The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-07-16
A NEW CULT.
The Way "Leisurist" Would
Have Us Live.

q practice, and it is only fair to myself
to add that my disapproval is not based
upon the selfish ground cited in the
proverb. Still, there are times.
For instance, you are in the most
comfortable chair by the best window
at the Monogram club. Two men come
and plant themselves on sofa within
six feet of your back. Is it your duty
to leave your favorite chair and win
dow Just to avoid overhearing an i'm
personal conversation which happens
to interest you? didn't.
$50 you have given up the law,
Ralph? Why, the last ! heard you
were doing SO well. Fine growing
clientele, and all that"
The voice belonged to one of my fell
low members, whom knew slightly.
YES" replied the other, evidently a
visitor, shat was just the trouble. |
was too successful. Ny work had be-
come almost combining. It's nearly a
year since cut it. Let me see; you've
been in Chicago for over two" :
Great Scott, mani" cried the first
speaker. "Too successful! What do
you want?"
Leisure, principally" said the
stranger. And 1 heard him strike a
match.
"But how do you ever expect to
amount to anything?"
Don't, from your point of view; and,
what's better, don't want to-"
"W-ell!"
"You see, Ned, I'm not bit in sym.
pathy with the progressive spirit OF
the age. think lot of it has been
progress backward, and when it comes
| right down to the real philosophy OF
living, we're not in it with our old
friends the Athenians. Our only idea
of amounting to anything is to scratch
gravel every day from morning till
night as long as we can drag ourselves
to our workshops; and our idea of sue
cess is mainly to make a heap o.
money. Nobody but the slaves in ole
times worked as we do, and they just
did it because they had to. No ration
al free Greek or Roman would have
dreamed of leading such life for any
motive-let alone such an elusive one
as ours"
Pray what do you calculate to sub
stitute for work?'
Leisure" -A~sRaax.a .r
"And starvation?'
mot at all. Now here's my logic in {
few words, you old Philistine The
great desideratum is to do as yo,
please-as nearly as possible-and fol
this leisure is an absolutely necessary
prerequisite. Therefore leisure mus
be the first aim. On the other hand
it is evident that if you do as everyon,
else does, you won't have any tru,
leisure-none at ALL in fact, unless yo,
steal it from the hours you ought tt
give to rest in order to brace You VI
for another day of toll. But why d,
you work so hard? To make money
Why do you want money? All, yes; t.
live comfortably, to amass fortune
to retire finally and enjoy yourself, t.
be somebody. If your being some
body depends on the verdict of othe
people, or if even your own verdict i
based upon how much money you have
| don't think such a somebody is mucl
of anybody. The real somebody is tn
NAH who marks his life out on tru
philosophic lines, and lives successful
ly the life he has marked out. TIL
reason money has been taken as
touchstone is because it's the easies
thing for the vulgar to estimate. An
idiot can measure a mans success b.
the number of dollars he is said t
have, or by the swell he cuts on then
but it takes more intelligence to mea.
ure by how happy or how wise or hoy
virtuous or how honorable a man il
Therefore the vulgar count the dollar.
and as the vulgar majority rules i
these days of democracy-rabbleocracy
the Greeks would have called it-why
there you are. Besides, remember
even if you do sell yourself into slavery
the chances of buying back your free
dom, and retiring and enjoying your
self, and of being somebody in you
old age are less than problematicaI
The sensible man doesn't enslave him
self in order to be ultimately free. II
just stays free"
But how about living comforts
bly?"