92 Rey. James WILLs on accidental Association. 
years, remained the slightest trace on my mind of distinct recollection, with, how- 
ever, one very remarkable exception. When, by any chance, I am led to that 
time, one face rises to my recollection with all the distinctness of a thing of yes- 
terday. Now, it might be supposed that this must have been the result of some 
childish affection—a nurse, or a parent, or some of the most close and tender ties 
of infancy. But the fact was otherwise. It was a farm servant, with whom I 
had no especial communication, and had only been in the habit of noticing as one 
of many persons. The man was, however, marked by a singular excrescence 
over the right eye, just in the place of the brow. Now it may be supposed at 
first that this mark may have been an object of special attention to a child. Such 
was not the case: I had been accustomed to see this man from the very first 
dawn of observation, and his deformity was no more a matter of curiosity than 
the commonest feature. Its effect was precisely that of affording an association 
peculiar to that face, and, therefore, not liable to be affected by the interference 
of common associations; and the consequence is this, that the whole face (in the 
expression of which it was included) is recalled by it with well-defined precision. 
I may here observe, that the features by which faces are distinguished differ but 
slightly in the turns and lines of direction, by the effects of which they are dis- 
tinguished. Even those effects are composed of common elements of expression. 
Hence it is that, in general, the recollection of faces does not last quite as long 
as might at first be presumed. But in the case which I have stated, the associa- 
tion remained unbroken by any interference. The entire face returns; and, 
with the face, the voice, the figure, the dress, and some distinct localities all come 
together ; for they were essentially combined with the one consistent, whole 
image of the mind. Here, it is to be observed, that no extraordinary degree of 
attention, or any determining cause, can be supposed. I was surrounded by phe- 
nomena of the utmost interest to the fresh curiosity of childhood,—the time when 
all is new, strange, and wonderful. A thousand things now forgotten, must needs 
have then communicated the deepest impressions. It was no affection for the 
person,—affection might well recall dearer objects. ‘There was nothing but just 
the single characteristic mark, which satisfied the one condition, and had no 
other effect. This mark was the feature, not only of a face, but of a scene, and 
(if I may so say it) of a moment ; and the connexion, not having been interrupted 
or confused by others, remained. The case is a strong one, and so far advantageous, 
