New-York tribune., 1899-08-05
WHAT THE WILL CAN DO.
MR.. CHARLES GODFREY LELANDS NE"
BOOK
From The St. James's Gazette

From The St James's Gazette
Every one who has properly tried knows WI WI
the simple fact that II on going To- hed you 1 i,eN
mn your mind that you viii wake at certain
unusual hour YOU VIII probably succeed - no
ing SO one calls to mind the cas-" or lfl' ~.
who having been accustomta Tor yta'S ~ ~
smoking till . IN the morning ana 10 re- -.
1u was suddenly called upon 30 rs" M - 80.
six DAYS IN every week. Now, Il" ''u'H ~
break himself entirely of his ancient hah'i' az"
s,Ul got late 10 bed. but during tho SIX mph'Hh
MAJ inc ordeal lasted ne only once OVERSIGHT
himself lie lag down saying. / VIII wax" "'
q" and did so without any further tr"up"'
Mr. Leland's latest book is pra'''ai,E -.
for the extension OF this principe. II. aug ~
M the idea which leads men 70 'alk ut W'"h
will, or strong will. as you migh' 'hih 'l ufIS @
Of iron differing in thickness. sleep u ,i"e'
clan and the man who Will properly t"'k h''
aid may In the end MAKE his will compel hih
10 do anything. You lie down AT tho DAY
end and gently but firmly reflect mat on IN"
morrow YOU viii DO some definite thing II you
are a writer you resoIv" that tomorrow tou
will WORK; that you Will md great thoughts
and beautiful words wherein I" clothe them II
you are a student. you tell ycGTscf tha' yoI
will work from days end 70 days end. ana
never know fatigue. II you have been rather
troubled at the thought OF having presently I"
make a speech you make ny your mlnd thht
YOU Will acquit yourself well ana without rear
The times we live IN are aed with Incidents
and conditions that tend TO produc" irrlt"toi!
and worry. You have only TO say 90 youfsrH
that you Will 20 through the coming Gay WIN
out experiencing any emotions OF this KIND. ana
you may 90 10 sleep in perfect confidence. fou
are hypnotizinR yourself only getting Nature
TO throw YOU into the trance. and so, when you
get up next morning, the suggestion that you
have made 10 yourself acts on you twithout
your realizing remembering II. perhaps) ana
YOU do the thing you have wished 10 do. Mr.
Leland, for example. says that. being past
seventy, he can now. with the aid OF TINS DIS
covery, work the long day through with less
fatigue than hc ever experienced in the days or
lusty youth. Those who remember all that Mr..
Leland has done will admit that az 10 work ne
is an expert witness though they may be sur
prsed to learn that he has ever known anything
Of fatigue.
The Instances given above are but a few.
We are told that the man who has To go into
crowd to see II possible, more significant
things than would be observed by the average
man, has only TO tell his Will beforehand that
he wishes TO DO 80. In the same way. II he he
going TO picture gallery, or TO look at beauti-
fu scenery. he may will himself to be more
sensitive to the lovelness he sees than he would
have been but for the magic aid OF sleep. He
may forget, and forgive his enemies. and
learn TO set one side all the troubles and
worries of this most trying OF worlds. He may
be unable to find the particular cell In his mind
which holds some memory he would fain recall.
He has only 10 tell his will OF his desire and
trust himself TO sleep In the morning the thing
Will come back to him without any further
searching OF the mind. He can cure himself of
the habit of profanity. or OF lntemperance he
repress to a remarkable degree the sensa-
t!ons Of fatigue, hunger and thirst.
OF course 1t is not suggested that man may
become immune from all the iis that trouble
us by Jerking ha thumb over his shoulder ~ q
list OF wishes hung his bed he goes -
sleep each night. 1t ia not even alleged that re
will succeed at first in even the slmpes. expert
ments. But Mr. Leland has none the les pro-
cuced useful and A suggestive book. Every
will admit the argument is any rate
based on facts. Those who read with Thought
ful attention Will be inclined to make trial Of
the system: for there many other facts In
support OF the authors suggestion than the
we'll known circumstance that n man who goes
to sleep resolved to awake at n certain hour
does not often fail Of his intention Here for
example is a little story from the experience OF
the present writer He lived once with a painter
whose work has been greatly admired. and who
Is popularity supposed 10 be enormously indus
trIous. As matter Of fact. there are few peo-
pie who spend go many utterly idle DAYS as this
painter who produces so many pictures In the
year. There whole weeks when he seems 10
be utterly paralyzed and can do nothing. II s
difficult for him to make beginning; impossi-
BILE to make end. He grows and more
wretched. for your artist ca nnot know happiness
unless he be either producing enjoying the
lawful and delightful tiredness Of the man who
has just made something beautiful. And at
last. he sits with a friend at night over the
studio stove, having wasted hours in abusing
the universe generally, he suddenly says Il will
work tomorrow: ! must" He goes To bed and
on the next day no visitors are admitted to his
studio. for he sits at his easel and paints swiftly
and easily and we'll II you were to accuse him
OF hypnOtiZing he would be as Indignant as IL
you hinted al 2 suspicion ne was secretly vic
tim to the morphia habit But Mr. Lelands
book has suggested 10 his friend that the ac-
cusation would be tolerably justified