New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-09
PAIN AND YORK.
From The SPECTATOR.


IL pain is not very continuous or OF a kind TO eN,
haust the physical energy, and If the sufferer has
apart from the pain. constitution which is mol
easily upset, everybody VIII agree that there u
nothInp i'm paIn to prevent mans doing great deal
of work especially If II Is work done on hobby, OF
i'm occoriance with some strong natural taste. OF
course a great deal depends upon circumstances
and also upon the degree OF the pain. Ii would not
be easy to get work requiring minute research out
of a sufferer whose eyes were half-blnded by neu-
ralgla though the pain was not continuous noi
out of the young Catholic lady referred TO in Pro-
teus and Amadeus, who had to endure incessaht
earache. The sufferer and her friends used TO pray
that she might have one half hour of and
natural sleep before she died but the prayer was
not granted. and she passed away from this awful
world with her young hair white, simply exhausted
with the pam, which, however. we infer was not
extreme but only continuous. 1t Is impossible To
remember the story without deep emotion But
take another. When DIR. Arnold was reused by
angina pectOris on that dreadful morning he eI-
pressed. his and Others in the strong language
OF Christian resignation, his deep anktuness for
this first experience of severe bodily pain bu. in
few minutes he asked the doctor if the spasms
likely to return, for if they did, he feared he should
not be able to bear them. This also, from man
like Arnold. is deeply affecting. Nobody would say
that acute weighted suffering like this. or dull pro-
lOnged pain like tnat young ladys, could be favor
able TO work. And, of course, though pain may DO
endured-may even be welcomed-as discipline, il
would be absurd To treat 1t rs IN itself good thing
We all want as little of " as we can have; aud
even If paroXysm of suffering does no worse than
take up time, It cannot speaking absolutely, DO
heipful thing in life of effort
Meanwhile, the list OF great workers who have
been great sufferers also is in the memories Of all Of
us. These bright cases. however, and those OF men
who have worked, and worked JoytullY and well. on
then death BEDS need not lead us into erroneous in
ferences 1t may be taken certain that uneasi-
ness and mere weakness are much more unfavoraDla
to work than many painful maladics. Ii any man
who wanted To work hard to morrow-especaly il
il was to be work of the BRAIN of whatever kind,
the brain-sprng being bound to wind itself up rs
often rs neceSSary--were asked tonight whether he
would be rather stned to three hours sleep, and 20
thrnu
hours tonight. and have three hours Of moderate
toothache tomorrow, he would be wise to choose
the long rest and the pain at all events If he was
past his youth. Probably ali the world would agree
that nausea or the languor of jaundice. a
hlndrance TO work than pain. TO such things
these may be added the deep-seated, massive dis
comfort. almost GENERALIZATION or dlsorganzation.
produced, not only in valetudinarians but IN some
strong persons OF peculiar temperament by bad
weather. Not even an enthusiasm Is enough TO
overcome this. George Sand was strong woman,
but she said her love of nature at once way TO
cold and this means more than the temporary sup
preston of taste pleasure IL implies of course,
tue temporary paralysis OF those springs OF activity
which are intertwlned with the sensblties that go
to make what is called love OF nature. Rahei, on
the other hand, was yactudlnarian. She wrote,
Nothing is to important SO real, as weather.
T am convinced that one day il will become a
science and shall then be able to compound
weather as we now do medicine" Such weather as
we have had in plenty during the last four or five
quite as much work as 1t does pleasure. and moro
crops than grow on tho ground. On the whole, We
shall find. upon study Of the recorded cases, and BY
that unless pain is COM inuous or exhausting, or
unless ID brings with 1t some special disgust OF
humiliation. 1t does not hinder halfspoh either
the enjoyment or the activities of life so much az
weakness does. or those peryading and penetrating
forms of uneasiness which leave no unembarrassed
intervals, and call for frequenG screwing-up OF
the pegs. Troubles Of this order leave no chance
for wholesome dissatisfaction, aud they spoil
closeness Of aim.