Key Arguments

• He appeals to his earlier demonstrations that absolute dominion is lacking.
• He notes that Stoics were "compelled, by the protest of experience" to concede that controlling emotions requires extensive practice and zeal.
• He cites a training analogy (house-dog and hunting-dog) to show that modification requires habituation, not sheer volition.

Source Quotes

Here, therefore, I repeat, I shall treat only of the power of the mind, or of reason; and I shall mainly show the extent and nature of its dominion over the emotions, for their control and moderation. That we do not possess absolute dominion over them, I have already shown. Yet the Stoics have thought, that the emotions depended absolutely on our will, and that we could absolutely govern them.

That we do not possess absolute dominion over them, I have already shown. 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.

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.

Key Concepts

• That we do not possess absolute dominion over them, I have already shown.
• Yet the Stoics have thought, that the emotions depended absolutely on our will, and that we could absolutely govern them.
• 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:
• the example (if I remember rightly) of two dogs, the one a house—dog and the other a hunting—dog.

Context

Part V, Preface: critical positioning against Stoic voluntarism about the passions.