RECREATION.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3955, 24 March 1884, Page 4

RECREATION.

Nineteenth Century,

In tho general inclining of active recreation wb'incluclp two chief tilings, muncly, tlio cessation of tho regular work of our lives, and tho active operation, whether of body or mind, or both, ia something different in which wo find pleasure. From both alike we expect and may obtain refroshment, that is, renewed fitness for our regular work. In tho former of these purts of recreation, speaking-generally, the Btruotwrea of our body which lnivq been at work aro left at rest, or arc exercised in a different manner. In the latter, those which have not been at work aro brought into activity. What, thon, aro tho chief constituents of active recreation ; of this retirement from work that fatigues, and this occupation in other things that refresh, oven though, after another manner, they may fatigue ? The chief and the essential thing is tho change ; and tho love of recreation is among the examples of the enor mous motive powex exerted in tho w r jr ] t | by the desire for change It is often f-';,p O k cn of as a, mere infirmity ; a foolishr jQg3 that should be resisted ; ,md so it fu J c j with some may bo always so ; but with thosp w ] lo aro honest and hard working it. -jj no follyj Tho desire for change 'IL as much a part of our vory nature as is the desire for sleep or for food ; it is, as an. instinct to be scrupulously, however cau--tiously, obeyed ; and one of the besimethods of obedience is in well-chosen re.crcatioiis after business. Can wo, then* in all the varieties of recreation pursued., by tho peoplo of this country find any j characters possessed by allj 01- which it is desirablo that, thqy,- should have? Crowds every year return, from vacations of all kinds after all'kinds of work ; some have beon shooting - , some fishing*, some climbing, some sailing , ; some studying pictures, somo architecture; : and, though many have done tlfis or that only becanso it is a fashion atnong'thoir friends, yet,' doubtless, many m'oro have chosen tho recreation which thr ,y \oxq best. And far moro numerous tl xlin these who liavo como back from J Jioir vacations arc tho crowds, the thou. , ialK ],s who every night are seeking rec .eution' after their Various day's work, in theatres and club.s, in card-playing, music, fi ino-in" and a hundred inoro imuseme ° jffii those are seeking change from ' daily work; all aro seeking pleasure ." m , m not find it, and many will not £ oe j QV f QV their next clay's work, t /Ufc ma will) having chosen recreations t woll HU it Q d. to them, even though they r my not liavo hmi conscious of any good re' ihc choke, and have only obeyed r jOmc Tm t U ral inclination" Now, I think '- | m< . we i oo ],- f ol . the characteristics whic 1 inajrljo f oum i [ n a ll good active recrea< ions ttT ,a on T/ hich their utility chiefly <lep emls ' we a \ m \] find that they all include < jnofll , moreO f thoso things: namely, uncert aiutioSj -wonders, and opportunities tojr tr c exercise o f i n something

different fromthe regular world In their daily work —speaking generally and roughly —most people become tired of routine and sameness; they know their business, and there is in it little to surpriee them ; they can reckon on what is corning ; they know how and when each day' s work will end. They get tired of all this, and wish for something very unlike it; and so they long for uncertainties ; they enjoy to watch something they are not sure of, to see , the settlement of a doubt, the unveiling of a mystery. Herein is a great part of the refreshing change, the recreation, found in games of chanco. The toss of a halfpenny brings refreshment to the routine of the schoolboy or the errand-boy, in that every time he tosses he creates an uncertainty, enjoys it for a moment, and then decides it. To the elder man the deal at whist and every hand ho plays bring similar pleasure in uncertainties, and the counting of the tricks decidea them ; and the pleasures and uncertainties accumulate to the end of the rubber or of the whole evening's play. Other pleasures minglo with these; theexercise of skill, the reckoning of chances, and many more, including, perhaps, the winning, of money or repute; but with them all and under them is the occupation in uncertainties, arid its pleasurp is the more refreshing the more it is in contrast with sameness in the daily work. Doubtless there is much of the same pleasure in all sports, in fishing, shooting, and the like. Will tho fish bite? Will the bird fall ? There is the uncertainty;; and then comes decision; and in any case, hitting or missing, the mind which has been wearied in a dull routine is refreshed. It is tho same in cricket and lawn-tennis and ail the like popular games. Mingling with the other pleasures that they give, and the other good they do, there is the refreshing pleasure of a continuous succession of uncertainties and decisions, a pleasure which Seems to reach its acme in some of the amusements that are attended with frequent risks of limbs or oven of life. Tho contrast with tho ordinary occupations of vast crowds of all ranks and ages and occupations is complete; and from this contrast comes a great part of tho true recreation, tho re-fitting for the work. Doubtless some of the refreshment of reading novels and romances, whether real or in fiction, is of the same kind. Else, why should nearly every one who reads them feel that his pleasure is marred by hearing what the end of tho story is, and by thus having his uncertainty promaturely settled ! These may bo examples enough. I believe that if anyone will think over tho whole class of what are fairly called active recreations, he will find that a chief part of nearly every one is of this kind : the unveiling of a mystery, the issue of some chance, tho settlement of an uncertainty. Everyone who works' enough to need or deserve refreshment should see that some of his recreations have in them this element;, and let him observe that of all the recreations of this kind those are the best which, together with the element of uncertainty or chance, offer tho largest j>roportion of that other clement of which I spoko—tho opportunity of exorcising skill. In all games and sports, tho more the results depend on chance, and the less they depend on the skill of the players, the more is the gambling. Duly guarded, the love of recrcatton among uncertainties may lead to tho promotion of admirable skill, whether of mind or limbs ; and if, on the one side, it make itself vile by gambling, on tho othor it may ennoble itself by strengthening the mental disposition whioh moves men to experiments in silence, and even to the highest methods of research. In all these, a great part of tho happiness is in the watching and docision of uncertainties, in tho unveiling of hidden truth ; and all whose work gives them too little opportunity for such happiness should have .it in their play. Next to uncertainties as parts of recreation I named wonders, meaning to include tho objects of all forms and degrees of wonder, from quiet admiration to utter astonishment or axo> Of course tho issue of a chance or a game of'skill may excite wonder, and its, use for recreation may ho thus enhanced;, but we may think of the recreation du,e. to wonders as something distinct. Their fitness for recreation is as evident as that of uncertainties,.aiid.simila.r. Whatever most men's daily work may be, or wherever they may pursue it, they become so accustomed toil, so familiar with all around them, that they may cease to wonder at anything within their range. They may havo their work in tho midst of glorious scenery, among mountains, or by I tho sea, or in their own rooms among marvellous beauties of art, but they observe little or nothing of all this ; or they maybe working at any of the applications of tiifi' wonderful discoveries of recent times, Wt they have long ago ceased to bo astonished, at them. Some of us may, indeed., upon reflection or in calm thinking, be uwved by the wonders among which wo, have been living ; they are very happy lames when we , can so meditate ; but usuajty-and'habitiially we are seldom conscious of any stirring wonders in our customary work. The finding and observing of them elsewhere is, therefore, a real recreation, and a chiojf part of a very large number of tho mental refreshments which we most earnestly seek and most thoroughly enjoy. Au<\ happily, it is so ; for the contemplation <jf wonders may give occupation, and, tf t >?reby, strength, to one of the noblest par*;.* of- our., minds ; the part which not only, as Aristotle pointed out, first loads to ,*£udious research, but that which is exercised in tho highest admiration and reference, and which acts, together with the imagination, in the forming of the highest ideals towards which we can ever strive.