Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-05-18
TOO mUcn WEAR AND TEAR.


upon the minds of the American people thai
they are wearing themselves out, They will
not believe it, put il before them as you will
But il is nevertheless fact Every branch
OF business attests it; all the profession.
bear evidence to il; and ihe whole country
is full of men, and women too, who arc
worn out-broken down almost useless
There is too much wear and tear of machine
work, too much of devotion to things in tho
gross, and too little OF care for the individual.
The spirit Of the people is too much for nerve
and fiber; it crushes by a dead weight OF
care and toll just at the moment when men
should begin to enjoy life.
We are directed 10 this subject particularly
by the near approach OF another season OF
summer plcasuring, Men who have been
straining every power of their mind and
body for nine full months-womcn who
have kept up one unending round of excite
ment and worry, day and night-plan for n
month or two of rest wherein they expect TO
repair the waste and wear of the long season
of excitement and then will he already for
another round and another scige Ministers
who have exhausted every spark of vitality,
until it is burden TO drag themselves into
the pulpit; lawyers who have sci at naught
every principle of health in the race for size
cess and wealth; professors who have re
duced themselves to mere bundles OF nerves,
and business men who have trespasscd as
lar as human strength will suilrr-all rush
from their studies and offices, expecting to
gather an increment of life which will make
good the loss OF long months of unintcrrupl
ed'toil. 1t is this delusiou which is filling
the country with premature old men and
women, which is running the people, and
which will in time materially effect the best
interests of the nation
The people are literally wearing them
selves out. They go round and round like
machines, as though muscle and bone aud
fibre could withstand the wear oi iron and
steel. Anything to gain an object Every
thing TO acquire wealth No matter what
weakness and nervous arrangements it may
entail upon children, the spirit of the country
is that of work-progress-an the goal
must he reached. What if young men grow
old at thirty, or young women lose their
freshness and viyacity at twenty-thcre are
great things to be done; and if the body is
worn out in doing them, why the repair
must be an after consideration. The wheels
must 60 round, no matter how many are
crushed, Flesh and blood are not 10 be
taken into account Shatter the nerves, ruin
the eyes, grow gaunt and consumptiye -
never mind the spirit of the people must
not be contested. Progress is tile word.
Wealth first, body afterward. And when
the little monitors of ill-health begin their
insinuating advances, the used up man or
woman Immediately plans trip TO the sea.
side or mountains, and II month or two of
rest AS though life could he toyed with in
this arbitrary wayl As though one long
strain is balanced by total relief! 1t is
strange that such absurd ideas of physical
culture should have credence among prac-
tical people
Asa people, we try to do too much There
is one constant strain and effort 10 go higher
further, to he greatcr-richcr. Young men
are brought forward to places of RESPONSE
bility that are too much for them Their
ambition is excited by every possible motive,
and they grow gray and old when they ought
TO he fresh and .light-hcarted Young wo-
men are hurried into society and to the use
of its wretched arifices long before they
are ready TO sustain so much care and amx-
iety Instead of freshness and hnnyancy.
they are weighed down with discomfort and
peevisl repining, and they are old five wears
before they ought to have any place in So
ciety And not only is this contagion of
work and progress the curse of the young,
but it bears down with intensified force upon
those who have been longer in the harness.
The struggle is to get rich at thiriy.fve, and
then ''rcilrc,h So far in this country, tin4sc
men Who have retircl" early Aavr carried
with them II broken down constitution, n Ills
arranged physical condition, Which no rest.
NJ money, can repair,
The remedy for this state of things IS ihc
suggestion of plainest sense. The English
have learned it most fully, and, as conse.
qucnce, they live better, longer and hanpier
What is needed is more moderation in work
and more interminglng of daily labor with
pleasant recreation The physical part of
our being must be attended to as we go
along, not once in a year at some resort OF
fashion. We must he satisfied with less
and thus shall we have more real happiness
We need more quiet less chatting and worry
In this way will all the forces of life have II
better opportunity to perform their varied
functions and we shall be a nation of hap.
pier healthier and more buoyant men aud
women. There may moi be so many societies
for the diffusion Of universal knowledge,
but there will be better development OF the