Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1869-07-24
THn pH11osopHY OF L1y1Ne.

-
He who works q stated number OF
hours daily, for q stated price, and who
regularly receives his wages, and lives
within his income, is said to be the most
independent man in the world. With
his tools he lays aside his care, and IN
his family or with his friends spends .
happy lifs-with nothing whatever to
psrpleI him, and everything to give
content. This is one view Of the mat
ter, and is probably entertained by
those who are wearied and perpleIed
with the cares and responsibilities OF
experimenting a large business or con-
Quoting intricate operations. People
ara always inclined to imagine any other
position better, in some respects, thai
their own. The happy man above de-
scribed envies his employer, acd wishes
that instead Of being the mere agent,
bound to move at anothsr's direction,
he could change places with his prin-
cipal. For he knows his own emoar-
rasments and cares, and II he has not q
burden Of the direction of great affairs,
hs has the daily anxiety Of contriviug
hsw he shall make q stated SUN meet
unexpected e~xigencies. 1t may DO a
daily puzzle to him to keep down the
demands Of pride or necessity. He has,
moreover, the contingencies Of business
to fear, as well a. his employer for II
the principal 10 unsuccessful the en-.
plOyed suffer and he may on any day
receive notice that his services are no
longer required. And as to Diminishing
all care and thought about his EN-.
ployer's interest, if no can do that, he
is precisely the person whose labsr can
be easiest dispensed with. The service
of no man so purely meresnary is worth
much.
True Independence, SO far as one can
be Independent, is accessible both to
employers and employed. Tho secret
is, to undertake no moro than can be
managed and to determine that you
riH have hours Of relaxation, when you
can dismiss the cares Of business from
your thoughts. As Poor Richard has
it, Drive your business, and not lot
your business drive you" In eager
competition, men give themselves too
little rest, and undertake too much.
Some one asked on English statesman
and jurist how he could got through
the amount oflabor which he performed.
" As q thief gets througha horss-pond,"
was tho answer III am dragged
through it." There is tool much ofthi,
dragging" both among the English
and among ourselves. Sometimes men
make solid gains, and secure wealth,
when too much fstigued to enjoy it
But too often they make shipwrsck'
Hudson, the English protector, whose
popular designation a few years
ago was "ths railway king" is
now so reduced in pocket that
hi, friends are raising q subscrip'
lion to purchase a small annuity for
him, that his life may not close in abso.
lutte peuury. The true philosophy is to
regard life as a thing to bs pushed
moderately, and enjoyed as it passes
It should never be treated, as too many
do, as a great game Of hazard. MOI
should we fancy that all in which w
are interested depends entirely upor
ourselves. Other people, it must b
conceded, can do something. The bss'
business results are obtained by finding
out trustworthy people, and e~onfdini
in them. The experiment Of entire
direction on a grand scale has beer
tried by the Emperor of the French
certainly one OF the strongest men tha'
the world has seen, but even he is be-
ginning to learn that q man 10 no
competent for everything; and he, w
suspect, may envy the contented laborer
who has only to do his daily work snd
receive hi, daily wages. There ar.
thousands like him. Their empires arr
narrower but their experience is th'
same-to-day, success; tomorrow, dis
annointment