Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-08-04
MONTPELIER VT, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1875.
Rest...SMcet Rest.

Multitudes Of earth's toilng millions have
died while striving to make enough money
10 retire from business, and in n beautiful
cottage on their own little farm TO spend the
remnant Of their days in rest--in having
nothing in particular 10 do. Perhaps one in
a million Of the hopcrs does make money
enough TO enable him 10 retire 10 his coun-
Try seat, and for n year or two, while he is
fixing 1t up to his notion, all goes ON charm
ingly; but when everything is completed to
his mind and he has nothing more 10 take
mp hls attention, he eats and sleeps and
lounges around for a few months longer.
falls into disease and dies or If he has un-
usual force Of character and power Of obser-
walton, he notices that both health and hap
piness are passing from him, and tracing this
to the true cause Of an inactive body and an
unoccupied mind, he resolves 10 " sell out"
and plunge again into the vortex of business
Recently an old schoolmate- younger.
graduating in the same class thirty-seveu
years ago--writos that "both body and
mind arc worn out the slightest physical
labor exhausts him." and "auy effort 20
think or study or even read, so wearics the
brain that life is felt as a burden" lie
Withdrew from his professional duties, which
he had performed in the place for twenty-five
years, with honor to himself, having sc-
cured the love and confidence and respect Of
all who knew him. lie gave up his calling
for the purpose Of obtaining rest, as a
means Of health.
The number of families is increasing ev.
cry day, who give up housekeeping as
means Of rest. rom family cares and resort
TO that miserable aud most uuwise mode of
life, boarding at hotel or in some private
family, TO get more dissatisfied than ever in
a few months, meanwhile falling into bad
health and bad habits of various kinds.
All these classes Of persons fail, miserably
fail, in their object because they mistake
the physiological meaning of the word
crest" Neither body nor brain are safely,
truly and happily rested by doing nothing
The only healthful rest as long as our physi-
cal aud mental constitution remains as it is,
is to be busy. Men Of force and industry
will everywhere tel you, d" 1t is tine hardest
thing in the world 10 do nothing" No NOR
tai man was ever made to he "A loafer. to be
a miserable drone The true idea Of rest is
recreation, a making over again, a return to
our accustomed vigor; and this is accom-
plshed not by allowing the machine to come
10 a standstill, for inactivity is rust and ruin
to all mechanical contrivanccs and death 10
all physiological structures. The true on-
ject Of rest is recuperation, and that is best
brought about as 70 the body, by exercising
a different set Of muscles; and as to the
brain, by calling into requisition a different
set Of organs or powers, causing the mind to
act upon new objects. a better plan is not
to get into the mhealthful conditions named,
and they are avodable by giving two hours
daily to the exercise Of different class Of
muscles, or TO the investigation and study Of
objects of comparatively trivial Importance,
and of a wholly different nature. The stu
dent should ride on horseback, or cultivate
fruits and flowers the merchant should en-
ploy his mind in liberal studies in active
personal and elevating charities, while the
overtaxed and worried wife should pay
visit daily 10 some prudent friend, some
CHEEKY neighbor or suffering sister or child
the main idea in all cases being to spend
two or three hours daily in open-air activi-
ties, wholly different from the ordinary bus
iness rouline.-- IIdichman and Reflector.