subdued is that he has always felt according to tradition, the
existence of superior supernatural (and with them patrician) beings,
by whose power and patronage he has been effectively restrained or
kept under. Hence gloom and pessimism, doubt and despair. It may seem
a bold thing to say that it did not occur to any philosopher through
the ages that man, resolute and noble and free, might _will_ himself
into a stage of mind defying devils and phantasms, or that amid the
infinite possibilities of human nature there was the faculty of
assuming the Indifference habitual to all animals when not alarmed.
But he who will consider these studies on Self-Hypnotism may possibly
infer from them that we have indeed within us a marvelous power of
creating states of mind which make the idea of Pessimism ridiculous.
For it renders potent and grand, pleasing or practically useful, to
all who practice it, a faculty which has the great advantage that it
may enter into all the relations or acts of life; will give to
everyone something to do, something to occupy his mind, even in
itself, and if we have other occupations, Forethought and Induced Will
may be made to increase our interest in them and stimulate our skill.
In other words, we can by means of this Art increase our ability to
practice all arts, and enhance or stimulate Genius in every way or
form, be it practical, musical or plastic.

Since I began this work there fell into my hands an ingenious and
curious book, entitled "Happiness as found in _Forethought minus
Fearthought_," by HORACE FLETCHER, in which the author very truly
declares that _Fear_ in some form has become the arch enemy of Man,
and through the fears of our progenitors developed by a thousand
causes, we have inherited a growing stock of diseases, terrors,
apprehensions, pessimisms, and the like, in which he is perfectly
right.