That, therefore, to direct and assist the evolution of character is the chief office of education. But perhaps we shall clear the ground better by throwing a little of the teaching of the Union into categorical form:-- What is character? The resultant or residuum of conduct. That is to say, a man is what he has made himself by the thoughts in which he has allowed himself, the words he has spoken, the deeds he has done. How does conduct itself originate? Commonly, in our habitual modes of thought. We think as we are accustomed to think, and, therefore, act as we are accustomed to act. What, again, is the origin of these habits of thought and act? Commonly, inherited disposition. The man who is generous, obstinate, hot-tempered, devout, is so, on the whole, because that strain of character runs in his family. Are there any means of modifying inherited dispositions? Yes; marriage, for the race; education, for the individual. How may a bad habit which has its rise in an inherited disposition be corrected? By the contrary good habit: as Thomas à Kempis has said, “One custom overcometh another.” Trace the genesis of a habit. Every act proceeds from a thought. Every thought modifies somewhat the material structure of the brain. That is, the nerve substance of the brain forms itself to the manner of thoughts we think. The habit of act arises from the habit of thought. The person who thinks, “Oh, it will do;” “Oh, it doesn’t matter,” forms a habit of negligent and imperfect work. How may such habit be corrected? By introducing the contrary line of thought, which will lead to contrary action. “This _must_ be done well, because----” Is it enough to think such thought once? No; the stimulus of the new idea must be applied until it is, so to speak, at home in the brain, and arises involuntarily. What do you mean by involuntary thought? The brain is at work unceasingly, is always thinking, or rather is always being acted upon by thought, as the keys of an instrument by the fingers of a player. Is the person aware of all the thoughts that the brain elaborates? No; only of those which are new and “striking.” The old familiar “way of thinking” beats in the brain without the consciousness of the thinker. What name is given to this unconscious thought? Unconscious (or involuntary) cerebration. Why is it important to the educator? Because most of our actions spring from thoughts of which we are not conscious, or, anyway, which are involuntary. Is there any means of altering the trend of unconscious cerebration? Yes; by diverting it into a new channel. The “unconscious cerebration” of the greedy child runs upon cakes and sweetmeats: how may this be corrected? By introducing a new idea--the pleasure of giving pleasure with these good things, for example. Is the greedy child capable of receiving such new idea?