Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-03-03

most numberless, vet we obtain few
through want Of prudence, or through
senseless prohibitions. That delightful
old egotist, Montague, said: There
is no just and lawful pleasure wherein
the lntemperancp and excess is not to
be condemned. But. tospeak the truth,
Is not man a most miserable creature
the while? It Is scarce, by his natural
condition. in his power to taste one
pleasure pure and entire; ana yet must
he he contriving doctrines and precepts
to curail that little he has; he is not
Vet Wre;cheG enough unless by art and
study he augment his own misery.
Human wisdom makes i'll use Of her
talent, when she exercises it in rescind-
ing from the number and sweetness Of
those pleasures, that are naturally our
due, as she employs it favourabIy, and
we'll, in artiticially Disgusting and trick
ing out the ills Of life, to alleviate the
sense of them Nature has
With a motherly tenderness observed
this, hat the actions she has enioined
Us for cur necessity, should be also
pleasant to us, and invites us 10 them.
not only by reason, butaIso by appetite
and il is injustice to infringe her laws. )"
In these busy days, when men and
women, and too frequently children,
are worked at high pressure, the need
OF pleasure becomes the greater. If
suitable and properly enioved, it is the
salt Of good morals, keeping them sound
and sweet; the medicine of the mind,
and the refresher OF the body. Even
harmless folly may occasionally promote
wisdom. AS Horace said: "'Tis good
It's good at times to play the fool" To
live and enjoy life, has been affirmed to
be not only the fundamental but the
most ilIustrious Of our occupations.
Montague, whom we delight to quote,
says: Have you known how to med1-
tate and manage your life; you have
performed the greatest work of all.
For man to sheW and set out himself,
Nature has no need of fortune; she
equally shows herself in all degrees, and
behind a curtain as well as without one.
Have you known how to compose your
manners? You have done a great deal
more than he who composes books.
Have you known how to take repose?
You have done more than he who takes
cities and empires. The glorious
master piece of man is, to know how
to live to purpose; all other things-to
reign, to lay up treasures, and to build,
are at the most bat little appendices
and little props"
The storm puritanism of old, which
occasionally breaks out still, even in
County Councils and Petty Sessions,
put the ban upon many innocent pleas
ures, and interdicted any semblahce of
them on Sundays. The people were
Taught by their spiritual guides that to
look upon the green fields and running
brooks was Sabbath breaking," and
that misunderstanding was of equal
turpitude with drunkenness and for
nication. Thus their moral and re-
llg0Gs ideas became confused, and they
were driven to revolt against all res
traints, on the principle that one may
as well be hanged for a sheep as lamb.
A Saturday night hymn for children
commenced: "Haste, put your play
things all away, tomorrow is the Sab
bath day" A stanza of another, sung
IN infant schools, went;
owe must not laugh on Sunday,
But we may laugh on Monday,
On Tuesday and on Wednesday,
On Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Till Sunday comes again"
In regard to the question Of opening
ihe Crystal Palace on the Sunday, "The
Record" which describes itself as
"LiberaI- Conservative" and the organ
of Low or Evangelism Churchmen,
said, fory-fve years ago: "It is surpris-
ing that any animal, with head of a
higher order than q Chimpanzee
should pronounce it innocent to open
place for public worldly amusement on
the Sabbath" 1t is through influences
such as these that hypocrites-young
men and old-haye been manufactured
in mu!titUdes, and that crime and i'm
morality are unwittingIy promoted.
The crying want Of the time is more
abundant means OF Sunday recreation
and of cheap and harmless evening
pleasures for the toiling millions when
their weekly and daily tasks are done.
The narrowness of Standardization
should be repudiated by all who lay any
claim to intelligence. A cheerful spirit
and a love Of wholesome pleasure
should be encouraged through life. Nor
should we be too squeamish IN our dis
The eve that sees notes
often suffers from beam. The same
pleasures are rot suitable for all, yet
all may be suited And the man who
invents a new pleasure is undoubtedly
a public beneiactor. But whether we
are old or Young, rich or poor, ignorant
or learned, or occupy middle station,
as the Old moralist said: ''WithaI, let
us be gay and sociable."
OMIT 0E TWO WAYS