later, when the first enthusiasm of a new purpose had faded away, and I
had to fall back on mere force of will. I don't think anybody but
those who have gone through such a crisis can comprehend what it is. I
never understood the maniacal craving which is begotten by ardent
spirits, but I understood enough to be convinced that the man who has
once rescued himself from the domination even of half a bottle, or
three-parts of a bottle of claret daily, may assure himself that there
is nothing more in life to be done which he need dread.

Two or three remarks begotten of experience in this matter deserve
record. One is, that the most powerful inducement to abstinence, in my
case, was the interference of wine with liberty, and above all things
its interference with what I really loved best, and the transference of
desire from what was most desirable to what was sensual and base. The
morning, instead of being spent in quiet contemplation and quiet
pleasures, was spent in degrading anticipations. What enabled me to
conquer, was not so much heroism as a susceptibility to nobler joys,
and the difficulty which a man must encounter who is not susceptible to
them must be enormous and almost insuperable. Pity, profound pity, is
his due, and especially if he happen to possess a nervous, emotional
organisation. If we want to make men water-drinkers, we must first of
all awaken in them a capacity for being tempted by delights which
water-drinking intensifies. The mere preaching of self-denial will do
little or no good.

Another observation is, that there is no danger in stopping at once,
and suddenly, the habit of drinking. The prisons and asylums furnish
ample evidence upon that point, but there will be many an hour of
exhaustion in which this danger will be simulated and wine will appear
the proper remedy. No man, or at least very few men, would ever feel