For you must know, gentlemen, that when the mariner is dosed, he likes to know that he has been dosed: with fifteen grains or even less of this valuable substance scenting him and the very air about him there can be no doubt of the matter; and such is the nature of the human mind that he experiences a far greater real benefit than the drug itself would provide, were it deprived of its stench.
Patrick O'Brian
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In the excerpt from "The Commodore" by Patrick O'Brian, the author discusses the psychological impact of a mariner receiving a dose of a substance, emphasizing the importance of perception. The mariner feels a sense of assurance knowing he has been treated, and this belief amplifies his confidence and well-being. The mere awareness of being dosed becomes a powerful mental boost, reinforcing the idea that expectation can significantly influence one's health and state of mind.

Furthermore, the aroma of the drug plays a crucial role in enhancing the experience. Even with a small quantity, the scent reassures him of its effectiveness, demonstrating how deeply the human mind is intertwined with sensory experiences. This connection suggests that the mental aspect of treatment can be as vital as the physical substance itself, highlighting the significance of belief in the healing process.

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The Commodore
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Other quotes in The Commodore

A sailor, who may be absent for years, throws impossible strains on his wife. If she is a woman of any degree of temperament at all there is of course the question of chastity; and in either case there is that of command or perhaps I should say of decision.
Patrick O'Brian The Commodore
A sailor, who may be absent for years, throws impossible strains on his wife. If she is a woman of any degree of temperament at all there is of course the question of chastity; and in either case there is that of command or perhaps I should say of decision.
Years had passed, and years had a bad name: a verse of Horace floated into his mind: Singula de nobis anni praedantur euntes; eripuere jocos, Venerem, convivia, ludum… and for a moment he tried to make a tolerable English version; but his The years in passing rob us of our delight, of merriment and carnal love, of each in turn, all sport and dining out… did not please him and he abandoned the attempt.
Patrick O'Brian The Commodore
Years had passed, and years had a bad name: a verse of Horace floated into his mind: Singula de nobis anni praedantur euntes; eripuere jocos, Venerem, convivia, ludum… and for a moment he tried to make a tolerable English version; but his The years in passing rob us of our delight, of merriment and carnal love, of each in turn, all sport and dining out… did not please him and he abandoned the attempt.
It must be a weary life, being in a permanent state of rage or at least at half-cock.
Patrick O'Brian The Commodore
It must be a weary life, being in a permanent state of rage or at least at half-cock.
"The weddings of others are a perpetual source of perplexity," Stephen commented.
Patrick O'Brian The Commodore
"The weddings of others are a perpetual source of perplexity," Stephen commented.
«You have the gift of appearing just when my mind is full of your name and even your image. But, Stephen, my dear, you are so pale and thin! Give you to eat? Have you been sick? You are on license, without a doubt. You have to stop here for a long time, the colonel will regret salmon, smoked eels and trout, will return before dinner. My God, I'm so happy to see you, my dear! Come now, rest, seem destroyed. Come and bed in my bed. " "Do I have to come to your bed?" «Of course you have to come to my bed: and you don't have to leave it anymore. Stephen, you don't have to go back to the sea never again "
Patrick O'Brian The Commodore
«You have the gift of appearing just when my mind is full of your name and even your image. But, Stephen, my dear, you are so pale and thin! Give you to eat? Have you been sick? You are on license, without a doubt. You have to stop here for a long time, the colonel will regret salmon, smoked eels and trout, will return before dinner. My God, I'm so happy to see you, my dear! Come now, rest, seem destroyed. Come and bed in my bed. " "Do I have to come to your bed?" «Of course you have to come to my bed: and you don't have to leave it anymore. Stephen, you don't have to go back to the sea never again "
Calligraphy, said Plato, is the physical manifestation of an architecture of the soul. That being so, mine must be a turf-and-wattle kind of soul, since my handwriting would be disowned by a backward cat; whereas yours, particularly on your charts, has a most elegant flow and clarity, the outward form of a soul that might have conceived the Parthenon.
Patrick O'Brian The Commodore
Calligraphy, said Plato, is the physical manifestation of an architecture of the soul. That being so, mine must be a turf-and-wattle kind of soul, since my handwriting would be disowned by a backward cat; whereas yours, particularly on your charts, has a most elegant flow and clarity, the outward form of a soul that might have conceived the Parthenon.
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When had it become so ingrained in her to apologize whenever she wanted something for herself?
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Sociologists have a theory of the looking - glass self. You become what the most important person in your life {wife, father, boss, etc.} thinks you are. How would my life change if I truly believed the Bible's astounding words about God's love for me, if I looked in the mirror and saw what God sees?
Philip Yancey What's So Amazing About Grace?
Sociologists have a theory of the looking - glass self. You become what the most important person in your life {wife, father, boss, etc.} thinks you are. How would my life change if I truly believed the Bible's astounding words about God's love for me, if I looked in the mirror and saw what God sees?
Her head throbbed as though gremlins were ripping holes in her brain
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Her head throbbed as though gremlins were ripping holes in her brain
You should only read what is truly good or what is frankly bad.
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