We Know When We Have Had Enough

It Takes Time And Trouble To Persuade Ourselves That The Things We Want To Do Are The Things We Ought To Do.

It Is Claimed That The United States Gets The Cleanest And Purest Tea In The Market, And Certainly It Is Too Good To Warrant The Nervous Apprehension Which Strains And Dilutes It Into Nothingness. The English Do Not Strain Their Tea In The Fervid Fashion We Do. They Like To See A Few Leaves Dawdling About The Cup. They Like To Know What They Are Drinking.

If We Could Make Up Our Minds To Spare Our Friends All Details Of Ill Health, Of Money Losses, Of Domestic Annoyances, Of Altercations, Of Committee Work, Of Grievances, Provocations, And Anxieties, We Should Sin Less Against The World's Good-humor. It May Not Be Given Us To Add To The Treasury Of Mirth; But There Is Considerable Merit In Not Robbing It.

The Gospel Of Cheerfulness, I Had Almost Said The Gospel Of Amusement, Is Preached By People Who Lack Experience To People Who Lack Vitality. There Is A Vague Impression That The World Would Be A Good World If It Were Only Happy, That It Would Be Happy If It Were Amused, And That It Would Be Amused If Plenty Of Artificial Recreation - That Recreation For Which We Are Now Told Every Community Stands Responsible - Were Provided For Its Entertainment.

Life Is So Full Of Miseries, Minor And Major; They Press So Close Upon Us At Every Step Of The Way, That It Is Hardly Worthwhile To Call One Another's Attention To Their Presence.