152 LIFE AND HABIT. 



I. By unfamiliar objects, or combinations, which 

 come at comparatively long intervals, and produce their 

 effect, as it were, by one hard blow. The effect of these 

 will vary with the unfamiliarity of the impressions 

 themselves, and the manner in which they seem likely 

 to lead to a further development of the unfamiliar, 

 i.e., with the question, whether they seem likely to 

 compel us to change our habits, either for better or 

 worse. 



Thus, if an object or incident be very unfamiliar, as, 

 we will say, a whale or an iceberg to one travelling to 

 America for the first time, it will make a deep impres- 

 sion, though but little affecting our interests ; but if 

 we struck against the iceberg and were shipwrecked, or 

 nearly so, it would produce a much deeper impression, 

 we should think much more about icebergs, and re- 

 member much more about them, than if we had merely 

 seen one. So, also, if we were able to catch the whale 

 and sell its oil, we should have a deep impression made 

 upon us. In either case we see that the amount of 

 unfamiliarity, either present or prospective, is the main 

 determinant of the depth of the impression. 



As with consciousness and volition, so with sudden 

 unfamiliarity. It impresses us more and more deeply 

 the more unfamiliar it is, until it reaches such a point 

 of impressiveness as to make no further impression at 

 all ; on which we then and there die. For death only 

 kills through unfamiliarity — that is to say, because the 

 new position, whatever it is, is so wide a cross as 

 compared with the old one, that we cannot fuse the 

 two so as to understand the combination ; hence we 



