172 BULLETIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN. 



worrying about it before and afterwards ; they are troubled lest 

 they have not done or will not do just the right thing. They 

 belong to what Ribot would call the egoistic-introspective type ; 

 they cannot get away from themselves, and hence are constrained 

 and tense in most of their activities. It seems to be a law of 

 our human nature that turning the mind upon self throws the 

 machinery out of gear. Too much reviewing of conscience ; toe- 

 much hunting after one's faults ends in conscience being a very 

 ineffective guide in life. Its mandates cannot be carried into 

 effect by a weakened organism. 



So much has been said in recent vears about "Americanitis' r 

 that it may just be mentioned in this connection. It is main- 

 tained that our American people do not know how to rest ; which 

 means, I think, that they make a great deal more fuss about do- 

 ing a thing than is necessary. Their actions are greatly in excess 

 of that which the occasion demands. When they do things that 

 should employ the hands only, they use the whole body; they 

 scowl and grit their teeth, and in other ways drain off their 

 forces. Dr. Clouston, the eminent Scotch authority upon ner- 

 vous diseases, visited our country some time ago and is reported 

 by James 1 to have said: "You Americans wear too much ex- 

 pression upon your faces. You are living like an army with all 

 its reserves engaged in action. The duller countenances of the 

 British population betoken a better scheme of life. They sug- 

 gest stores of reserved nervous force to fall back upon, if any 

 occasion should arise that requires it. This excitability, this 

 presence at all times of power not used, I regard as the greatest 

 safeguard of our English people. The other thing in you gives 

 me a sense of insecurity, and you ought somehow to tone your- 

 selves down. You really do carry too much expression, you take 

 too intensely the trivial moments of life." 



It is a vitally important matter in student life to acquire the 

 habit of adjusting effort to the task to be accomplished. When 

 great tasks are to be performed our forces must all be summoned 

 to the fore; but it is certainly bad economy to expend as much 



1 Seribner's Magazine, April, 1899, p. 502. 



