erein MONTAIGNE and the Stoics of old were well nigh foolish to
imagine such an impossible and indeed undesirable ideal. But it may be
that two men are afflicted by the same domestic loss, and one with a
weak nature is well nigh crushed by it, gives himself up to endless
weeping and perhaps never recovers from it, while another with quite
as deep feelings, but far wiser, rallies, and by vigorous exertion
makes the grief a stimulus to exertion, so that while the former is
demoralized, the latter is strengthened. There is an habitual state of
mind by which a man while knowing his losses fully can endure them
better than others, and this endurance will be greatest in him who has
already cultivated it assiduously in minor matters. He who has swam in
the river can swim in the sea; he who can hear a door bang without
starting can listen to a cannon without jumping.

The method which I have described in this book will enable any person
gifted with perseverance to make an equable or calm state of mind
habitual, moderately at first, more so by practice. And when this is
attained the experimenter can progress rapidly in the path. It is
precisely the same as in learning a minor art, the pupil who can
design a pattern (which corresponds to Foresight or plan), only
requires, as in wood-carving or repousse, to be trained by very easy
process to become familiar with the use and feel of the tools, after
which all that remains to be done is to keep on at what the pupil can
do without the least difficulty. Well begun and well run in the end
will be well done.

But glorious and marvelous is the power of him who has habituated
himself by easy exercise of Will to brush away the minor, meaningless
and petty cares of life, such as, however, prey on most of us; for
unto him great griefs are no harder to endure than the getting a coat
splashed is to an ordinary man.

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MYSTIC WILL***

******* This file should be named 17749.txt or 17749.zip *******

This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/7/4/17749

Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.

Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and without paying copyright royalt