Year: 1872

1t is the habit to dcclaim against
an idle life, and to assert that man
must do something. Of course he
must; but there is Il great deal to do
in being idle. l am not speaking OF
foolish idlers. Believe me, a man
with fair faculties and the power to
be idle is sure to become superior
to man in business possessing
similar faculties. First Of all, the
man who is allowed to do exactly as
he likes, pleases himself and is
pleasant to others. If he has pref
ty wife, he takes time to look at her,
and notices the bloom on her cheek
and the wave of her hair. She
naturally wishes to be seen to ad-
VANTAGE, and comes down to break
fist rather late, it may be, but smil-
ing and well dressed. The lazy
man reads his paper slowly, as it
should be read; he halls with de-
light the announcement of a new
book, and talks of it to his wife;
when he is gone to lounge at his
club, she reads it, and is able to
talk over it contents with him when
he comes home. Idle people are
the first to notice the budding green
leaves, and heartily to welcome
them; in fact, treasures of all kinds
are heaped no for their special en-
joyment, which they can leisurely
admire. The world is theirs. The
man who can vary his pursuits, and
has time for cverything-for him
self, for his wife, for his children,
for his fricnds-alone understands
what it is to live. Why should we
rush through existence at such a
pace? Hurried people complain
that they are not happy. They
should stoop and pick up every
crumb of happiness that lies in their
way, instead of forever Fastening
forward and pining for what they
have not. We should profit by the
little we all possess; pause and en-
joy it at rest. Man was never in.
tended to be the mere machine he
makes himself. l have quite a
tender feeling for idle people. Is
not cozy chat pleasant? Is not a
lounge amusing? And drive OF a
ride at all odd hours, and a nap
when it is too hot, are not to be
despised. l love the society OF
those who have no aim, who are
contented to live, to gossip, and to
be goodtempercd. On the day
when all men will he in business
there will be no more artists, no
more writers, no more clever people
no such useless beings. Society
is impossible without idle people.
1t is they who constitute society's
charm, because they live only for
amusement, and make it an art to
please and tlatter; they have time to
listen to the witty sayings, and to
prepare the joke that will enliven
the dinner-table; they may sit up
till the small hours, and not be
haunted with the thought of being
forced to get up early the next
morning. Idle people occasionally
bore themselves, and, therefore,
bend all their energies on the one
thought Of how they can best be
amused. Business men and women,
who always find the day too short,
have no need Of anything to make
it pass away; it slips through their
hands and only leaves them a little
richer. What then? Well, l make
an earnest appeal to my readers not
to lose the art of being idle. The
idle woman, remember, has time to
be useful. She alone is true mem
Der Of society; she alone can be a
loving and attentive wife and a
watchful mother; she alone can be
an agreeable friend and a patient
listener; she alone dresses we'll,
flirts well; she alone will peruse
these lines; and in her l contide.-
Home Journal.