Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-26
PURSUING PLEASURE.
Bessie Bramble Finds a Great Deal Of
Truth in Pessimism.
VANITY OF THE SUMNER OUTING.
A Rambling Discourse in Which Some
Bright Quotations Appear.
SHATTERED IDOLS OF THE GREAT
WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPArcH.I

SHATTERED IDOLS OF THE GREAT
WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPATCHI
The philosophers of the school of pessim-
ism all endeavor to prove that love is an
illusion and happiness a delusion. The
broken ideals, shattered idols, ruined hopes,
troubles and disappointments of this life 90
far to confirm this conclusion in many
minds. History" says one writer, sis the
best witness to the reasonableness fpessim-
ism." From the days of Job down, the
evil and misery and suffering that prevail
in the world form the factors in a problem
that most perple1es mankind. The enjoy
ment of the senses, the continuance of hap
piness, an immunity from suffering, fill
their idea of state that is never to be
reached in this world
People who are poor imagine that wealth
gives everything, but those who live in
palaces and fare sumptuously every day
know what trouble and suffering are, as well
as paupers. Victoria, though occupying
the highest throne In Europe with the
wealth of England and the Indies to draw
from to keep her comfortable, has had
enough trouble to convert her to the belief
of the Grecian philosopher that fate has
power to break up the fondest hopes, and
intercept the richest blessings.
Examples Among the Nobility.
Not all the wealth of Russia and absolute
power of sovereignty can make for Alexander
bed Of roses, or grant to him a night of
sweet repose. Nor can her proud position
give to Dagmar, the Czarina, relief from
constant anxiety and fear of misfortune
close at hand. Poor Elizabeth, of Austria,
breaking down with grief over the awful
death of her son and her domestic infelici-
ties and Empress Frederic, whose marriage
to noble man had given her all the joys of
love, and who, on the edge of her ambitious
hopes, lost all by the death of her husband
by malignant disease, have certainly reason
to know that high position, wealth-all that
the world deems good-are, as ecclesiastes
puts it, ''of no profit under the SUM- in the
face of calamity.
Who that contemplates the life of Lin
coin, whose youth was given to unreIenting
toll, whose manhood was marked by domes-
tic sorrow, whose years in the high position
he attained, were made joyless by the
griefs and distresses of the Civil War can
fail to feel and understand the spirit of his
favorite poem: ooh, why should the spirit
Of mortal be proud?" Writers tell us that
Henry Clay died of broken heart caused
by disappointment and defeat. Daniel
Webster's last years were darkened by the
''discord between his aspirations and facts
and his humiliations at the hands of his
friends Roscoe Conkling's proud spirit
was humbled to the dust by the ingratitude
of those he had trusted. Blaine with all
MS brilliant talents has never "got there"
and now, with shattered health probably
realizes that
The world can never give
The bliss for which he stgha
while Harrison prondly
Seated in the White House,
he representative of the greatest nation in
he world-does not find the unclouded hap
oiness his heart desires, and doubtless feels
he spirit of the old verse Of Isaac Watts:
Oh, could we make our doubts remove,
These gloomy doubts that rise,
And see the Canaan that we love
With unbeclouded eyes!
Then poor Mrs. Harrison, with all her
lonors, has her trouble with the bores, her
niseries over the papers, and that crowning
orrow of only six bedrooms in the White |
1ouse, and the doubt of not having them |
TeIy mucu lOuScr, Il tue hepuDllCdnS
hould take a notion to nominate Blaine or
Mckinley, or an unexpected tidal wave of |
Democracy should plunge the administra-
ion into dark despair.
High and low, rich and poor, young and |
Id are compelled to realize sooner or
ater that imam was made to mourn"
Zouth is filled with the loveliest visions of |
he future. The ships are to come in laden |
With every pleasure and delight. But chill |
ren have their sorrows, defeats and ruined |
opes, and feel them as keenly perhaps as |
10 their elders. Stories come through the |
apers every now and then of children COM
hitting suicide because of failure in their
tudies, of despair over some deeply felt |
rouble, or some over-mastering terror. The
ecords of the times turn with suicides from
love committed by those who,
0 all appearance, had all the world before
hem.
What the Young Expect.
But the young are in the main full of
ope. Whatever of hardness and darkness
ne present gives, they are persuaded and
aught that bliss is to be found in the
1ture. This is a reading age, and
he novels which assume to give pictures of
fe are the mental food of young readers.
he girls find the lesson in these that as
DON as they meet their hero, and courtship
; followed by marriage they will realize
be happiness of which they have dreamed
D long. But they soon find that happiness
as intangible in that state as any other
he lesson for the boys is that they must
lake love, and be liable to fits of distrac-
on and jealousy. and withal, make money.
o become a millionaire is to reach the
1mmit where they can enjoy life and get
i the good there is in it. But
are no more happy than
her men. Cutting coupons and
-awing dividends seem to be a most
and delightful occupation to the
en- who are struggling with small salaries
I'd big families, but they do not protect
en- from Bright's disease, or gout-from
ring wives, dissipated sons, or the insecu-
ties of life.
The e1aggerations of romance do much
scontentment to the young. Would it
1t be b tier to teach them on the plan of
r johnson who says: $50 large part of ]
imam life passes in state contrary to our
ltural desires, that one Of the principal ,
pics of moral instruction is the hearing of
lamities; and such is the certainty of evil =.
at it is the duty of every man to furnish
e mind with such principles as will en- ;
lie him to bear it with decency and pro-
iety."
The Regulation Orthodox Teachings.
But with all the evil in life it is a duty, say ]
e preachers, to think upon your mercies; {
reflect that, as Adam sinned, all are ,
lder condemnation and deserve worse than i
ey get; to remember that whatever there !,
to bear might be worse. They fail to tell
that, owing to sin, this world is wilder i
IS of woe, a vale of tears, ga feeting show |