ment they are conscious
betimes of the counteracting force within their own breasts, then even
such men may have great strength of mind.

Lastly, those who are difficult to move, but on that account susceptible
of very deep feelings, men who stand in the same relation to the
preceding as red heat to a flame, are the best adapted by means of
their Titanic strength to roll away the enormous masses by which we may
figuratively represent the difficulties which beset command in War. The
effect of their feelings is like the movement of a great body, slower,
but more irresistible.

Although such men are not so likely to be suddenly surprised by their
feelings and carried away so as to be afterwards ashamed of themselves,
like the preceding, still it would be contrary to experience to believe
that they can never lose their equanimity, or be overcome by blind
passion; on the contrary, this must always happen whenever the noble
pride of self-control is wanting, or as often as it has not sufficient
weight. We see examples of this most frequently in men of noble minds
belonging to savage nations, where the low degree of mental cultivation
favours always the dominance of the passions. But even amongst the most
civilised classes in civilised States, life is full of examples of this
kind--of men carried away by the violence of their passions, like the
poacher of old chained to the stag in the forest.

We therefore say once more a strong mind is not one that is merely
susceptible of strong excitement, but one which can maintain its
serenity under the most powerful excitement, so that, in spite of the
storm in the breast, the perception and judgment can act with perfect
freedom, like the needle of the compass in the storm-tossed ship.

By the term STRENGTH OF CHARACTER, or simply CHARACTER, is denoted
tenacity of conviction, let it be the result of our own or of
others' views, and whether they are principles, opinions, momentary
inspirations, or any kind of emanations of the understanding; but
this kind of firmness certainly cannot manifest itself if the views
themselves are subject to frequent change. This frequent change need
not be the consequence of external influences; it may proceed from
the continuous activity of our own mind, in which case it indicates a
characteristic unsteadiness of mind. Evidently we should not say of
a man who changes his views every moment, however much the motives of
change may originate with himself,