Part 12

HOW TO LEARN PROSE AND POETRY BY HEART.

THE ANALYTIC SYNTHETIC METHOD APPLIED TO LONG SENTENCES.

How unobservant and wholly unreliant many pupils are may be seen from the fact that notwithstanding my elaborate handling of the processes of learning prose and poetry by heart, I often receive requests to send some indication of how I would learn a particular chapter or selection by heart! But a chapter consists of paragraphs and paragraphs of sentences. Learning the desired passages by heart is done by applying the methods here so profusely illustrated to the successive sentences of the chapter or selection, until practice and training in these methods will make their further application unnecessary.

In pursuance of my plan to keep the mind in an ASSIMILATING condition when trying to learn and to further aid in making the intellect stay and work with the senses, I proceed to furnish a Training Method for committing prose and poetry to memory.

Endless repetition or repeating a sentence to be memorised over and over again is the usual process. After one perusal, however, the mind in such a case has sated its curiosity in regard to the meaning of the sentence and each subsequent repetition for the purpose of fixing it in the memory merely makes an impression upon the eye or ear or both, and the intellect, being unoccupied, naturally wanders away. Hence, learning by rote promotes mind-wandering: for the Attention always wanders unless wooed to its work by all-engrossing interest in the subject which in case of a weak power of Attention is rarely sufficient, or by =the stimulating character of the process of acquirement= which is made use of. In the Method about to be given, the intellect is agreeably occupied, and thereby a Habit of Attention is promoted.

The justification for this Method is found in the Psychological maxim that the intellect can assimilate a simple idea more easily than a complex idea, and a few ideas at a time than many ideas.

The process of this New Method of Decomposition and Recomposition is as follows:--Find the shortest sentence or phrase that makes sense in the sentence to be memorised. Add to this short sentence or phrase, modifiers found in the original sentence, always italicising each new addition--one at a time--until the original sentence is finally restored. Suppose we wish to memorise Bacon's definition of education: "Education is the cultivation of a just and legitimate familiarity betwixt the mind and things." Begin with the briefest sentence and then go on: 1. Education is cultivation. 2. Education is the cultivation of a familiarity. 3. Education is the cultivation of a familiarity betwixt the mind and things. 4. Education is the cultivation of a just familiarity betwixt the mind and things. 5. Education is the cultivation of a just and legitimate familiarity betwixt the mind and things. In this process, the sentence is first taken to pieces, and then reconstructed. Finding the lowest terms, "Education is cultivation," we proceed step by step to add modifiers until the original sentence is fully restored.

Each time we make an addition, we recite so much of the original sentence as has hitherto been used, in connection with the new modifiers laying special emphasis on the new matter as represented by the italic words. The intellect is thus kept compulsorily and delightfully occupied from the start to the finish. It seeks the shortest phrase or sentence and adds successively all the modifiers, making no omissions. This analyzing and synthesizing process--this taking to pieces and then gradually building up the original sentence, makes a deep and lasting First Impression.

Every time this method is used the Attention ought to be strengthened and mind-wandering diminished and the natural Memory strengthened in both its Stages.

This process admits usually of several applications in the case of a long sentence. In the foregoing example, it might have proceeded thus: 1. Education is a familiarity. 2. Education is the familiarity betwixt the mind and things. 3. Education is the cultivation of a familiarity betwixt the mind and things. 4. Education is the cultivation of just familiarity betwixt the mind and things. 5. Education is the cultivation of a just and legitimate familiarity betwixt the mind and things. Or we might have taken this course: 1. Education is a familiarity. 2. Education is a familiarity betwixt the mind and things. 3. Education is a just familiarity betwixt the mind and things. 4. Education is a just and legitimate familiarity betwixt the mind and things. 5. Education is the cultivation of a just and legitimate familiarity betwixt the mind and things.

1. To keep the mind in an assimilating condition, what method is furnished? 2. What is the usual process of memorising prose and poetry? 3. After one perusal in such a process what takes place? 4. Does learning by rote promote mind-wandering? 5. Does not the attention always wander unless wooed to its work by great interest in the subject dealt with, or by the method of learning which is given? 6. How is the intellect occupied by using my method? 7. Is the habit of Attention also promoted? 8. Where is the justification of this method found? 9. Can the intellect assimilate a simple idea more easily than a complex idea? 10. Describe the process of learning by the Analytic Synthetic Method.

ANOTHER EXAMPLE FULLY WORKED OUT.

"Attention is the will directing the intellect into some particular channel and keeping it there." 1. Attention is the will. 2. Attention is the will directing the intellect. 3. Attention is the will directing the intellect into a channel. 4. Attention is the will directing the intellect into some channel. 5. Attention is the will directing the intellect into some particular channel. 6. Attention is the will directing the intellect into some particular channel and keeping it there. Or we may take this course: 1. Attention is directing the intellect. 2. Attention is directing the intellect into a channel. 3. Attention is directing the intellect into some channel. 4. Attention is directing the intellect into some particular channel. 5. Attention is directing the intellect into some particular channel and keeping it there. 6. Attention is the will directing the intellect into some particular channel and keeping it there.

A LONG LEGAL DEFINITION.

"An estate upon condition is one which depends upon the happening or not happening of some uncertain event whereby the estate may be either originally created or enlarged or finally defeated."

1. An estate is one. 2. An estate upon condition is one. 3. An estate upon condition is one which depends upon the happening of some event. 4. An estate upon condition is one which depends upon the happening or not happening of some event. 5. An estate upon condition is one which depends upon the happening or not happening of some uncertain event. 6. An estate upon condition is one which depends upon the happening or not happening of some uncertain event whereby the estate may be created or enlarged or defeated. 7. An estate upon condition is one which depends upon the happening or not happening of some uncertain event whereby the estate may be either created or enlarged or defeated. 8. An estate upon condition is one which depends upon the happening or not happening of some uncertain event whereby the estate may be either originally created or enlarged or defeated. 9. An estate upon condition is one which depends upon the happening or not happening of some uncertain event whereby the estate may be either originally created or enlarged or finally defeated.

1. In this process, what is first done with a sentence? 2. After a sentence is thus taken to pieces, what is then done with it? 3. How do we proceed after finding the lowest terms? 4. Do we revive any part of the original sentence each time we make an addition? 5. How much of it? 6. Is the intellect kept occupied in this way? 7. Does this not make a deep and lasting first impression? 8. Every time this is used what should be the result? 9. Should the natural Memory be strengthened in both stages? 10. Does this process admit of more than one application in the case of a long sentence?

MODERATION ADVISED.

The practice of the above method is so attractive to a beginner when it is applied to single sentences, that he is apt to work at it too long at a time. Let him not at the outset analyse and reconstruct more than from 3 to 4 sentences at one sitting or lesson, but let him do what he attempts in the most thorough manner, and after a time he will not find it necessary to apply this method in future memorisations.

EXAMPLES FOR PRACTICE.

1. A bachelor is a wild goose that tame geese envy.

2. Law is a trap baited with promise of benefit or revenge.

3. Conversation is the idle man's business and the business man's recreation.

4. Attention is adjusting the observer to the object in order to seize it in its unity and diversity.

5. Assimilative Memory is the Habit of so receiving and absorbing impressions and ideas that they or their representatives shall be ready for revival or recall whenever wanted.

INTERROGATIVE ANALYSIS USED FOR SHORT SENTENCES.

Interrogative Analysis or intellectual Inquisition is another and most effective mode of inciting the intellect to pass from a passive into an active =assimilating= condition when trying to learn by heart as well as to help create the habit of the intellect staying with the senses. The process consists of two parts: (1) To not only ask a question on every important word in the sentence to be memorised, but, (2) to repeat the entire sentence in reply to each question, while specially emphasising that word of the sentence which constitutes the answer to the question. Take the passage from Byron:--

"Man! Thou pendulum 'twixt a smile and tear."