MEMORY. 663 



almost as encyclopaedic as bis erudition may coexist with 

 the latter, and hide, as it were, in the interstices of its web. 

 Those who have had much to do with scholars and savants 

 will readily think of examples of the class of mind I mean. 



In a system, every fact is connected with every other by 

 some thought-relation. The consequence is that every fact 

 is retained by the combined suggestive power of all the 

 other facts in the system, and forgetfulness is well-nigh 

 impossible. 



The reason why cramming is such a bad mode of study 

 is now made clear. I mean by cramming that way of pre- 

 paring for examinations by committing ' points ' to memory 

 during a few hours or days of intense application immedi- 

 ately preceding the final ordeal, little or no work having 

 been performed during the previous course of the term. 

 TLi'igs learned thus in a few hours, on one occasion, for 

 one purpose, cannot possibly have formed many associations 

 Mdth other things in the mind. Their brain-processes are 

 led into by few paths, and are relatively' little liable to be 

 awakened again. Speedy oblivion is the almost inevitable 

 fate of all that is committed to memory in this simple Avay. 

 AVhereas, on the contrary, the same materials taken in 

 gradually, day after day, recurring in different contexts, 

 considered in various relations, associated with other exter- 

 nal incidents, and repeatedly reflected on, grow into such a 

 system, form such connections with the rest of the mind's 

 fabric, lie open to so many paths of approach, that they 

 remain permanent possessions. This is the infellectual rea- 

 son why habits of continuous application should be enforced 

 in educational establishments. Of course there is no moral 

 turpitude in cramming. If it led to the desired end of 

 secure learning it would be infinitely the best method of 

 study. But it does not ; and students themselves should 

 understand the reason why. 



ONE'S NATIVE RETENTIVENESS IS UNCHANGEABLE. 



It will now appear clear that all impi'ovement of the 

 memory lies in the line of elaborating the associates of 

 each of the several things to be remembered. No amount 

 vf culture woidd seem capable of modifyina a man's general 



