New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-13
NOSTALGIA.
, MEDICAL. IOlrKNAI. CALLS IT CATS
COMPLAINT. A PURELY SELFISH ONE

~ Mtl'I' 81. I'N N.H|NI' '''i'''''
COMPLAINT. a PURELY SELFISH ONE
From The London Lancet
There il, a rnalady which boasts Of "A learned
annexation compounded of Two rI''h VIZ"
I'M which - better know by hoh'll'f anu
Ear NOR expressive. name IN the vcrnd, uItr
and vet although this bnoWIidI ulS"iu'' !. W
scribcd IN the dictionaries as - V'n.t'"", ~, ho.
rirn aff.ctinc tho physical health IL HS
not been assigned place III IN" nome m'I''u' ,
Of diseases for which the I"yi tUtts. -
Physicians of London IS Responsible. "' I"r.
too that homcsCkn"Ss II lmI'INl"uS I" Nus
is nevertheless IN the highest degree aWchahe
ia treatment might CT'dIbly seem t. sun luI
Their Justify IT'S Inclusion ia the oh' i'i Ei"SS''
az the Oh natural shocks that HcSh ~ hcli u"
with regard To- the ctIologY of tins unqudllh'd
c,,nI.Iaiut thorr still remain several points re-
uuiriur clucidatiun. albeit ~ It's genesis no
bacillus Is concerned. nor for It's adequate dag
uosis is there any need Of either microscope VI
test tuEcs. =,
shortly stated the essential factor in tho pro
durtiou Of nostalgia Is an environment differing
from that amidst which tho affected person
uaseod his or her early DAYS. When TINS Is the
case some Intangible influence ~ L'h'' atcu
which reacts upon IA, victim, but Just az nap
p.ns in many official maladios, there must hfSt
Le innate rccrptivitv or prepare dn'ss OF sou
ON the part Of the individual VINO su'culHpS
This receptive state Is favored hy at least three
separate things race. education ana 'r,hp,'a-
rncnt. but Of these pr"dlsp"sing causes the IdSt
rosscescs less power than either OF the oth'tS
C.,.r,s uarIbus uhlcgmatiC subjects are NOR
nkcl, e. cxpcrcuc. hom"sickucss thin thcir
saupuiuc compc'rs. \ tendency I" u'Sp"lu
without sufficient cause undoubtedly subs'rN's
toward nostalgia but ardent enthusiastic r'"-
ulc who continually look forward VINO never
are. but always appear To be, hI,SS'd nav nv
advantage II advantage il be ot remaining I''i-
mime Education or, rather. the want oi II, u
more poteut than tcmpcramont the trend "l
civilization. which II equivalent 10 'du''''""
being distinctly IN thu direction OF c"Sin"p"lI-
tanism Tho deeper the ignorance. the fudrr th'
n. urtI u "A
exists the greater the probability "h'H exposed
to it's innucnc, ~ his acquiring nostalgia.
ia Gilbert Islander from Terra del fH'Io TOT
instance wcr, 10 b, transported to IN" com
r,ratiyc uaradisc Of tho Gilbert Islands ia the
Pacific ocean which have been described az a
cluster 81 pearls hung upon tn" equator ne
would very likely hc~al his nara Iot ana pune
FOR his own Indictment and inh"Slithh' wider
mesa. and IT, H. Ike manner a fd'ihc Gllb'rtldf
were 10 De- promoted 20. say. Pail Mall -"hch.
without wishing 10 speak unexpectedly OF the
equator. Wc maintain to be the more d'sirabc
Of the two-hc also would no doubt soon break
his heart longing for tn, delights Of his sweIter-
Ing hut H. Micronesia.
Anglo SaXons and their Celtic brethren vary
their manners and customs while abroad 10 n
less extent probably than p"opi" OF any other
nationality ard yet In spite of this they make
the best colouists. To IA" Celtic Anglo SaNoi,
IN, word Home" Is ful, Of the tcndcrcst and
sweetest meaning, IN no other languag" is there
n term that fully corresponds with II in breadth
and depth Of Specification. Take the French
chez sol for example. How narrow In COMPARE
eou how unuttrrthly selfish c"ntring tn"
whole interest in tho individual, whereas
Home" implies the Importance Of others AZ
well Tho expression. "a solitary homc,' is
sometimes used but the user must be either
thoughtIoss OF an iEuoramus. II not both such
an anomaly as a solitary home Is impossible. II
becomes den If not prison. BE II ever 50
humble there's no place like home" and assur-
eddy whoever breaks W on. wilfully IL guilty or
an objectionable sin
There is no human being In existence who can
auprcciatc the charm Of "A home more exquisite
" than the Celtic Anglo Saxon, and yet he is
L. be met with in every corner or the world.
He loves his own native place beyond words.
but ne can endure enforced eXpatrlation with
out giving In to nostalgia. The fact IL. he recog-
Mes the futity OF kicking against the pricks,
and 80 makes his mind ny to sacrifice a portion
OF his lifc or even, If the worst comes to the
worst the whole Of It. He looks upon qucrulOus
repining as "A weakness unworthy Of "A man.
and having been denied home at home by
fate ne ~ strong enough t. accept the incvi-
table with a good grace. For nostalgics W" must
turn to some other tribe. When all Is said they
remain "A narrow minded crew, whose mental
processes run in grooves They may call their
falling 10y the high sounding name of patriotism,
but such il is not. Nostalgia is cats com
plant "a purely selfish disorder. whereas love
Of country can flourish nyWh"rc. and takes no
account of itself And so. after all, our masters
in medicine are perfectly right. Nostalgia is
rightcousy excluded from list OF the shocks
that Anglo Saxon flesh is heir To.