" Lord Brougham was a remarkable instance of the
indefatigably active and laborious man; and it might be said of
Lord Palmerston, that he worked harder for success in his extreme
old age than he had ever done in the prime of his manhood--
preserving his working faculty, his good-humour and BONHOMMIE,
unimpaired to the end. (17) He himself was accustomed to say, that
being in office, and consequently full of work, was good for his
health. It rescued him from ENNUI. Helvetius even held, that it
is man's sense of ENNUI that is the chief cause of his superiority
over the brute,--that it is the necessity which he feels for
escaping from its intolerable suffering that forces him to
employ himself actively, and is hence the great stimulus
to human progress.
Indeed, this living principle of constant work, of abundant
occupation, of practical contact with men in the affairs of life,
has in all times been the best ripener of the energetic vitality
of strong natures. Business habits, cultivated and disciplined,
are found alike useful in every pursuit--whether in politics,
literature, science, or art. Thus, a great deal of the best
literary work has been done by men systematically trained in
business pursuits. The same industry, application, economy of
time and labour, which have rendered them useful in the one sphere
of employment, have been found equally available in the other.
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