBLE, RELATE TO BIRTH OR JUVENILE EVENTS; MARRIAGE-DATE WORDS, TO EVENTS CONNECTED NEARLY OR REMOTELY WITH THE MARRIAGE; DATE WORDS FOR ANY OTHER EVENT IN LIFE OR FACT IN HISTORY SHOULD, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, RELATE TO SUCH EVENT OR FACT; AND, FINALLY, DEATH-DATE WORDS SHOULD REFER TO INCIDENTS WHICH PRECEDED, ACCOMPANIED, OR FOLLOWED THE FACT OF THE DEATH.

This rule, theoretically correct, must be very liberally interpreted in practice. This lesson furnishes numerous ill.u.s.trative examples.

As shown heretofore, _the pupil must know the facts_, and the System will then help him to fix their date.

A pupil had loaned money to a horse-dealer who lived at No. 715 of a certain street. He knew the house well, yet he could not recollect the number 715. At length he thought of "{C}a{t}t{l}e" as a figure word to enable him to remember the number. Yet the word is general and apparently unconnected with the house, as it was not a stable but a boarding-house. Yet, as cattle and horse are species of the genus domestic animal, and cattle would recall horses and horse-dealer, he did right to use that term, and it served him well. At first he instantly recalled the word "cattle" whenever he thought of the horse-dealer's residence, and at once 715 was given him. After a time, he directly recalled 715 without first thinking of "cattle." This is always the case where the method is applied. It is soon no longer required in that case.

When this pupil told me what he had done, I asked him why he had not used the phrase "(7) {C}ollect (1) {Th}e (5) {L}oan," which was the object he had in view in thinking of, or of sending to, that address.

His reply was that "cattle" served his purpose. With one person a single word, with another a phrase, and with another a sentence, is most serviceable. He had other borrowers who lived at other places. Why could this phrase "Collect the loan," which would apply in its meaning to the case of others, remind him of this particular debtor's home? Because, if he had consciously devised that phrase to identify this debtor's address, it could apply in his mind to the address of no other debtor.

Thus the _facts help us devise the number phrase, and the phrase helps revive the facts_.

I do not, for instance, undertake in this lesson to teach the pupil that Was.h.i.+ngton never left America but once, when he accompanied his invalid brother to Barbadoes in 1751, in search of health. But if he knows these facts, my method helps him retain the date, by using those facts for this purpose; as, (1) {T}o (7) {G}ain (5) Is{l}and (1) {T}onic; or (17)51 Hea{l}{th}. We know that "health" is an object with everybody in all countries and in all ages, and is therefore a word of the most general character and of the most extended application. How, then, can it have any _special_ significance in this case? Because by knowing the facts, in the first place, as "health" was the object of the visit of Was.h.i.+ngton and his brother; and seeking for a date word which spells (17)51, the pupil has discovered that this general word "health" spells that date; and, as the pupil has applied the word "health" to this date and to no other, he has thus made the general word specific for his purpose. Because "tonic" is a health promoter, and "island" is a help to recall the specific Islands of Barbadoes, the phrase (1) "{T}o (7) {G}ain (5) Is{l}and (1) {T}onic," is more specific than "health." But either the single word or phrase becomes specific, if the facts of the case are a.s.similated, and then by the pupil are applied to furnish a date word.

BIOGRAPHY, HISTORY, AND SCIENCE.

Much of the substance and pith of historic eras can be expressed in the a.n.a.lytic words, phrases, or sentences with which their dates are enunciated. If the foregoing and subsequent examples are carefully, not hurriedly, studied, the student can readily hereafter retain a great deal of the significance of facts, events, or epochs by his infallible recollection of the a.n.a.lytic expression of their dates. As with history, so with the arts and science, etc.

Population of the United States of America is now (1895) 67,000,000 = {G}eneral {C}ultivation or {Sh}arp Yan{k}ees. When dealing with the _number_ of millions or thousands only, it is not necessary to express the ciphers. Pop. of Great Britain = 38,000,000, or (3) {M}ightiest (8) {F}olks; or {M}anufacturing {F}abrics; or {M}oney-making {F}reetraders.

Pop. of Africa, 127,000,000 = {Th}e {N}egro Continent. Pop. of Bombay = 804,470 or {F}oreigners a{s} a {r}ule a{r}e E{ng}lish {C}itizens.

A gentleman in Bombay, who had to deal with complaints about water supplies there, told me the true population is 817,564, which he fixed by my method as follows: {F}rightful {T}o {K}eep A{l}l {J}ust {R}ight.

Pop. of Calcutta = 840,000; or {V}iceroy's {R}esidential {S}eat. Pop. of India = 292,000,000; or I{n}dia's {P}opulation E{n}umerated.

Pop. of Australasia, &c., 4,250,000 = Ou{r} I{n}dependent {L}iving Au{s}tralians.

Pop. of Melbourne with its suburbs (1891) = 490,912 = (4) Ou{r} (9) {B}iggest (0) {C}ity's (9) {B}uildings (1) {d}ecidedly (2) u{n}equalled. The "City" contains 73,361 = (7) {G}reat (3) {M}elbourne (3) {M}akes a (6) {Ch}ief (1) {T}own.

Pop. of Sydney (1891) = 386,400 = A (3) {M}ost (8) {V}aried (6) {Sh}eltering (4) Ha{r}bour (0) Ha{s} (0) {S}ydney.

Pop. of Hobart (Tasmania), 1891 = 31,196; (3) {M}any (1) {T}asmanians (1) Ea{t} (9) Ho{b}art's (6) {J}am.

Pop. of Auckland (New Zealand), with suburbs, in (1891) = 51,287; (5) A{l}l (1) {Th}e (2) I{n}habitants (8) O{f} (7) Au{ck}land.

SPECIFIC GRAVITIES.

The Specific Gravity is the relative weight of a body compared to an equal bulk of some other body taken as a standard. This standard is usually water, for all liquids and solids, and air for gases.

1. Gold 19.2--{D}ollars {B}uy {S}u{n}dries.--Gold is made into money. The specific gravity of gold is 19.2; that is, nineteen and two-tenths. The initial consonants of the phrase "{D}ollars {B}uy {S}undries" express through "D" and "B" the figures 19. The "S" of "Sundries" expresses the decimal point, and the first subsequent consonant "n" expresses the decimal two-tenths.

2. Silver 10.4--{Th}e {S}ilver A{s}saye{r}.

3. Platinum 21.5--U{n}usually {D}uctile {S}o{l}id.--Platinum is the most ductile metal known.

4. Lead 11.3--{Th}e {T}in {S}{m}ith.--Lead is used to solder tin.

5. Mercury 13.5--{Th}e {M}ercury {S}o{l}d.

6. Copper 8.9--{V}iew a {Sp}ire.--Copper points the lightning rods.

7. Iron 7.7--Hoo{k} {S}{k}illet.--It means hang up an iron pot.

8. Zinc 6.9--A {Sh}eet {S}u{p}ply.--Zinc is rolled into sheets.

9. Antimony 6.7--{G}erman {S}ee{k}er.--Antimony was discovered by a German monk.

10. Calcium 1.0--Whi{t}e {C}eiling.--Calcium is used in white-was.h.i.+ng.

RIVERS.

Mississippi (4,382 miles long).--{R}us.h.i.+ng {M}ississippi's wa{v}es E{n}croach.

--The Mississippi River frequently overflows its banks.

Nile (3,370 mi.) --(3) {M}ighty (3) {M}editerranean's (7) {G}reatest (0) {S}tream.

Volga (2,400 mi.) --I{n} {R}ussia's {S}oil {S}uperior.

--The Volga is the largest river in Russia, and, in fact, the largest in Europe.

Ohio (1,265 mi.) --{Th}e Ohio {N}ow {Sh}ips {L}ighters.

Loire (530 mi.) --{L}oire's {M}ajestic {S}weep.

Seine (470 mi.) --{R}olling {G}ay {S}eine.

Spree (220 mi.) --{N}otice {N}oble {S}pree.

Jordan (200 mi.) --A K{n}own {S}alty {S}olution.

--The River Jordan is impregnated with considerable salt.

1. Why could we not subst.i.tute the phrase "{Th}e {M}ercury {S}hie{l}d" for "{Th}e {M}ercury {s}o{l}d," since "S" stands for "0," and "h" has no value?

2. Why not use the phrase "Whi{t}e {s}ea{l}ing" to express the Specific Gravity of Calcium?

3. Could the Atomic Weight of Silver (108) be expressed by the phrase "{Th}e {V}a{s}e?"

4. If not, why not?

5. Would the phrase "{Th}e {S}ilver {V}ase" be better?

6. In dealing with the length of the Mississippi, why do you not give the figure value of "W" and "E" in that part of the phrase which includes the words {W}aves {E}ncroach?

7. Would you indicate this value by a cipher, then?