174 BULLETIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN. 



ing to let go of one's self. There is a good bit of sense in the 

 Delsartean philosophy, 1 which holds, first, that the most vigorous 

 individuals in intellect and character are those who are freest 

 and most unconstrained in peripheral activities; and, second, 

 that by proper exercises w T e may cultivate the power of "holding 

 centers firm and releasing extremities." The Delsartean phys- 

 ical culture really helps "bottled lightning" people to take them- 

 selves less seriously. There are so many persons who, even when 

 they rest, as they say, sit with clinched fists and rigid body, thus 

 keeping up incessant drain on the nervous system. Let one who 

 is conscious of tenseness in his muscles voluntarily relax at cer- 

 tain times of the day as a matter of discipline. This will assist 

 in relieving the brain, and in time he will find himself relaxing 

 unconsciously. He will find, too, that his mental briar-patch will 

 not seem quite so thorny ; he will occupy a less prominent place 

 in his own reflections : for as mind influences body, so body in- 

 fluences mind. 2 Voluntarily assume an attitude and it will 

 tend to awaken the emotion which usually initiates that attitude. 

 Take on the bodily counterparts of fear and fear is easily en- 

 gendered; while, if you stand bravely against the world, cour- 

 age will be strengthened. So one who consciously puts himself 

 into postures of rest and repose will go a good way toward se- 

 curing mental quietude. As when the mind is worried it keeps 

 the body aroused to ward off threatened dangers, or to accom- 

 plish visionary tasks ; so let the body take an attitude of repose 

 which is bred of confidence and trust that all is well with the 

 world, and the mind will easily follow in its lead. 



Wasteful muscular tensions are begotten by other agencies 

 than a restless, worried, over-scrupulous mind. The implements 

 we employ in our daily tasks are responsible for much useless 

 drain upon the nervous system, — such apparently simple and 

 harmless things as writing pens, pencils, and the like. To ap- 



J For an interesting presentation of this philosophy, see Annie Payson Call r 

 Power through Repor.c ; and Emily Bishop: Americanized Delsarte. See also 

 O'Shea: Physical Training in the Public Schools, loc. clt. 



2 cf. Lee and Thomson: Beauty and Ugliness; Contempt. Rev. vol. 72; James: 

 Psychology, Briefer Course, p. 383. Baldwin, op. cit., p. 231, et. seq. 



