Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-04
YOUTHS QUEST FOR LIFE,
WHERE CAN HE FIND 1T?
Robert Hichens, Famous English Writer,
Discusses Some of the Problems
Confronting Young Folk.

wholly, o question of health. Since 7
have given up the pavements and the
chimney pots, TO say nothing OF the con-
cert rooms and the opera houses, have
become o much healthier, much
stronger man. Instead Of the almost
feverish, nervous vitality used to be
conscious Of, feel o more normal, more
steady, calmer vitality. may not 60
30 quickly as used to Co. but think
that I have much more staying power,
that can last much longer than for
merly. Riding and games have come
back into my life, and my wonder now
Is how was ever able to exist without
the solace and health golf and tennis
bring to man. And the large horizons
how much more inspiring they are
than the view OF the houses oppositel
Lifel There was q time when I felt
that It was concentrated In Kensington
High street. Long ago I have learned
| to find 1t everywhere, quite as wonder
| ftll in the country Is It Is in the town,
quite as fascinating abroad as 1t Ia ut
home, quite as mysterious In simplicity
as 1t Is In completely.
II were asked indeed to say which
are the more genuinely interesting.
| those who live habitually in great cities
| or those who live remote from them, I
think my vote would be given TO the
! latter. There Is. to me, one very tire
some trait In humanity-the monkey
element, the apparently innate propen-
| sity toward imitation Of others. Now,
this propensity is fostered and encour-
aged In cities, where men and women
live together in mobs. Imitation RACES
In towns like a pestilence. There are
conventions Of voice. Of gait. OF man
! ner, carefully observed by swarms OF
men and women. Even tricks Of phrase
| run like fire through the social circles
In 0 town. Fashion in clothes brings
enough, but fashion In speech, In
voice. In walk, in bearing, In manner,
in moral outlook Cor immoral outlook.
In expression Of thought and even in
thought itself-this Is well-nigh intol-
m great cities.
30 II seems to me that I meet the
face Of happiness much oftener away
from the chimney pots than among
them. Although there 10 so much
pleasure" provided In cities for those
who live in them habitually, very
much doubt whether Gargantuan meals
Of pleasure make for the happiness Of
those who sit at the feast.
Certainly a crowd can be jolly. The
jolIity of an English crowd gathered TO-
gether for some spsci'l purpose, to see
| q procession or a fight or foot ball
match, is prove bill and Is often exhil-
arating But what quantity OF care
| worn and mis-rcbic faces one sees in
any great cityi The sight of happiness
among the chimney pots and the pave
ments is surely the exception, not the
rule.
Through all the years that I spent in
London, was subject to fits OF intense
depression Bit when 1 ceased from
living In Tio~tion and gave nature
chance to Get ho'd Of me, really hold
of me, to my great Joy found that
was no lo~r-g subject to the black
moods In which one can see no light, no
gleam Of hope anywhere.
Natural Conditions Seem Bes&.
When I think over my life and the
many and various types of humanity
have encountered In many countries
and In four continents, seem TO real
lie that the happieSt people are those
who live in natural conditions, who
have hold on simplicity and who are
not burdened with great possessions,
and who by virtue of their situation
have never been brought closely into
contact with what I may call the
dresssd-up life.
If you want to see discomfort 60 to
Deauville in the height of the season,
or to the gambling rooms Of Monte Car
10 In March, or to the casino at Cannes
in the same month, or, indeed, TO any
| favorits haunt Of the monde on Ion
s'amuse. There discomfort stares you
in the face under the lamps, peers at
you out of almost every limousine that
passes by. But go among those who
work--ir1 my opinion no habitual idler
Is really happy--whose work does not
almost totally separate them from ma
ture and who live in conditions as little
artificial e. possible, and you will often
look into the bright eyes OF unself-
conscious and careless happiness.
| The London sparrows may twitter
merrily enough among the chimney
pots, but for ecstasy one must 60 to the
lark. Happiness lies rather In simpli-
fication than In complication.
That, at least, Is one mans view.