Wisdom Vault — onlinknow.co.za

intellect) results in the development and cultivation of the emotions accompanying intellectual effort. In a general way, however, it may be said that the reading of the best works of fiction, science, and philosophy will bring out in time the best form of intellectual enjoyment and feeling.

The highest gives the best—that is the rule. The present chapter should be read and studied in connection with those devoted to the intellect. BLENDED EMOTIONS As we have said at the beginning of our consideration of the subject of the emotions, the majority of emotions are composed of several feelings, and tend to blend and combine emotional elements.

For instance, the emotion of sexual love certainly has its origin in the instinctive feelings of the race, and its motive element is that of passion. But passion is far from being all there is in human sexual love. Above the plane of passion is found the social emotion of companionship, protection, and care; the desire for the welfare of the loved one; the mingling of the love of the parent with that of the mate.

Human love manifests many of the altruistic emotions during its course. The welfare of the loved one becomes the chief concern of life, often stronger even than self-preservation. The joy of the loved one becomes the greatest joy, far surpassing the more selfish forms of happiness.

Then come the esthetic feelings, which find satisfaction in the two “liking the same things,” sympathy and community of feeling being the connecting link. The several ideals of the two combining, there is produced an idealistic union, which is often called “spiritual harmony.”

Finally, there is found the blending of the intellectual emotions, in which harmony there exists one of the highest forms of pleasure satisfaction between two persons of opposite sexes. It is said that the more things that a man and woman “like” in common, the closer will be their “liking” for each other.

“I love you because you love the things I love,” is no rare thought and expression. So it is seen that though born in elemental instinct and passion, human sexual love is something far different in its flowering. And yet without its root it would not be, and cannot be.

This is an excellent example of the complex nature of the most common emotions. It may be used as a typical illustration. What is true of it is also true, in a way and in a degree, of every other form of emotion. Therefore in studying a particular emotion, be not too quick to cry, “It is this; it is that!” but rather seek to say, “It is composed of this and that, of this and that!”

Few, if any, emotions are simple; the majority are very complex. Hence the difficulty of satisfactory classification, and the danger of dogmatic definition. 18 The Role of the Emotions THE average person greatly underestimates the part played by the emotional nature in the mental activities of the individual.

He is inclined to the opinion that, with the exception of the occasional manifestation of some strong emotional feeling, the majority of persons go through life using only the reasoning and reflective faculties in deciding the problems of life and guiding the mental course of action.