Poise, by inspiring its possessor with a belief in his merits, that is productive of good resolutions, enables him to employ in relation to himself the fine art of absolutely sincere reasoning.
There are, as is well-known, many ways of looking at things.
Every thing has several sides and, in accordance with the angle at which we examine it, seems to us more or less favorable.
The superficial man only sees things, and only wants to see them, from the viewpoint of his own desires.
To the morose man all their contours appear distorted.
The optimist, on the contrary, carefully changes their outlines.
Only to the man who makes a practise of rational thinking comes a true vision of both the good and the bad that exist in everything.
This science of reasoning is the base of all deductive processes, that, in strengthening the judgment, aid in the formation of poise.
Without reason the scaffolding of the most splendid resolves falls to the ground.
Without reason we wander aimlessly in bypaths instead of following the broad highway.