MENTAL EFIFCIENCY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1193, 31 July 1911, Page 9

MENTAL EFIFCIENCY.

Internal evidence (says an American reviewer) savs that in his newest book, "Mental llilicicnc-y, and Other Hints lo Mon and Women," Arnold Bennett lias gathered together erewhile sketches, written—was it for the ladies' weekly of which he has told us that he was once editor? The inference is tempting, it would explain what otherwise might appear to l>e a certain fussiness of thought, an unvigorous mapping-out of ideas. Vet ideas there are from cover to cover, and it is abundantly dear that the author has got his mind to the point (which he recommends for every one) where it works habitually. Moreover, Mr. Bennett is human, has common sense, and is always sincere. These qualities must have given him uncommon power ou his particular weekly, and are certainly sufficient to justify the republication in book form of his ideas for the world at large. As in "The Human Machine," he appears to be preoccupied with the claims of the .mind as opposed to those of the body. At the outset sh6uld be stated what is not revealed in so many words until the end of the book—Mr. Bennett is a mental scientist. He' may speak for himself:

1 say to my mind: "Mind, concentrate your powers upon the full realisation of the facts that I, your master, am immortal and beyond tlic reach of accidents." And my mind, knowing by this time that I am a hard master, obedientlv does so. Am I, a portion of (lie Infinite Force that existed billions of years ago, and which will exist billions of years hence, going to allow myself to be worried by any terrestrial physical or mental event? I am not. As for the vicissitudes of my body, that servant of my servant, it had better keep its place, and not majje too much fuss. Not that anv fuss occurring in either of these outward envelopes of the eternal "me" could really disturb me. The eternal is calm; it has the best reason for being so.

A week-end in the country loaves him shockcd at the "gipantic debauch of the muscles on . every side." " 'Poor withering mind!' I thought. 'Oil'cot, and football, and boating, and golf, and tennis have their seasons, but not thou!"'