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How to Live on Twenty…Four Hours a Day
folks； but it isn't in my line。〃
It is for you； I passionately repeat； it is for you。 Indeed； you are the
very man I am aiming at。
Throw away the suggestion； and you throw away the most precious
suggestion that was ever offered to you。 It is not my suggestion。 It is the
suggestion of the most sensible； practical； hard…headed men who have
walked the earth。 I only give it you at second…hand。 Try it。 Get your mind
in hand。 And see how the process cures half the evils of life especially
worry； that miserable； avoidable； shameful diseaseworry！
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How to Live on Twenty…Four Hours a Day
VIII THE REFLECTIVE MOOD
The exercise of concentrating the mind （to which at least half an hour
a day should be given） is a mere preliminary； like scales on the piano。
Having acquired power over that most unruly member of one's complex
organism； one has naturally to put it to the yoke。 Useless to possess an
obedient mind unless one profits to the furthest possible degree by its
obedience。 A prolonged primary course of study is indicated。
Now as to what this course of study should be there cannot be any
question； there never has been any question。 All the sensible people of all
ages are agreed upon it。 And it is not literature； nor is it any other art； nor
is it history； nor is it any science。 It is the study of one's self。 Man； know
thyself。 These words are so hackneyed that verily I blush to write them。
Yet they must be written； for they need to be written。 （I take back my
blush； being ashamed of it。） Man； know thyself。 I say it out loud。 The
phrase is one of those phrases with which everyone is familiar； of which
everyone acknowledges the value； and which only the most sagacious put
into practice。 I don't know why。 I am entirely convinced that what is more
than anything else lacking in the life of the average well…intentioned man
of to…day is the reflective mood。
We do not reflect。 I mean that we do not reflect upon genuinely
important things； upon the problem of our happiness； upon the main
direction in which we are going； upon what life is giving to us； upon the
share which reason has （or has not） in determining our actions； and upon
the relation between our principles and our conduct。
And yet you are in search of happiness； are you not？ Have you
discovered it？
The chances are that you have not。 The chances are that you have
already come to believe that happiness is unattainable。 But men have
attained it。 And they have attained it by realising that happiness does not
spring from the procuring of physical or mental pleasure； but from the
development of reason and the adjustment of conduct to principles。
I suppose that you will not have the audacity to deny this。 And if you
admit it； and still devote no part of your day to the deliberate consideration
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How to Live on Twenty…Four Hours a Day
of your reason； principles； and conduct； you admit also that while striving
for a certain thing you are regularly leaving undone the one act which is
necessary to the attainment of that thing。
Now； shall I blush； or will you？
Do not fear that I mean to thrust certain principles upon your attention。
I care not （in this place） what your principles are。 Your principles may
induce you to believe in the righteousness of burglary。 I don't mind。 All I
urge is that a life in which conduct does not fairly well accord with
principles is a silly life； and that conduct can only be made to accord with
principles by means of daily examination； reflection； and resolution。 What
leads to the permanent sorrow… fulness of burglars is that their principles
are contrary to burglary。 If they genuinely believed in the moral excellence
of burglary； penal servitude would simply mean so many happy years for
them； all martyrs are happy years for them； all martyrs are happy； because
their conduct and their principles agree。
As for reason （which makes conduct； and is not unconnected with the
making of principles）； it plays a far smaller part in our lives than we fancy。
We are supposed to be reasonable but we are much more instinctive than
reasonable。 And the less we reflect； the less reasonable we shall be。 The
next time you get cross with the waiter because your steak is over…cooked；
ask reason to step into the cabinet…room of your mind； and consult her。 She
will probably tell you that the waiter did not cook the steak； and had no
control over the cooking of the steak； and that even if he alone was to
blame； you accomplished nothing good by getting cross； you merely lost
your dignity； looked a fool in the eyes of sensible men； and soured the
waiter； while producing no effect whatever on the steak。
The result of this consultation with reason （for which she makes no
charge） will be that when once more your steak is over…cooked you will
treat the waiter as a fellow…creature； remain quite calm in a kindly spirit；
and politely insist on having a fresh steak。 The gain will be obvious and
solid。
In the formation or modification of principles； and the practice of
conduct； much help can be derived from printed books （issued at sixpence
each and upwards）。 I mentioned in my last chapter Marcus Aurelius and
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How to Live on Twenty…Four Hours a Day
Epictetus。 Certain even more widely known works will occur at once to
the memory。 I may also mention Pascal； La Bruyere； and Emerson。 For
myself； you do not catch me travelling without my Marcus Aurelius。 Yes；
books are valuable。 But not reading of books will take the place of a daily；
candid； honest examination of what one has recently done； and what one is
about to doof a steady looking at one's self in the face （disconcerting
though the sight may be）。
When shall this important business be accomplished？ The solitude of
the evening journey home appears to me to be suitable for it。 A reflective
mood naturally follows the exertion of having earned the day's living。 Of
course if； instead of attending to an elementary and profoundly important
duty； you prefer to read the paper （which you might just as well read while
waiting for your dinner） I have nothing to say。 But attend to it at some
time of the day you must。 I now come to the evening hours。
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How to Live on Twenty…Four Hours a Day
IX INTEREST IN THE ARTS
Many people pursue a regular and uninterrupted course of idleness in
the evenings because they think that there is no alternative to idleness but
the study of literature； and they do not happen to have a taste for literature。
This is a great mistake。
Of course it is impossible； or at any rate very difficult； properly to
study anything whatever without the aid of printed books。 But if you
desire to understand the deeper depths of bridge or of boat…sailing you
would not be deterred by your lack of interest in literature from reading
the best books on bridge or boat…sailing。 We must； therefore； distinguish
between literature； and books treating of subjects not literary。 I shall come
to literature in due course。
Let me now remark to those who have never read Meredith； and who
are capable of being unmoved by a discussion as to whether Mr。 Stephen
Phillips is or is not a true poet； that they are perfectly within their rights。 It
is not a crime not to love literature。 It is not a sign of imbecility。 The
mandarins of literature will order out to instant execution the unfortunate
individual who does not comprehend； say； the influence of Wordsworth on
Tennyson。 But that is only their impudence。 Where would they be； I
wonder； if requested to explain the influences that went to make
Tschaikowsky's 〃Pathetic Symphony〃？
T