The help for these, and indeed for all cases, is to make the life objective instead of subjective.  “Look out, not in; look up, not down; lend a hand,” is the motto that must be followed gently and gradually, but surely, to cure or to prevent a case of “Americanitis.”

But again, good sense and care must be taken to preserve the equilibrium; for nervous tension and all the suffering that it brings come more often from mistaken devotion to others than from a want of care for them.  Too many of us are trying to make special Providences of ourselves for our friends.  To say that this short-sighted martyrdom is not only foolish but selfish seems hard, but a little thought will show it to be so.

A woman sacrifices her health in over-exertion for a friend.  If she does not distress the object of her devotion entirely out of proportion to the use she performs, she at least unfits herself, by over-working, for many other uses, and causes more suffering than she saves.  So are the great ends sacrificed to the smaller.

" If you only knew how hard I am trying to do right” comes with a strained face and nervous voice from many and many a woman.  If she could only learn in this case, as in others, of “vaulting ambition that o’er-leaps itself and falls upon the other side;” if she could only realize that the very strained effort with which she tries, makes it impossible for her to gain,—­if she would only “relax” to whatever she has to do, and then try, the gain would be incomparable.

The most intense sufferers from nervous excitement are those who suppress any sign of their feeling.  The effort to “hold in” increases the nervous strain immensely.  As in the case of one etherized, who has suppressed fright which he feels very keenly, as soon as the voluntary muscles are relaxed the impression on the brain shows itself with all the vehemence of the feeling,—­so when the muscles are consciously relaxed the nervous excitement bursts forth like the eruption of a small volcano, and for a time is a surprise to the man or woman who has been in a constant effort of suppression.

The contrast between true self-control and that which is merely repressed feeling, is, like all contrast between the natural and the artificial, immeasurable; and the steadily increasing power to be gained by true self-control cannot be conveyed in words, but must be experienced in. actual use.

Many of us know with what intense force a temper masters us when, having held in for some time, some spring is touched which makes silence impossible, and the sense of relief which follows a volley of indignant words.  To say that we can get a far greater and more lasting relief without a word, but simply through relaxing our muscles and freeing our excited nerves, seems tame; but it is practically true, and is indeed the only way from a physical standpoint that one may be sure of controlling a high temper.  In that way, also, we keep the spirit, the power, the strength,