s to repulse them instantly, the moment one becomes conscious
of them, and to banish the chaos of scattered fancies by devoting one's
whole mind to a single dominant thought that should be associated with
the determination to obtain the mastery over oneself.

We have already suggested to the timid the advantage of foreseeing the
objections that are likely to be made to what they may say. The mere
fact that they have already formulated a mental answer will be a great
assistance to the making of a successful retort.

To avoid still further risks of being confronted by a contradiction that
may put them at a loss they will do well to adopt the following plan.

Let them put themselves in the place of the person to whom they plan to
speak and then ask themselves if, under these circumstances, they will
not find some objection to offer to the proposition concerned.

If they discover by this means that, in his place, they would be likely
to find such and such difficulties, it must be with this fact in their
minds that they devote themselves to the better preparation of their
arguments or, if necessary, to modifying the force if not the content of
the reasoning upon which they rely to carry conviction.

These objections, as we have already advised, should be uttered aloud,
so that we may the better perceive their logic, and also to allow of our
repeating them a second time, the ability to accomplish which will be a
great encouragement to us.

There is no reason, in fact, for believing that we can not repeat on the
morrow, just as perfectly as we have exprest it to-day, a statement that
we have made with clearness both of reasoning and of diction.

Contact with men and with affairs should be sought after by the aspirant
for poise.

He will be the gainer by watching the destruction of his exaggerated
ideas and his false conceptions, which have all arisen from solitary
thought.

An essential point is to become accustomed to the necessity for action.

Far from avoiding this, one should seize every occasion to utilize it to
one's advantage.

The determined student should even create opportunity for so doing,
which, in forcing him to break down his reserve, will make it necessary
for him to come to definite decisions and to carry them out.

Every chance to exhibit real and honest activity should be seized by
him.

Between two decisions, equally favorable to him, of which one will leave
him to his peaceful retirement and