Memory Acquired By Practice

The liistory of the eclebrated conjuren Robert Houdin, furnishes a rëniarlnblö exaniplo cf the power of merriory acquired by practiee. Uk and his brothet-, fthiië yot boys, invented a pme tfliicli they played in this wise : They would pass a shop window and glahce intö H as tlioy passed, without stopping, and then at tho néxt corner compare notes and see whicli oould recollec1; the greatest number of things in the windoW, ïnoluding thcir relative positions. ITeIving teated the aceuracy of their observa, tions by returning to the window, they would go and rppeat the experiment elaawhere. By this means they acquired incredible povvers of rapid obaervatiön nnd memory, so that after running by a shop window 0BC6, and glaneincr as they passed they could enumérate every article diaplayed in it, Wlien Robsrt became a profissional eonjurer, tbis habit enábled , mm to icii'ieve feats apparently miracülous. It is told of him that, visitinjr a gentleman once in a friend's house, where lie liad never been before, he cnught glimpse of the bookcose as he passed the half opon librar}' door. In tnt cotirse of the evoninjr, wjien eome of the company exprepsed tlieir atisiety to witness srane specimens of his power, he said to his host, " Wöll sir, I shall teil ynu ,without stirring from this place, whatbooks you have in your library." "Come, come," said he, incrcdulously, " that is too oöd." " We shall see," replied Houdin ; " let Rome of the company gn into tho library 'and IoqI;, and I Shall all out their names frora tilia plaoo." They did BO ar.d TIoudin bogan : " Top sliolf, lüft hand, two volumes ir red morocoo, 'Gibbou's Decline nnd Fall;' DPXt. to these, four volumes in lulf oalf, 'Bo8well's Joknson ; 'TUsseïas.' in cloth ; 'Hume's History of England,1 in ilf Calf. two voluniCh", but the scc.ond one wanting,1' and so on, sliclf nfter plielf, to the unspeakable wonder nnd adtniration of the wbole oompany. Mora Iban once i gentleman stolo into the drawinc-rooni, ceitain that he woald c&tob Iloudin readihg a catalogue ; hut thtrè pat tho poni'ivor v.ith his hniids in his pocketa