Work And Play

Flay has been defined as doing for the sake oí doing, while work is doing not for its own sake but for the sake of wlmt is done. Work looks to results, and it is the end that crowna it. Therein lies the manfulness of labor as distinguished f rom the childishness of play. The impulse to action is instinctive. With thê-infant, action is spontaneous and automatic. It has no purpose at all - none at least that the infant himsolL knows anything about. AVith the man who is soinething more titan an adalt baby every act has, or ought to have, conscious motive and an intelligible object. In his moments of leisure he is more reposef ui than the child, because he sees nothing to be gained in being ;otherwise, ïhis explains a great part of what is called the natural indolence of mankind. Supply the laziest man living with inducement, give Mm something desirable to compass, and he wi1l show that he is not wholly without energy. But no sane grown man hankers after imnecessary and resultjess work. It is a mere matter of common senae not to do anything unless there is some use in doing it. Pleasure or Simple exercise may be the object of activity, and either of these is legitímate and sufflcient reason for puttiag forth an ofEort ; but when there is nothing whatever beyond the effort, and no accompauying good of any sort in it, the man might as well give himself a rest. ■ m i