Weekly Trinity journal., 1869-08-28
The Philosophy of Living.

He who works stated number cf hours daily,
for a stated price, and 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 cares, and in his fam
lily or with his friends spends happy life
with nothing whatever to perplex him, and
everything to give content. This is view of
the matter and is probably entertained by those
who are wearied and perplexed with the cares and
responsibilities cf experimenting IA large bust
ness, or conducting intricate operations. People
are always inclined to imagine any other position
better, in some respects, than their own. The
happy man above described envies his employer,
ana wishes that instead of being the mere agent,
bound to move at anotbers direction, he could
change places with his principal. For he knows
his own embarrassment and cares, and if he has
not the burden of the direction of great affairs,
he has the daily anxiety of contriving how he
shall make stated sum meet unexpected ext
gencies 1t may be daily puzzle to keep down
the demands of pride or necessity. He has,
moreover, the contingencies of business to fear,
as well as his employers for if the principal is
unsuccessful the employed suffers; and he may
on any day receive notice that his services are
no longer required. And to dismissing all
care and thought about his employers interests,
if he can do that, he is precisely the person
whose labor can easiest be dispensed with The
service of no man SO purely mercenary is worth
much.
True independence, so far as one can be indie
pendent, is accessible both to employers and en-
poyed. The secret is, TO undertake no more
than can be managed, and to determine that
you will have hours of relaxation, when you can
dismiss the cares of business from your thoughts.
AS poor Richard has it, 90 Drive your business
and not let your business drive you.' In eager
competition men give themselves too little rest,
and undertake too much. Some one asked an
English statesman and jurist how he could get
through the amount oflabor which he performed.
q AS thief gets through horsc-pond, was
the answer am dragged through it," There
is too much of this dragging" both among the
English and among ourselves. Sometimes men
make solid gains, and secure wealth, when too
much engaged 20 enjoy it. But too often they
make shipwreck. Hudson, the English pro-
jector, whose popular designation a few years
ago was I" the railway king" is now SO reduced
in pocket that his friends raising a subscrip-
ton to purchase small annuity for him, that
his life may hot close in absolute penury. The
true philosophy is to regard life as thing
TO be pushed moderately, and enjoyed as 1t
passes. 1t should never be treated as too
many do as great game of hazard. Nor
should we fancy tina. all in which we are inter-
ested depends entirely upon ourselves. Other
people, it must be conceded, can do something.
The best business results are obtained by hnd-
ing out trustworthy people, and conhdlng In
them The experiment of entire direction on
grand scale has been tried by the Emperor OF
France, certainly one of the strongest men the
world has seen, but even he is beginning to learn
that one man is not competent for everything;
and, we suspect, my envy the contented la
borer, who has only TO do his daily work and re-
ceive his daily wages. There are thousands like
him. Their empires are narrower, but their ex
perience is the same; to-day success; to-mor-
row, disappointment.-Ph philadelphia Ledger.