"You'll never teach him like that, Vic. If you gave him a good kick
in the eye now he'd remember it!"
"Thanks very much for your advice," I returned, "but I should never
forgive myself if I kicked any animal in the eye."
"You are a queer, weak-hearted sort of fellow!" was the general
answer, in a contemptuous tone, at which I used to shrug my
shoulders and continue to manage my dog in my own way.
He would remember a blow, a kick, or a thrashing. I knew that. And
that was exactly what I meant to avoid, whatever it cost at times to
keep my temper with him. Besides, in all physical violence towards
another object there is a peculiar, dangerous, seductive
fascination. Once indulged in at all, it grows rapidly and
imperceptibly into a positively delicious pleasure and habit, just
as, if never indulged in, there grows up an always increasing horror
and loathing of it.
Rage and anger, and their physical expression, become by habit a
sort of joy, similar to the joy in intoxication, but if only the
habit can be formed the other way there is an equal joy obtainable
from self-restraint.
Control of the strongest passions is supposed to be difficult to
attain, but the whole difficulty lies in laying the first stones of
its foundation. If this is done the fabric will then go on building
itself. Day by day a brick will be added to the walls, until finally
no shock can overthrow them.
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