We observe the same inexplicable fixedness sometimes in the lower animals--in the horse, for example; which is the more unaccountable from the fact that we can not suppose, in his case, that peculiar combination of intelligence and ill-temper which we generally consider the sustaining power of the protracted obstinacy on the part of the child.

The degree of persistence which is manifested by children in contests of this kind is something wonderful, and can not easily be explained by any of the ordinary theories in respect to the influence of motives on the human mind.

A state of cerebral excitement and exaltation is not unfrequently produced which seems akin to insanity, and instances have been known in which a child has suffered itself to be beaten to death rather than yield obedience to a very simple command.

And in vast numbers of instances, the parent, after a protracted contest, gives up in despair, and is compelled to invent some plausible pretext for bringing it to an end.
Indeed, when we reflect upon the subject, we see what a difficult task we undertake in such contests--it being nothing less than that of _forcing the formation of a volition_ in a human mind.

We can easily control the bodily movements and actions of another person by means of an external coercion that we can apply, and we have various indirect means of _inducing_ volitions; but in these contests we seem to come up squarely to the work of attempting, by outward force, to compel the _forming of a volition_ in the mind; and it is not surprising that this should, at least sometimes, prove a very difficult undertaking.
_No Necessity for these Contests_.
There seems to be no necessity that a parent or teacher should ever become involved in struggles of this kind in maintaining his authority.