is Genius, spontaneous originality, that is Voluntary; not merely a
power to lift a weight, or push a load, or force others to yield, but
the Thought itself which suggests the deed and finds a _reason_ for
it. Now the merely unscrupulous use of Opportunity and Advantage, or
Crime, is popularly regarded as having a strong Will; but this, as
compared to a Will with a conscience, is as the craft of the fox
compared to that of the dragon, and that of the dragon to Siegfried.

And here it may be observed as a subtle and strange thing, approaching
to magic apparently, as understood by HARTMANN and his school, that
the Will sometimes, when much developed, actually manifests something
like an independent personality, or at least seems to do so, to an
acute observer. And what is more remarkable, it can have this freedom
of action and invention delegated to it, and will act on it.

Thus, in conversation with HERKOMER, the Artist, and Dr. W. W.
BALDWIN, Nov. 2d, 1878, the former explained to me that when he would
execute a work of art, he just determined it with care or Forethought
in his mind, and gave it a rest, as by sleep, during which time it
unconsciously fructified or germinated, even as a seed when planted in
the ground at last grows upward into the light and air. Now, that the
entire work should not be too much finished or quite completed, and to
leave room for after-thoughts or possible improvements, he was wont,
as he said, to give the Will some leeway, or freedom; which is the
same thing as if, before going to sleep, we _Will_ or determine that
on the following day our Imagination, or Creative Force, or Inventive
Genius, shall be unusually active, which will come to pass after some
small practice and a few repetitions, as all may find for themselves.
Truly, it will be according to conditions, for if there be but little
in a man, either he will bring but little out, or else he must wait