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either, were t other fair charmer away. He wants his cake and
the penny too. He is governed by impulses and the impulses
are continually changing, so that he never knows where he is
at. He is a human automaton driftwood on the sea of life. He
avoids deciding as long as he can and then gets some one else
to decide for him. The irresolute man is lifted from one place
to another; so hatcheth nothing, but addles all his actions.
For indecision brings its own delays,
And days are lost lamenting o er lost days.
Are you in earnest? Seize this very minute.
What you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.
Only engage, and then the mind grows heated
Begin, and then the work will be completed.
Lack of Volition. This is another mark of the negative will. The
person wants to act, and is ready to act but he never wills to
will. This is a most perplexing mental phenomenon, and one
most difficult to explain or understand. Many very intelligent
persons have this weakness, and it is essentially the mark of the
negative will. Procrastination is one of its characteristic marks.
Do It Now is a rule of action much needed by this class of
people. De Quincy once said: I seldom can prevail upon
myself to write a letter; an answer of a few words, to say that
I received, was the utmost that I could accomplish; and often
that not until the letter had lain weeks, or even months on my
writing-table. A writer on psychology comments as follows on
the character of Coleridge: There was probably no man of his
time, or perhaps of any time, who surpassed Coleridge in the
combination of the reasoning powers of the Philosopher with
the imagination of the Poet and the inspiration of the Seer;
and there was perhaps not one of the past generation who has
left so strong an impress of himself in the subsequent course
of reflective minds engaged in the highest subjects of human
The Will