once a King of two and twenty Kingdoms where so many differing Languages were spoken which he understood so well that he could speak every one of them and to all his Subjects without an Interpreter The Great Cyrus had so large a Memory that he could call every Souldier of his numerous Army by his proper Name Likewise Seneca tells us of himself that he could repeat 2000 distinct Names that had no dependance And in our late Days the Cardinal du Perron was able to repeat without missing a Word two hundred Verses which were spoken before Henry the Fourth by a famous Poet and never heard nor saw them before Likewise in our Age and Nation some carry with them whole Libraries in their Memory Which in reason cannot be expected unless Men endeavour to improve this rare Gift of God by a continued Exercise I need not inlarge upon the Usefulness and Excellency of Memory to incline Men to the practice of the Means to attain to it All other Abilities of the Mind borrow from hence their Beauty Ornaments and Perfections as from a common Treasury And the other Capacities and Faculties of the Soul are useless without this For to what purpose is Knowledg and Understanding if we want Memory to preserve and use it What signify all other Spiritual Gifts if they are lost as soon as they are obtained It is Memory alone that enriches the Mind that preserves what Labour and Industry collect which supply this Noble and Heavenly Being with those Divine Excellencies by which it is prepared for a Glorious Immortality In a word there can be neither Knowledg neither Arts nor Sciences without Memory Nor can there be any improvement of Mankind either in respect of the present Welfare or future Happiness without the Assistance and Influence of this Supernatural Ability Memory is the Mother of Wisdom the common Nurse of Knowledg and Vertue as the Poet very well hath express'd Sophiam me vocant Graeci vos sapientiam Vsus me genuit mater peperit memoria But as these Lines are designed for the Benefit and Encouragement of their Memories chiefly who are to appear in the Pulpit or at the Bar to speak in the Audience of the People I need not tell them with St. Austin Memoria in primis oratori necessaria That there is no Ability more useful to an Orator than Memory For it gives Life to what is spoken and makes a deeper Impression in the Minds of Men it awakens the dullest Spirits and causeth them to receive a Discourse more kindly than otherwise it adds a Grace and an extraordinary Excellency both to the Person and his Oration and is the greatest Ornament of that part of Rhetorick that we commonly name Pronunciatio So that if there is any thing worthy to be esteemed or valued in that Art so useful in a Common-wealth 't is all borrowed from Memory alone which gives the greatest weight and efficacy to the Words that are spoken It is reported of Eschines that when he came to Rhodes he read to the Inhabitants a famous Oration of Demosthenes which they very much admired tho pronounced without the Grace of an Orator But said he to them Quid si ipsum audissetis How much more would you admire and esteem this Oration if you had heard it from his own Mouth But our daily Experience can declare more of the Excellency of this rare Ability I shall therefore proceed to examine what Temper is most agreeable with a good Memory CHAP. III. The Temper or Disposition of the Body best and worst for Memory with the Natural Causes and Reasons of both MEmory is named or rather described by Plato that great and famous Philosopher of his Age the Soundness of the Senses because the Soul making use of the Senses of the Body to receive the Impressions of Things the Memory is either larger or narrower greater or less according to the good or ill Qualities of the Senses and the Ideas are more or less lasting in Man However 't is most certain that in general it is requisite for a good Memory that the Body be in a perfect Health for if either the whole be distemper'd or any part be diseased the Sufferings are communicated to every Member and all are sensible in some respect of the Pain with the disaffected Part and the Disease whatever it be disorders the Functions more or less according to the nearness of Communication Some Diseases have that evil Influence that they totally deprive us of our Memory for a time as those that seize upon the Head and Brain and such as distemper the Nerves and Veins that are uppermost and corrupt the Blood and Spirits which are used for the Exercise of Memory Besides when any part of the Body is diseased the Mind is distracted and cannot so readily perform that Office as when it enjoys a perfect Tranquillity free from the Avocations of Maladies and Pain Likewise if the Spirit be disturbed by the violent Passions of Anger Fear Despair c. the Exercise of Memory can never be so free because it requires a sedate and quiet Temper of Mind as well as a Soundness in the Body All the Alarms and Troubles of the Soul blot out the Ideas that are already entertain'd and hinder others from coming in They obstruct all the Passages and the Crowd of Thoughts that in such Cases arise is a great hindrance to Memory But the Learned observe that two Tempers of the Body or Brain are Enemies to a good Memory and that such can never expect any great Advantage from this Ability that in those cases is naturally disinabled The first is a Temper extraordinary Cold for thereby the necessary Motions are stopt and the Passages for a speedy Conveyance frozen and the Imagination as it were benumm'd So that as a convenient Heat of the Body is a notable Help to an active Memory a cold Temper can never be so quick in Apprehension nor receive the Impressions that are offered Therefore a noted Physician names Cold the Mother of Forgetfulness and declares that there can be nothing more pernicious to Memory either to the admittance of the Ideas or to the making use of them than an inward or a too violent and ambient Cold. The second Temper unfit for Memory is Moist when a too great Humidity seizes upon the Brain as in Drunkenness Intemperance and Defluxions Memory in such a case may quickly receive an Impression but it will as speedily lose it As a Ship at Sea running swiftly through the Waves leaves behind a Track which is almost assoon lost as made so that no sign can be found of its Passage through that fluid Element So the Moisture of the Brain may be susceptible of an Idea for the present but 't is not lasting nor is there any sign a little after of any such matter Those Persons may remember the things near at hand but they seldom call to mind that which hath been long ago done I might add
Esteem and Value that you will thereby obtain from your Congregations by this way of Delivery besides the greater Efficacy and Power that your Words and Preaching will have upon the Minds of your Auditors besides the promoting of the Glory of God and perhaps the perswading a greater Number thereby out of the broad Road of Eternal Perdition I must needs tell you that you will quickly find an unspeakable Benefit in a few Years and your great Pains at first in conquering your natural Weaknesses will be fully recompensed with a greater Ease Pleasure and Delight in the publishing of your Meditations You will find that this way of Delivery will smooth and polish your Conceptions and Fancy You will find that it will unty your Tongues and make you more ready to express your selves you will find that your Labours will be the less your Preaching more acceptable your Improvements greater your Learning more sound and your selves able upon a sudden to answer all Gainsayers for by this means the Body of Divinity will become as familiar to you as your Pater Noster Antisthenes the Athenian Philosopher when a Friend complained that he had lost his Book where he had recorded weighty Matters told him that he ought not to have trusted things of so great Importance to Pen Ink and Paper but to his Memory where he should always have found them ready at hand in time of need There is one Advantage more which we shall receive by the Exercise of our Memories how considerable it may be to us and what Influence it may have to increase and inlarge our Eternal Happiness we may at a distance guess for thereby the Soul will be inabled to increase its Abilities Faculties and Graces which have a natural Dependance upon this of Memory and that also will be inabled to retain more because as there is a strict Union and Communication of all the Perfections between the Soul and Body so that if one receives an Inlargement it conveys the same Benefit to the other and the other becomes more perfect and accomplished in that Ability which its Partner enjoys The Exercise therefore of Memory will not only inable the Organ now to perform more perfect Acts and inlarge the Ability while the Soul is in Conjunction with the Body but at its Separation and at the great Morn of the Resurrection this Perfection with all the rest being as immortal as the Spirit where it is fixt and to which it is conveyed by our constant Endeavours and Correspondence with the Body will then appear more compleat and greater for the better Reception of future Glory and Bliss and to our everlasting Comfort and Satisfaction Therefore as St. Bernard very well expresseth himself Ad aeternitatis Gloriam acquirendam nullus labor durus nullum tempus longum videri debet In Doct. I would not have those Worthy and Learned Gentlemen of my Function be displeased with this Exhortation and Advice that I address to the Students of our Universities as if it were designed to undervalue their wise and profitable Meditations pronounced with the Assistance of Book from the Pulpit Our Nation only is used to this way of Delivery for we are wont ofttimes as we ought to consider and weigh the Things and Expressions more than the manner of the Publication Neither is it possible for them after a Tract of Time and a long Usage to change their Custom of Preaching But for the Young Men coming up to supply our vacant Places in Church and State 't is now in their Power to alter this Custom to exercise their Memories to follow the Practice of the Learned Men of other Nations 'T is now in their Power to use themselves to such a Practice as will be advantagious to the Glory of God the Salvation of Souls the Credit of our Church and infinitely beneficial to themselves I recommend therefore this Treatise principally to you Gentlemen and let nothing hinder you from the Exercise of your Memories and the Practice of the Rules here prescribed which I will assure you from Experience have proved effectual for the overcoming the Weaknesses of Nature and inabling frail Memories to perform the Acts of large and strong If some of them seem common despise them not they will be no less useful if put in Practice I have not only consulted in the delivery of them my own Knowledg and Experience but have also set down the Advices of several Learned Men about this Subject and borrowed from the Skill of the Physicians several approved Experiments for the strengthening and corroborating the Faculty of Memory However I intreat you Gentlemen to accept kindly from my Pen this Endeavour for your Benefit and the Publick and this sincere Expression of my earnest Desire of your Success Promotions and Advantages and of the Prosperity of our Church and Nation I beseech God of his Infinite Bounty to make you all truly useful in your Generation to inlarge your Memories increase your Learning bless all your Abilities and Graces and to preserve you all to his Eternal Kingdom Amen ERRATA PAge 8. line penult dele all P. 10. l. 27. read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 23. l. 28. r. suscitat P. 43. l. 26. r. tam. P. 54. l. 3. r. capillis P. 57. l. 24. r. linguam P. 58. l. 3. r. dicta P. 59. l. 13. r. albi l. 24. put a colon after dictas P. 60. l. 26. r. bulliant P. 61. l. 4. r. Stichadâ—s THE CONTENTS Chap. 1. OF the Soul or Spirit of Man page 1 Chap. 2. Of Memory its Seat and Excellency p. 18 Chap. 3. The Temper or Disposition of the Body best and worst for Memory with the Natural Causes and Reasons of both p. 30 Chap. 4. Some General and Physical Observations and Prescriptions for the remedying strengthning and restoring a Memory injured by the ill Temper of the Body or the Predominancy of one of the four Qualities in the Brain p. 38 Chap. 5. What is very much prejudicial to the Faculty Habit and Practice of Memory p. 42 Chap. 6. Of such Natural Things as may be assisting to and may comfort Memory from the Procurement of Nature and the Contrivance of Art p. 49 Chap. 7. Rules to be observed for the Acts or Practice of Memory p. 62 Chap. 8. Rules to be observed to help our Remembrance of things that we desire to preserve in Mind p. 77 Chap. 9. Of Artificial or Fantastical Memory or Remembrance p. 82 The Art of Memory c. CHAP. I. Of the Soul or Spirit of Man THE Excellent and Wonderful Frame of the Human Body wherein the Wisdom of the Creator shines so beautifully and apparently before our Eyes being but the Cabinet of the Soul or the outward Shell made on purpose to receive and entertain this Immortal Creature gives good reason to imagine that this Jewel is far more excellent and of a greater Worth Certainly our Wise Maker had no mean Esteem of this Master-piece of the Creation
be hot and drying and in wet and cold misty Weather the Chamber or Dwelling where he is ought to be perfumed with hot and odoriferous Herbs as Sage Marjoram Lavender Rosemary Thyme wild Thyme and let a Smoak be made of some of these well-scented Herbs in the Chamber together with Juniper for such Perfumes will dry the Air and help the Brain chiefly of that Indian Amber that is named the Gum of the Soul The Diet ought to be according to the Distemper of such Meats as are of an easy Concoction and tho some Physicians forbid cold Sallets I suppose they may be of great use chiefly in the Spring and Summer to some hot Stomachs as Lettice Purslane Spinage Corn-sallet Cichory Endive and Nasturtium the latter being good to stir up the Spirits and a natural Remedy against Sloth from whence comes the old Direction to a Sluggard Vade ede Nasturtium Likewise it is very proper in many Distempers of the Brain to open a Vein and free the superiour Parts from the over-flowings of Blood and to give a gentle Purgation either by Potions Pills or other usual Means according to the Advice of experienced Physicians and the Nature of the Distemper Now such Diseases incident to the Brain are either in the Cavities or the Substance of the Brain in the first are chiefly these Vertigo Catarrh Epilepsia Apoplexia Palsy Convulsion Trembling in the Substance are these Phrenzy Melancholy Madness Loss or Hurt of Memory sleepy Diseases c. All which as they bring a present Prejudice to the Faculty of Memory so they are to be removed and cured before it can act with Vigor But if the Disease proceeds from a too great Increase of the Humours such skilful Physicians are to be consulted and proper Remedies are to be applied for the correcting and removing of those Humours as Bleeding Purgations Glisters Vomits Issues c. Now 't is most certain that divers Ointments Snuffs Perfumes Plaisters and Medicines are applicable to the Head and Temples for curing several Distempers of the Brain But this being a Subject that more properly concerns the Physician I shall only advise the Patient to be very cautious in making use of Remedies for the removing of Diseases of the Head which is a tender Part and when once the Part or Organ is wounded 't is a very difficult Task to cure it and without a Miracle it can never be made whole CHAP. V. What is very much prejudicial to the Faculty Habit and Practice of Memory THE Memory residing in so tender a Part as the Brain Nature hath had a particular care to preserve it from all Casualties by a thick Skull It shews thereby what Esteem Value and Tenderness we are to have for that Part of the Body and how much it concerns us to take heed it be not injured either by our own Miscarriages or by others Endeavours Certainly we are worthy of blame if we ruin that most excellent and most necessary Part of our selves and run wilfully into such Actions as are hurtful to our Brain and Memory Now it is observed and we may understand it from our own Experience that these following Particulars are prejudicial to Memory 1. All Crudities Repletion and Indigestions of the Stomach for they engender many dangerous Diseases disorder the Brain and send up infectious Vapours which cause Pains in the Head Giddiness and several other Distempers consequently they are pernicious to Reason and Memory as St. Ambrose tells us Cibus immodicus Animae Corpori nocent An excessive Eating hurts both the Soul and Body 2. Drunkenness is offensive to the Brain and all its Functions because it fills it full of Humours and naturally causeth Forgetfulness And as a Father expresseth himself Ebrietas Tempestas est tam in Animo quam in Corpore seipsam ignorat It is a Storm both in the Body and Soul and causeth us to forget and be unmindful of our selves Therefore the use of strong Wines is dangerous and a frequent ingorging and constant Debauchery turns Men into Sots and Beasts and weakens all the Operations of the Brain I cannot but mind here what Suetonius writes of Claudius Caesar that by Drunkenness he had forgot what he had commanded but an hour before for having ordered his impudent and lecherous Wife and Empress Messalina to be put to Death because of her unsufferable and publick Adulteries when he sat down to eat Meat a while after asked his Officers and Servants what their Lady was doing that she came not as usually to Table with him And the same Roman Author with others tell us of Vitellius who when he came to the Empire gave himself over to such Debauchery and Drunkenness that he lost and drowned all his Memory and Reason 3. A violent and outward Cold in the Night-season offends the Brain if the Head be not well covered Therefore for the better Preservation of the Seat of Memory it is convenient to keep our Heads warm according to this French Direction Gardez chaux les pieds Lateste audemeurant vivez en besse keep warm the Feet and the Head but for the rest live as the Beasts 4. To take cold and wet in the Feet in Winter-time weakens the Eye-sight and injures the Memory because of that great Correspondence that there is between these two Extremities the Head and the Feet 5. An extraordinary and hot Air or a burning Sun disturbs the Mind and prejudices Memory if we suffer it long to work upon us 6. All windy Foods and Drinks are not good for the Assistance of Memory but rather contrary unless Nature carries them speedily off in the ordinary course 7. We must avoid eating in the Evening such things as may increase too much the ascending Vapors and cause a too great Humidity in the Brain or may be of an ill Digestion or may too much fume up into the Head for tho such things may incline to Sleep they may have a bad Effect upon the Seat of Memory and remember these seasonable Verses Ex magna Coena stomacho fit maxima poena Vt sis nocte levis sit tibi Coena brevis 8. Forbear drinking too much immediately after eating chiefly after Supper for that will but spoil and hinder Digestion and will prove offensive to the Brain and Memory 9. An extraordinary Idleness and Laziness of Body begets and encreases ill Humours which have bad Influence upon the Faculty of Memory Therefore a moderate Exercise becomes us as Men and is very useful for our Health and the Safety of our Being as an antient Philosopher taught his Disciples by telling them that Exercitium confert ad Corpus Animum that Exercise is profitable both to the Body and Soul 10. Forbear sleeping immediately after a plentiful Supper or Dinner before the Food hath past down from the Orifice into the bottom of the Stomach for there is nothing more pernicious because it prevents the working of Nature and causeth often the