misplaced, superficial, and disturbing emotions. Anger, fear, hatred, jealousy, for example, exhaust the energy with amazing rapidity. The same is true of ecstasy in all its forms, and of any excitement that is intimately related to nervous activities and greatly heightened sensibilities. The avoidance of emotional excess is one of the secrets of success in the right use of energies. Those who seek their second wind on enthusiasm will pay a high price for the sudden spurt. This is true despite the other truth on which Emerson and others have insisted, that nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

The real problem with many of us, as Professor James points out, is the removal of repressions and inhibitions. If I possess a purpose in life I should be able to yield my powers to the full in accordance with my vocation, hence find freedom through exercise. This is the positive method, whereas to examine my nature with a view to the discovery of all tensions and repressions would be an endless undertaking, involving much unpleasant self-consciousness. If subject to dogmas, habits that impede free action, personalities that enslave, I must indeed examine myself. But if subject to repressions dating back to childhood I am most likely to become free by giving expression to the element of play, to activities which tend to overcome habits of over-seriousness. If reticent,