Many people would very willingly take an interest in many subjects if
they knew how. It is a melancholy thing to see a man retired from
business with literally nothing to do but fritter away his time on
nothings when he might be employed at something absorbing and useful.
But they hesitate to _act_ because, as is the rule in life, they see
everything from its most difficult and repulsive side. There is no man
who could not easily take an intelligent interest in Art in some form,
but I venture to say that a majority of even educated people who had
never taken up the subject would be appalled at it in their secret
hearts, or distrust its "use" or their own capacity to master it. Or
again, many put no faith in easy manuals to begin with, believing, in
their ignorance, that a mere collection of rudiments cannot have much
in it. We are all surrounded by thousands of subjects in which we
might all take an interest, and do good work, if we would, selecting
one, give it a little attention, and by easy process proceed to learn
it. As it is, in general society the man or woman who has any special
pursuit, accomplishment, or real interest for leisure hours, beyond
idle gossip and empty time-killing, is a great exception. And yet I
sincerely believe that in perhaps a majority of cases there is a
sincere desire to do something, which is killed by simple ignorance of
the fact that with a very little trouble indeed interest in something
is within the easy reach of all.

I have dwelt on this subject that the reader may be induced to reflect
on the fact, firstly, that if he wishes to learn how to develop his
Will and strengthen it, it is absolutely necessary to take an
_interest_ in it. I beg him to consider how this art of acquiring
attention and interest has been, or is, obscured in most minds, and
the difficulties of acquiring it, exaggerated. Secondly, I would point