and for their
comfort I would say that muffs may cure themselves if they choose to try
energetically.

Courage and cowardice are not two distinct and entirely antagonistic
qualities. To a great extent those qualities are the result of
training. Every courageous man has a slight amount of cowardice in his
composition, and all cowards have a certain infusion of courage. The
matador stands before the infuriated bull, and awaits its charge with
unflinching firmness, not because he has more courage than his comrades
in the ring who run away, but because long training has enabled him to
make almost certain of killing the bull. He knows what he has done
before, he feels that he can do it again, therefore he stands like a
hero. Were a doubt of his capacity to cross his mind for an instant,
his cheek would blanch, his hand would tremble, and, ten to one, he
would turn and flee like the rest.

Let muffs, therefore, learn to swim, to leap, and to run. Let them
wrestle with boys bigger than themselves, regardless of being thrown.
Let them practise "jinking" with their companions, so that if even they
be chased by a mad bull, they will, if unable to get out of his way by
running, escape perhaps by jinking. Let them learn to leap off
considerable heights into deep water, so that, if ever called on to leap
off the end of a pier or the side of a ship to save a fellow-creature,
they may do so with confidence and promptitude. Let them even put on
"the gloves," and become regardless of a swelled nose, in order that
they may be able to defend themselves or others from sudden assault. So
doing they will become sensible fellows, whose character I have thus to
some extent described. Of course, I speak of sensible fellows only with
reference to this one subject of training the nerves and muscles. Let
it never be forgotten that there are men who, although sensible in this
respect, are uncommonly senseless in regard to other things of far
higher moment.

As to boasters, I will dismiss them with a few words. They are too
easily known to merit particular description. They are usually loud and
bold in the drawing-room, but rather mild in the field. They are
desperately egotistical, fond of exaggeration, and prone to depreciate
the deeds of their comrades. They make bad soldiers and sailors, and
are usually held in contempt by others, whatever they may think of
themselves. I may wind up this digression--into which I have been
te