Chap. 5] Extraordinary Powers of Memory. 441 



We muft, however, be cautious of giving too im- 

 plicit credit to thefe relations. Authors, as well as all 

 other men, are too fond of the marvellous. It is cer- 

 tain, that the foul or mind of man cannot aft, unlefs 

 the inftruments with which it is to aft are in a proper 

 ftate. The mind is, therefore, affected by the infir- 

 mities of the bodily frame ; yet, in lunacy, and other 

 mental complaints, medicine is found to have but a 

 feeble effeft. That a perfon, from a mere corporeal 

 injury, can have any one fubjeft eradicated from his 

 memory, while he retains others, is not to be believed. 

 Extraordinary and minute powers of memory arc 

 feldom confident with imagination. The mind, in that 

 cafe, feems to be too much occupied with old ideas to 

 be difpofed to form new ones. 1 have heard a gentle- 

 man, of a remarkably ftrong memory, complain, that 

 when he fat down to compofe, he experienced great dif- 

 ficulty, from beinj incumbered with the thoughts, 

 nients, and language of other authors* 



