O'SHEA — ASPECTS OF MENTAL ECONOMY. 171 



•dertaken, then economy demands that no muscles be active ex- 

 cept such as contribute to the accomplishment of the work. But 

 suppose that the hand not employed is clinched, the lips are 

 compressed, deep furrows crease the forehead, and the fingers 

 controlling the writing are unduly tense, — in such a case a large 

 amount of effort is proving fruitless. The unnecessary con- 

 straints of muscles are simply draining the organism of energy 

 that should be conserved and expended in profitable directions. 

 Xow, there are certain practices in student life, as in the lives 

 of ]>eople in general, which entail waste of vital forces and 

 which can be modified without inducing too great self-conscious- 

 ness. In the first place mental tension readily begets muscular 

 tension. When the mind is perplexed ; when it discerns obsta- 

 cles ahead that seem insuperable; when conscience is incessantly 

 active censuring one for past deeds and exhorting him to be es- 

 pecially careful in the future ; when life seems full of cares that 

 demand unceasing attention, — such a condition of mind pro- 

 duces constraints of muscles which sap the organism of its vitali- 

 ties. When the attention is centered upon threatening difficul- 

 ties the body unconsciously takes on an attitude of defense, as 

 it were ; or, to be more precise, the organism seeks to adapt itself 

 to a mental situation and when we are troubled in mind our mus- 

 cles get ready to annihilate the causer of our trouble, or to re- 

 move us therefrom. 1 One may see on our campus every day 

 students with set faces, so to speak; there are deep lines between 

 the eyes, there is a strain about the mouth, and the entire body 

 shows rigidity and tension. When you talk with such students 

 you can observe these abnormal "nerve-signs" in all the sensi- 

 tive muscles of face, hands, and body generally. Such people 

 are what might not inappropriately be called exhaustives ; they 

 are all the time drawing upon their bank deposits too heavily. 

 Outlay commonly exceeds income, or at least there is no large 

 balance on the credit side of the account. These are the over- 

 conscientious individuals ; thev can never do anvthino- without 



1 Cf. Angell and Thompson, Psychological Review, Jan., 1899, p. 69. See also 

 Darwin : Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals for a discussion of the 

 general principle involved. Baldwin : Mental Dci-clopment, Methods and Pro- 

 cesses, Chap. VIII, treats of the subject in a readable way. 



