The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1902-01-23
THE PURSUIT OF
HAPPINESS.
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amount of pleasure can be had out OF
this pursuit of happiness, but passing
pleasure and happiness are two entirely
different things. One may experience
sensations of delight while striving for
an object and may imagine that when
he gets it he will be perfectly happy,
but when it is obtained he soon comes
to the conclusion that this alone will
not make him happy, but something
else little farther off-and so it goes
on. 1t is the unattainable that we
most heartily desire, and cOntentment
and happiness, like liberty, can be had
only in comparative degree.
Voltaire wrote book upon this sub
ject, intending that it should be used
as club against Christianity. Samuel
Johnson wrote his Rassellas with just
the opposite intention, showing the
futility of seeking earthly happiness.
The two books came out at nearly the
same time, and it is only this fact,
according to Boswell, that saved one or
the other of them from being accused
of copying or imitating-they were
so nearly similar. So both the optimist
and the pessimist, then, are agreed that
there can be no such thing as happiness
in this world. But surely there are
some who are happy and contented,
some one will say; there are plenty who
say they are. Or do they only believe
they are? And if they believe they are
happy, doesn't that amount to pretty
much the same thing? A man may
imagine for time that he is perfectly
happy, but only for a time; he may
succeed in making others believe for a
longer time that he is happy, but right
down in the innermost core of his
heart he knows that he is not. A man
under the influence of strong excite
ment or emotion or anRsthetics, or
alcoholic stimulants, may harbOr an
illusion that he is happy, but when his
mind returns to its normal condition
he fully realizes his discomfort and
unhappines. If after the influence
which caused this illusion is removed
he still persists in his assertion, he is
insane, at least to that extent.
Innumerable people have attempted
by artificial means TO attain happiness.
Thomas DeQuincy asks, "WhO will not
be happy when you can buy it at the
drug store by the pennywOrth? But
if his "ConfessiOns of an Opium Eater"
are criterion upon which to base
Judgment. he was anything but happy
man. The lurid phantastlc dream or
that quiet peaceful calm which comes
to one while under the influence of
opium can be only cheap limitation
of real happiness.
Chas. Lamb in his essay, the "Con-
fessions of Drunkard" shows us how
absurd it is to try and achieve happiness
by the use of alcoholic stimulants.
But do not think it is necessary to go
to Chas. Lamb for information. l
} believe there are men right here who
, could give Lamb points on the subject.
l don't think he was much of drunk
ard anyhow. Most of us know the
effect of trying to drown our troubles
: and get happiness in this manner 1t
, is all right for a short time, but the
awakening awakening the next
morning with every nerve released
from its tensiOn-the splitting head
ache-the unsettled stomach which re-
fuses to hold its customary nutrlment,
and then to try and think-have your
troubles disappeared? No-but they
seem ten times greater when you look
upon them in your shattered condition.
So we see the futility of trying to get
happines by artificial means. But, as
said before, happiness in this world can
he had only in a comparative degree.
If we can not be happy let us get what
pleasure out of it we can. ID.