Wonders Of Memory

öome wonderiul instanoes ot memory are on record, which sound more like the stories of " Arabian Nights " than actual occurrences. In ancient Greece, it is said that Themistocles could cali by their names all the twenty-thousand citizens of Athens. Cyrus knew the name of every soldier in his large army. Hortentins, after attending a publio sale, could give an account, in the evening, of every article diaposed of, the prices obtained, and the purchasers' names. During the last century, there resided in London, a gentleman called " Memory-Corner Thoinson," from his remarkable powers, who drew, in the space of twenty-two hours, a correct plan of the parish of St. James' Westminater, with parts of threo othor parishes. He included all the squares, streets, courts, lanes, alleys, markets, and all other entries : every place of worship and public building ; all stables and yards ; all the public houses and corners of streets, with every pump, post, tree, house, and bow-window, and all the niinutiís about St. James' Palace. This he did in the presence of two gentlemen, without any maps or notes of reference. Afterward, he did the same for four other parishes in London. Krom memory he could supply an inventory of everything contained in any house where he was intímate, from the cellar to the garret. If a house were named iu any public street, he could mention the trade of the shop, and whether it was on the right or left hand, as a person walked up the street. It is also on record that another gentleman about this time undertook to repeat the the contents of a newspaper, including advertisements and markets, which he had read once - the paper containing as much print as is to be found in two pages of the New Torlc Times. Be was allowed to make three errors, but only made one ! and it was fouud, on examination, that this was a figure, blurred in the printing, which he thought was " 3," whereas it was " 8." It is believed that Lord Macaulay had the most wonderful memory of any man in modern times. Thomas Moore, the poet, wroto in his diary, in 1840, on his return from a dinner at which he had sat nextjto Macaulay: ' Of hig range of knowledge, anything may be believed, so wonderful is his memory." Porson, the great Greek scholar, who flourished early in this century, before Macaulay wrote himself man, could, with very little study, repeat whole books of Milton's epic backward. He had done so, repeatedly, with plays of Eurípides and Sophocles. Goorge the Third, who was very far from being a bright man, his capacity being small and his education imperfect, had a wonderful recollection. He is said never to have forgotton a face that he once saw, or a voice that he once heard. Lamotte, a young Fronchman, who had been invited to hear Voltaire read ono of his new plays, observed, when asked, what he thought of it, that it was a pity the whole waa not' original. Voltaire, chagrined and angry, asked him what part was borrowed P Lamotte named the second scène of the f ourth act, and recited the whole of it. Voltaire sat like one astonishcd at this remarkable feat and had only to say, at last, that ho had written that scène as well as the rest of the drama. At last Lamotte relieyod him by saying : " When you read the manuscript, that scène pleased me so much that I resolved to retain it in my memory and havo done so, as you may percoive." Of course, Voltaire was pleased with the compliment thus stranguly paid. Lamotte was one who had cultivated the faculty of momoRichmond Enquirer : Whenover the average lecturer lacks a subject oii which to pile up his agony, he generally resorts to the pyramids and gives them a fresh rubbing down. They are as , blo as they are imperishable. The Brooklyn Argus says : " The order forbidding conductors of our city railroad cars to enter any houso where liquor is sold works beautifully. They stand j side now and take it through the dow."