The Van Buren press., 1875-11-09
Idleness.

Idlepess is the parent of all the vices
that exist. The brain must lie occupied
proftably and properly, else there VIII
be immortality existent there. We do
not like idle men, aud when we see them
lounging about, we Immediately imagine
much evil of them. No man becomes
n thief, who does not first encourage the
commission of the crime by laziness
Idleness IS cultivatahle BY encourage
ment it is fostered, and increases IA
growth and power For awhile we may be
able to govern it in the controlit has over
us, but in the end, if we cherish 1t, 1t Will
overpowcr and completely govern US. IL
is an insidious and delusive foe, and at
tacks at our most vulnerable points. IL
comes to us under the guise eof friendship
and tells us Of the bliss of leisure; how
lovely and delightsome is an occasional
cessation from labor it induces us to
give way just once, and then commences
our thralldom to its influence. Gradual
ly we learn to dislike employment Of any
kind. and even an exercise Of the mental
faculties, such us good reading or study,
becomes irk some and dstasteful, Then
vice steps in to 6ll up the vacuum The
mind vanders out upohsthe sea OF evil,
and seems inebrated with the pleasures
OF the voyage Pope has said:
- Vice is monster Of such hideous men,
That to be hated neeis but TO bo seen.
But seen too oft. familiar with her face ,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace,
And those lines cover the whole mat
ter. Idleness paves the way Tor the en-
trance of vice to the mind, also prepar
ing the brain for its reception At first
sight II Is hideous, distorted, ungainly
creature from which we turn away with
abhorrencc, AS too foul for our assoeia-
ton. The hend, as he becomes familiar
TO us, loses that terrific mien which he at
first presented, and we =" endure, pity,
embrace that against which our better
natures so recently revoltsd.
ld!eness peoples our peni'cntiaFies,
furnishes our gallows with their victims,
flls our poor houses, disturbs the peace
full whispering. of our conscicnecs, rolls
u.ofthat happiness which an industrious
and moral life never fails TO bring 70 lis
posscssor The idle man--and BY that
we mean the man who has no honorable
orproftable physical or mental employ,
ment-is miserable, and why? Because
he has nothing to de2 He seeks for
amusement, and that, too, which will
best pander to his vicious desires. AT
the gambling table, at the drinking sa'
loon, at houses Of doubtful reputation,
he seeks, in their varied excitements, the
pleasure whch idleness has alone made
him canahln of aninrinn Tho int ar
esting book is no longer his cherished
companion; the workshop or the coun
ter, where he earned his bread, sweeten-
ened by the consciousness of earnest
toll, have lost the potency Of their charm
for him; he finds no delight in their pur
suit. That bright eyed, rosy. checked
lassie, by whose side he was wont to
spend so much Of his time, has lost her
influence over him, and now, instead of
being at her side twice during the week,
his visits are few and far between. His
boon companions and miserable associ-
ates have won away his affections from
the pure little flower that loved him SO
we'll Wha. has made all this changer
Idleness has begotten vice; vice has de
throned virtue, and the chaste and pure
things he once loved, he now hates. New
er be idle; read or study, or visit among
good people, and you will find it much
more preferable than life Of idleness
and companionship with bad associ
ates,
. $50 -