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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Paper, 'An art of memory' by Cave Beck

Reference number: CLP/16/2

Date: 1667-1700

Description

Beck describes a system for improving skills of recall, which involves visualising '12 large houses', assigning a name to each room in the house and associating information to be remembered with each room of the house.

Subject: Psychology / Memory

Reference number
CLP/16/2
Earliest possible date
1667-1700
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
2 pages
Format
Manuscript

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Citation

Paper, 'An art of memory' by Cave Beck, 1667-1700, CLP/16/2, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/clp_16_2/paper-an-art-of-memory-by-cave-beck, accessed on 22 July 2026

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https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/clp_16_2/paper-an-art-of-memory-by-cave-beck

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  • Classified Papers

    The 'Classified Papers' of the Royal Society are papers from British and international natural philosophers and scholars categorised according to subject areas.

    Dates: 1592 - 1741

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