You will remember what I said in my lesson on Mental Suggestion regarding the fact that "mental states take form in physical action," and its twin-truth that "physical action produces mental states." It is a case of action and reaction in both instances. For instance, if you will start in to feel angry, and keep it up a little while (even though the emotion is assumed for the experiment), you will find that your brows will form into a frown and that your hands will clench and your jaws will fasten into a savage "bite." You know this to be true, of course.

But then, on the other hand, if you will assume the above-mentioned physical characteristics accompanying anger and will keep them up earnestly for a short time, you will find yourself actually feeling angry. And the same thing is true of the feelings and actions of pleasure. Think intently of some pleasant thing and you will find your face breaking into an expression of pleasure - you will smile; your eyes will twinkle and you will manifest all the outward characteristics of pleasure. And, on the other hand, if you will "throw yourself into the part," and will smile and manifest all the outward signs of pleasure, you will find yourself beginning to feel "bright, cheerful and happy" in a short time. I have seen a sign bearing the simple word "smile!" in big letters cause people to change their mental states in a few moments. They would take the suggestion and being amused at the sign they would begin to smile - then the smile's physical actions would react upon their minds and they would begin to "feel good" and so on.

I defy anyone to manifest the physical actions of any particular emotion or feeling, earnestly and actively, for a short time, without the corresponding mental state actually manifesting itself. Go into a business house manifesting the outward signs of good nature, confidence, self-reliance, etc., and you will not only impress others by suggestion, hut you will also impress yourself, and you will begin to actually feel the thing that you have been acting out.

Go into the same place manifesting the outward ap pearance of failure, lack of confidence, fear, etc., and not only will your suggestions be taken up by the others, hut you will sink deeper and deeper into the mental state you are acting out.

I have known people to acquire a masterful, confident, reliant character by a systematic and persistent "acting out" of the part - their "second-nature," so acquired, growing stronger than their original nature. The exercise of the faculty, in this way, developed the brain-cells in the proper area and the people were indeed "made over." I know men who, when feeling "blue" or "discouraged" will always force a smile to their faces and in a short time they will regain their accustomed or desired cheerful state.

I have known at least one man to rouse feelings of stern determination by similar methods. This man was in a position in which there would frequently arise the necessity for the manifestation of the most determined sternness and an almost angry display of will. The man in question was by nature a good-natured, easy-going, kindly person, and he found it almost impossible to manifest the desired qualities upon the occasions mentioned. But one day he was roused to a state of intense determined sternness by a most annoying exhibition of careless action in the office, which although soon settled, left him with the physical reflex of the mental state just experienced. Before this physical condition had passed away there arose, unexpectedly, a case of genuine necessity for the exhibition of the stern, determined action mentioned in the first place. Meeting the man to whom this attitude must be manifested, our man found that, much to his surprise, he displayed a wonderful degree of the desired trait and gave the other man a talking to that made his hair stand on end, and brought the desired result instantly. No one was more surprised at this occurrence than our man, and after it was all over he tried to "figure it out" - and did. He came to the conclusion that when he was manifesting the physical conditions of the mental state, it required but a trifling effort to induce the state itself - in fact the state came almost "automatically." He had discovered, by accident, a well-established psychological law. And he made use of it ever after. Thereafter, whenever he had to "work himself into a state," as he called it, he would walk about his office a few moments before he would see the other man, and during his walk he would "bite" hard and protrude his jaw; he would frown and clench his fists and make his eyes glare, etc., etc., and before long he would feel himself in the proper mood to see the other man and give him the necessary "laying out" The plan worked like a charm. I almost dislike to tell you the sequel, however. Our good-natured, "easy" man so developed these opposite qualities by this practice that in a few years he was known as a man to be dreaded by those who had occasion to receive treatment at his hands, and his whole nature seemed to have changed, and even his best friends would then hesitate to call him "easy" or "good natured." He had made himself over - that's all. And from this story you may build up a whole process of character building if you have sufficient imagination and ingenuity - for the principle is the same in all cases. Character is plastic - and may be moulded at will, by intelligent methods. But it takes more than "holding the thought" to do it - one must learn to act out the part desired, until it becomes second-nature.

I wonder how many of you will realize what a wonderful field is here opened out for you if you will follow the idea taught by the past few pages? How many of you will realize that I have herein given you the "Secret of Making Yourselves Over?" I wish that I could fairly "pound into you" this truth. When I think of what many of you are; and then of what you might be, if you would realize the inner truth and importance of what I have just told you - well, then, I feel like printing the tale in big, black-faced type and capital letters - so that I could make you read it.