THE SCIENCE OF HAPPINESS 



can recall some college companions who were conceded 

 to be of superior mind receptive, tenacious of mem- 

 ory, brilliant in associational power who went out to 

 flat failure in the practical world, misdirecting their 

 energies, dissipating them over wide fields to little pur- 

 pose, never finding the right niche in life. Any one of 

 these men, had he directed his energies into a single 

 channel, holding himself to a single path, might have 

 accomplished wonders; but the very receptiveness of 

 his mind was his doom. It showed him glimpses into 

 wide fields, suggested devious paths of life; and voli- 

 tion faltering, wavering, turning this way and that to 

 little purpose, let energies that might have sufficed for 

 great things be frittered away in unconcentrated efforts. 

 And meantime, perhaps, the dull unreceptive lad who 

 was the butt of the class has gone ahead, directing all 

 his energy into some certain path, until at last he has 

 come to heights that seemed far beyond his strength. 

 His was the " genius of accomplishment." 



In speaking thus, I may seem to confound volition 

 with judgment, but such confusion is apparent only. 

 Judgment is the last step of reason that precedes voli- 

 tion, hence the two are in close alliance, and it is some- 

 times difficult to keep them clearly distinguished. 

 But I am referring now to cases in which judgment is 

 good, but in which its decisions are not carried out by 

 volition. Of course there are countless cases in which 

 judgment itself is at fault, but these do not concern 

 us now. In the cases I have in mind there is no defect 

 of reasoning power. The judgments reached are clear 

 and logical; but volition does not support them. 



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