Chap. 5.] Why Memory is weak In Children y &c . 437 



pened but yefterday, as we term it, on account of the 

 vividnefs of the idea correfponding to the nature of a 

 recent event *. Miftakes are here prevented in per- 

 fons, who retain their fenfes, by the fecond means of 

 judging, viz. by enumerating fads that have fince oc- 

 curred, &c. 



Memory is weak in children; ift, Probably, be- 

 caufe the organs are flaccid and weak ; 2dly, For want 

 of a number of ideas, which experience furnimes, and 

 which afterwards ftrengthen the powers of aflbciation. 

 Memory is flow and defective in old perfons; ift, Be- 

 caufe, probably, a rigidity of fibre may render the or- 

 gans of thought lefs active ; sdly, F'ecaufe the paflions 

 are weaker, there is in reality lefs life, of courfe a flug- 

 gifhnefs of mind will generally accompany that ftate. 

 Imprefiions are eafily made on the fenfes of children, 

 but do not remain. On the contrary, it is difficult to 

 make fuch impreflions on older perfons as to produce 

 ideas, but when made they are lalling. Hence the ne- 

 ceffity of inuring the mind to action and ftudy through 

 every ftage of life, fuch perfons frequently retaining 

 their mental agility and powers longer than others. 



Ideas are more eafily recollected, ift, By being vU 

 -vidly and diftinctly impreffed ; sdly, By being ftrongly 

 aflbciated. Thefe two caufes will generally concur, 

 for the more vivid an impreffion is, the longer it re^ 

 mains on the fenfe, and of courfe the more ideas it will 

 be aflbciated with. A fentiment when quoted from a 

 book or a poem by another author, as appoiite to his 

 fubjecl:, often makes a more diftinft and vivid impref- 

 fion than in the original writer. The imprefiion is 

 more vivid, becaufe we are apt to fancy that fome pe- 

 culiar excellence induced another author to quote it; 

 it is more vivid too, becaufe it is more diftinct j it is 



* Hartley on Man, prop. 42. 



F f 3 better 



