My Library

If the wish be merely an indefinite one for his general good, the elemental essence in its wonderful plasticity will respond exactly to that less distinct idea also, and the creature formed will expend its force in the direction of whatever action for the man’s ;»dvantage comes most readily to hand. In all cases the amount of such force which it has to expend, and the length of time that it will live to expend it, depend entirely upon the strength of the original wish or thought which gave it birth ; though it must be remembered that it can be, as it were, fed and strengthened, and its life-period protracted by other good wishes or friendly thoughts projected in the same direction.
Furthermore, it appears to be actuated, like most other beings, by an instinctive desire to prolong its life»;and thus reacts on its creator as a force constantly tending to provoke the renewal of the feeling which called it into existence. It also influences