As a Matter of Course | Page 9

as you knew how to be at the time, it is well that he
won. You will see that it does not happen again.
Curious it is that the very men or women who would scorn to play a
child's game in a childlike spirit, will show the best known form of
childish fretfulness and sheer naughtiness in their way of taking a game
which is considered to be more on a level with the adult mind, and so
rasp their nerves and the nerves of their opponents that recreation is
simply out of the question.
Whilst one should certainly have the ability to enjoy a child's game
with a child and like a child, that not only does not exclude the
preference which many, perhaps most of us may have for more mature
games, it gives the power to play those games with a freedom and ease
which help to preserve a healthy nervous system.
If, however, amusement is taken for the sole purpose of preserving a
normal nervous system, or for returning to health, it loses its zest just in
proportion. If, as is often the case, one must force one's self to it at first,
the love of the fun will gradually come as one ignores the first
necessity of forcing; and the interest will come sooner if a form of
amusement is taken quite opposite to the daily work, a form which will
bring new faculties and muscles into action.
There is, of course, nothing that results in a more unpleasant state of
ennui than an excess of amusement. After a certain amount of careless

enjoyment, life comes to a deadly stupid standstill, or the forms of
amusement grow lower. In either case the effect upon the nervous
system is worse even than over-work.
The variety in sources of amusement is endless, and the ability to get
amusement out of almost anything is delightful, as long as it is well
balanced.
After all, our amusement depends upon the way in which we take our
work, and our work, again, depends upon the amusement; they play
back and forth into one another's hands.
The man or the woman who cannot get the holiday spirit, who cannot
enjoy pure fun for the sake of fun, who cannot be at one with a little
child, not only is missing much in life that is clear happiness, but is
draining his nervous system, and losing his better power for work
accordingly.
This anti-amusement stone once removed, the path before us is entirely
new and refreshing.
The power to be amused runs in nations. But each individual is in
himself a nation, and can govern himself as such; and if he has any
desire for the prosperity of his own kingdom, let him order a public
holiday at regular intervals, and see that the people enjoy it.

IV.
BRAIN IMPRESSIONS.
THE mere idea of a brain clear from false impressions gives a sense of
freedom which is refreshing.
In a comic journal, some years ago, there was a picture of a man in a
most self-important attitude, with two common mortals in the
background gazing at him. "What makes him stand like that?" said one.
"Because," answered the other, "that is his own idea of himself." The
truth suggested in that picture strikes one aghast; for in looking about
us we see constant examples of attitudinizing in one's own idea of one's
self. There is sometimes a feeling of fright as to whether I am not quite
as abnormal in my idea of myself as are those about me.
If one could only get the relief of acknowledging ignorance of one's
self, light would be welcome, however given. In seeing the truth of an
unkind criticism one could forget to resent the spirit; and what an
amount of nerve-friction might be saved! Imagine the surprise of a man

who, in return for a volley of abuse, should receive thanks for light
thrown upon a false attitude. Whatever we are enabled to see, relieves
us of one mistaken brain-impression, which we can replace by
something more agreeable. And if, in the excitement of feeling, the
mistake was exaggerated, what is that to us? All we wanted was to see
it in quality. As to degree, that lessens in proportion as the quality is
bettered. Fortunately, in living our own idea of ourselves, it is only
ourselves we deceive, with possible exceptions in the case of friends
who are so used to us, or so over-fond of us, as to lose the perspective.
There is the idea of humility,--an obstinate belief that we know we are
nothing at all, and deserve no credit; which, literally translated, means
we know we are everything, and deserve every credit. There is the idea,
too, of immense dignity,