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O。M。 I am sorry； but you see； yourself； that your mind is
merely a machine； nothing more。 You have no command over it； it
has no command over itselfit is worked SOLELY FROM THE OUTSIDE。
That is the law of its make； it is the law of all machines。
Y。M。 Can't I EVER change one of these automatic opinions？
O。M。 No。 You can't yourself； but EXTERIOR INFLUENCES can
do it。
Y。M。 And exterior ones ONLY？
O。M。 Yesexterior ones only。
Y。M。 That position is untenableI may say ludicrously
untenable。
O。M。 What makes you think so？
Y。M。 I don't merely think it； I know it。 Suppose I resolve
to enter upon a course of thought； and study； and reading； with
the deliberate purpose of changing that opinion； and suppose I
succeed。 THAT is not the work of an exterior impulse； the whole
of it is mine and personal； for I originated the project。
O。M。 Not a shred of it。 IT GREW OUT OF THIS TALK WITH ME。
But for that it would not have occurred to you。 No man ever
originates anything。 All his thoughts； all his impulses； come
FROM THE OUTSIDE。
Y。M。 It's an exasperating subject。 The FIRST man had
original thoughts； anyway； there was nobody to draw from。
O。M。 It is a mistake。 Adam's thoughts came to him from the
outside。 YOU have a fear of death。 You did not invent thatyou
got it from outside； from talking and teaching。 Adam had no fear
of deathnone in the world。
Y。M。 Yes； he had。
O。M。 When he was created？
Y。M。 No。
O。M。 When； then？
Y。M。 When he was threatened with it。
O。M。 Then it came from OUTSIDE。 Adam is quite big enough；
let us not try to make a god of him。 NONE BUT GODS HAVE EVER HAD
A THOUGHT WHICH DID NOT COME FROM THE OUTSIDE。 Adam probably had
a good head； but it was of no sort of use to him until it was
filled up FROM THE OUTSIDE。 He was not able to invent the
triflingest little thing with it。 He had not a shadow of a
notion of the difference between good and evilhe had to get the
idea FROM THE OUTSIDE。 Neither he nor Eve was able to originate
the idea that it was immodest to go naked； the knowledge came in
with the apple FROM THE OUTSIDE。 A man's brain is so constructed
that IT CAN ORIGINATE NOTHING WHATSOEVER。 It can only use
material obtained OUTSIDE。 It is merely a machine； and it works
automatically； not by will…power。 IT HAS NO COMMAND OVER ITSELF；
ITS OWNER HAS NO COMMAND OVER IT。
Y。M。 Well； never mind Adam： but certainly Shakespeare's
creations
O。M。 No； you mean Shakespeare's IMITATIONS。 Shakespeare
created nothing。 He correctly observed； and he marvelously
painted。 He exactly portrayed people whom GOD had created； but
he created none himself。 Let us spare him the slander of
charging him with trying。 Shakespeare could not create。 HE WAS
A MACHINE； AND MACHINES DO NOT CREATE。
Y。M。 Where WAS his excellence； then？
O。M。 In this。 He was not a sewing…machine； like you and
me； he was a Gobelin loom。 The threads and the colors came into
him FROM THE OUTSIDE； outside influences； suggestions；
EXPERIENCES （reading； seeing plays； playing plays； borrowing
ideas； and so on）； framed the patterns in his mind and started up
his complex and admirable machinery； and IT AUTOMATICALLY turned
out that pictured and gorgeous fabric which still compels the
astonishment of the world。 If Shakespeare had been born and bred
on a barren and unvisited rock in the ocean his mighty intellect
would have had no OUTSIDE MATERIAL to work with； and could have
invented none； and NO OUTSIDE INFLUENCES； teachings； moldings；
persuasions； inspirations； of a valuable sort； and could have
invented none； and so Shakespeare would have produced nothing。
In Turkey he would have produced somethingsomething up to the
highest limit of Turkish influences； associations； and training。
In France he would have produced something bettersomething up
to the highest limit of the French influences and training。 In
England he rose to the highest limit attainable through the
OUTSIDE HELPS AFFORDED BY THAT LAND'S IDEALS； INFLUENCES； AND
TRAINING。 You and I are but sewing…machines。 We must turn out
what we can； we must do our endeavor and care nothing at all when
the unthinking reproach us for not turning out Gobelins。
Y。M。 And so we are mere machines！ And machines may not
boast； nor feel proud of their performance； nor claim personal
merit for it； nor applause and praise。 It is an infamous
doctrine。
O。M。 It isn't a doctrine； it is merely a fact。
Y。M。 I suppose； then； there is no more merit in being brave
than in being a coward？
O。M。 PERSONAL merit？ No。 A brave man does not CREATE his
bravery。 He is entitled to no personal credit for possessing it。
It is born to him。 A baby born with a billion dollarswhere is
the personal merit in that？ A baby born with nothingwhere is
the personal demerit in that？ The one is fawned upon； admired；
worshiped； by sycophants； the other is neglected and despised
where is the sense in it？
Y。M。 Sometimes a timid man sets himself the task of
conquering his cowardice and becoming braveand succeeds。 What
do you say to that？
O。M。 That it shows the value of TRAINING IN RIGHT
DIRECTIONS OVER TRAINING IN WRONG ONES。 Inestimably valuable is
training； influence； education； in right directionsTRAINING
ONE'S SELF…APPROBATION TO ELEVATE ITS IDEALS。
Y。M。 But as to meritthe personal merit of the victorious
coward's project and achievement？
O。M。 There isn't any。 In the world's view he is a worthier
man than he was before； but HE didn't achieve the changethe
merit of it is not his。
Y。M。 Whose； then？
O。M。 His MAKE； and the influences which wrought upon it
from the outside。
Y。M。 His make？
O。M。 To start with； he was NOT utterly and completely a
coward； or the influences would have had nothing to work upon。
He was not afraid of a cow； though perhaps of a bull： not afraid
of a woman； but afraid of a man。 There was something to build
upon。 There was a SEED。 No seed； no plant。 Did he make that
seed himself； or was it born in him？ It was no merit of HIS that
the seed was there。
Y。M。 Well； anyway； the idea of CULTIVATING it； the
resolution to cultivate it； was meritorious； and he originated
that。
O。M。 He did nothing of the kind。 It came whence ALL
impulses； good or bad； comefrom OUTSIDE。 If that timid man had
lived all his life in a community of human rabbits； had never
read of brave deeds； had never heard speak of them； had never
heard any one praise them nor express envy of the heroes that had
done them； he would have had no more idea of bravery than Adam
had of modesty； and it could never by any possibility have
occurred to him to RESOLVE to become brave。 He COULD NOT
ORIGINATE THE IDEAit had to come to him from the OUTSIDE。 And
so； when he heard bravery extolled and cowardice derided； it woke
him up。 He