The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1879-08-02
AT PORTLAND PRICES.
Melancholy aud HIgh Spirits.

Dane bhere mas Deen great prepon-
derance Of low-spirited men In the
world. Hypocondria is disease ST
| civilization. It cannot be said to be
| q feature Of savage life. 1t is true
the Maylay runs a muck. But he is
half civilized. Moreover, his craze
is not SO much from depression Of
spirits as from q desperate exalta-
ton. It is not easy to understand all
the phases of savage life. The more
familiar phases indicate Joyous peo-
pie. The savage of the tropics has few
cares. Nothing seems to him more
| ridiculous than the thoughtfulness
and earnestness of civilized people.
In bis estimation they are slaves to
conventional usages. Why should
they be forever at work. Why
should they go through life carrying
tremendous burdens all their davs.
when it is easy enough to recline nm
der q cocoanut tree and let the fruit
drop down as from an opening
heaven2 What is all this enigma Of
store clothes, laces, broadcloth and
gloomy houses from which the sun is
shut as if it were an enemy? Is
there to be no freedom from care in
the world? just as these men have
accumulated their millions, they die.
They could have lived happily with
out their millions; lived lives of
dreamy Incidence without thought
for the morrow, and lived longer by
many years than the average dura-
ton Of civilized life. Then as to
the food of civilized races. There
are no dyspeptics among savages.
Tbs sun and the free air of heaven
work wonders upon him. He can
cat food which would kill white,
man, and that without Inconvenience.
At the same time bis roast pig in
plantain leaves, cooked by means of
het stones in the bottom Of hole in
the ground, may be dish fit to feast
the gods.
Melancholy is the disease of civiii-
cation. In its mildest form it is sim
ply low spirits, depression, undue
anxiety touching trivial matters.
There is the harassing desire to sup.
ply the long list of artificial wants
which civilization has created. Aud
the worst phase of all is that civil.
cation goes on creating these wants.
1t cheapens many commodities, but
it inserts new desires and creates new
articles which q long time only the
wealthy few can attain. The ideal
| standard of living for thousands is to
attain as many Injuries as the rich
possess. In nine cases out of ten the
attainment of great wealth has been
made at too great cost. It has in
yolved loss of health, and the utter
capacity to enjoy it. What is chiefly
to be noted is the absence of high
spirits among the mass of the people.
Civilization ought to bring more iov-
business of life. Ths@trnuble, per
haps, is that the very manner Of Iiy.
ing is too complex. There are too
many secrets, too many burdens, and
consequently too many anxieties.
The insane asylums fill rapidly. Too
many die at just that period when
they have got ready to live. They
break down just past the period of
middle life, when the faculties are all
ripened and the individual ought to
be at his best.
This absence of high spirits is also
fatal to wit. It is not likely that
there will be an utter extinction of
witty people. But they at times be-
come SO scarce that the poorest apol-
ogy for wit is accepted in default of
something better. A writer quoted
in the Nineteenth Century holds the
following opinion:
There is now no fun in the world.
Wit we have, and an abundance of
grim humor, which evokes anything
but mirth. Nothing would astonish
Us in the Midway Inn 80 much as
peal of laughter. A great writer
(though it must be confessed scarcely
an amusing one), who has recently
reached his journeys end, used to
describe his animal spirits depre-
ciatingly, as being at the best but
vegetable spirits. And that is now
the way with US all. When Charles
Dickens died, it was confidently
stated in great literary journal that
his loss, so far from affecting athe
gaiety of nations would scarcely bc
felt at all; the power of rousing tears
and laughter being / suppose tho
writer thought) so very common.
That prophecy has by no means been
fulfilled. But what is far worse than
there being no humorous writers
amongst US, the faculty of appre-
ciating even the old ones is dying
out There is no such thing as high
spirits anywhere.
The melancholy of the educated
English is the topic of a leading
article in the same publication.
There are hints of over-edncation.
It is said that when an Indian comes
in contact with our civilization be is
q sadder man. This may be tho re-
suit of q contact with the vices of
civilization. The wits of the world
have been men and women of high
spirits. Dickens, Thackeray, and the
circle of English wits who fourished
. few years ago, were notably men
of great buoyancy of spirit. They
had found the secret zest of life.
People will go night after night TO q
negro minstrel performance, not SO
much for the music, which is gen.
orally good, as for the jokes and
repartees of the end men. They take
the medicine of laughter as hearts
ease. The apostle Of laughter is now
wanted in the world-the witty man
who can drive away the first symp-
toms of insanity, and who can keep
| q multitude of oyerburdened hearts
| from breaking. No doubt be will be
| considered an irreverent fellow, and
one to be lightly esteemed BY stolid
people. just now one may count up
all the English-speaking wits Of tho
world on bis fingers. The best of
them have the world at their beck
and call. A witty dramatization in
tho hands Of good actor viii run at
q single theater hundred nights. It
will be Just as fresh for the next
| place, as 50 keep its place on the
stage for years. The actor makes .
| fortune more certainly than be would
as an owner Of tie best gold mine.
The writer of dozen witty stanzas
becomes famous al over the world.