The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1895-06-06
Anticipated Delights.
From the Baltimore SUM-

From the Baltimore SUM-
Imagination furnishes mankind
with enjoyments less real, perhaps,
but as keen as any that comes to us
through the senses. For this reason
one sometimes enjoys the anticipa-
tions of pleasure more than the
pleasure itself; nay, Imagination may
make the reality disappointing. To
guard against this the imagination
should be held in check by reason.
The pleasures of anticipation will
will not then be so real as if imagi-
nation had been allowed to run riot;
but, they will be continued in the
realization instead of being made a
source of disappointment. Those
who enjoy keenly, suffer keenly; the
happiest people are those who keep
such control over themselves as to
maintain nearly equable tempera-
ment. From the moral standpoint
it is desirable that such an attitude
should be preserved, for those who
enjoy greatly or suffer greatly are
under grave temptations to gain hap
piness or escape misery at any cost.
An unduly keen enjoyment of the
pleasures of life nourishes selfish
ness, with all it's attendant evils.
The man who surfeits himself with
the qualification of his desires, what
ever they may be, is like one who
drinks to excess. He saps bis moral
nature and becomes such slave to
appetite as to make any sacrifice for
its qualification, ultimately reaching
that condition where further enjoy
ment is impossible. On the other
hand, the man who puts restraints
upon himself sacrifices pleasure for
duty, permits his Imagination no
liberty, to play no tricks, but exam
ines even anticipated pleasures with
the cold light of reason, is fitted for
long-csntinued enjoyments, keeps
his appetite under control and finds
no difficulty in resisting temptation
because he has accustomed himself
to sacrifices. So
Imagination is like an extra sense,
subjecting us to sensations of both
pleasure and pain. When uucon-
trolled by reason it may rob us of
real joys by picturing them SO as to
make them disappointing realty, or
it may bring to US fancied misery, as
in melancholia, by equally extrava-
giant and false picturing of the woes
to which we may be subjected. It
would be unwise, however, to re-
press the imas in .tion altogether.
That would be like stopping the ears
to shut out discords, thus depriving
ourselves at the same time of the
charms of music. The imagination
should be nationally employed and
cultivated, SO that it may be able to
present 10 us truthful, not distorted
pictures, whether pleasurable or
painful. Then it becomes a good
servant and does not rob us of real
pleasures by contrasting with them
in fancy more highly colored visions.
Nor will it then mislead us morally
by arousing in US such strong love
OF selfish pleasures as to make rs
unmindful of the obligations of duty.
Oar whole criminal system needs
in the interest of law and order, to
be completely revised, or, rather, re-
constructed de novo. For ten years
the States has urged this important
work upon the Executive and the
Legislature, and We have, in recog-
nizing the magnitude of the work,
suggested that, properly done, in the
interest Of society it would be cheap
at cost of a quarter of a million of
dollars.
Look at the results OF the present
system. With honest and capable