The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-09-17
Presence of Mind.


derstood than the nature of presence of
mind. 1t has been supposed by some to be
mainly the result of a cool and Emphatic
temperament. By others it has been sup
posed to be mainly the result of fearless
ness. single example will almost suffice
to verify the foregoing statements. The
first Napoleon possessed, in very high de-
gree, this great quality of presence of
mind. 1t is probable that he possessed it in
a much higher degree than any man in his
army. But he had by no means cool and
Emphatic temperament. On the contrary,
he was of very excitable and irritable ma
ture, as most great men are apt to be-
Again, it would be a very bold thing to say,
that he was more fearless than any man in
his army. Doubtless there were many men
as fearless as he.
We must look, therefore, for other
causes. I say "causes," because any
manifestation of human character is the
result, in general, of several causes. But
there is one predominant cause, it is hope
fulness. There are also minor causes of
much Importance. Men differ very much
in the swiftness of their thinking Men
differ still more in their habits of concern
trating thought, and relieving their atten-
ton from extraneous matters. But great
proficiency in swiftness of thinking, and in
concentrating thought, would not give
presence of mind, unless there was hope
fulness.
For a man to have presence of mind he
must be sure of these three things, that in
any difficulty or emergency there is always
something to be done, that this something
may be made the best thing to be done,
and, lastly, that there is nearly always
time in which to do it.
1 will give singular illustration of this,
one which have used before, but which
cannot do without on the present occa-
sion. To all those who have studied the
ways of serpents, it is known that these
reptiles cannot spring at yen when they are
in state of coil; they must uncoil them
selves before they can make their spring
upon you. Now, man who knows this
fact in natural history, if he should come
and, as the man sees, means battle, this
man will have presence Of mind, because
he has reason for hope that there is time
for him to do something. Accordingly it
is worth his while to think; and, so incon-
ceivably rapid is the process of thought,
that he has time to think that it is worth
his while to think. Shall he move to the
right, or the left? Shall he endeavor to
get to that tree? Shall he fire his revol-
yer? If THE man did not know that he had
time to think, he would give himself up to
despair; and, like frog or rabbit, stupidity
await the spring of his enemy.
In this particular case the hope is born
of knowledge; but in any man who is con-
cerned in great affairs, and who requires
much presence of mind, there should be
hopefulness, not depending upon knowl-
edge,-a hab of hopefulness arising from
the fact that hopefulness generally carries
the day. He should look upon all dangers
and difficulties as coiled serpents, which,
by their nature, must uncoil, and give him
some time before they can spring upon
him.
At least, there is something comforting
in the foregoing view, because, if true, it
shows that presence of mind is a thing
which may, to certain extent, be acquired.
We have been led long way out of the
usual road when we have come to the con-
clusion that presence of mind mainly de-
ponds upon hopsfulness,-i fact, upon
sanguine temperament, but perhaps it may
not be wrong way.
Mr. Emerson quotes "a conversation OF
Napoleon with Las Cases, in which the
great conquerer remarked, =" As to moral
courage, have rarely met with the two
o'clock-in- the morning kind; I mean un-
prepared courage, that which is necessary
on an unexpected occasion; and which, in
spite of the most unforeseen events, leaves
full freedom of judgment. and decision;"
and he did not hesitate to declare that he
was himself eminently endowed with this
two-o' clock-in-the morning courage, and
that he had met with few persons equal to
himself in this respect. The reader will
see that, if 1 am right in the foregoing
analysis of presence of mind, Napoleon is
wrong in attributing it to courage. But
men seldom analyze carefully the qualities
which they possess largely. Familiarity
with these qualities of theirs renders them
dull in the ANALYSIS of them