The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-09-24
Men Of One Idea in Amusement.
G. ntl mAu's Magazine.

The automatism of reaction is bad in
every sense, and it is specially bad in the
present day, because of the quality IF it
as we'll as the limited quantity. There
is no such diversity of action as is want
ing to keep the body in health by the cx-
ercise of the mind. With one man the
recreation is taken out all in cards, with
another in chess, with another in billiards,
with fourth in debate or gossip on some
one persistent topic of conversation or ar
gument. and SO on for what may be call
ed the indoor recreative life. Nor is it
much different with outdoor rccreative
amusement. Some one particular
amusement claims the attention of par
ticular men, and to this amusement the
men adhere as if they had t" live by it,
and as if, indeed, there were no other
recreative pursuits in the world. This
speciality Of recreative pleasure Of labor
for it soon becomes labor-lcads to
eoaseQ uenccs which are often of the rnost
serious character. The man who takes it
FIRST rs All enjoyment, and indeed as a re-
taxation, is so absorbed that he strains
every nerve to be eminent in it, 4 profess
sor of the accomplishment, with local
repute for his excellence. The moment
he enters on this resolve, however, he loses
recreation. He sets himself to new
work, be it mental or physical; his mind
becomes an emporium for the produce of
that one particular culture, and he is in
respect tc that not far removed from a
monamaniac. From the day that he is
completely enamored of the special pur-
suit it is little indeed he is good for out of
It IN hours apart from the common voda-
ton of his life. He becomes fretf;:l if for
day he is deprived OF his peculiar gratif-
cation: irritable if he joins with Others
in it who are not so skillful rs himself:
envious if he meets with rival who is
better at it than himself; and often actu-
ally sieepless in thinking and bnoding
over some event or events that have been
connected with the previous play of ven
turc. If the time at my disposal admit
ted the Introduction of detailed illustra-
ton Of the facts here referred to could
supply from experience instance upon
instances. l have seen all amateur chess
player so infatuated with the game,
which he originally sat down to as re-
taxation, that he became for months a
victim of insomnia. He carried the whole
chess board, set out IN various difficult
problems, in his brain, if may use such
smile, studied moves on going to sleep,
dreamt of them, woke with the solution
solved, was sick and feeble and
irritable all next day, followed his
usual occupation with languid ability
and interest, resumed his play at night
with excited but not recruited determine
ton, got more and more sleepless, and at
last failed to sleep altogether. | have
known more than one illustration OF
whist players, and great billiard players,
and have seen the result of these so-called
recreations end IN the most sad physical
disaster, when the pursuit of them has
been made matter of living Importance,
and when the player has ever had in his
mind that pitiful If. IF had done this
OF that; if had made that move ON the
board; if had played that card; if ]
had made that stroke, how would the
case have been?" 1t matters little what
the answer to the question may be
whether it be that by such move, caro-
or stroke, the game would have been lost
or won; the perplcxipg doubt is to an
noy, and it keeps up an irritation which
imperceptibly wears out the animal
power and does permanent injury to life
You see men, while still they are actually
young, grow rapidly like old men under
this supposed rccreative strain. The,
grow prematureIy gray, prematurel!
fixed in idea and obstinate in idea, angr,
at tribes, baVed by tritles, and, in
word, young senilities.