JB/015/390/001

Click Here To Edit

67

The power of managing the thoughts may seem to presuppose the absence of other
strong excitement, – yet cases have occurred where if that power can be exercised notwithstanding excruciating tortures
this power has been efficiently exercised, if calmness & even rejoicing under suffering have been sometimes
exhibited, expressed in a remarkable degree the what an influence of must strong determination
produce upon the thoughts? When an idea or ideas have possession of the mind the will
may be often successfully employed in keeping them there; – but the will cannot
exclude ideas from the mind; – the mind cannot empty itself at will; – it may keep
itself full, – it cannot keep itself empty; – it can only get rid of one idea by turning
aside from it and calling in another idea. When the ideas so dealt with are arguments
on the opposite side of a controverted question, the process so carried on is the
self-deceptive process – the process by which the reasonings on one side of a question
are admitted, & the reasonings on the other side are excluded. In this way there
is scarcely a proposition so absurd but that a man may keep himself tolerably
persuaded of the truth of it, – nor a proposition, however reasonable, but may be
rejected. The instruments of this sad delusion are hope & fear; – but especially
by fear – the stronger passion of the two, is this despotism exerted over
the mind.

In the question as to the power exercised over a man's own mind
is involved the question of liberty & necessity; and a never close attention to
the subject will perhaps show that the two principles are co-existent in
the mind. Liberty, or its equivalent, the sense of liberty, does undoubtedly &
without dispute exist; – yet is not necessity is not excluded by it. It is solely in virtue
of the power, the command, the mastery which I have over my own thoughts, –
of which I feel myself every moment in possession, – that I am writing or
dictating these observations. But what was it that set me on this occupation?
It was something other than these same thoughts, – something thought which
was already in my mind without any exertion of my will to bring or keep it
there.

Identifier: | JB/015/390/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 15.
Date_1		Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	015	Main Headings	deontology
Folio number	390	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	linking material	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f67
Penner	sir john bowring	Watermarks
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	5606
Box Contents