alities surrounding him. While for the
lonely country dweller a bath in the magnetism of a city crowd may be
a far more efficacious remedy than the medicinal baths prescribed by
his physician.
For man lives by _every_ word that proceeds out of the mouth of
God.--[EDS.]
FEAR AND IMAGINATION.
_Regular readers will recognise in this article a continuation of the
series previously entitled "Healthy Brains." The author of "The
Children All Day Long," is an intimate disciple of one of the greatest
living psychologists, and she has a message of the first importance to
all who realise that true health depends as much on poise of mind as
on physical fitness. We regret that in the previous article,
"Imagination in Play," the following misprints occurred:--P. 475, line
4 from top, "movement" should be "moment"; p. 475, line 5 from bottom,
"admiration" should be "imagination."_--[EDS.]
Some people are given to excusing their own uncharitable thoughts by
saying, "I suppose I ought not to have minded her rudeness; I am
afraid I am too sensitive." In the same way, people say, "Oh, I
_couldn't_ sleep in the house alone" (or let a child go on a
water-picnic, or nurse a case of delirium or do some other thing that
suggested itself), "I have too much imagination." In both cases the
claim, though put in deprecating form, is made complacently enough.
The correlative is: "You are so sensible, dear; I know you won't
mind," which is a formula under cover of which many kindnesses may be
shirked and many unpleasant duties passed on.
The sensible, practical people who listen to these sayings sometimes
attach importance to them, so that a habit has grown up of describing
morbidly neurotic people as "over-sensitive" and cowardly ones as "too
quick of imagination." Ultimately, this leads to the thought that both
sensitiveness and imagination are mental luxuries too costly for
ordinary folk to grow, and that it is safest to check, crush or uproot
them when we discover them springing up in others or in ourselves.
Is not this attitude of mind due to a misunderstanding? Imagination is
an _organ of activity_; it can be kept in the highest possible
condition of health by having plenty of exercise; it should be working
continually against resistance. A rabbit's gnawing tooth, if the
opposing tooth be broken, may grow inwards and cause the creature's
death, but the same activity of growth, if working under suitable
conditions, enables
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