preceding occasion, or it may
not. That will depend on the nature of our thought. But by the
regular employment of the general formula we can prevent any such
recurrence. Instead of reverting to unhealthy states of mind we shall
progressively strengthen the healthy and creative thought that has
already given us health, so that with each succeeding day our defence
will be more impenetrable. Not only do we thus avoid a relapse into
former ailments but we clear out of our path those which lie in wait
for us in the future.

We saw that in the Nancy clinic some of the cures effected are almost
instantaneous. It would be a mistake, however, to embark on the
practice of Induced Autosuggestion with the impression that we are
going to be miraculously healed in the space of a few days. Granted
sufficient faith, such a result would undoubtedly ensue; nay, more, we
have records of quite a number of such cases, even where the help of a
second person has not been called in. Here is an example. A friend of
mine, M. Albert P., of Bordeaux, had suffered for more than ten years
with neuralgia of the face. Hearing of Coue, he wrote to him, and
received instructions to repeat the general formula. He did so, and on
the second day the neuralgia had vanished and has never since returned.
But such faith is not common. Immediate cures are the exception, and
it will be safer for us to look forward to a gradual and progressive
improvement. In this way we shall guard against disappointment. It
may be added that Coue prefers the gradual cure, finding it more stable
and less likely to be disturbed by adverse conditions.

We should approach autosuggestion in the same reasonable manner as we
approach any other scientific discovery. There is no hocus-pocus about
it, nor are any statements made here which experience cannot verify.
But the attitude we should beware most of is that of the intellectual
amateur, who makes the vital things of life small coin to exchange with
his neighbour of the dinner-table. Like religion, autosuggestion is a
thing to practise. A man may be conversant with all the creeds in
Christendom and be none the better for it; while some simple soul,
loving God and his fellows, may combine the high principles of
Christianity in his life without any acquaintance with theology. So it
is with autosuggestion.

Autosuggestion is just as effective in the treatment of moral
delinquencies as in that of physical ills. Dru