Charles G. Leland - The Mystic Will: A Method of Developing and Strengthening the Faculties of the Mind, through the Awakened Will, by a Simple, Scientific Process Possible to Any Person of Ordinary Intelligence

In Memorium

Charles Godfrey Leland

AMERICAN AUTHORWHO DIED MARCH 20, 1903AT FLORENCE, ITALYAGED 79

"The good that men do lives after them."

This wonderful treatise was first published in England several yearsago, under the title of "Have You a Strong Will?" and has runthrough several editions there. In its original form, it was printedin quite large type, double-leaded, and upon paper which "bulked out"the book to quite a thick volume. Some copies have been sold inAmerica, but the price which dealers were compelled to charge for it,in its original shape, prevented the wide circulation that it merited,and which its author undoubtedly desired for it, for it seems tohave been a labor of love with him, the interest of the race in hiswonderful theories evidently being placed above financial returns byMr. Leland. Believing that the author's ideas and wishes would be wellcarried out by the publication of an American edition printed in theusual size type (without the expedient of "double-leading" unusuallylarge type in order to make a large volume), which allows of the bookbeing sold at a price within the reach of all, the publisher hasissued this edition along the lines indicated.

The present edition is identical with the original English editionwith the following exceptions:

(1) There has been omitted from this edition a long, tiresome chaptercontained in the original edition, entitled "On the Power of the Mindto master disordered Feelings by sheer Determination. As Set forth byImmanuel Kant in a letter to Hufeland," but which chapter had verylittle to say about "the power of the mind," but very much indeedabout Hygiene, Dietetics, Sleep, Care of Oneself in Old Age,Hypochondria, Work, Exercise, Eating and Drinking, Illness, etc.,etc., from the point of view of the aged German metaphysician, whichwhile interesting enough in itself, and to some people, was manifestlyout of place in a book treating upon the development of MentalFaculties by the Will, etc. We think that Mr. Leland's admirers willfind no fault with this omission.

(2) The word "Suggestion" has been substituted for the word"Hypnotism" in several places in the original text, where theformer word was manifestly proper according to the present views ofpsychologists, which views were not so clearly defined when the bookwas written.

(3) The chapter headings of the original book have been shortened andsimplified in accordance with the American form.

(4) The title "The Mystic Will" has been substituted in place of thatused in the original edition, which was "Have You a Strong Will?" Thischange was made for the reason that the original title did not giveone the correct idea of the nature of the book, but rather conveyedthe idea of an inquiry regarding the "iron-will," etc., which theauthor evidently did not intend. The use of the Will, as taught in thebook by Mr. Leland, is not along the lines of "the iron-will," but israther in the nature of the employment of a mystic, mysterious, andalmost weird power of the Human Will, and the title of the presentedition is thought to more correctly represent the nature of the book,and the author's own idea, than the inquiry embodied in the title ofthe original edition.

(5) Several unimportant footnotes, references to other books, etc.,have been omitted after careful consideration.

(Those who would wish to read the book in its original English editionwill be able to procure it from the English publisher, Mr. PhilipWellby, 6 Henrietta street, Covent Garden, London, W. C, England.)

To the few readers of this book who are not familiar with the author,Mr. Charles G. Leland, it may be said that this gifted man was anAmerican by birth, but who lived in Europe for many years before hisdeath. He died March 20, 1903, at Florence, Italy, at the ripe age of79 years, active until the last and leaving unpublished manuscripts,some not completed. He lived up to his ideas and profited by them. Hiswritings are spread over a period of nearly, or fully, fifty years,and his range of subjects was remarkable in its variety, style, andtreatment.

Among his best known works were "Practical Education," "Flaxius," "TheBreitmann Ballads" (which introduced his well-known character "HansBreitmann"), "Gypsy Sorcery and Fortune Telling," "Wood Carving,""Leather Work," "Metal Work," "Drawing and Designing," "The MinorArts," "Twelve Manuals in Art Work," "The Album of Repousse Work,""Industrial Art in Education," "Hints on Self Education," and manyother works along the lines of Manual Training, etc., and theDevelopment of the Constructive Faculties; "Kulsop the Master, andother Algonquin Poems and Legends," "The Alternate Sex," and manyother works, some of which are now out of print, but a number of whichmay be purchased from, or through, any bookseller. There has beenrecently published a biographical work embodying his memoirs, writtenand edited by his beloved niece, Mrs. Pennell, to which volume alladmirers of this wonderful man are referred.

Every subject touched upon by Mr. Leland was brightly illuminated bythe power of his marvellous mind. He seemed to be able to go right tothe heart of the subject, seizing upon its essential truth and at thesame time grasping all of its details. His mind was so full of generalinformation that it fairly oozed out from him in all of his writings.The reader will notice this phenomenon in the present book, in whichthe author has evidently had to fight his own mind in order to preventit from intruding all sorts of valuable and varied general informationin among the particular subjects upon which he is treating. While nota professional psychologist, Mr. Leland has given utterance to some ofthe most valuable and practical psychological truths of the last fiftyyears, his contributions to this branch of human thought is sure to berecognized and appreciated in the near future. It is hoped that thislittle book will carry some of his valuable precepts and ideas to manywho have never had the advantage and pleasure of his acquaintance upto this time.

It is believed by the publisher that this popular edition of Mr.Leland's valuable work upon the Use of the Will, issued at a nominalprice, will carry the author's teachings to the homes of many of thosewhom Lincoln called the "plain people" of this American land, who needit so much, but who would not have been able to have purchased itin its original shape. This work has been well known in England,but here, in America, the birthplace of the author, it has beencomparatively unheard of. It is to be hoped that this edition willremedy this grievous fault.