The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-02-24
The Bane of Habit.

Habits In little things exercise petty
tyranny which is most degrading. A man
cannot do anything without observing a
lot of preliminary forms he must have
slept just so many hours, have risen at a
| regular time, have breakfasted on beat
steak and coffee, have read one particu-
lar newspaper, have walked certain
number of blocks, before he can make
his great speech, or write his brilliant
editorial. He cannot rise to great oc-
casion. He becomes a machine. His
work may be regular and neat, but it is
soulless, cold, touched with no charm of
individuality. Such man may serve
well, but he is not fit to rule.
If, at home, he is frequently respecta-
bic, abroad he is always insuferable.
He is made so miserable by the disturb
ance of his habits in the exigencies of
travel, that he can enjoy neither scenery,
pictures nor people. Yet he prides him
self on the good habits by which he
has blunted his sensibilities, and limited
his enjoyment of everything intended by
Providence to elevate and inspire fallen
race.
But there is worse danger yet. This
subject has so long been misunderstood,
and that which is really vice has SO Of
ten been upheld as virtue, that people
have come to regard it with actual satis-
faction. This unworthy contentment is
death to intellectual growth. The mind
is hampered in thought and expression
| by mental mannerisms which it is never
taught to shake off.
In speaking Of the typical h06itu0J
person Ihave said ga man" advisedly.
Women are more rarely subject to this
vice. / do not put their superiority in
this matter on the ground of stronger
moral sense. do not wish to exalt my
own sex undeservedly. Women are
gifted by nature with greater fexibility;
and, doubtless, the ordinary circum-
stances of their lives offer fewer tempta-
| tons toward habits. We must wait till
q woman's outward life becomes as nearly
like that of q man as it will soon become,
before we should boast of her superior
moral nature. We must see whether
her freedom Of soul will stand the crucial
test of mems unnatural Irregular occu-
pations. ;"
Ii woman would be charming, let
her shun habit like pestilence and death.
When Enobarbus said of Cleopatra
cage cannot wither her, nor custom stale
Her infinite variety
he meant that she was one of those de-
lightfully spontaneous creatures who
have no habits at all. Some days,
fancy, she was very silent, and on others
overlooking with talk. When Antony
marched home late in the evening he
might be perfectly sure that the Queen
would not be upset by having her dinner
at nine instead of at six and that she
would be pleased to sit up the rest of
the night to listen to his exploits. She
probably rose one day at noon, and on
the next viewed the sunrise from her
garden.
As [ have said, one who has habits,
may be good servant, but one who
wishes to do more, must get rid of them.
A soldier, mother, q frontiersman, a
physician, or any one who has to meet
nature face to face, and work with her
forces, has nothing to do wiGh habits.
Such one must learn to bear fatigue,
heat and cold, broken sleep, irregular
and insufficient food, days of arduous
work, and days of enforced idleness.-
| C2arisS0 daa I1adiGaadDoJis Herald.