r Self
within himself, and fascinating it by sympathy, will find that he has,
within moral limits, a strange power of fascinating those who are in
sympathy with him.

Whereupon many will say "of course." Like and like together strike.
Birds of a feather flock together. _Similis similibus_. But it often
happens in this life, though they meet they do _not_ pair off. Very
often indeed they meet, but to part. There must be, even where the
affinity exists, consideration and forethought to test the affinity.
It requires long practice even for keen eyes to recognize the amethyst
or topaz, or many other gems, in their natural state as sea-worn
pebbles. Now, it is not a matter of fancy, of romance, or imagination,
that there are men and women who really have, deeply hidden in
their souls, or more objectively manifested, peculiar or beautiful
characteristics, or a spirit. I would not speak here merely of
_naivete_ or tenderness--a natural affinity for poetry, art, or
beauty, but the peculiar tone and manner of it, which is sympathetic
to ours. For two people may love music, yet be widely removed from all
agreement if one be a Wagnerian, and the other of an older school.
Suffice it to say that such similarities of mind or mood, of intellect
or emotion do exist, and when they are real, and not imaginary, or
merely the result of passional attraction, they suggest and may well
attract the use of Fascination.

Those who actually develop within themselves such a spirit, regarding
it as one, that is a self beyond self, attain to a power which few
understand, which is practical, positive, and real, and not at all a
superstitious fancy. It may begin in imagining or fancy, but as the
veriest dream is material and may be repeated till we see it visibly
and can then copy it, so can we create in ourselves a being, a
segregation of our noblest thoughts, a superb abstraction of soul
which looks from its sunny mountain height down on the dark and
noisome valley which forms our worldly common intellect or mind, or
the only one known to by far the majority of mankind, albeit they may
have therein glimpses of light and truth. But it is to him who makes
for himself, by earnest Will and Thought, a _separate_ and better Life
or Self that a better life is given.

Those who possess genius or peculiarly cultivated minds of a highly
moral caste, gifted with pure integrity, and above vulgarity and
worldly commonplace habits, should never form a tie in