The will is thus _the faculty of choice_. Choice manifests itself either in relation to one object or several objects. Where there is but one object, its possession or non-possession--its enjoyment or non-enjoyment--its presence or absence, is chosen. Where there are several objects, and they are so incompatible that the possession, enjoyment, or presence of one, involves the refusal of the others, then choice manifests itself in fixing upon the particular object to be retained, and the objects to be set aside. This definition is given on the ground that any object being regarded as positive, may be contrasted with its negative: and that therefore the refusing a negative is equivalent to choosing a positive; and the choosing a negative, equivalent to refusing a positive, and vice versa. Thus if the presence of an object be taken as positive, its absence is negative. To refuse the presence is therefore to choose the absence; and to choose the presence, to refuse the absence: so that every act of choosing involves refusing, and every act of refusing involves choosing; in other words, they are equivalents. _Object of Will._ The object in respect to which the energy of choice is manifested, inducing external action, or the action of any other faculty of the mind, is always an _immediate object_. Although other objects may appear desirable, that alone is the object of choice which is the occasion of present action--that alone is chosen as the subject of thought on which I actually think--that alone is chosen as the object of muscular exertion respecting which muscular exertion is made. That is, every act of choice manifests itself by producing some change or effect in some other part of our being. "The thing next chosen or preferred, when a man wills to walk, is not his being removed to such a place where he would be, but such an exertion and motion of his legs and feet, &c. in order to it." The same principle applies to any mental exertion. _Will and Desire._