s many people have
found out to their sorrow and misery. Not only may one build up a
commendable desire in this way, but he may also build up a reprehensible
one. A little thought will show you the truth of this statement. A young
man has no desire to indulge in the excesses of a "fast" life. But after
a while he hears, or reads something about others leading that sort of
life, and he begins to allow his mind to dwell upon the subject, turning
it around and examining it mentally, and going over it in his
imagination. After a time he begins to find a desire gradually sending
forth roots and branches, and if he continues to water the thing in his
imagination, before long he will find within himself a blossoming
inclination, which will try to insist upon expression in action. There is
a great truth behind the words of the poet:

"Vice is a monster of so frightful mien,
That to be hated needs but to be seen.
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure, then pity, and then embrace."

And the follies and crimes of many a man have been due to the growing of
desire within his mind, through this plan of planting the seed, and then
carefully watering and tending to it--this cultivation of the growing
desire. We have thought it well to give this word of warning because it
will throw light upon many things that may have perplexed you, and
because it may serve to call your attention to certain growing weeds of
the mind that you have been nourishing.

But remember, always, that the force that leads downward may be
transmuted and made to lead upward. It is just as easy to plant and grow
wholesome desires as the other kind. If you are conscious of certain
defects and deficiencies in your character (and who is not?) and yet find
yourself not possessed of a strong enough desire to make the changes
necessary, then you should commence by planting the desire seed and
allowing it to grow by giving it constant care and attention. You should
picture to yourself the advantages of acquiring the desirable traits of
character of which you have thought. You should frequently go over and
over them in your mind, imaging yourself in imagination as possessing
them. You will then find that the growing desire will make headway and
that you will gradually begin to "want to" possess that trait of
character more and more. And when you begin to "want to" hard enough, you
will find arising in your consciousness a feeling of the possession of