For example (to take the case of the antipathy to the spider, alluded to in the last article), the reason why that young lady dislikes spiders is undoubtedly because she has some unpleasant idea associated with the thought of that animal, perhaps, for example, the idea of their crawling upon her, which is certainly not a very pleasant one for any body.  Now the way to correct such a prejudice is to try to connect some pleasant thoughts with the sight of the animal.

I once found a spider in an empty apartment hanging in its web on the wall, with a large ball of eggs which it had suspended by its side.  My companion and myself cautiously brought up a tumbler under the web, and pressed it suddenly against the wall, so as to inclose both spider and eggs within it.  We then contrived to run in a pair of shears, so as to cut off the web, and let both the animal and its treasure fall down into the tumbler.  We put a book over the top, and walked off with our prize to a table to see what the spider would do.

At first it tried to climb up the side of the tumbler, but its feet slipped on account of the smoothness of the glass.  We then inclined the glass so as to favor its climbing, and to enable it to reach the book at the top.  As soon as it touched the book, it was safe.  It could cling to the book easily, and we placed the tumbler again upright to watch its motions.

It attached a thread to the book, and let itself down by it to the bottom of the tumbler, and walked round and round the ball of eggs, apparently in great trouble.  Presently it ascended by its thread, and then came down again.  It attached a new thread to the ball, and then went up, drawing the ball with it.  It hung the ball at a proper distance from the book, and bound it firmly in its place by threads running from it in every direction to the parts of the book which were near, and then the animal took its place quietly by its side.

Now I do not say that if any body had a strong antipathy to a spider, seeing one perform such a work as this would entirely remove it, but it would certainly soften it.  It would tend to remove it.  It would connect an interesting and pleasant association with the object.  So if she should watch a spider in the fields making his web.  You have all seen those beautiful regular webs in the morning dew ("Yes, sir;” “Yes, sir"), composed of concentric circles, and radii diverging in every direction. ("Yes, sir.”) Well, watch a spider when making one of these, or observe his artful ingenuity and vigilance when he is lying in wait for a fly.  By thus connecting pleasant ideas with the sight of the animal, you will destroy the unpleasant association which constitutes the prejudice.  In the same manner, if I wished to create an antipathy to a spider in a child, it would be very easily done.  I would tie her hands behind her, and put three or four upon her to crawl over her face.

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