The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1892-02-29
NEVER SATISFIED.
Discomfort THE POWER THAT
PUSHES US UPWARD AND ONWARD.
one Step In advance Encourages Man
kind to Try for Greater Advance-The
Problem of Progress Into Which the
Thoughtful Man Sees Deeply.

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Eager, enthusiastic. and sanguine
people always expect to feel unbounded
satisfaction in the actual possession OF
that which they strive for. The boy
longs to be a man; the youth Graves in
dependence; m looks forward to mar
riage as his ideal of bliss, another yearns
for wealth; one covets position, another
power; one hungers for knowledge, an
other for skill; one signs for opportunity
another for ability Whatever be the
goal of their ambition, they believe that
to be the one thing without a flaw, the
one thing which is to insure their hap
piness and in the possession of which
their enthusiasm is never to grow cold
and their happiness never to fade.
When this goal is reached, and it Of
ten is, how are these sanguine expecta-
tons realized? Is the mind content and
satisfied? Is the pleasure unsullied? Do
the glowing colors continue rs bright as
beforeY Does their buoyancy receive no
check? They have gained their point,
they have secured what they desired
but have they realized what they antici-
paTed? Has the success been SO very
5uccessful after all?
Probably most Of those who have had
these experiences will have to confess
that while in the first flush of posses
sion all was joyful excitement, yet in a
short time that feeling gave way to IA
calmer and more dis ,assionate view Of
its value. Certain flaws and defects
that would have been utterly secuted
became apparent; it grew to be a COM
monplace and ordinary possession, and
however unwilling they might be to
part with it, yet it was no longer upon
that, but upon other things still out Of
reach that their interest and enthusiasm
were centered.
Mr.. Philip Hanlerton, speaking of the
present attitude of the French people
toward Il republican form Of govern
ment. gives an apt illustration Of this
truth. He says The republican senti-
ment, though resolute as to the preserva-
zion OF republican forms, has certainly
become wonderfully cool The cOOineSS
Of the young men Is especially remark
able and significant. They are mostly
republicans. it is true, and have no b.
lief III the possibility of a mOnarchical
restoration. but the more intelligent Of
them see the difficulties and the defects
Of a republican government very plain.
ly. and they have u tendency to dwell
upon those difficulties and defects in a
manner that would astonish the militant
republicans Of the past. This composed
and rational temper is the state of mind
that comes upon all Of us after the set
tied possession Of an object, and it is a
sign Of possession" Most of us can cite
Instances to match this both in public
and private affairs nearer home.
The chief point to be considered, how
ever, is whether this result is or is not to
be deplored. Some regard it among the
bitter experiences Of life, showing mere
~ the transitOry and shallow nature of
all happiness and the futility of all
hopes. "Of what use is it," they say.
Ito strive and labor for hat which
when attained, loses its power of bless
ing and cheering us? Why
an enthusiasm that must fade away
and hold Up an ideal that is presently to
be trOdden under fOOt?' So they sink
into peSsimism and come to believe that
all is vanity and vexation Of spirit. But
the thoughtful and intelligent MAJ sees
far deeper into the problem than this.
lie has discovered that in this very
truth, held 10 be so mournful, lies the
kernel Of all progress.
All the rose colOred hopes that we in
dulge, all the attractive future spread
out in such fair proportions to our inn
aglnatlOn, lure us on to energy and ef.
fort. What does it matter that we en-
aggerate its importance, that we expect
impossible effects from it, that all its de
tects and disadvantages are entirely hid
den from our sight? Were it not so, how
much Of orr striving would come to an
end. And when we attain these Oh
lcctS, what more natural than that, the
excitement of pursuit being over and
the tension of mind relaxed, a callnness
of spirit should follow and an ability to
Judge of its excellences and it's disad
vantages more dispassionately and more
correctly
Suppose the enjoyment Is less keen
and the satisfaction less complete thar
we had anticipated Should the mere
pleasure felt in success be the main OBJ
Ject of orr striving? Satisfaction indeed
can only be Il transient emotion TO an
intelligent n advancing man or WON
an Were II a permanent condition of
mind there could be no further progress
Take, for example. the youth who
longs for Il higher education and tries.
through many obstacles, to obtain 1t
At length the opportunity comes, and
MS wishes are crowned with success
Yet his delight, at first very keen grad
ually subsidies into n calm serenity
He comes by degrees to understand
the meaning of his opportunity, its diff
its sacrifices, its labor and the
field of hope and aspiration which
II opens up He no longer rests satisfied
with the opportunity for which he Ionged.
his enthusiasm now takes another
form, his hopes are raised to a higher
level; his energies are engaged III taking
Of the fortunate occasion
and he now looks with equal earuestness
10 the time when he shall have finished
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