Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-11-24

unless he has the means Of carrying
them out Without health all efficient
work that counts is likely to be impos-
sible. There are illuStriOuS exceptions,
of course. Pope, the poet, was a frag-
lie invalid. Lord Nelson was delicate.
Samuel j. Tilden, a man of power in
his day in America, was exceedingly
delicate. Francis Parkman, the splen-
did American historian, was martyr
to racking diseases, and yet left
monument to his fame more lasting
than brass. Genius works according
to a law of it's own, and there are
thousands of instances of physically
weak men who have been endowed
from birth with a certain greatness of
soul and with mental and nervous en-
ergy; but for ordinary men in such
world as this" the rule Is to safeguard,
train and strengthen the human ma
chine if the performance is to result in
a worthy product.
In the modern time there has been
a great advance i'm the treatment of
man, the animal, and there is begin
ming to be widespread recognition
of the vital Importance of making the
temple worthy of the spirit enshrined
in it. Preparatory schools. intelligent
ly conducted, are now Introducing
compulsory gymnastic hours, which
are just as much a part of their regu-
lar curriculum as the arithmetic or
history or English lesson; and who
shall say, in the light of experience
and of modern knowledge of the rela-
ton of body to mind and of mental
health to bodily health, that the right
condition of the body is not of more
importance than any one thing in a
curriculum, Or perhaps than all put
together? For what shall it profit IA
youth if he know the 40 tones Of Ar
istotle and all the new science if he
is to break down at 3O with Il helpless
family on his hands, and remain Il
burden to himself and to others the
rest of his life?
Parents are much to blame in that
they do not place the right stress on
health for their children. They are
nightly disturbed about the neglect Of
the English lesson or the arithmetic
le sson, when no attempt is made to fill
out that sunken chest or to straighten
those stoop shoulders, or to enlarge
that heart and that frame which is to
carry tie burden in after years.
Health is the vital principle of
bliss" People hunt eagerly for happi-
ness but if they recognize the facts
they would know that the neglected
health in youth and early manhood has
taken from them the means of happi-
ness which would Overtop all the kinds
of happiness which they are seeking
50 passiOnately. Keep your heart up
and you'll do" says Stevenson, and an
essential foundation for keeping the
heart up is to see that it is strong
motor ready to do its work. Much of
the discomfort, misery, envy, hatred and
unhappiness of the world is due to i'll
health, or to that detected apathetic
state which permits of scarcely toll
cradle existence, and it is melancholy
to think that this Unconditional state
of men is due to causes which may
be readily prevented. The enlightened
people of tomorrow will confidently de-
clare that much of the illness and peev-
ishness of the world which is occa-
stoned by preventable causes is i'm
moral, and that ito do all in our pow
er to win health and to keep it is as |
much our duty as to be honest"