The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1886-10-15
AMERICANS A NERVOUS PEOPLE.
Causes Which Account for Such q Con.
dillon Of Things.Our Pleasures.

Causes Which Account for Such q Con.
dillon Of Things-Our Pleasures.
Disguise 1t us we may, the conviction b
forced upon us that We are u nervous people.
There are many causes which may account
Tor this. The constant change of circum-
stances individual responsibility and irregu.
lar climate conditions are no doubt largely
responsible for this condition of things Do
sides this, the political atmosphere of our
| government IL constantly changing. In lands
where the tyrant flaunts IN la?plc, where
constitutions are never altered or amended,
where the traditions bcQucatacl rYo:a re to
son dominate all as" irations fer c newer and
better order Of things. there is rot r.uch OPP
portunity for the display of any qualities ex-
cept those negative ones that sap the springs
of national life and make mems ri 'cas in
idleness. But here, where every iaaa. SO to
speak, Is a law unto himself, where old forms
are constantly changing, giving place to the
new, and where allegiance to parties is not
permitted to interfere with the recognized
necessity for fresh methods of government,
the pace is one which often tells and becomes
noticeable, not in a deterioration of power,
but in waste Of those vital energies viii III
make tho exercise Of that power continuous
Another trouble with us is that, as the cele-
brated English wit said of his countrymen,
they took their pleasures sadly, so we take
our work seriously; especially when we are
dealing with little things put such heavy
load in our spiritual guns that when we fire
them Off we are injured by the recoil. We
would aim cannon at a mark which is only
worthy of pistol shot.
The truth of the proverb that the child Is
father to the man is seen in this connection
every day. The African baby has about it
preternatural solemnity and looks at every
thing musingly and wonderingly The Amer
lean baby, Oh the other hand, is vociferous in
all its expressions of joy and sorrow 1t cries
more vigorously than any other; it breaks its
toys with more enthusiasm; it kicks against
actual and ideal pricks NOR, Enormously and
when the man usurps its 90 Lo follows the
same fashion with adult -. On the stock
exchange he worries be ;,,aJ he sold out too
soon or too late; in the ore he frets because
the price of merchnndis has been affected by
some political struggle; !. the pulpit he chafes
because his sermons arc !ot so good as those
that be preached last y,ar; in the study he is
worried because some O her author has caught
the breeze of popular favor.
And in this constant waste of nervous force
the man is largely aided because of the char
1890 -
and he is careless not only of health but Of
money He does not learn by experience, a.
men would in some quiet and easy going COM
The failure of to-day. instead of
giving him caution, only inspires him to the
performance of some greater deed. And so
10 draws on his reserve power, until at last,
when his mental notes have gone to protest
md he is forced to sit down and check his
balances, it is too late to retrace his steps, and
lie falls into physical and spiritual bank
uptcy. Not alone are men guilty of this; so
re women. They string themselves up to
oncert pitch; they are superlative in every
hing; they exaggerate trif1es; their streams
re raging torrents; their molehills are noun
aims, and they age and wither before their
lime. The recklessness with which all tread
he paths Of modern life is seen every day; it
lights the fairest hopes, it casts a shadow on
he brightes landscape; and unless wisdom
nd moderation come to the rescue it is GER
ain to end in sorrow.-Philadelphi Record.