Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-02-02
CHAPTER VII.
gIAPI.E pIFAEURES.

these daySI For my part, on
j the whole, 1t seems rather de-
H. pressing, and | fear that my
opinion IS not altogether personal. AS
/ observe the lives of my contempo-
rarles and listen to their talk I find
myself unhappily confirmed In the
opinion that they do not get much
pleasure out OF things. And certainly
1t is not from lack of trying. But it
must be acknowledged that their sue
cess is mcager Where can the fault
bei
Some accuse politics or business,
others social problems or milltarism.
We meet only an embarrassment OF
choice when we start to unstrlng the
chaplet of our carking cares. Sup
pose we set out in pursuit Of pleasure.
There Is too much pepper in our soup
to make 1t palatable. Our arms are
filed with n multitude Of embarrass-
mcnts, any one of which would be
enough to spoil our temper. From
morning TIL night, wherever we go,
the people we meet are hurried, wor-
ricd, preoccupied. Some have split
their good blood in the miserable con-
flcts of petty politics; others are dis.
heartened by the mcanness and jeal-
ousy they have encountered In the
world of literature or art. Commercial
competition troubles the sleep Of not
n few The crowded curricula OF
study and the exigencies Of their open
ing careers spoil life for young men.
The working classes suffer the conse-
qucnces Of a Ceaseless struggle. 1t Is
becoming dsagreeable to govern be-
cause authority Is diminishing; to
teach, because respect is vanishing.
Wherever one turns there Is matter for
discomfort.
And yet history shows us certain
epochs of upheaval which were as
lacking In Idyllic tranquility as is our
own, but which the gravest events
did not prevent from being gay. 1t
even seems rs If the seriousness OF af-
fairs, the uncertainty of the morrow,
the violence of social commissions,
sometimes became n new source of
vitality. IT Is not rare thing to hear
soldiers singing between two battles,
and think myself nowlse mistaken in
saying that human JOY has celebrated
Its finest triumphs under the greatest
tests of endurance. But to sleep peace
fully on the eve of battle, or to eXult
Mt the stake, men had then the slim
illus Of an internal harmony which
we perhaps lack. Joy Is not in things;
1t Is In us and hold to the belief that
the causes of our present unrest, Of
this contagious discomfort spreading
everywhere, are In US ut least us much
as In exterior conditions.
TO give oneself up heartily to diver
sion one must feel himself on solid
basis, must believe In life and find 1t
within him. And here lies our weak
ness. So many of uS--even, alas, the
younger men - are Mt variance with
life, and do not speak of philosophers
only. How do you think man can be
amused while he has his doubts wheth-
err, after all, life Is worth living? Be
sides this, ono observes n dlsquietinG
depression Of vital force, which must
be attributed to the abuse man makes
of his sensations. Excess of all kinds
has blurred our senses and poisoned
our faculty for happiness Human ma
turc succumbs under the Irregularities
imposed upon 1t. Deeply attained at
its root the desire to liye persistent in
spite Of everything, seeks satisfaction
in cheats and baublcS. In medical sci
cnce we have recourse to artificial res
pirntlon, artificial Authorization aud gal
vanism. So, too, around expiring pleas
ure we see n crowd Of its votarleS eX-
erting themselves to reawakcn it, to re
animate It. Most ingenious means
have been invented; ii can never be
said that expense has been spared.
Everything has been tried, the possible
and the impossible, But in all these
complicated alemblCs no one has ever
arrived Mt disabling drop Of verltablc
Joy. We must not Confound pleasure
with the Instruments of pleasure. To
be Il painter, docs 1t suffice to arm
oneself with brush, or does the pur-
chase ut great cost of Stradivarius
make one musician2 No more IL
you had the whole paraphcrnalia of
amusement N the perfection OF its in
gcuuity, would 1t advance you upon
your road But with Il bit OF crayon
great artist makes an immortal
sketch. 1t needs talent or genius to
paint: and to amuse oneself, the faCul-
ty OF being happy whoever possesses
1t Is amused at slight cost This facul-
ty Is destroyed by skepticlsm. artificial
living, oycrahuse; 1t is fostcrcd by con.
ildence, moderation and normal habits
OF thought and action.
An excellent proof of my proposition.
and one very easily encountered, lies
In the fact that wherever lifc Is sim
pie and sane true pleasure aecompa-
nics It as fragrance does uncuItivated
flowers. Re this life hard, hampcred,
devoid Of all things ordinarily conSid-
cred rs the very conditions OF pleasure,
the rare and delicate plant joy, flour.
iSheS there II springs up between the
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