The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1878-09-13

LIFE is labor. In all the length
and breadth Of this busy throbbing
universe, from the first painful swell
Of the tiny human lungs 10 the last
expiring gasp Of the departing soul
from the first bursting Of the planted
seed to the last wave Of the ripened
harvest--existence is synonymous with
exertion, with labor.
"In the sweat Of thy brow shall
thou earn thy bread" was the divine
command; and even when the gorge
Gus beauties Of peaceful, sinless Eden
were spread out to mans enraptured
gaze, the injunction was, not to Ian
guish in idleness among the treasures
Of the garden. but TO dress it and Ia
keep IL. 80 IL is plain that work i
incumbent upon all mankind. Ye'
continuous work Is not possible, OF
even desirable, and what shall bt
done with the intervening time' AL.
fred, the Great, divided the twenty.
four hours into three equal intervals
eight hours for sleep, eight hours
for work, and eight hours for recrea-
ton.
Now we have no means Of knowing
how our first parents beguiled Their
hours Of rest. How the patriarch
Abraham, when his household and
long retinue of followers gathered
themselves into their tents, employed
the soft hours of the oriental twilight.
The earth was young in that shadowy
period, its resources undeveloped. Yet
we know that this ancient lord and
master was very wealthy, that he was
much addicted to journeyings hither
and thither, that he visited the brill
liant Court of Pharaoh where his wife
was considered fair TO look upon;
where, had she not possessed the gra.
ces Of culture and refinement, she
could not have expected favor in the
eyes of royalty. The sacred nara
tive is meager, and Imagination is left
tn its own limitless pictures upon the
subject.
1t is certain, however, that at eve.
ry period Of human tradition, or hu.
man history, man has had intervals Of
relaxation from toll other than those
of balmy sleep. And coming down
to our own period so rich in ennobling
diversions, il becomes question Of
Importance as to what will furnish the
highest style Of mental enjoyment.
We have games of skill and games Of
chance. many of them improving to
the muscle, and beneficial 10 the brain.
We have the ramble to the country,
in sweet communion with natures
most beautiful voices. The social chat
with neighbor. or a brief fitting on
the railroad. These and their almost
numberless sister-pleasures ever wait
us when our work is done. Yet there
is reserved for our acceptance bewil-
dering shower of treasures If we hut
put forth the hand to grasp them.
The world of letters opens to our
view fund of delight as inexhausti.
BILE as the letters themselves. Thous.
ands Of volumes tempt us with their
attractive titles; sheet after sheet of
fact and fancy Huttep on the breeze
till one must needs step aside il one
would avoid the literary mantle.
No degree Of enthusiasm, no amount
Of practical emolument can atone for
the destruction Of ncrvs vitality at.
upon the diligent research in.
to ancient or modern lore. This is
labor of the most arduous kind; but
il Is recreation, not labor that de-
mands attention now; not work, but
play; and even as child let loose to
frolic in meadow of daisies will the
freed mental faculties revel amid the
Joys that books afford.
The flowers have been watered and
Tended by another Hand; the marau-
ling infant has nought to do but,
pluck them. So the pages of rhetor-
cal. or poetical flowers have been
planted and pruned by the careful
'tudent and We have only to gather
he nosegay to suit our fancy. And
hall We persistently stumble along
he rugged lanes and barren deserts,
While on the right and on the left.
tretch near and far these gardens of
OF making many books there is no
nd, and how unreasonable the GOOD
hey accomplish, and the happiness
hey bringl They increase our store
4 knowledge, enlarge our grooves of
bought. and elevate our views Of life.
hey transport us from the common
lace routine Of everyday drudgery
0 those who have been heroes and
eroines in the bivouac of life. They
nsert the wedge of generous for.
earance between our nurtured aro-
Anoe of criticism and the foibles n
ur fellow-creatures. They stimulate