766 Dynamic Theory. 



mand but a small share of the energies of another man. Of course no 

 new principle is involved in this. Those impulses which are single and 

 unopposed, form the strongest wills, other things being equal. Again, 

 those impulses which result from the harmonizing of the greatest num- 

 ber of cerebral organs by any given stimulation, will develop the strong- 

 est wills, other things equal. Those impulses which originate in the ef- 

 fort to prevent a threatened rupture of such relationships as have been 

 most habitual to our lives and to those of our ancestors, develop the 

 most energetic wills, other things being equal. 



It is the hereditary and acquired habit of caring for and protecting 

 the 3 r oung, that has established so close a relationship between the fe- 

 male mammal and her offspring. The resistance of the rupture of such 

 relationships is often characterized by the greatest energy and vigor dis- 

 played by females of weak and vacillating will in other matters. So, 

 oftentimes, in the preservation of his life, the veriest coward may be- 

 come a hero, and surprise himself by the force of his action. That 

 such wills are often formed upon very sudden impulse, in an almost au- 

 tomatic and instinctive manner, is nothing against the general view of 

 the character and origin of the will here presented, but confirmatory of it. 



The notion of free will is strongest in those who are vigorous, strong 

 and healthy. The organization is such as to call for activity. It is, in 

 fact, in a state of mobilization. It runs easily in response to the forces 

 appropriate to move it. The mental part, inspired by the physical, pre- 

 sents desires and feelings to correspond with it. The individual feels 

 like doing the things which there is energy for doing, from which we 

 may infer the energy inspires the feeling. Each individual is inspired 

 to the particular form of activity for which his bodily structure is ap- 

 propriate. On the other hand, when his powers fail, which means when 

 the machine decays and is difficult to be run, the buoyancy of feeling 

 decays with it. He no longer feels himself master. His idea of free- 

 dom is not so vivid. He wants to rest, and be at peace. He more 

 readily submits to the guidance of others. Death does not excite such 

 a feeling of abhorrence as formerly ; often it is longed for and wel- 

 comed. 



It was pointed out in chapter 68 that our sense of responsibility for 

 an action is, at bottom, a feeling of pain arising from the anticipation 

 of painful sensations liable to follow the action. 



If a man must act according to motives which assail him from with- 

 out, the consciousness of the influence of these motives, and of the ob- 

 ligation or necessity he is under of yielding to them, constitute whatever 

 sense of responsibilit}^ he has in connection with his action. No sense 

 of responsibility attaches ( at the time ) to the acts of a man when 

 drunk or in a condition of somnambulism, or delirium or insanity, or in 



