106 
jects ot a great road, or the streets of a 
city, are all well suited to this business of 
association; and either of them may be 
taken indifferently by various persons, ac- 
cording to their acquaintance with them. 
he greater the variety of ideas con- 
nected with this set of objects, which 
may be called the associating key, the 
more easy, and the more certain is the 
pewer of recollection. 
Most of your readers are well ac- 
quainted with Gray’s Memoria Technica, 
the outline of which yhas lately, I see, 
been introduced into Robinson’s Gram- 
mar of History, from which I hope it 
will be taught as a supplement to the 
Paroch tal Libraries. 
science of arithmetic in all our schools. - 
T consider the art which I have described 
above to be an important addition to the 
Memoria Technicu, having often found it 
very useful in the prosecution of my own’ 
studies, and in the business of life. 
if Edo not hazard a charge of egotism, F 
shall mention, as illustrative facts, that 
by this new art TI once committed to me- 
mory, in a single morning, the whole of 
the propositions contained rt) 
first books of Euclid, and with such per- 
fection, that I could for years afterwards 
specify the number of the ‘book on 
hearing the propesition named, and 
€ould recite the propositian on hearing 
the number and the book; and I have 
frequently, n mixed companies, repeated 
backwards and forwards from fifty to 
an hundred uncennected words, which 
have been but once called over to me. 
I may also add, to prove the simph- 
city of the plan, that I tanght two of 
my own children to repeat fifty uncon- 
nected words in a first lesson, of not 
more than half an hour’s continuance. 
Tam, your old Correspondent, 
London, June 21, 1807. Coxmon SENSE. 
EE Le 
For the Blonthly Magazine. 
PAROCHIAL LIBRARIES. 
BETTER from BURNS, the PoET, to Sir 
‘ 
JOHN SINCLAIR, on the suBsECT of the” 
PLAN contained in the lust Mon 
MAGAZINE, 
YG NXilE foliowing circumstance has, I be- 
ft heve, been omitted in the Statistical 
Accounts, transmitted to you, of the pa- 
rish of Duuscore, in- Nithsdale. I heg 
leave to send it you, because it is new, 
and may be useful. Plow farit is deserv- 
ing a place in vour patriotic paltenio, 
you — the best judge. 
To store the minds of the lower classes 
with useful knowledge is certainly of very 
great pian a both to them, as indi 
hie eve 
4 
ihe three’ 
~ 
(Sept. ts 7 
viduals, and to society at large: giving 
them a tarn for reading and reflection, 1s. - 
sivine them a source of iunocent and 
faudable amusement; and besides, raises 
them to’ a more dignified degree in the 
scale of rationality. impressed with this 
idea, a gentleman 1 in this parish, (Robert 
Riddell, esq. of Glenriddell) set on root a 
species of circulatiu ig library, ona plan so 
simple, as to be practicable in any corner 
of the country, and so useful, as to de- 
serve the notice of every country-gentle- 
man, who thinks the improvement of that 
part of his own speeies, whom chance has. 
thrown into the humble walks of the pea- 
sant and the artisan, a matter worthy of 
his attention. 
Mr. Riddell got a number of his own 
tenants and farming neighbours to form. 
themselves into a society, for the purpose 
of having a library among themselves. ; 
They entered i into a legal engagement, to 
abide by it for three years, with a saving 
clause, or two, in cases of remoyal to a 
distance, or of death. Each member at 
his entry paid 5s. and at each of their 
meetings, which were held every fourth 
Saturday, 6d. more. With theirentrance- 
money, and the credit which they took 
on the faith of their future funds, they. 
laid ina tolerable stock of books at the 
commencement. What authors they 
were to purchase was always to be de- 
cided by the majority. At every meet- 
ing all the books, under certain fines and 
forfeitures by way of penalty, were to be 
pr oduced, and the members had their 
choice of the volumes in rotation. He 
whose name’ stood for that night firse 
on the list, had his choice of what 
volume he pleased in the collection; 
the second had his chotee after the. 
first; the third after the second, and se 
on to the last. At the next meeting, he 
who had been first on the list at the pre- 
ceding meeting, was last at this; he whe 
had been second was first; and SO. O32 
through the whole three years. 
expiration of the engagement, the books 
were sold-by auction; but only atnong the 
members thems selves and each man had 
a share of the common stock, in money, or 
in books, as he chose to bea purchaser, 
or not. 
At the breaking up of this little society, 
which was formed under Mr, Riddel’s pa- 
tronage, what with benefactions of-beoks 
from hiro, and what with their own pur- 
chases, they bad collected’ together up- 
wards of a 
will easily be guessed that a good deal of 
trash would — bought. 
Rooks 
rhundred and fhity volumes. Te. 
Among. the — 
At-the.. 
