The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-09-24
The Value OF Health.

tRrun the Philadelphia bedgerl
II needs no argument TO prove that the
desire for happiness Is universal law OF
our being, admitting Of no exceptionland
no eradication. No effort can 6ubdueit,
no qualification can satiates u, no disap-
pointment can crush II. Equally certain
Is II that the means Of supply ing this de-
sire are vast and abundant. No real want
Of man exists without the co.existence Of
q fountain to supply that want. But
whether we shall drink. at the fountains,
or forever pine in thirst, must depend, On
our wisdom In selecting the objects Of lilc,
and the means OF pursuing them. iheie
is perhaps nothing more Indispensable 70
human happiness and yet more irequent'
". disregarded in human strivings tnan
the attainment Of vigorous physical
health. Very few appreciate now essen
tial an element ills In oil prosperity, ana
still fewer understand the laws on which
II IL based or are willing TO, obey; those
laws when revealed TO them. Il isyct
very lar from occupying the digriied pc.
stion in public esteem as an object Of I'VE
which Il merits ana viii eventually OBJ
tain. It Is not ,ayowedly slighted, but 1t
is ' secretly deprecated. we admit its
value in theory, but deny II in practice.
We all, in some degree, desire II, .butWe
decline to make sacrifices for 1t. The
young will not give up exciting pleasures,
the business man will not moderate bis
labors, the, student will, not relieve his
oyer.tasked brain, the epicure will not re-
sign his daintiesl for the saketof health.
That Is, while all, in different ways, are
eagerly seeking happiness, they refuse TO
pass through the gate which leads % 9it.
While all are engaged inlerecting edihces
Of various kinds, they are 80 interested In
the architecture that they have neglected
| 10 lay the solid foundation. Isit any
wonder that they crumble and fall?
There Is no one OF LIES objects, from
the lowestto the highest, that can be fully
attained, where the beautiful vigor OF the
physical frame Is wanting. Even appe-
lite can only yield her pleasures through
temperance. The epicure who INDUCES
| In every luxury soon destroys his powers
Of enjoyment, and finds too late that even
the poor gratificatian he covets has eluded
his grasp. 1t Is only when the palate Is
auickened by natural hunger that food can
yield any real enjoyment. Excess will
poison the most luscious fruits, and take
away the flavor OF the choicest delicacies.
The same Is true Of every other pleasure,
whether Of private, domestic or social lie.
No matter how abundant may be the out.
ward appliances, II health be absent, the
capacity Tor enjoyment Is gone, while on
the other hand, though tho external re-
sources may be small, physical vigor will
enable US so to use them as toreceive and
convey solid and enduring happiness.
Equally essential is health TO the per-;
lection OF labor in all Its forms. Both the
amount and the quality Of our work de-
pend greatly on our physical well.bciDg
We mourn over sickness which deprives us
OF all power Of action, but We rarely 3ap
preciate how close Is the connection be.
tween superior work and superior health,
and between inferior work aud depress.
i ed physical system. Horace Mann says
4 that high health is at least equal to fifty
| per cent more brain. II there Is any truth
i In such a statement, how careful should
those be who desire q clear mind, powers
Of consecutive thought, Or ability to form
and execute plans, TO strengthen their
4 physical powers and ward Oft the cap.
proach Of disease. Labor ID, all its forms
Is but human power !put, into useful &C.
ton, and only by means Of healthful vital.
j ity can this power be generated. E5i.lT4,
1t may, perhaps, be said that, although
physical health is much, 1t Is not ll;that
It cannot create talent, or genius, industry
or fidelity, benevolence or justice, where
they are absent-that tits, at best, but,sn
instrument to be used or neglected accord.
ing to the character OF its possessor, and
NOT of itself an active nieans Of developing
the highest parts Of our nature. But what
'bwise men attempts an enterprise without
the requisite instruments to execute it,
and the skill TO use, them Alright? And II
there Is one that Is absolutely indispensa-
lble to his purpose, and on the flneness and
temper OF which the superiority Of his
work will depend, with what energy, does
he seek. Tor II, and what care does he take
of It? Health Is such an instrument.
Without 1t the highest quality Of labor or
OF virtue cannot be produced. 1t Ia true
that 1t Is not ofitself sufficient to build up
noble character. The corner. stone does
not oil itself produce the stately church or
elevate its spire; yet what would become
Of the structure were 1t dislodged2 The
truth is that tho foiR po,oer, which Is the
handspring of all advance in virtue, Is
greatly dependent upon physical vitality.
The diseased or feeble frame Is rarely II
lever united with that resolute energy and
determined purpose that are so neediul to
form q stable and useful character. He
who deyotes all his heart and soul to q
worthy object isto be honored, but he will
have tar more heart and soul TO bring to. IL
/ i he be In the vigor Of health than itpal,
sled by sickness, '' 's'' ''''''''
Indeed so dependents mind upon ms
terial organism, at least h our present,
life, so clearly does the condition ofnthe
body influence and characterize tho quail.
tiles and dispositions Of the heart, that
study Of the laws Of health, and practical
obedience to them, should DO ranked
among our most sacred dnties.5s Our
youth should be instructed 10 bring these
obligations strictly within the domain of
conscience, and TO feel themselves as re.
sponsible for their health as for their
character. Health may beearned, accu=.
mulated and invested like any other pos-'
session, but, unlike any other, 1t will yield
teniold interest in the keenness and per!
manence o!-happ ihess, In the quality and
amount of Labor, and, in. strengtas and
stability Of scharacter. ia SsSS -