THE WAY OUT OF PESSIMISM. 121 



rest, recreation, variety, are the positive requisites of 

 a happy life. 



Decay. Old age in savagery and in civilization. 

 The beautifying and beatifying of age by filial love. 

 Not all decays character lives when acquisitions 

 have fled. De Quincy. 



Death. The rounding off of life. The ripened apple 

 ceases to cling to the stem. The aged unreluctant 

 to die. " Life a dream." Decline of vitality. Life's 

 fever cools. Shrinking from death ceases as the surge 

 of life energy dies away. Serene waiting. Euthanasia. 



Summing Up. Life not so much task as play. 

 " Go to work " really means " Go to play." Reaping 

 joy as we go along. Overearnestness to be discour- 

 aged. Life not to be taken too tragically. Reserve a 

 portion of thyself. 



