第11部分(第2/6 页)

y　theory　as　to　how　to　live　is　wrong。　We　imagine　ourselves　more　different　from　the　animals　than　we　are。　Animals　live　on　impulse；　and　are　happy　as　long　as　external　conditions　are　favorable。　If　you　have　a　cat　it　will　enjoy　life　if　it　has　food　and　warmth　and　opportunities　for　an　occasional　night　on　the　tiles。　Your　needs　are　more　plex　than　those　of　your　cat；　but　they　still　have　their　basis　in　instinct。　In　civilized　societies；　especially　in　English…speaking　societies；　this　is　too　apt　to　be　forgotten。　People　propose　to　themselves　some　one　paramount　objective；　and　restrain　all　impulses　that　do　not　minister　to　it。　A　businessman　may　be　so　anxious　to　grow　rich　that　to　this　end　he　sacrifices　health　and　private　affections。　When　at　last　he　has　bee　rich；　no　pleasure　remains　to　him　except　harrying　other　people　by　exhortations　to　imitate　his　noble　example。　Many　rich　ladies；　although　nature　has　not　endowed　them　with　any　spontaneous　pleasure　in　literature　or　art；　decide　to　be　thought　cultured；　and　spend　boring　hours　learning　the　right　thing　to　say　about　fashionable　new　books　that　are　written　to　give　delight；　not　to　afford　opportunities　for　dusty　snobbismn。

If　you　look　around　at　the　men　and　women　whom　you　can　call　happy；　you　will　see　that　they　all　have　certain　things　in　mon。　The　most　important　of　these　things　is　an　activity　which　at　most　gradually　builds　up　something　that　you　are　glad　to　see　ing　into　existence。　Women　who　take　an　instinctive　pleasure　in　their　children　can　get　this　kind　of　satisfaction　out　of　bringing　up　a　family。　Artists　and　authors　and　men　of　science　get　happiness　in　this　way　if　their　own　work　seems　good　to　them。　But　there　are　many　humbler　forms　of　the　same　kind　of　pleasure。　Many　men　who　spend　their　working　life　in　the　city　devote　their　weekends　to　voluntary　and　unr