Show evenness of temper means long life history shows that men of the greatest genius have deen for the most part cheerful and contented cheerfulness is an excellent wear ing quality it has been called the bright weather of the heart it gives harmony of soul and Is a perpetual song without words it Is tantamount to repose it enables nature to re cruit its strength whereas and discontent debilitate it involving con stant wear and tear how is it that we see such men as lord palmerston Palmer stoa growing old in harness working on vigorously to the end mainly through equanimity of temper and ha bidual cheerfulness they have edu bated themselves in the habit of ea durance of not being easily provoked of bearing and fore bearing or hear ing harsh and even unjust things said of them without indulging in undue resentment and avoiding worrying petty and self tormenting cares an intimate friend of lord palmers ton who observed him closely tor I 1 twenty years has said that he never saw him angry with perhaps one ex caption and that was when the min astry responsible for the calamity ot afghanistan of which he was one was unjustly accused by their appon ants of falsehood perjury and wilful manipulation of public documents so far as can be learned from biography men of the greatest genius have been for the most part cheerful contented men not eager for reputation money or power but relishing life and keen ly susceptible of enjoyment as we find in their works such seem to have been homer horace virgil montaigne shakespeare and cervan tes healthy serene cheerfulness Is apparent in their great creations among the same class of cheerful minded men may also be mentioned luther moore bacon leonardo da vinci raphael and michael angelo perhaps they were happy because constantly occupied and in the pleas angest of all work that of creating out of the falness and richness of their great minds washington star |