As a Matter of Course

intense thought or hard work of any kind which does more towards keeping the n

impler and more effective to go and amuse one's self?" The same Frenchman could not realize that in many countries amusement is alm

g life au grand serieux. The superficiality of this attitude is striking, and would be surprising could the sufferer from such seriousness once see himself (or more often it is herself) in a clear light. It is quite common to call such a person over-serious, when in reality he is not serious enough. He or she is laboring under a sham seriousness, as an actor might who had such a part to play and merged himself in the character. These people are simply exaggerating their own importance to life, instea

r appreciation of such laws, and of our own freedom in obeying them. Whereas with a sham seriousness we dwell upon the importance of our own relation to the law, and our own responsibility in

, fine nature. It places many stones in the way, most of them phantoms, which, once stepped over and then ignored, brings to light a nature nobly expansive

me enjoyment that children have, does not know the spirit of amusement. For this same spirit must be taken into all forms of amusement, especially those that are beyond the childish mind, to bring the delicious reaction which nature is ever ready to bestow. This is almost a self-evident truth; and yet so confirmed is man in his sham maturity that it is quite common to see one look with contempt, and a sense of superiority which is ludicrous, upon another who is enjoying a child's ga

be amused, and with that ability comes new

ite compatible with a good healthy willingness that the other man should win-if he can. Not from the goody-goody motive of wishing your neighbor to beat,-no neighbor would thank you for playing with him in that spirit,-but from a feeling that you have gone in to beat, you have done your best, as far as you could see,

wn form of childish fretfulness and sheer naughtiness in their way of taking a game which is considered to be more on a level

ot only does not exclude the preference which many, perhaps most of us may have for more mature games, it

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

t. After a certain amount of careless enjoyment, life comes to a deadly stupid standstill, or the forms

d the ability to get amusement out of almost anyth

take our work, and our work, again, depends upon the amu

f fun, who cannot be at one with a little child, not only is missing much in life that is clear

removed, the path before us i

can govern himself as such; and if he has any desire for the prosperity of his own kingd