New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-21
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
woNEN,S WORK AND WORRY.


THE TECHNIQUE OF REST. BY Anna c. Bracket
o4mo, PIP. 17s. Harper Brothers.
Miss Bracketts pretty little volume Is addressed 10
the large contingent OF who pass their lives l"
"a more less advanced state OF worry. III Is iui Vi
excellent advice; OF that good advice WHICH, rs 'e
philanthroplc author has not forgotten, eVer9DouS
gives, everybody asks for, and nobody takes Inc
restlessncSs OF women In this hurTylne' "o'rsi"e
period many respects but reflection OF 'he rest
Iessness Of men, and before applying topical remedies
or paliatives il is necessary TO ascertain the iea s'
cause Of the complaint. Miss BrHcNe''s "'N''
cultivate restf spirit is undoubtedly good but much
of the prevailing restlessness Is born Oh Posi'i'' III
ability to do that very thing. Arunchh.y eh'ei' %
largely into the conditions Of modern life That In many
cases the capacity to be natural seems 10 "ni'e u
onneored Now ms ever, overwork Is 1ofmoao'e
cause OF women's restlessness. and oVef"orA may
come from the pursuit OF pleasure no less ."'" nun
the cares OF the household The od-iashoiea iai
wifs was nearly always overworked, ana no uo1o'
teamwork even at present Is heavy burden 10 'hou
sands ~ women But this Is not because the "o"eh
Who suffer fail TO take right way with thcr WORK.
q * because the work Is more than any "oah ou7"'
IN be called upon to undertake.
I,ore again we arc confronted with the invincible
tarer OF necessity Things so, not because people
n,fer them that way but because their means are 100
restricted TO give them any choice In the matter ii
oil women understood and had the will force to practise.
the technique of rest, the fact would sun remain .a'
for the majority everywhere the unaVOllabie "orh
I'm excess Of the physical strength applicable 70 IT,
This being the case the feminine constitution ana
particularly the nervesysem suffers and it does not
appear feasible to cultivate spirit OF restuhess 80
long As these conditions endure OF course this does
mot apply 10 the really small minority whose restless
ness is caused by Wild pursuit oil peasuie' SUI"
people are the drones Of society," and since no neVe
sity forces suffering upon them but only variety au
srivolitv their state give little concern to any
al il
QUESTION is the inevtableneSs OF the burdens uhder
which so many women lose all the enjoyment and beauty
OF life. Yet here it is probable that some Ieiie
might he procured were 1t not for the vanity OF ap
pearances which enslaves so many, and when appears
10 be deeply rooted in poor human nature
Advice such as is given in this volume Is doubtless
calculated to appeal to most women. though whether
many can or will take it is quite another question
But let Us listen moment TO Miss Bracket "he'''
she observes, you cannot compass TIL You nave
secured harmony of the internal and external condl
lions OF your own life, whatever that life may BE-
The question is always which of these conditions you
can change. may be possible, of course. that boh
are capabe OF modification. II So the problem be-
comes more complicated. II. however. YOU decide
after a careful review of all the outward circumstances
that they cannot be altered then your task to mould
your own mind into harmony with those conditions
Truly. this may be termed "a large order" As
concrete example. suppose take the case of a
woman who has TO gain her living, ard perhaps also
the living of three children. by sewing sloIe
work. Her external conditions are incapable If
modification. business competition determines that
question. 1t also ordans that pain Of starvation
the worker shall of her life labor to the
limit Of endurance. and that her material sustenancc
shall be the very upon which life and the
ity to 60 on working can be maintained. How. in
such q case, is the first effort TO be made to change
the internal conditions and to enter the pathway
which leads to Rest
For women circumstanced thus-and there arc
perhaps a quarter of million Of them in NewIork
alone-what are the opportunities for cutvating a
resful spirit Try TO imagine the mental condition
Of the poor creatures who have - work fourteen or
sixteen hours a day diet. for the most part. OF
such circumstances. Of the question and IL is T.
be feared that this is the OF course il NAV
will be that Miss Brackets technique of rest" is
not intended to apply to such extreme cases: but 1t
will have to be conceded that the extreme
so sadly numerous to call loudly than the
moderate for whatever ameoration Of their
condition may be possible Women who are suff-
GENTLY educated, and have leisure enough to enter
upon ply steal and psychological experiments cannot
be regarded among the most poignant sufferers. In
many instances their sufferings the result Of
habits unconscously formed. and their external
dtons elastic enough to exert compelling pres
upon their lives. II they possess wLforce to
break their injurious habits they can do So and thus
eva themselves Of Miss Brachets suggestion.