_But why should he not follow my directions?_ Why not pursue my plan and thereby acquire the _full power_ of my system instead of the small portion of that power gained by disregarding my direction? On the other hand, pupils of only average natural ability are very apt to follow my directions to the letter and thereby acquire an amount of Memory Improvement which the above gifted, but non-complying pupil, seems unable to understand.
If a person is afflicted with a _very_ bad memory in any or all respects, and particularly if this memory weakness is traceable to _mind-wandering_, or if it co-exist with the latter infirmity, such a person may find it best to make a series of from _one hundred to five hundred words_ on the model of the foregoing series, and learn the same and _recite it daily both ways_ for a month or more in addition to the prescribed exercises, and if any trace of mind-wandering remain after that, let him make and memorise another series of the same extent and practise it for the same period. The _worst cases of mind-wandering_ and _of weak memories_ always yield to this training treatment.
In like manner, but in much inferior degree, _the recital of what has just been heard_, such as anecdotes, narratives, contents of plays, lectures, &c., not only tends to fix the recited matter in the memory, but also to strengthen the memory generally, _provided the recital takes place_ shortly after the listening, as that is like a continuation of the original experience.
TRAINING THE INTELLECT TO STAY WITH THE SENSES.
_Attention is the Will directing the Intellect into some particular channel and keeping it there._ There are virtually two processes involved in Attention. The Intellect is directed into a particular channel, but to keep it there, all intruders must be excluded. To illustrate. A student attempts to learn a proposition in Geometry. To do this he must keep his mind on the printed explanations, and if his thoughts attempt to fly away, he must repress that attempt. To guide his mind into the channel of the printed exposition, he calls into play the Directory power of the attention. To prevent intruders or extruders from withdrawing his mind from the text, he exercises the Inhibitory function of the Attention.