Yet the Stoics have thought, that the emotions depended absolutely on our will, and that we could absolutely govern them.

But these philosophers were compelled, by the protest of experience, not from their own principles, to confess, that no slight practice and zeal is needed to control and moderate them: and this someone endeavoured to illustrate by the example (if I remember rightly) of two dogs, the one a house--dog and the other a hunting--dog.

For by long training it could be brought about, that the house--dog should become accustomed to hunt, and the hunting--dog to cease from running after hares.

To this opinion Descartes not a little inclines.

For he maintained, that the soul or mind is specially united to a particular part of the brain, namely, to that part called the pineal gland, by the aid of which the mind is enabled to feel all the movements which are set going in the body, and also external objects, and which the mind by a simple act of volition can put in motion in various ways.