ally advanced to fairy life so as to become the
companion of a wizard.

If an artist, say a painter, will take forethought for a certain
picture, whether the subject be determined or not, bringing himself to
that state of easy, assured confidence, as a matter of course that he
will _retain_ the subject he will, if not at the first effort, almost
certainly at last find himself possessed of it. Let him beware of
haste, or of forcing the work. When he shall have secured suggestive
Interest let him will that Ingenuity shall be bolder and his spirit
draw from the stores of memory more abundant material. Thus our powers
may be gradually and gently drawn into our service. Truly it would
seem as if there were no limit to what a man can evolve out of himself
if he will take Thought thereto.

Forethought can be of vast practical use in cases where confidence is
required. Many a young clergyman and lawyer has been literally
frightened out of a career, and many an actor ruined for want of a
very little knowledge, and in this I speak from personal experience.
Let the aspirant who is to appear in public, or pass an examination,
and is alarmed, base his forethought on such ideas as this, that he
would not be afraid to repeat his speech to _one_ person or two--why
should he fear a hundred? There are some who can repeat this idea to
themselves till it takes hold strongly, and they rise almost feeling
contempt for all in court--as did the old lady in Saint Louis, who
felt so relieved when a witness at _not_ feeling frightened that she
bade judge and jury cease looking at her in that impudent way.

Having read the foregoing to a friend he asked me whether I believed
that by Forethought and Suggestion a gentleman could be induced
without diffidence to offer himself in marriage, since, as is well
known, that the most eligible young men often put off wedding for
years because they cannot summon up courage to propose. To which I
replied that I had no great experience of such cases, but as regarded
the method I was like the Scotch clergyman who, being asked by a
wealthy man if he thought that the gift of a thousand pounds to the
Kirk would save the donor's soul, replied: "I'm na prepairet to
preceesly answer thot question--but I wad vara warmly advise ye to
_try_ it."

It must be remembered that for the very great majority of cases, if
really not for all, the practicer of this process must be of temperate
habits, and never attempt after a