The Washington herald., 1907-11-26
THE OPTIMEST.

There comes into the mind OF most men
who are not willing 70 accept life day by
day and be satisfied with the good OF the
present hour; who, thinking about life as
whole-theIr own lives in particular p
find themselves face 10 face with a mys-
tery that is impsnetrabie, a fine frenzy in
which IL seems that the soul reaches ont
beyond the stars and is lost in a maze OF
solemnity and immensely How the poets
have fought among themselves trying 20
md an adequate definition Of life. To
some the very wastness OF the subject has
brought humility; to others the impossl-
bility of determining life has driven them
to railing and sneeTing or affecting 70
despise as Macbeth does when he cries:
Lifeis but walking shadow; a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: il is tale
told ~ an idiot. fun of sound and fury.
ssnfying nothing.
Opposed 10 such a view Of life I ike 10
place the fine utterance OF Frances Anna
kemble:
A sacred burden is this life ye bear;
Look on j.. lift IL. bar il s0lcmuly.
stand up and walk beneath 10 steadfasty.
But onward, upward. tin the goal ye win
Behind US there is an eternity; before
Us there stretches the inhnite-between
the two-about which we can only specu-
late, and hope-there stretches the brief
span Of life. 1t is forced upon US. God
asks no man whether he will accept life.
Il is not a question of choice. the only
choice we have in the matter is how we
shall accept IL As George William Cur
lis said
Life is the acst thing VIC can possibly make of It,
u - duh and dismal aud heavy If a man Loses his
temper; Il Is glowing With promise and satisfaction
AZ hc Is not ashamed q his emotions.
Nor Is it permitted us. If we are 10 live
hopefully, joyously. and usefully. to think
ci life merely rs a thing 20 be endured
Many OF the old poets spoke Of IL as an
Inn Seneca said. Born for a very brief
space of time. We regard this life as an
nan which we are soon 10 quit. that il
may be ready fer the coming guest" q
saying which evidently Influenced Fitz-
gerald IN his translation Of the Persiln
Omar.
lis but a Test whore sakcs his one dsv-s rest
A sultan % the realm u death adirest.
me Sultan nses and the DARK Fcmsh
Strihes and prepares IL for another Elest-
II is because we are passing through
life 10 new eternity that IL becomes a
solemn business into which a man must
put all that is best Of heart and soul and
Elind and be careful 70 keep out blighting
III II life were a permanent thing. Il
seems 10 me that 10 would be rather a
soTry business. In that case. the greatest
need We should know would be 10 procure
food and clothes and covering from the
weather. and these once procured. what
hope could then remain2 Do we fear
death2 / think not, DO We not rather
look 10 u as the elimination Of all our
enceayors and strivings and hopes?
Death s the privilege of huusn nature:
Ana me without II were not worth or taking.
Ifiiiler the Door the pris ner and the mourner
Fly tor relief and las their burdens down.
No; life is warfare. and ne who is
determined % live life sanely and 10 see
u whole viii find himself every dav. nav.
every hour. at battle with the forces
within himself that would lead him away
from the paths that lead straight and
fairly 10 the goal Life is but another
name for action. and he makes life most
bcara5le and happy who runs the race
determined 20 do the best that in him lies
and leave the issue with the God who
made him. As Montague said,
Life in itself is neither sood nor evil. il is the
scene q good or evil as you make r. and I ycu
have lived long day. ycu have seen all one day
, equal and Ike al other days there is 10 ether
lsht, no other night This very SUM- this moon.
thes- rey stars this ycry order ana revolution a
tlngs. are al the same Your ancestors euj1yed and
mat shall also entertain your pCsterity.