652 THE PRINCIPLES OF SELF-CREATION
that was not real, at the same time it is obvious that Antony's entire
appeal was based on his knowledge of how to influence the minds of
the Roman mob, through flattery.
The two letters which are reproduced in Lesson Seven [pages 457
and 459J illustrate, in a very concrete way, the value of the "you" and
the fatality of the "I" appeal. Go back and read these letters again,
and observe how the more successful of the two follows closely the
Marc Antony appeal, while the other is based on an appeal of just the
opposite nature. Whether you are writing a sales letter or preaching
a sermon or writing an advertisement or a book, you will do well to
follow the same principles employed by Marc Antony in his famous
speech.
CHARACTER COUNTS
To study the ways and means through which one may develop a
Pleasing Personality, I will begin with the first essential, which is
character, for no one can have a Pleasing Personality without also having
the foundation of a sound, positive character. Through the principle
of telepathy you "telegraph" the nature of your character to those with
whom you come in contact, which is also why you may have had an
"intuitive" feeling that the person you had just met, but about whom
you did not know very much, was not trustworthy.
You may wear the best and latest clothes, and conduct yourself
in a most pleasing manner outwardly, but if there is greed and envy
and hatred and jealousy and selfishness in your heart, you will never
attract anyone except those who are the same. Like attracts like, and
you may be sure, therefore, that those who are attracted to you are
those whose inward natures parallel your own.
You may present an artificial smile and you may practice hand-
shaking so that you can imitate, perfectly, the handshake of a person
who is adept at this art, but if these outward manifestations of a