Retrospect of French Literature—Miscellantes. 711 
sense, and habituate the head to retain 
the catch-words only of the longest dis- 
course. Three operations will engrave 
on your mind all that you require from 
the retentive faculty. The first is to 
make yourself perfectly master of the 
subject; then to discuss every branch of 
It; finally to peruse it over and over 
again. : 
The ancients and moderns have in- 
vented several aids to the memory,* and 
resources such as these are not to be dis- 
dained, It is not amiss even to set a 
given time, such as a quarter of an 
hour, an hour, « day, or a week, to make 
one’s self perfect in the task; for the 
mind is naturally lazy, and when not 
pressed by some powerful motive, it 
gives way to the first object that takes 
hold of it. I knew a man, not very 
wise in other matters, who always took 
care to have the foul copies of his dis- 
course printed, im order to be able to 
correct. them better; and I am of 
opinion, that this mode is not only ser- 
viceable for composing, but also for 
getting by heart; for I have no,dithculty 
fa recoliecting what I have seen in 
print. Copy frequently: the memory 
recollects best what you- yourself have 
written, I have observed that it is won- 
derfully connected with external objects; 
if I forget any thing, I by little and little 
bring my mind back to the place, and 
the place instantly restores to methe idea 
of what I have seen or heard. I have 
experienced also, that speaking disposes 
me towards retention; I have spoken in 
public a whole hour, and sometimes 
two, without any preparation whatever ; 
this produced a singular aptitude, and it 
then appeared tu me that I should have 
reaped infinite advantage from a previous 
reading of ny discourse, 
There is another manner, recom- 
mended by Leibnitz: first learn a sen- 
tence, and then repeat it; afterwards 
recite the first and second sentences; then 
‘the first, second, and third, and so on with 
the whole. I have invented an artificial 
memory for myself, by means of the 
different lines in the palm of my hand. 
I have practised this mode with success, 
-and shall endeavour some day to bring 
it to greater perfection. 4 
Le Kain, 10 order to learn his parts, 
used to read them twice in the morning, 
* Consult Marafiotus, Kircher, Cresso- 
ljus, and Father Butfiers ** La Clef des 
Sciences.” 
Monturty Mac. No. 187, 
ther.. 
and twice at night; after this, he got 
them by heart. La Rive, om the con- 
trary, acquired his couplet by couplet; 
this however fatigued him greatly, and 
he at length studied the character ten, 
lay, twenty times, without attempting to 
retain any part of it; he thus fortified 
his memory by comprehending the au- 
Gerbier was accustomed to com- 
plain to me of his memory. On being 
asked how he was able to speak whole 
hours together, he replied, that he was 
accustomed to spend the ‘five or six pre= 
ceding days in conning over his speech. 
He added, at the same tine, that he was 
indebted for his extraordinary reputa- 
tion to this very limited, knowledge. 
Nature had done every thing for this un- 
fortunate man, and he had not done ahy 
thing in return for nature. His voice 
and gestures, both in private company 
and at the bar, depicted his ideas. f 
have seen hin place himself before a 
bust, and plead a cause in the same 
manner as if be had been addressing _ 
himself to an audience. 
Bonnieres told me that he laboured 
the two first years like a galley-slave; 
that he walked backwards and forwards 
in his chamber during whole days, re- 
peated the same things twenty tmes 
over, and pleaded the sane cause by 
himself again and again, until he at 
length acquired audacity, and that won- 
derfal facility in which he excelled. Jef- 
ferson, oue of the deliverers of America, 
told me that he could never- retain i= 
pressions but in the mass. ‘ 
Become superior to your memory, 
said La Rive to me. An actor is not 
worthy of appearing in tragedy if he 
neglects a single line: 
L’artifice de la mémoire, c’est l’exercise. 
I for some -time took lessons frem 
Madeinoiselle Clairon, “ Have you a 
good voice?” said she to me, the first 
time I saw her. 
vain, Lreplied, ‘ Mine is like the rest of 
the world’s, Mademoiselle.” ‘ Ah! if 
that be the case, you have one to ac- 
quire.” Here follow some of her prin- 
ciples : a A ; 
There is an eloquence in sounds. Study 
to give a roundness to your voice, Above 
all things, proceed gently, and acquire 
simplicity. 
forms the charm of diguon. When a 
word is strong of itself, as honor, sucred, 
it is useless to reinforce it by means of 
A Z energy: 
A little surprised at. 
this question, and not wishing to appear 
The variety of intonatious® 
