Mnemonic Methods

by Robert Fludd

Many people will have heard of the memory arts of Robert Fludd. They stand out for their very Shakespearean focus on the use of theatre as a memory palace. This book provides probably the first English translation of Fludds two short treatises on memory from his encyclopaedic Utriusque cosmi, maioris scilicet et minoris, metaphysica, physica, atque technica historia (Metaphysical, physical, and technical history of the two worlds, namely the greater and the lesser), written in Latin and published between 1617 and 1621. After some brief autobiographical details, Fludd describes the shortcomings of existing mnemonic systems before developing Giordano Brunos concepts of the Square Art and Spherical Art into a practical memory system, while leaving its profound esoteric implications very much to the reader. Unlike many other works from the day it really gives a very practical set of memory methods that can be easily understood and applied. Ideal for anyone wanting to improve their memory and gain better methods of recall. For those with deeper interests, there are some valuable hints as to how this art would have been applied to in Rosicrucian and Hermetic practices of the day.

142 pages, Paperback

Published November 22, 2020

About the author

Robert Fludd, also known as Robertus de Fluctibus (17 January 1574 – 8 September 1637), was a prominent English Paracelsian physician with both scientific and occult interests. He is remembered as an astrologer, mathematician, cosmologist, Qabalist and Rosicrucian apologist.

Fludd is best known for his compilations in occult philosophy. He had a celebrated exchange of views with Johannes Kepler concerning the scientific and hermetic approaches to knowledge.