, 1892-03-03

KIND To Try for Greater Advance@The
Problem of Progress Into Which the
Thoughtful Man Sees Deeply.
Eager, enthusiastic and sanguine
people always expect to feel unbounded
satisfaction in the actual possession of
hat which they strive for. The boy
longs to be a man; the youth Graves in
dependence; n looks forward to mar
rage as his ideal of bliss, another yearns
for wealth; one coyets position, another
power; n hungers for knowledge, an
other for skill; n signs for opportunity,
another for ability. Whatever be the
goal Of their ambition, they believe that
to be the n 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 as bright as
before7 Does their buoyancy receive no
check2 They have gained their point,
they have secured what they desired,
but have they realized what they antici-
pated2 Has the success been so very
successful 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 a
calmer and more dispassionate view of
its value. Certain flaws and defects
that would lave 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 Hamerton, speaking of the
present attitude of the French people
toward a republican form of govern
ment, gives an apt illustration of this
truth. He says: THE republican senti-
ment, though resolute as to the preserva-
ton of republican forms, has certainly
become wonderfully cool. The GOODNESS
of the young men is especially remark
able and significant. They are mostly
republicans, it is true, and nave no bo-
lief in 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 a 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
ly 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 that which,
when attained, loses its power of bless
ing n cheering us? Why encourage
an enthusiasm that must fade away
and hold up an ideal that is presently to
be trodden unde foot?' So they sink
into pessimism and come to believe that
all is vanity and vexation of spirit. But
the thoughtful and intelligent man sees
far deeper into the problem than this.
He has discovered that in this very
truth, held to 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
a~gination, lure us on to energy and eff
fort. What does it matter that we ex-
aggerate its Importance, that we expect
impossible effects from it, that all its de-
fects and disadvantages are entirely hid
den from our sight? We're it not so, how
much of our striving would come to an
endl And when we attain these OBJ
jects, what more natural than that, the
excitement of pursuit being over and
the tension of mind relaxed, a calmness
of spirit should follow and an ability to
judge of its excellences and its disad-
vantages more dispassionately and more
correctly.
Suppose the enjoyment is less keen
and the satisfaction less complete than
we had anticipated. Should the mere
pleasure felt in success be the main OBJ
ject of our striving? Satisfaction indeed
can only be a transient emotion to an
intelligent and advancing mar or wom-
an. Were it a permanent condition of
mind there could be no further progress.
Take, for example, the youth who
longs for a higher education and tries,
through many obstacles, to obtain it.
At length the opportunity comes, and
his wishes are crowned with success.
Yet his delight, at first very keen, grad
ually subsidies into a calm serenity.
He comes by degrees to understand
the meaning of his opportunity, its diff
c~ulties. its sacrifices, its labor and the
new field of hope and aspiration which
it opens up. He no longer rests satisfied
with the opportunity for which he longed;
his enthusiasm now takes another
form; his hopes are raised to a higher
level; his energies are engaged in taking
advantage of the fortunate occasion,
and he now looks with equal earnestness
to the time when he shall ave finished
his course and begun the life work
which he has planned
And when that time comes he will go
through the same experience. His glad
enthusiasm will be transferred to a still
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