Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1882-01-14
REGENERATION.

The fact is established that the more
one sleeps the more one wants to sleep, it is
an appetite that grows with what it feeds on.
In like manner, the less one does the less ole
cafes to do, and perhaps the most natural
thing in the world is for a man who has begun
to succumb to the climatic influence, who is
surrounded by ndolent or luxurious compan-
ions, who has few opportunities for the cxer-
else of his physical and mental faculties, who
is in short retrograding to hasten tho inevita-
BILE end and lie dormant the rest of his days.
There are few who will deny that the eli
mate of Hawaii, attractive as it il, hides in it's
apparently gulcless beauty, ali element which
is demsralizng. 1t is as dangerous AS seduc-
tive. 1t and does in some cases poison
bracing breezes of less favored cimes chafes
ut first under the placid monotouy of island
life, hc anon finds that it is not so difficult to
do as the Hawaians do and that is, take things
easily and "let tho gentleman in the next room
walk the floor"
That sufficient unto tho day il tho evil
thereof is amply exemplifcd in the unevent-
ful routine into which we have, everyone of
US, naturally and easily fallen. There is,
there must be, preventive and an antidote
for this unfortunate tendency aud it's very
serious consequences; there must be life
which, if faithfully and conscientiously lived,
will keep the brain fresh and active, the body
vigorous and young, 1t war SO in tho old
days before the Hawaians had thrown aside
their national customs and only partially
adopted those which were alien, and few Of
which seem well suited to their temperament
or their physique. The heroic games which
were their glory; the athletic sports which
bred in them love OF strength and grace and
brought them nigh to physical perfection, have
unhappiy been discountcnanced and the ma
tionul decadence has been 80 rapid AZ to
threaten the extinction of the race.
Very little Ia ting good can be accomplished
for the Hawaiians until there is better material
to work upon; they must be reused from their
lethargy and this can only be achieved through
the old channels. Let them revive their an
cient sports; let them be encouraged in those
leafs OF strength and agility which once would
have done credit to the arenas Of Greece and
Rome.
When the spear throwors and the suri-
riders have come to the front again, there will
be hope for the race. The recent revival of
the interest in gymnastics among our citizens
isa very hopeful sigu. The surest way of
ministering TO u mind diseased is to build up
the body. When riding and boating parties
have become regular institutions. when crick-
ct aud baseball and lawn-t tennis ars the
order Of the day, when men and women, old
and young, 10 as regularly to the gymnasium
and tho calisll,enic hall AZ they so to their
dinner iables-when literary gatherings, read
ing clubs, debating societies and private lheat-
ricals have become the rage instead of being
the exception, there will be nothing to fear
from climate which invites repose aud dis
courages exerton; for ihe mind aud the body
will have awakened to = new life and this