“Through the mind, _animus_, the intelligent directing spirit which guides human conduct in all who have passed beyond the stage of mere barbarism.” “You exaggerate the part played by what you call the mind. Human conduct is mainly a matter of heredity and environment. Most of it is determined by instinct, impulse, and habit.” “Granted, for the sake of argument. But may there not be a mental as well as a physical inheritance, an environment of thought as well as of bodily circumstances?” “Perhaps so. Yes, I suppose that is true to a certain extent.” “A poor phrase, my dear Hardman; but let it pass. Will you admit that there may be habits of thinking and feeling as well as habits of doing and making things?” “Certainly.” “And do you recognize a difference between bad habits and good habits?” “Of course.” “And you agree that this difference exists both in mental and in physical affairs? For example, you would call the foreman of a machine-shop who directed his work in accordance with the natural laws of his material and of his steam or electric power a man of good habits, would you not?” “Undoubtedly.” “And you would not deny him this name, but would rather emphasize it, if in addition he had the habit of paying regard to the moral and social laws which condition the welfare and efficiency of his workmen; for example, self-control, cheerfulness, honesty, fair play, honor, human kindness, and so on. If he taught these things, not only by word but by deed, you would call him an excellent foreman, would you not?” “Without a question. That machine-shop would be a great success, a model.” “But suppose your foreman had none of these good mental and moral habits. Suppose he was proud, overbearing, dishonest, unfair, and cruel. Do you not believe he would have a bad influence upon his men? Would not the shop, no matter what kind of work it turned out, become a nest of evil and a menace to its neighbors?” “It surely would.” “What, then, would you do with the foreman?” “I would try to teach him better. If that failed, I would discharge him.” “In what method and by what means would you endeavor to teach him?” “By all the means that I could command. By precept and by example, by warning him of his faults and by showing him better ways, by wholesome books and good company.” “And if he refused to learn; if he remained obstinate; if he mocked you and called you a hypocrite; if he claimed that his way was the best, in fact the only way, divinely inspired, and therefore beyond all criticism, then you would throw him out?”