The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-13
VARIOUS ANSWERS
TO NHAT|SFEAR?'
Curious Details Of Strange Feel
ing Is Explained by Noted
Experts.
".cAN III BE coM jE E:
One Calls It Protection Against
Death; Another, a Ridicu-
1ous Malady.
CAN III BE coMBATED? y
One Calls It Protection Against
snee,o, cab,c q r,,c times Dispatch.

tspeciai Cable to Tho Times Dispatcl.l I
Paris. March 12.-M. Fcrnand Maznde,
in an article published in La Revue,
asks 'Wt,at rs Fcar?" and enters into
some curious details. from a medical
point OF view, and otherwise. as to the
nature OF this strange feeling before
anticipated pain or unknown danger,
which We have all experienced. He
asks:
rs there difference between fear
and fear. or is there such thing as
fear and phobia? And. again. is all
fear a mere malady? How are we to
explain the terror OF such q man as,
Augustus. the victor OF Actium. and
how many other famous commanders,
such as Turenne, Napoleon and Ncy,
have had q shiver ut the beginning
OF O battle? a coward Is he. said
Ncy. who boasts that he never was
afraid
NJ. A1azade applied to various cclcbri-
ties for their opinions. and one Of the
first was Professor Ballet. of the Hotel
Dicu. OF Paris. He says:
The subject Is one OF ordinary
pSyCllOlOSy duO EVdSuO4S6y 49, - -
duplex nature which 1t is difficult to
explain at a moments notice. When
we say fear we say apprehension OF
danger. an apprehension that is often
vague, uncertain; Ike that which we
experience at night In the darkness
In deserted part OF the country.
Sometimes It Is not SO instructive. but
reasoned out, as when we are in the
presence Of an imminent peril.
Can Fear He COmbated:
Can fear be combated? a distinc-
stion must be made. There is the in
Istinctive, sentimental fear, and. SO to
speak, the intellectual fear in. the pres
ence OF known danger. The second
kind may be reduced to a small mat
ter or 70 nothing cases.
Physiological fear can be combated
with success. but 1t always remains
true that the strong are less subject
to fear than the weak"
NJ. Alfred Capus writes:
you oblige mcato reflect on the
many dangers that / have Incurred
(railway and automobile accidents and
fatal maladies). The occupation is q
salutary one. In general think that
when there Is an accident or an Ill
ness one has not a sufficient percep-
tion of the peril to have the feeling
of fear. Fear implies a consciousness
of danger and the refusal or moral i'm
possibility to face it, Fear con-
sists In captivating to the instinct
of MISREPRESENTATION"
NJ. Victor Marguerite admits that he
has sometimes been in funk, which
can happen to anybody. without being
a coward. Fear is a physical trouble
much more than a feeling and it
can ultimately be overcome by force
OF will
Caused by Unexpected Danger.
~ Alfred Mezieres, OF the French
Academy. considers that fear is caused
by some unexpected danger. when
7 was under fire I was not afraid. be-
cause knew that was going to be
fired at On the other hand, he was
in horrible fright when. as he was
riding on an Arab horse in a forest,
he suddenly found himself in front OF
an yyexpress train, which had been
hidden by trees. The terror OF his
horse. which at once bolted. was COM
municative. and he had lot Of trou-
bile Is calming his stccd and is re-
coveringshis sang-froid.
The bravest of men have known
what fear means" So says NJ. Frederic
Passy. OF the Institute. who instances
Turenne and L,afontaine, and he tells
a story OF a young soldier who. when
questioned by his colonel after a no,
affair, confessed that he had been
much alarmed, but added: 81 had my
orders"
you were frightened. but you did
your duty nevertheless. You are a
brave man. was the colonel's APPROX
ing reply.
General Percin says:
ga man can be brave and can know
fear. which is the sentiment OF danger
1 do not think that the feeling can be
cured ,$
N. Raymond Poncarre. Of the
French Academy, considers that fear
is over as soon as one is in for it
People can be nervous before fight
or speech. but once they are well
started they think no more about it
| a Protection Against Death.
N. Pouchet, ofSthle Academy OF A1edi-
cine, doubts whether any man has eve,
been quite free Of fear for himself o,
/ for others "One must be Tartarin OF
Siegfried to pretend that one has neve,
been afraid" declares NJ Theodore
lReinach. Fear is, in the last analysts
n protection against DEATH remarks
NJ. Richet. of the Academy OF Medicine
"but we must fight against 1T by for.
getfulness OF self, q sense OF duty..,,aa44
NJ, SlCdiu' WIZ % u PiotesSOT@ats7t the
Faculty of Medicine. considers fear q
courage to be the result OF tempera.
ment. training and thought. Fear car
be partially eradicated by reasontns
| and education, but it will never bt
overcomc in Its most acute form, name
ly,the instinct of Representation
8lThe conclusion is that It is far from
being unanimously admitted that feal
is a. ridiculous nlalady. or one 81 which
one need be alarmed.
! HANDSOMEST5 CHILD