Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-07-12
THE ART OF CULTIyATING UN.
- =" HAPPINESS. -

The chase after happiness, or the
| pleasure which we dignity by calling If
| happiness, is generally supposed to be
the common occupation OF all the world.
But this is by no means the ease. There
are people TOO ,apathetie to care about
happiness at all. Some there are who
pursue it in an inverted form; they find
Lleasure IN being unhappy, and happi-
| ness in making themselves and all
Al ound them miserable while others do
really prefer tragedy to comedy, and if
| they can get it in no other way they
will create, tragedy, or the illusion of it,
i'm private life. There are few actors,
either good or bad, who have not at
some time believed that their role was
tragedy and iJ is thus with these every
day actors ON the worlds broad stage.
There is a certain dignity in the claim.
The tragedies of Euripedes rank higher
than the comfortable sayings of Horace.
1 =" 1 also have suffered,"a they proudly
saw; i" in sorrow only ( seek for conso-
| lation.' Clearly there are as many ways
of being or doing the one thing as there
are of being or doing the other. 70
cultivate the habits of ready forgive
ness, of earnest and persistent cheerful
ness about small things, of looking on
the bright side, carries a man a long
way in one direction. To such, how
volunteer some we'll intentioned advice.
Those who find their pleasure-or, if
that be too strong Il word, their salts
faction-in developing unhappiness in
and for themselves and others, must
bring to their task as much care and
concentration of purpose as if the object
were not only good and wise in itself.
but in the nature of things absolutely
necessary; and the means to this end
II, ~ ror q
t ton. A well-sustained artificial physi-
: ognomy or demeanor of any kind often
f turns counterfeit into reality. If a man
= fixes his face for good temper he almost
t compels himself TO be good tempered
l whereas, by assuming perpetually a
{. peeviSh expression, a peevish temper is
Y engendered. But this is work of time
4 OF course the better and more Thorough
4 method is, to create in your own breast
q the sentiment you desire to manifest
: And this, with practice, becomes Il mat
O ter of the utmost facility, laying down
line beforehand, so that i'm Representing
D unhappiness you may not appear in the
e character of despair.
e One of the first moral qualities to bt
s cherished is suspicion. This exercis.
s produces endless results, often quite un
Il expected, since the operation of it hard
k ly admits either of guidance or check
e for who is there that in the past, til,
IS present, or the future may not be bitter
10 ly distrusted if long watched through
s. particular focus? Father, mother, wife
: husband, or your best friend--of any o
II these it is quite possible to end by be
If lieving the very worst, if you steadil,
Y. accustom yourself to the notion. AM
lc if not living beings, taere are othe
t. sources. Try to detect Il particular ma
1T levolenee as regards yourself in what
IA, ever circumstances occur, or whateve
Of fate befalls you; indulge in portents
I'd dream dreams, and be careful to remem
r. ber them, and attach great importanc
ID to them whenever they presage comm
n misfortunes. In this way YOU may Ell
rs JOY anguish at win, and revel in mise
T. ries which have not yet accrued. b
OF describing your miserable state of min
IN to others yon will probably propagat
I'd it,, and SO "spread far and wide tn
lie great secret of Sadness" If your friend
~ resolutely refuse to share your sent
ne mehts, or even listen, you must conter
is yourself with prognosticating for thei
ed sorrow in the future. H
I'll Then there is envy to be induced an
n cherished, SO that the success of othel
as shall never fail to produce nlurmur
he grudging and sullenness in your ow
Ell breast. Too much from this point ,
A view cannot be said in favor of ii
nd habit of passive vindictiveness, or Il
all quality of unforgivingness there is 1
of- better fertilizer than this with which
he prepare the ground for n fruitful ere
he of unhappiness. Revenge is not here
~, implied, because that might lead to a