This acting or working two thoughts at once, may be difficult for some readers to understand, though all writers on the brain illustrate it. It may be formulated thus: "I wish to remember to-morrow at four o'clock to visit my bookseller - bookseller's - four o'clock, - four o'clock." But with practice the two will become as one conception.

When the object of a state of mind, as for instance calmness all day long, is obtained, even partially, the operator (who must of course do all to help himself to keep calm, should he remember his wish), will begin to believe in himself sincerely, or in the power of his will to compel a certain state of mind. This won, all may be won, by continued reflection and perseverance. It is the great step gained, the alphabet learned by which the mind may pass to boundless power.

It may here be interesting to consider some of the states of mind into which a person may be brought by hypnotism. When subject to the will of an operator the patient may believe anything - that he is a mouse or a girl, drunk or in-spired. The same may result from self-hypnotism by artificial methods which appeal powerfully to the imagination. According to Dr. James R. Cocke many of his patients could induce this by looking at any bright object, a bed of coals, or at smooth running water. It is of course to be understood that it is not merely by look-ing that hypnotism is induced. There must be will or determinate thought, but when once brought about it is easily repeated.

"They have the ability," writes Dr. Cocke, "to resist this state or bring it on at will. Many of them describe beautiful scenes from Nature, or some mighty cathedral with its lofty dome, or the faces of imaginary beings." The writer's own first experience of self-hypnotism was very remarkable. He had been told by a hypnotiser to keep the number twenty-six in his mind. He did so, and after hearing a ringing in his ears and then a strange roaring, he felt that spirits were all round him - music sounding and a sensation as of expanding.

But self-hypnotising, by the simple easy process of trusting to ordinary sleep, is better adapted to action delayed, or states of mind. These may be:

A desire to be at peace or perfectly calm.

After a few repetitions it will be found that though irritating accidents may coun-tervene, the mind will recur more and more to calm.

To feel cheerful or merry.

To be in a brave, courageous, hearty or vigorous mood.

To work hard without feeling weary. This I have fully tested with success, and especially mention it for the benefit of students. All of my intimate friends can certify what I here assert.

To keep the faculty of quickness of perception alert, as for instance, when going out to perceive more than usual in a crowd. A botanist or mineralogist may awaken the faculty with the hope of observing or finding with success.

To be susceptible to beauty, as, for instance, when visiting a scene or gallery. In such cases it means to derive Attention from Will. The habitually trained Forethought or Attention is here a great aid to perception.

To read or study keenly and observantly. This is a faculty which can be very much aided by forethought and self-hypnotism.

To forgive and forget enemies and injuries. Allied to it is the forgetting and ignoring of all things which annoy, vex, harass, tease or worry us in any way whatever. To expect perfect immunity in this respect from the unavoidable ills of life is absurd, but having paid great attention to the subject, and experimented largely on it, I cannot resist declaring that it seems to me in very truth that no remedy for earthly suffering was yet discovered equal to this. I generally put the wish into this form: "I will forget and forgive all causes of enmity and anger, and should they arise I determine at once to cast them aside."

It is a prayer as it were to the Will to stand by me, and truly the will is Deris in nobis to those who believe that God helps those who help themselves. For as we can get into the fearful state of constantly recalling all who have ever vexed or wronged us, or nursing the memory of what we hate or despise, until our minds are like sewers or charnel-houses of dead and poisonous things, so we can resolutely banish them, at first by forethought, then by hypnotising, and finally by waking will. And verily there are few people living who would not be the better for such exercise. Many there are who say that they would fain forget and be serene, yet cannot. I do not believe this. We can all exorcise our devils - all of them - if we will.

To restrain irritability in our intercourse with others. It will not be quite sufficient as regards controlling the temper, to merely will, or wish to subdue it. We must also will that when the temptation arises it may be preceded by forethought or followed by regret. As it often happens to a young soldier to be frightened or run away the first time he is under fire, and yet learn courage in the future, so the aspirant resolved to master his passions must not doubt because he finds that the first step slips. Apropos of which, I would note that in all the books on Hypnotism that I have read, their authors testify to a certain false quantity or amount of base alloy in the most thoroughly suggested patients. Something of modesty, something of a moral conscience always remains. Thus, as Dr. Cocke declares, Hypnotism has not succeeded in cases suffering from what are called imperative conceptions, or irresistible belief. "Cases suffering from various imperative conceptions are, while possessing their reasons, either irresistibly led by certain impulses, or they cannot rid themselves of erroneous ideas concerning themselves and others." This means, in fact, that they had been previously hypnotised to a definite conception which had become imperative. As in Witchcraft, it is a law that one sorcerer cannot undo the work of another without extraordinary pains, so in hypnotism it is hard to undo what is already established by a similar agent.