Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-11-10
miscellaneous
LAUGHTER.

Professor Flogol devoies go pages to q profound
" philosophical investigation Of the origin, use,
AMI benefit of laughter generally, and treats of its
different causes and aspects under thirty-scyen
distinct heads. lie is able to inform us how to
nudge a mans character and disposition by hear
ing him laugh. The melancholy mans laugh is a
poor hi, hi, hI-tho choleric temperament shows
itself in abe, be!-the phlogmatic in n cheerful
Ia, Ia, ha and a sanguine habit is betrayed 10y
its own characteristic 10, no, ho!- Westminster
Review.
Two hundred and seventy pages devoted to
laughter But not too many. As a remedial agent
nothing equals it. One hearty laugh every day,
will cure each and all who are sick, or any way
aillng of Whatever complaint, and keep those In
health always we'll! The laugh cure will even
beat the water water cure, potent as it is. And
the two combined, if universally applied, would
aeon close every apothecary shop, lay every ply
stefan, water cure Included, on the shelf, and ban
ish every form OF disease from among men. All
its giggles eifectually stir up every yisceral organ,
churn the stomach and bowels more chectualy
than anything else can possibly do-hence, the
easy %laughers are always fat-huiry the blood
through the system with a real rush, burst open
closed pores, and cast out morbid matter most rap
idly-for how soon does hearty laughter induce
free perspiration-set the brain in motion to man
ufacturo emotions, thoughts, and mentality, as
nothing can excite it I? and universally practiced
would be worth more to the race, than if Califor-
mia gold deposits covered the whole earth Only
when fully tried, can it be duly appreciated
Laughter is life; while sadness and lopg.faced Sc
dateness is death.
A medical neighbor tells the following - While
on a picnic excursion with q party of young peo-
pie, discerning a crows nest on Il rocky precipice,
they started in great gee to see who would reach
it first, Their haste being greater than prudence,
some lost their holds, and were seen rolling and
t~umbling down the hillside. bonnets smashed,
clothes torn, poStures ridiculous, &C., but no one
hurt. Then commenced a scene of the most VIC
lent and long continued laughter, and which, be-
ing all young people well acquainted with each
other and in the woods, they INDUCED to a perfect
surtsit. They roared out with merry peal on peal
of Spontaneous laughter; they expressed it by
hooting and hallooing when ordinary laughter be-
came insufficient to express the merriment they
felt ut their own ridiculous situations, and those Of
their mates; and ever afterwards the bare mention
of the crow-nest scene, oeeasioned renewed and
irrepresSible laughter.
Years after, one of their number fell sick, be-
came so low that she csuld not speak, and was
about breathing her last.
Our informant called to see her, gave his name
and tried to make himself recognized, but failed,
till he mentioned the crows nest, at which she
recognized him and began to laugh and continued
every little while renewing it, and, from that time
began to mend, recovered, and still lives a memen-
60 Of the laugh cure.
The very best application Of laughter is in con-
nection with intellect, as in the soul-stirring speech
where some public folly or wrong is held up to
merited ridicule-the location Of mirthfulness at
the side Of causality indicating their conjoint exer-
else.
But whether we laugh wisely or foolishly, at
something or nothing; at ourselves or others; let
us la la many times a day, and laugh of many
OF those ills and petty annoyances at once, over
which too many now fret and cry.
The hi Iii hi, he he he, h4 hd la, 10 no 10,
mentioned in the above quotation as signs of char
ncter, are all true, but embody only the merest
glimpse of those characteristics disclosed by diff
crcnt laughs. Thus continued laughter, continui-
ty and application; while a short la la of only
two elections, and the first the most for, IDLE, signi-
fes good on the spirit" but without consecutive
ness. What such can do with q rush, they will do
first rate, vet will plod over nothing. Whole soul
ed. spontaneous persons, laugh right out heartily
and loudly, while secretive persons suppress their
laughter, and hypocrites change their countenance
into an unmeaning leer. Waru-feeling but re-
served persons hold in for awhile, then burst into
a broad hearty laugh. Such will Ge cold and stoi-
cal on first acquaintance and towards uncongeni-
ais, yet warm and devoted friends when their af.
~teGtions, adhesive or c~oniugal, are once enlisted
discriminating persons laugh with sense or only
when something l~aughable is presented; while the
undisceruing laugh about as much at what is a
little l~aughable as at what is superlatlyely ridiGu-
ious.
Cast iron conservatives laugh little, and then by
rule; and proud aristocrats must keep on a digni
fed. hard faced look, while true republican ia
miliars laugh freely. Vain persons laugh much
at least with their faces, and at what they have
said and done. Forcible persons laugh good and
ttrcng," while tame ones laugh tamcly. Some
laugh mainly with their faces, others with botf
face ard body. The former is better for health
than nothing, yet a thousand times more healthy
is the latter.
The old fogy notion that to laugh out loud is de
cidedly vulgar, especially for a female, is simply
ridiculous. 1t is on a par with breathing, think
ing, and every other natural function. True there
is a coarse, gross, sensual and an exceeding vulgar
laugh yet its ~vulgarity consists in the sensual
ism Of the laughter, not its heartiness.
Finally, thanks to Barnum for supplying hu
manity with so much la Ching, material. He has
giyea in health aud life material a hundred folC
more of qud pro quo than received. DIR. Weitinl
isa public benefactor' partly by telling the people
how to get and keep well, and also by curing then
by laughter. Let the people patr)nize all VIII
make them laugh.