MENTAL PREPARATION. 183 



the other should not only refuse to respond in 

 like spirit, but reflect the opposite. In this way 

 undesirable qualities gradually become weaker, 

 sirable ones become stronger, and harmony ismony. 

 maintained. The old saying, "It takes two to 

 make a quarrel," is not truer than its antithesis, 

 "It takes two to make a happy home." 

 The basis of a successful life is physical cour- 

 age, energy and aggressiveness. When these 

 qualities are deficient and the deficiency is not Forceo f 

 the result of physical weakness they may be im- Character, 

 proved, ( i ) by such a regime of living as will re- 

 lieve the system from an excess of adipose mat- 

 ter, which tends to make one sluggish and lazy, 

 (2) by spending a few hours each day at hard 

 work, (3) by striving constantly to feel vigorous 

 and active, by willing to be aggressive. Where 

 the energies are too strong, so that restraint is 

 required, a more passive, inactive life should be 

 adopted. I have observed frequently that children 

 born while the parents are very active are far more 

 energetic than those born when the parents were Opposite Results 

 living a life of ease. When both parents are ex- from Overwork. 

 tremely aggressive and active the children are 

 nearly sure to be bundles of nervous activity, to 

 go pell-mell into everything and wear out before 

 they are thirty, or else are sadly wanting in energy 

 seemingly born tired and never getting fully 

 rested. These opposite results are no doubt due 

 to the fact that in one case the parents were highly 

 active, but had not exhausted their forces ; while 

 in the other, partial or complete exhaustion in the 

 parents, particularly in the mother during gesta- 

 tion, robbed the offspring of all physical energy. 



