William Atkinson - The Essential Works of William Walker Atkinson - 50+ Books in One Edition

A story is told of Stevens, formerly a police official of New York, to the effect that he wished to ascertain the character of a man who occupied a room which he kept closed against all intruders. One day Stevens knocked, and the door was opened but a few inches for an instant. Stevens’ keen eye, in that instant, took in all the contents of the room. He saw hanging around suits of clothes of all kinds, and he recognized among them certain suits that had been worn as disguises by a man he “wanted.” An arrest followed, and the man proved to be a noted criminal for whom the police of the continent were searching. A noted police official of London instructs new men on his force to look on both sides of them as they walk down a crowded street, he having noticed that the average man looks chiefly upon the right hand.

The eye, of course, transmits to the brain every ray of light entering it, and it is believed that every impression as received is registered faintly. But the mind fails to store away and subsequently recall any impressions except those which are the result of more or less interest or attention. But we may so train the sense of seeing that the impressions are received so clearly and distinctly that the mind considers it worth while to store them away carefully that they may be recalled when needed, instead of dumping them in a pile in the waste heap where it is almost impossible to find them when one desires them.

Very few people are close observers. The average person will remember a thing in a general way—will recall what it is like—but the details are missing. A thing of interest, however, receives a greater share of the attention, and a clear and full impression is registered. An instance of the operation of interest in this connection is had in the example of an average man and woman walking leisurely along the street. Another woman passes them, wearing a rather attractive gown. Both notice her. The man remembers only the fact that “she had on something blue” and that “her sleeves bulged out near the wrist and she had on rather a big hat.” If he remembers that much he has done well—many men would not have seen the sleeves, and the rest of the impression would have been hazy. But the woman would be able to tell just what the other woman had on—the waist and how it was trimmed—the style in sleeves to a fine detail; the skirt, how it was cut and of what material composed; its quality and probable cost; the hat and its feathers, silk and velvet; all the little points of style, etc. She would be able to describe to a woman friend all that she had seen, and the friend would be able to see it all “in her mind’s eye.” Now, both the man and the woman had equally good eyes—both received a photographic impression of the passing woman and her finery, and yet notice what a difference in the respective observation of the two people. What caused the difference? Simply the fact that the woman’s interest was along the lines of dress, and she had trained her attention to focus on such things. With the man there was no interest—no attention. And yet the man probably remembered that the woman had bright blue eyes and fluffy golden hair—that is, if he were a young man.

But the quality of interest may be trained and acquired, and the quality of attention will follow it.

You, of course, realize that it is not the eye that requires training, for every healthy eye does its work well. It is that part of the mind that “sees” through the eye that needs the lessons you are about to give it. The eye is the camera—the mind the sensitive plate. You wish to develop the faculty of observation. Your desire gives you an interest in the subject, and in the details of the plan, and you devote your attention to it. Important factors these—Interest and Attention—don’t forget them. But the mind has been lazy, and it will take time, patience and practice to get it down to work in earnest.

In order to remember objects, it is first necessary to see them plainly—to have the mind register a clear impression of them and store them away carefully as things of value. And the only way to get the mind to do this is to train its powers of observation. Things to be impressed upon the mind must be observed carefully and thoughtfully. This training of the powers of observation will amply repay the student for the time and labor expended, and the task itself is not irksome or dull, as the progress of the task is attended with such marked improvement of so pleasant a character that the student almost forgets that it is a task rather than a pleasant series of experiments.

In the next chapter we will give you a number of exercises calculated to develop your powers of observation—intended to help you to “see” things clearly and carefully. These exercises are useful not only in training your memory, but will give you such sharp powers of observation that you will be a much more valuable man to yourself and others than ever before. It will be a liberal education to you, along new lines.

Table of Content

Treating of the means whereby the faculty of careful observation and clear­seeing may be developed and cultivated, to the end that the student may be able to receive and store away clear and distinct impressions of the things coming before his sight— Interesting and useful exercises are given to aid the student in “the art of seeing,” which exercises, if carefully practiced, will develop the faculty of observation to a wonderful extent, and will not only greatly improve the memory, but will make the student a careful observer and improve his general usefulness—The importance of the subject is not generally understood.

EXERCISE 1.

One of the simplest but best exercises in the training of the power of observation consists in the correct seeing of familiar objects. This may seem like a very easy thing, but after you have tried it a few times you will have more respect for it.

Begin by placing before you some familiar object (something of a bright color is preferable, as it is easier to remember bright objects). Suppose it is a book, an apple or inkstand. Look at it intently, calmly but deliberately, for a few moments, trying to get the picture impressed upon your mind. Then close your eyes, and try to remember as much as possible about the object. Try to remember its shape, its details. Fix these things in your mind. Then open your eyes and take another look, and see how many details you missed in your mental picture. Note these forgotten points carefully, then close the eyes again and endeavor to re­form the picture. Then open the eyes and take stock over again, repeating until you are able to form a perfect mental picture of the object in all its details. A little practice will give you a wonderful proficiency in this experiment which will prove quite gratifying to you. But it is not alone what you have gained in this experiment, but the preliminary training you have acquired for greater things, that renders it “worth while.”

EXERCISE 2.

After you have mastered Exercise 1, take one of the same objects with which you have familiarized yourself, and, after getting a good mental impression of it, try to draw the general shape and such details as you remember, with a pencil upon a sheet of paper. Do not hesitate because you are not an artist. We are not trying to make an artist of you and wish but to develop your observation and the recalling of what you have observed. Take something easy for the first trial, and you will feel less discouraged. The success of your drawing will depend not upon its artistic merit, but upon the percentage of details, etc., you have been able to remember sufficiently well to indicate upon the paper. It is astonishing how these two exercises will develop your faculties of observation and recollection. After a bit you will be able to give one good look at a thing, and then make a rough drawing, showing all its principal points and details.