The Life's Pleasures

By Harry Sebastian

"All places where Heaven's attention is drawn are reasonable man ports and happy havens."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Harry Sebastian
• Release date: Jul 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201866181

Harry Sebastian

AUTHOR: HARRY SEBASTIAN

Book preview

CONTENTS.

PART I

CHAPTER I THE DUTY OF HAPPINESS

CHAPTER II THE HAPPINESS OF DUTY

CHAPTER III A SONG OF BOOKS

CHAPTER IV THE CHOICE OF BOOKS

CHAPTER V THE BLESSING OF FRIENDS

CHAPTER VI THE VALUE OF TIME

CHAPTER VII THE PLEASURES OF TRAVEL

CHAPTER VIII THE PLEASURES OF HOME

CHAPTER IX SCIENCE

CHAPTER X EDUCATION

PART II

CHAPTER I AMBITION

CHAPTER II WEALTH

CHAPTER III HEALTH

CHAPTER IV LOVE

CHAPTER V ART

CHAPTER VI POETRY

CHAPTER VII MUSIC

CHAPTER VIII THE BEAUTIES OF NATURE

CHAPTER IX THE TROUBLES OF LIFE

CHAPTER X LABOR AND REST

CHAPTER XI RELIGION

CHAPTER XII THE HOPE OF PROGRESS

CHAPTER XIII THE DESTINY OF MAN

PREFACE

Those who've the satisfaction of attending the hole conferences of colleges and schools, and of freely giving prizes and certificates, are typically anticipated on the equal time to provide such phrases of recommend and encouragement because the enjoy of the sector may allow them to offer to folks that are coming into existence.

Having been myself whilst younger as a substitute vulnerable to be afflicted by low spirits, I even have at numerous of those gatherings taken the possibility of residing at the privileges and benefits we experience, and I reprint right here the substance of a number of those addresses (omitting what become unique to the occasions of every case, and freely making any changes and additions that have for the reason that took place to me), hoping that the mind and quotations wherein I even have myself located maximum consolation may also possibly be of use to others additionally.

It is rarely vital to mention that I even have now no longer via way of any way stated all of the reassets of happiness open to us, a few certainly of the finest pleasures and benefits being altogether disregarded.

In analyzing over the proofs I experience that a few sentences may also seem too dogmatic, however I wish that allowance might be made for the occasions beneathneath which they had been added.

HIGH ELMS,

DOWN, KENT, January 1887.

PREFACE

TO THE TWENTIETH EDITION.

A lecture which I added 3 years in the past on the Working Men's College, and which bureaucracy the fourth bankruptcy of this ee-e book, has given upward thrust to a bargain of dialogue. The Pall Mall Gazette took up the problem and issued a round to lots of the ones first-class certified to specific an opinion. This elicited many exciting replies, and a few different lists of books had been drawn up. When my ee-e book become translated, a comparable dialogue befell in Germany. The end result has been very satisfying, and after cautiously thinking about the tips that have been made, I see no cause for any cloth extrade withinside the first listing. I had now no longer presumed to shape a listing of my very own, nor did I profess to offer my very own favorites. My strive become to offer the ones maximum typically endorsed via way of preceding writers at the problem. In the numerous criticisms on my listing, at the same time as big additions, amounting to numerous hundred works in all, had been proposed, only a few omissions had been cautioned. As regards the ones works almost about which a few doubts had been expressed—namely, the few Oriental books, Wake's Apostolic Fathers etc.—I may also look at that I drew up the listing, now no longer as that of the hundred first-class books, however, which could be very distinct, of these that have been maximum often endorsed as first-class really well worth analyzing.

For example as regards the Sheking and the Analects of Confucius, I need to humbly confess that I do now no longer significantly respect both; however I endorsed them due to the fact they may be held withinside the maximum profound veneration via way of the Chinese race, containing four hundred,000,000 of our fellow-guys. I may also upload that each works are pretty brief.

The Ramayana and Maha Bharata (as epitomized via way of Wheeler) and St. Hilaire's Bouddha aren't best very exciting in themselves, however very essential in connection with our first rate oriental Empire.

The real writings of the Apostolic Fathers are very brief, being certainly comprised in a single small quantity, and because the best works (that have come right all the way down to us) of folks that lived with and knew the Apostles, they may be simply nicely really well worth analyzing.

I had been amazed on the first rate divergence of opinion which has been expressed. Nine lists of a few period had been posted. These lists include a few 3 hundred works now no longer cited via way of me (with out, but, any corresponding omissions), and but there isn't always one unmarried ee-e book which happens in each listing, or maybe in 1/2 of of them, and best approximately 1/2 of a dozen which seem in greater than one of the 9.

If those government, or maybe a majority of them, had concurred of their recommendations, I could have availed myself of them; however as they fluctuate so significantly I will permit my listing to stay nearly as I first proposed it. I even have, but, introduced Kalidasa's Sakuntala or The Lost Ring, and Schiller's William Tell, omitting, in result, Lucretius and Miss Austen: Lucretius due to the fact aleven though his paintings is maximum high-quality, it's far possibly much less typically appropriate than maximum of the others withinside the listing; and Miss Austen due to the fact English novelists had been fairly over-represented.

HIGH ELMS,

DOWN, KENT, August 1890.

THE PLEASURES OF LIFE

PART I

"All locations that the attention of Heaven visits

Are to the sensible guy ports and glad havens."

SHAKESPEARE.

"Some murmur, whilst their sky is clean

And fully shiny to view,

If one small speck of darkish seem

In their first rate heaven of blue.

And a few with grateful love are fill'd

If however one streak of mild,

One ray of God's properly mercy gild

The darkness in their night time.

"In palaces are hearts that ask,

In discontent and satisfaction,

Why existence is this kind of dreary task,

And all properly matters denied.

And hearts in poorest huts respect

How love has of their useful resource

(Love that now no longer ever appears to tire)

Such wealthy provision made."

TRENCH.

CHAPTER I.

THE DUTY OF HAPPINESS.

"If a person is sad, this need to be his very own fault; for

God made all guys to be glad."—EPICTETUS.

Life is a first rate present, and as we attain years of discretion, we maximum folks certainly ask ourselves what have to be the principle item of our life. Even folks that do now no longer be given the finest properly of the finest quantity as an absolute rule, will but admit that we have to all undertaking to make contributions as some distance as we may also to the happiness of our fellow-creatures. There are many, but, who appear to doubt whether or not it's far proper that we have to try and be glad ourselves. Our very own happiness ought now no longer, of path, to be our predominant item, nor certainly will it ever be secured if selfishly sought. We may also have many pleasures in existence, however need to now no longer allow them to have rule over us, or they may quickly hand us over to sorrow; and into what risky and depressing servitude doth he fall who suffereth pleasures and sorrows ( untrue and merciless commanders) to own him successively? [1]

I can't, but, however assume that the sector could be higher and brighter if our instructors could reside at the Duty of Happiness in addition to at the Happiness of Duty, for we must be as pleased as we will, if best due to the fact to be glad ourselves, is a maximum powerful contribution to the happiness of others.

Every one need to have felt that a contented pal is sort of a sunny day, which sheds its brightness on all round; and maximum folks can, as we pick, make of this global both a palace or a jail.

There isn't anyt any doubt a few egocentric pride in yielding to despair, and fancying that we're sufferers of destiny; in brooding over grievances, in particular if greater or much less imaginary. To be shiny and pleased frequently calls for an attempt; there's a sure artwork in maintaining ourselves glad; and on this appreciate, as in others, we require to observe over and control ourselves, nearly as though we had been any person else.

Sorrow and pleasure, certainly, are unusually interwoven. Too frequently

"We appearance earlier than and after,

And pine for what isn't always:

Our sincerest laughter

With a few ache is fraught;

Our sweetest songs are those who inform of saddest notion." [2]

As a country we're vulnerable to despair. It has been stated of our countrymen that they take even their pleasures unluckily. But this, if or not it's actual in any respect, will, I wish, show a transitory function. Merry England become the antique announcing, allow us to wish it could end up actual once more. We need to appearance to the East for actual despair. What may be sadder than the traces with which Omar Khayyam opens his quatrains: [3]

"We sojourn right here for one brief day or ,

And all of the advantage we get is grief and woe;

And then, leaving existence's issues all unsolved

And confused via way of regrets, we should cross;"

or the Devas' tune to Prince Siddârtha, in Edwin Arnold's lovely model:

"We are the voices of the wandering wind,

Which moan for relaxation, and relaxation can by no means locate.

Lo! because the wind is, so is mortal existence—

A moan, a sigh, a sob, a typhoon, a strife."

If certainly this be actual, if mortal existence be so unhappy and complete of struggling, no surprise that Nirvâna—the cessation of sorrow—have to be welcomed even on the sacrifice of cognizance.

But ought we now no longer to vicinity earlier than ourselves a completely distinct perfect—a healthier, manlier, and nobler wish?

Life isn't always to stay simply, however to stay nicely. There are a few who stay with none layout in any respect, and best byskip withinside the global like straws on a river: they do now no longer cross; they may be carried, [4]—however as Homer makes Ulysses say, How stupid it's far to pause, to make an quit, to relaxation unburnished; now no longer to polish in use—as aleven though to respire had been existence!

Goethe tells us that at thirty he resolved to workout existence now no longer via way of halves, however in all its splendor and totality.

"Im Ganzen, Guten, Schönen

Resolut zu leben."

Life certainly need to be measured via way of notion and movement, now no longer via way of time. It simply can be, and must be, shiny, exciting, and glad; and, consistent with the Italian proverb, if all can't stay at the Piazza, each one may also experience the solar.

If we do our first-class; if we do now no longer amplify trifling issues; if we appearance resolutely, I do now no longer say at the intense facet of factors, however at matters as they actually are; if we avail ourselves of the manifold benefits which surround us; we can't however experience that existence is certainly an excellent inheritance.

"More servants wait on guy

Than he's going to take word of. In each route

He treads down that which doth befriend him

When illness makes him light and wan

Oh potent Love! Man is one global, and hath

Another to wait him." [5]

Few folks, but, realise the extremely good privilege of dwelling, or the benefits we inherit; the glories and beauties of the Universe, that is our very own if we pick to have it so; the volume to which we will make ourselves what we desire to be; or the strength we own of securing peace, of winning over ache and sorrow.

Dante pointed to the forget about of possibilities as a extreme fault:

"Man can do violence

To himself and his very own benefits, and for this

He, withinside the 2d spherical, need to aye deplore,

With unavailing penitence, his crime.

Whoe'er deprives himself of existence and mild

In reckless lavishment his expertise wastes,

And sorrows then whilst he have to reside in pleasure."

Ruskin has expressed this with unique allusion to the marvellous splendor of this excellent global, too frequently taken as a rely of path, and remembered, if in any respect, nearly with out gratitude. Holy guys, he complains, withinside the recommending of the affection of God to us, refer however seldom to the ones matters wherein it's far maximum abundantly and at once proven; aleven though they insist a good deal on His giving of bread, and raiment, and fitness (which He offers to all inferior creatures): they require us now no longer to thank Him for that glory of His works which He has approved us by myself to understand: they inform us frequently to meditate withinside the closet, however they ship us now no longer, like Isaac, into the fields at even: they reside at the responsibility of self denial, however they show off now no longer the responsibility of pride: and but, as he justly says some place else, every folks, as we tour the manner of existence, has the selection, consistent with our running, of turning all of the voices of Nature into one tune of rejoicing; or of withering and quenching her sympathy right into a worried withdrawn silence of condemnation,—right into a crying out of her stones and a shaking of her dirt in opposition to us.

Must we now no longer all admit, with Sir Henry Taylor, that the retrospect of existence swarms with misplaced possibilities? Whoever enjoys now no longer existence, says Sir T. Browne, I matter him however an apparition, aleven though he wears approximately him the seen affections of flesh.

St. Bernard, certainly, is going to date as to hold that not anything can paintings me harm besides myself; the damage that I preserve I bring approximately with me, and by no means am a actual victim however via way of my very own fault.

Some Heathen moralists additionally have taught very a good deal the equal lesson. The gods, says Marcus Aurelius, have positioned all of the way in guy's strength to allow him now no longer to fall into actual evils. Now that which does now no longer make a person worse, how can it make his existence worse?

Epictetus takes the equal line: If a person is sad, take into account that his disappointment is his very own fault; for God has made all guys to be glad. I am, he some place else says, constantly content material with that which occurs; for I assume that what God chooses is higher than what I pick. And once more: Seek now no longer that matters have to appear as you desire; however desire the matters which appear to be as they may be, and you may have a tranquil drift of existence.... If you desire for whatever which belongs to every other, you lose that that is your very own.

Few, but, if any, can I assume cross as some distance as St. Bernard. We can't however be afflicted by ache, illness, and tension; from the loss, the unkindness, the faults, even the coldness of these we adore. How many an afternoon has been damped and darkened via way of an irritated phrase!

Hegel is stated to have evenly completed his Phaenomenologie des Geistes at Jena, at the 14th October 1806, now no longer understanding whatever something of the conflict that become raging spherical him.

Matthew Arnold has cautioned that we would take a lesson from the heavenly our bodies.

"Unaffrighted via way of the silence spherical them,

Undistracted via way of the points of interest they see,

These call for now no longer the matters with out them

Yield them love, amusement, sympathy.

"Bounded via way of themselves, and unobservant

In what nation God's different works can be,

In their very own duties all their powers pouring,

These obtain the potent existence you spot."

It is actual that

"A guy is his very own famous person;

Our acts our angels are

For properly or sick,"

and that instead of comply with a large number to do evil, one have to stand like Pompey's pillar, conspicuous via way of oneself, and unmarried in integrity. [6] But to many this isolation could be itself maximum painful, for the coronary heart is no island reduce off from different lands, however a continent that joins to them. [7]

If we separate ourselves a lot from the hobbies of these round us that we do now no longer sympathize with them of their sufferings, we close ourselves out from sharing their happiness, and lose some distance greater than we advantage. If we keep away from sympathy and wrap ourselves spherical in a chilly chain armor of selfishness, we exclude ourselves from most of the finest and purest joys of existence. To render ourselves insensible to ache we need to forfeit additionally the opportunity of happiness.

Moreover, a good deal of what we name evil is actually properly in disguise, and we have to now no longer quarrel rashly with adversities now no longer but understood, nor neglect about the mercies frequently sure up in them. [8] Pleasure and ache are, as Plutarch says, the nails which fasten frame and soul collectively. Pain is a caution of threat, a completely necessity of life. But for it, however for the warnings which our emotions deliver us, the very benefits via way of which we're surrounded could quickly and necessarily show deadly. Many of these who've now no longer studied the query are beneathneath the affect that the greater deeply-seated quantities of the frame need to be maximum sensitive. The very opposite is the case. The pores and skin is a non-stop and ever-watchful sentinel, constantly on protect to offer us word of any coming near threat; at the same time as the flesh and internal organs, in which ache could be with out motive, are, as long as they may be in fitness, relatively with out sensation.

We speak, says Helps, of the beginning of evil;... however what's evil? We in most cases talk of sufferings and trials as properly, possibly, of their end result; however we rarely admit that they will be properly in themselves. Yet they may be know-how—how else to be received, except via way of making guys as gods, permitting them to apprehend with out enjoy. All that guys undergo can be certainly the first-class for them—no such factor as evil, at the least in our commonplace that means of the phrase.

Indeed, the vale first-class discovereth the hill, [9] and pour sentir les grands biens, il faut qu'il connoisse les petits maux. [10]

But despite the fact that we do now no longer appear to get all that we have to desire, many will experience, as in Leigh Hunt's lovely translation of Filicaja's sonnet, that—

"So Providence for us, excessive, countless,

Makes our requirements its watchful task.

Hearkens to all our prayers, enables all our needs,

And e'en if it denies what appears our proper,

Either denies due to the fact 'twould have us ask,

Or appears however to disclaim, and in denying grants."

Those however who do now no longer be given the concept of persistent interferences, will have a good time withinside the perception that at the complete the legal guidelines of the Universe workout for the overall happiness.

And if it does come—

"Grief have to be

Like pleasure, majestic, equable, sedate,

Confirming, cleansing, elevating, making loose:

Strong to devour small issues; to commend

Great mind, grave mind, mind lasting to the quit." [11]

If, but, we can't wish that existence might be all happiness, we may also at the least steady a heavy stability at the proper facet; or even occasions which appear like misfortune, if boldly faced, may also frequently be grew to become to properly. Oftentimes, says Seneca, calamity turns to our benefit; and first rate ruins make manner for extra glories. Helmholtz dates his begin in technology to an assault of infection. This brought about his acquisition of a microscope, which he become enabled to buy, attributable to his having spent his autumn holiday of 1841 withinside the hospital, prostrated via way of typhoid fever; being a scholar, he become nursed with out rate, and on his healing he located himself in ownership of the financial savings of his small assets.

Savonarola, says Castelar, could, beneathneath distinct occasions, absolutely had been a great husband, a soft father; a person unknown to records, fully powerless to print upon the sands of time and upon the human soul the deep hint which he has left; however misfortune got here to go to him, to overwhelm his coronary heart, and to impart that marked despair which characterizes a soul in grief; and the grief that rotated his brows with a crown of thorns become additionally that which wreathed them with the beauty of immortality. His hopes had been focused withinside the girl he cherished, his existence become set upon the ownership of her, and whilst her own circle of relatives subsequently rejected him, in part as a result of his career, and in part as a result of his man or woman, believed that it become demise that had come across him, whilst in reality it become immortality.

It is but, not possible to disclaim the life of evil, and the cause for it has lengthy exercised the human mind. The Savage solves it via way of the supposition of evil Spirits. The Greeks attributed the misfortunes of fellows in first rate degree to the antipathies and jealousies of gods and goddesses. Others have imagined  divine concepts, contrary and antagonistic—the only pleasant, the alternative hostile, to guys.

Freedom of movement, but, appears to contain the life of evil. If any strength of choice be left us, a good deal need to rely on the selection we make. In the very nature of factors,  and  can't make 5. Epictetus imagines Jupiter addressing guy as follows: "If it were viable to make your frame and your own home loose from legal responsibility to damage, I could have completed so. As this can now no longer be, I even have