The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-01-13
PLEASURES INNOCENT.
REAL PLEASURE IS 10 DO
RIGHT.
Strike the Happy Mean.

Strike the Happy Mean.
BY LADY COOK, NEE TENNESSEE c.
CLAFLIN.
The pursuit of pleasure is universal
instinct throughout all animated ma
ture. The love of pleasure is as much |
natural appetite as the love of fcs d.
we may safely assume, therefore, that
it's qualification, when nationally In
dulged, serves some useful and import
ant purpose. All enquiry not only
confirms this, but shows that pleasure
is a necessity, morally, mentally, and
physically. If this be SO, the asceticism
which condemns all pleasure is as inn
moral as it Is foolish.
Our desires seek a great diversity OF
objects. These may be worthy or un-
worthy, and our methods of attaining
them right or wrong. But the end
proposed is pleasure, and frequently
its mere pursuit brings about modifi-
ed qualification. There is wide dis
tinction, however, between pleasure
and happiness, because pleasure may
be virtuous or vicious, whereas hap
piness necessarily consists in the form
er. Socrates beautifully described hap
piness as ''unrepented pleasure" And
/ it must be self-evident that the pleas
ures which need no repentance are
those alone which are worthy of attain
ment. Prudence is their basis. The
great founder of the philosophy OF
pleasure, Epicurus, the most abused and
most misunderstood of the Greek sages,
said: Gail other virtues grow from
prudence, which teaches that We can
not live pleasurably without living
Justly and virtuOusly, nor live Justly
and virtuously without living pleasure
bly,"
Unfortunately, the religious" have
frequently denounced all pleasure, con
founding the evil with the good, and
many poets and philosophers have
followed in their wake. Thus -Cowpel
writes of 1t as "That reeling GOODIES;
with a zoneless waist" Another says
"And pain and pleasure e'er shall be
As Plato saws in cOmDany.
Receive the one, and soon the Other
Will follow to rejoin his brother"
What real pleasure is, the celebrated
TillotsOn In one of his sermons partl,
, informs us There is great pleasure
, in being innocent, because that pre-
vents guilt and trouble. 1t is pleasan
to be virtuous and good, because tha
} is to excel many others it Is pleasan
to grow better, because that is to exec
J ourselves. Nay, it is pleasant even t
mortify and subdue our lusts, becaus
3 that is victory 1t is pleasant to com
mand our appetites and passions, ant
> to keep them in due order, within tn
> bounds of reason and religion, becaus
, this is a kind of empire-this is t
govern"
Dl Our desires and tastes are so numel
i. Gus, that our pleasures should be a
t most numberless, yet we obtain fe'
: through want of prudence, or throug
senseless prohibitions. That deligh
Q full old egotist, Montaigne, said
n "There is no just and lawful pleasur
8 wherein the intemperance and exces
g is not to be condemned. But, to spea
; the truth, is not man a most miserab
u creature the while? It is scarce, b
+ his natural condition, in his power
If taste one pleasure pure and entire an
n vet must he be contrivlng doctrine
% and precepts, to curtail that little (
Q has he Is not yet wretched enough VI
ss less by art and study he augment h
ID own misery. Human wisdom max
q ill use of her talent, when she exc
cises 1t IN resembling from the numb
and sweetness of those pleasures, tn
are naturally our due, as she emplo
it favourably, and we'll, In artificial
Disgusting and tricklng out the ills
d life, to alleviate the sense OF thei
n Nature has with a mot
a. erly tenderness observed this, that Il
il actions she has enjoined us for o
of necessity, should be all pleasant to
ve and invites us to them, not only
of reason, but also by appetite; and 1t
VA Injustice to infringe her laws"
~ In these busy days, when men a
n. women, and too frequently childr'
% are worked at high pressure, the nc
ha of pleasure becomes the greater.
re suitable and properly enjoyed. it is
IL