The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-11-11
THE KERNEL OF NATURE.

Thefe are 80 many ways ut Hlihihb
wreck of this perilous' gift of llfel
little too strenuous or a little too weak
a little too hot or littlo too cold,
little too fast or little too slow, little
toa severe or little too lax, and we are
undone. so nice an adjustment seems to
be needed to bring our lives to anything
like success and decent termination. so
delicately are We balanced, as 1t were,
on the very brink between sweeping cur
rent and relentless eddy. An overhaul
physique, and all your splendid attain
ments of mind and lofty ambitions are
brought prematurely to the ground. Or
again, stout and hardy endowment OK
body, and you may be undone by some
unconquerable habit.
Yet the great world moves on. Even
our own small ME proceeds. For whether
1t be to nature or success, the first need
of being is endurance-to endure with
gladness II we can, with fortitude in any
event. This is the core of life this ia the
kennel of nature. How then shall we con-
tIive to keep always near that central
truth, the progress OF exlstenceE HOW
| shall We manage TO share the glau
strength of the earth, in spite OF pain, and
danger, and sorrow, and bitter disappoint-
ment? Ii is not quite enough to be
stoical. Or, perhaps one ought to say, II
is too much. For the stoics, one feels,
were inclined to shut up the doors OF the
heart against the great currents of pity
and love- They hardly kept a welcome Tor
Joy; and when pleasure visited them, they
were unprepared to make him at home. 1t
seems there was too stubborn and mega
tive blend in their philosophy. To be
stoical and nothing more is to be stolld'
Whereas surely one should grow anu
change, be happy and sad, with changing
and growing nature; and one should not
always live indoors at the center OF ones
self, but occasionally come to the entry
of being to meet ones friends, to take the
air OF existence, to look abroad on the
hills and valleys of existence. One should
not be unconscious of mood, in short
, Yes, mood is necessary; mood Is gooc
, and helpful; and anyhow VI is unacceptable
He who defes 1t is a rash man and IA
from wise 1t is only by taking advantage
of mood, of the mysterious, uncharted ant
invisible tides of the spirit, that we shall
ever make any successful ventures upoI
I the deep sea of life, or bring our Graf
I safely to port at last Whether in art, o
in science. or in the affairs of men, h
who works with mood will be more sue
e cessful than he who works without II
7 AS for the mistaken man who sets MIN
d self to an accomplishment in defiance O
o his mood, time must teach him his owl
n folly. He is like the daring and rebellion
e child who has never heard of the expires
sion Dec volente, but purposes this o
that, untempered by restriction, ignoran
of fortune, defiant OF fate.
to Aaha of
70 as there was an insanity of duty An un
,e Ainchng observance of duty, unmodife
10 by any other idea, by mercy, by love, b
'e gentleness. by generosity, might readil
"a lead to almost inhuman hardness. Tn
~ devotee of duty may become an unlovel
y and pestiferous mOnomaniac. a burden
IL himself and an infIcUion to others. Tru
u / have never felt any immediate danger {
II this sort yet the case is supposable. An
ID We all know how angular and sour an
ut uncomfortable fanatic can be. 1t maj
ID tiers not whether he is a religious fanat
a or a free thinker, his inordinate dev(
Is tion to his one conception OF life Is
nuisance. He Is so stiff -necked that
can not see anything outside of his ow
pasture. The beautiful Elasticity of hi
man nature at its best seems to have bee
al left out of him.
n And while we wait upon mood, we mu
on fire, good servant, but an evil maste
ks Have all your hopes and plans come
ground in a day? Has sorrow knocked
your door? Has circumstance filled yo
on most generous wish? Still there Us th
GU life to be lived, and road OF fortitude
as be followed. Wait not upon returnil
,ri mood for your happiness, but set forwa
at once. Perchance then the mood W
II, follow you, with sunny face. If not, ST
a., there Is the satisfaction Of the stoics, a
- your part in the work of the universe "
., not have been sighted. And rightly a
Ine simulated, adversely Chat bitter toni
10 may yet yield health and "a smiling cou
ne. tenance. And at last we may attain
les measure of nobility of character, so tn
mood will follow us like a patient slst
and we shall be feeble slaves of h
n, caprice no more.
a To sorrow, to misfortune, to anger,
". hatred. do not give way. Have, IL pos
''e BILE, a sane rule OF conduct and adhere
that gladly. For without adherence
some line of progress. how shall we he
n for anything but drifting discomfort
mo us keep mood but as a servant. and
val ms keep huty--as a servant, too.
~ greater than either is the free spirit
"'' man bliss Carmau