The principles of health for the normal man are few and simple, the
reward great; what stands in the way is partly our apathy and
indifference, partly our incontinent appetites, partly the unwholesome
and deadening social influences in which we find ourselves enmeshed.
For those who care enough, almost unlimited vistas open up; as Spinoza
has it, "No one has yet found the limits of what the body can do."
William James was convinced [Footnote: See his essay, "The Energies
of Man," in Memories and Studies.] that the potentialities of human
energy and efficiency are but half realized by the best of us. We must
learn better to run the human machine. Our prevalent disregard of the
conditions of bodily vigor, our persistent carelessness in the
elementary matters of hygiene and health, is nothing short of criminal.
"We would have health, and yet still use our bodies ill; Bafflers of
our own prayers from youth to life's last scenes."
Happiness that impairs health seldom pays. Where it is a question of
useful work done at the expense of our fatigue, there may be more
question; normally such sacrifices are undesirable; but what seems
over fatigue may not really be so, and the earnest man will err on
this side rather than run risk of pusillanimous shirking. Moreover,
some work practically requires an over effort for its accomplishment;
and no man of mettle will begrudge his very life-blood when necessary.
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