important. Almost everyone has seen how the seeds in an apple point, and has

memorized the date of Washington's death. Most of us have--perhaps

wisely--forgotten both. The little nick in the bark of a tree is healed over and

obliterated in a season, but the gashes in the trees around Gettysburg are still

apparent after fifty years. Impressions that are gathered lightly are soon

obliterated. Only deep impressions can be recalled at will. Henry Ward Beecher

said: "One intense hour will do more than dreamy years." To memorize ideas and

words, concentrate on them until they are fixed firmly and deeply in your mind

and accord to them their true importance. LISTEN with the mind and you will

remember.

 

How shall you concentrate? How would you increase the fighting-effectiveness of

a man-of-war? One vital way would be to increase the size and number of its

guns. To strengthen your memory, increase both the number and the force of your

mental impressions by attending to them intensely. Loose, skimming reading, and

drifting habits of reading destroy memory power. However, as most books and

newspapers do not warrant any other kind of attention, it will not do altogether

to condemn this method of reading; but avoid it when you are trying to memorize.

 

Environment has a strong influence upon concentration, until you have learned to

be alone in a crowd and undisturbed by clamor. When you set out to memorize a

fact or a speech, you may find the task easier away from all sounds and moving

objects. All impressions foreign to the one you desire to fix in your mind must

be eliminated.