Attention is closely allied to Memory; when we would give attention to a subject for continued consideration, we must “memorize” it, or it will vanish.  Involuntary memory excited by different causes often compels us to attend to many subjects whether we will or not.  Everyone has been haunted with images or ideas even unto being tormented by them; there are many instances in which the Imagination has given them objective form, and they have appeared visibly to the patient.  These haunting ideas, disagreeable repetitions or obstinate continuances, assume an incredible variety of forms, and enter in many strange ways into life.  Monomania or the being possessed with one idea to the exclusion of others, is a form of overstrained attention, sustained by memory.  It is enforced.

Mere repetition of anything to almost anybody, will produce remarkable results; or a kind of Hypnotism Causing the patient to yield to what becomes an irresistible power.  Thus it is said that perpetual dropping will wear away stones.  Dr. JAMES R. COCKE in his “Hypnotism,” in illustrating this, speaks of a man who did not want to sign a note, he knew that it was folly to do so, but yielded from having been “over persuaded.”  I have read a story in which a man was thus simply talked into sacrificing his property.  The great power latent in this form of suggestiveness is well known to knaves in America where it is most employed.  This is the whole secret of the value of advertising.  People yield to the mere repetition in time.  Attention and Interest may in this way be self-induced from repetition.

It is true that an image or idea may be often repeated to minds which do not think or reflect, without awakening attention; per contra, the least degree of thought in a vast majority of cases forms a nucleus, or beginning, which may easily be increased to an indefinite extent.  A very little exercise of the Will suffices in most cases to fix the attention on a subject, and how this can be done will be shown in another chapter.  But in many cases Attention is attracted with little or no voluntary effort.  On this fact is based the truth that when or where it is desired, Attention and Interest may be awakened with great ease by a simple process.

It may be remarked on the subject of repetition of images or ideas, that a vast proportion of senseless superstitions, traditions or customs, which no one can explain, originate in this way, and that in fact what we call habit (which ranks as second nature) is only another form or result of involuntary attention and the unconsciously giving a place in the memory to what we have heard.