jggo.] The Soul : What is it ? 299 
knowledge, we often experience a strong liking or a violent 
dislike, for neither of which we can render any definite 
reason! As a rule women and'children are more frequently 
impressed in this manner than are adult men. It very often 
happens, too, that if we suppress and overcome these sud- 
den prepossessions, we find in the end that they were justi- 
fiable, and that second thoughts were not best. What is 
the key to that strange personal ascendancy which some 
men seem to possess over their associates ? This mastery 
is not necessarily connected either with physical or intel- 
lectual superiority, nor certainly with rank or position. 
There are characters who are obeyed, even by their official 
superiors or their employers. There are others who cannot 
uphold authority over inferiors without incessant punish- 
Further, the emotions and passions of men assembled 
together are infectious, passing from one to another more 
rapidly than bodily diseases. From one or from a few ener- 
getic individuals enthusiasm may be diffused thiough a 
senate, a regiment, or a ship’s crew. On the other hand, a 
few terrified or bewildered persons may spread a panic among 
thousands. It is commonly said that emotions propagate 
themselves, but we wish to know in what manner and by 
what means this is effected. 
Again, domestic animals very often display a sympathy 
for some persons, and a hatred for or a fear of others, which 
are very hard to explain. We have known men who. could 
approach the most ferocious dog without any fear of injury, 
whilst others can scarcely walk along a public thoroughfare 
without being barked at by every cur they meet. Why will 
a horse obey implicitly one stranger and become unruly and 
refractory if touched by another ? Why will cows or oxen, 
when driven along a road, make a rush at some one passen- 
ger, after letting scores of others go by unharmed ? I he 
reasons commonly given for these differences ol behavioui 
will not bear close inspeflion. Dog-worshippers, forgetting 
such cases as that of the robber and assassin Peace, insi- 
nuate that their pets have an instinctive repugnance loi a 
man of bad character. Others assert that dogs attack on y 
the timid. We knew a gentleman, exceptionally courageous, 
who was a particular object ol the ill-will of these animals. 
He was often first made aware of the presence of a dog by 
a volley of yelps and snarls close behind him, so that the 
attack cannot have been provoked by any demonstration on 
his part. It is said that animals fawn on such as like them, 
hut flee from, or, if strong enough^ attack such as vjew them 
