Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-12-29
CHAPTER VII.
SIMPLE PLEASURES.

n pressing, and | fear that my
ion is not altogether personal. AS
sserye the lives of my contempo-
rs and listen to their talk | find
|alf unhappily confirmed in the
ION that they do not get much
Bure out of things. And certainly
not from lack of trying. But it
II be acknowledged that their sue
is meager. Where can the fault
kne accuse politics or business,
Is social problems or militarism.
Inject only an embarrassment of
Re when we start to unstring the
let of our carking cares. Sup
we set out in pursuit of pleasure.
Re is too much pepper in our soup
bake it palatable. Our arms are
with a multitude of embarrass-
Is, any one of which would be
Egh to spoil our temper. From
hing till night, wherever we go,
people we meet are hurried. wor-
preoccapied. Some have split
! good blood in the miserable con
of petty politics; others are dis
tened by the meanness and jeal-
| they have encountered in the
Il of literature or art. Commercial
petition troubles the sleep of not
ew. The crowded curricula Of
n and the eXigencies of their open
careers spoil life for young men.
working classes suffer the conse-
Ices of a ceaseless struggle. 1t is
lining disagreeable to govern be-
b authority is. diminishing; to
b, because respect is vanishing
frever one turns there is matter for
Pntent.
ia yet history shows us certain
hs of upheayal which We're as
ing in idyllic tranquility as is our
but which the gravest events
mot prevent from being gay. 1t
seems as if the seriousness of af-
!. the uncertainty of the morrow,
! violence of social commissions,
etimes became new source of
5ity. 1t is not rare thing to hear
ers singing between two battles,
3 think myself nowise mistaken in
hg that human joy has celebrated
3nest triumphs under the greatest
| of endurance But to sleep peace
on the eve of battle, or to exult
be stake. men had then the stinl-
of an internal harmony which
[erhaps lack. Joy is not in things;
i'm us. and | hold to the belief that
causes of our present unrest. of
1 contagious discomfort spreading
Ewherc, are in us at least as much
exterior conditions.
give oneself up heartily to diver
lone must feel himself on a solid
must believe in life and find it
En him. And here lies our weak
So many of us-eyen, alas, the
ger men are at variance with
hnd ! do not speak of philosophers
How do you think man can be
bed while he has his doubts wheth-
$fter all, life is worth living? Be
/ this, one observes u disquieting
ession of vital force, which must
Etributed to the abuse man makes
Is sensations. Excess of all kinds
BLURRED our senses and poisoned
Faculty for happiness. Human ma
fsuccumbs under the irregularities
Used upon it. Deeply attainted at
pot, the desire to live, persistent in
] of everything. seeks satisfaction
beats and baubles. In medical sci
we have recourse to artificial res
tion, artificial Authorization and gal
SIN. So. too, around expiring pleas
I'VE see j crowd of its yotaries ex-
Eg themselves to reawaken it, to re-
bate it. Most ingenious means
been Invented; it can never be
that expense has been spared.
rything has been tried. the possible
the impossible. But in all these
piicated alembics no one has ever
|Ted at distilling a drop of veritable
We must not confound pleasure
B the instruments of pleasure. 70
b painter, does it suffice to arm
Ielf with a brush, or does the pur-
'e at great cost of a Stradiyarius
e one a musicianl No more. if
fhad the whole paraphernaIia of
|sement in the perfection of its in
hity, would it advance you upon
road. But with d bit of crayon
great artist makes an immortal
oh. 1t needs talent or genius to
It; and to amuse oneself, the facul-
# being happy whoever possesses
amused Mt slight cost. This facul-
S destroyed by skepticism. artificial
IL, overabuse; it is fostered by con-
ace. moderation and normal habits
bought and action,
4 excellent proof of my proposition.
one very easily encountered. lies
he fact that wherever life is sim
and sane true pleasure aceompa-
it as fragrance does uncultivated
-ers. Be this life hard, hampered,
Did Of all things ordinarily consid-
as the very conditions Of pleasure,
rare and delicate plant, joy. -four
s there. It springs up between the
s of fba navas,,an4 IN an arid wall