Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-06-06

almost daily record the evils OF over-work.
Men die prematurely because they apply
themselves too closely. Not n steamship
leaves the wharf for Europe but has from
one TO a scoro of unwilling passengers who
are ordered abroad to obtain that exemp-
ton from toll which their doctors doubt If
IL is possible for them to secure while they
remain within an approachable distance of
their places of business. The rush and
hurry of business life in this country ad-
mits of no repose. The competition is so
great that men are forced to keep their
hand to the plow, and business becomes
not means Of providing sustenance, edu-
cation and amusement, but it absorbs the
man till he is a machine who lives that he
may accumulate, and works that he may
outstrip his rivals and stand at the head of
his trade, profession or occupation.
We question very much whether a sum-
mer vacation, be 1t long or short, repairs
the exhaustion of such a life. We admit
the beneficial effect of even a days respite
from labor, bodily or mental, but it is
mistake we make, in this country, when
we imagine thatany quantity of rest can ev-
er repair a mind or body which has become
radically weakened by over-exertion.
When we tax the nervous system beyond
what it can bear, when we attempt to ac-
cumulate in a single year what ought to
suffice for five, and ignore the rules of
health and the requirements of the human
frame, we may find relaxation from pain
by change of life, but we have inflicted
an injury upon ourselves which is irrepar-
able. We have violated a duty, and we
pay the penalty. There is no reason for
even looking forward to the time when they
can retire from business and find that rest
which they covet, and yetldeny TO them
selves because their accumulations are in
sufficient to meet their false idea of what is
enough of this worlds goods to constitute
a sufficiency.
Nine men in ten look forward TO the day
when they shall retire from business and
enjoy the fruits of their labors. They bend
all their energies to this end. They join
night to day and Sunday to the week to ac-
complish this hope. They anass wealth
in order to obtain a release from labor, and
they sacrifice health, forego pleasures and
devote their bodies and minds to bring
about result which, when attained, is
rarely satisfactory. If men regulated their
lives according to the laws of common
sense, the idea of retiring from business
would never haunt the A man is never
so happy as when engaged in active busi-
ness, and though the time should come 10
all who wisely order their lives when the
burden may be entrusted to younger shoul-
ders, the steward who has gained by expe-
rience that which is of value when used
for the benefit of himself and the advant-
age of others is never so old that he should
bury his talent in napkin and retire to
rot out the remainder of his days. There
are, of course, exceptions to this remark.
Men desire to cultivate other fields than
those in which they have gained wealth.
The city man longs for rural life, and men
of mind denied in early life the advantages
of education look forward TO the time
when they can lead lives of luxurious ease
among books.
Where one realizes his dreams of early
manhood in after life, score admit that
as the twig is bent so must the tree incline.
We cannot change our natures. If we be-
come slaves 10 business, the taskmaster
seldom unbnds the chain, and there is no
greater taskmaster than habit. We find
that a summer vacation only makes us
more eager for the fray of business life,
while many regard the vacation as some
thing which must be paid for by closer ap-
plication in the future. When this point is
reached, the slave to business finds it too
late to change. Rest with him is not recu-
perative in its effects. Recreation is only
a toll, for his mind is incapable of enjoy
ment. He has bartered the true mission
of his life for the possession of huge bank
account, and he has created an appetite
which no change can appease. If the busi-
ness men of any large American city
would make an honest conies ion, we think
they would tell the story as we have told
it.
We have no expectation that any change
will take place, bnt yet we are not without
hope that the day will come when men
will regulate their work so that they will
enjoy the world and do the amount of good
which they are capable of performing, aud
yet attend to the business duties of life.
The retired merchant finds too often that
he rusts out rapidly because he was wore
out before he sought release from duties
which ought to have stimulated him, but
which he carried to such excess that they
produced exhaustion. The anticipated Pc
riod of entire rest seldom comes, for a
knowledge of how to enjoy rest is wanting
in this country, and it only will become
better known when we look upon life with
q view to obtain from ii the rewards which
ii brings to those who do not make il either
a season of inglorious ease, or a tread mill
TO which we must be tied, that wo may
turn out vast product for our selfish graf
ificatlon. A few months since, sensible
gentleman who was travelling at the South
was accosted by an asthmatic and nervous
man, who remarked that he supposed our
friend was travelling to restore his health.
"No," replied the gentleman, "I am in the
best of health, and l am travelling to retain
my bodily vigor." "But your business
my dear friend, don't il suffer during your
absence ?' was the query. "Better my
business suffer little, than that I should
by over application be totally incapacitated
for attending TO it, was the reply. The
exhausted business man pondered while
and finally said: / wish I could have
reached that conclusion twenty years ago
l lost by attention to business what you
propose to keep, and you are wiser than
was, for l would give the profits of ten
years TO have your health"
The whole philosophy of life is contain
ed in this conversation. No one denies Tho
benefits which result TO the community
from men who are saving and careful, bu
it is the abuse of opportunities which
brings so many men to premature graves
We do not want our rest in summer any
morn Than nj OF her snasnns of the ynnr