TOO MANY JEREMIAHS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3149, 25 December 1922, Page 8

TOO MANY JEREMIAHS.

(By Mairjorie Bowen.)

We are not by any means a gloomy nation, but, we are rather afflicted 1 by a mania for self-criticism and self-de-preciation, and we are rather fond of inviting the reprimands and censures of foreigners. At the present moment there is a great deal of this depressing, destructive, disheartening kind of stricture going on. Not only are all the ancient landmarks being pulled down, but as soon as a new one its selfc up a crowd rush to throw stones at it; we have too many Jeremiahs—they may be a good tonic in their way, but tonic won t take the place of daily bread'. Even tiling— the Church, womankind, modern education, modern physique, the theatre, literature, sport, all have to run the gauntlet of sharp and often, ter criticism. Fault-finding is such an easy way of being clever. What Swinburne calls "the noble quality of praising" isn't quite popular enough just now; it is much more general to see people being tripped up .by disapproval than encouraged by admiration. And there really is a great deal to admire nowadays. To put it in a very homely fashion, one wonders if ever, in any age, a larger majority were more comfortable than they are now? While indulging in conventional abuse of our awn epoch, we look back with a sigh to the glittering peaks that rise out of the mists of the past; we don't stop to inquire what went on in the plains now for ever obscured from our view. 'Tis distance lends enchantment to the view, And robes the mountains in their azure hue. AVe have our faults and our horrors, our mistakes and our crimes, but we have nothing like the faults, horrors, mistakes and crimes that have defaced other periods of history, and one dare assert that we are more free, more healthy, more at east, and have great-' er opportunities in every direction than any other people hitherto. A more contented, cheerful spirit among the critics might help the people who are really doing things. You can turn a man's actions into a caricature or an epic according to your mood; you can see a woman's face through the medium of a sneer or a smile. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" —so are a great many other things in their degree. We need to brush aside several fourth-rate fallacies, too often repeat"Englishwomen can't wear clothes;" "Englishmen are degenerate;" "We are Ipsing our supremacy at sport;" "There are too many physically unfit;" "We don't understand music;" "AVe can't cook;" and so on. till it would seem that it is hardlv worth being alive at all in< the year of grave 1922. One must be alive to one's faults, as tho moralists constantly remind us, but that does not therefore mean that one need ignore and deny all our virtues. If we were to really "count our blessings" in a comparison with this age and any other, 1 think Ave should grow out of breath before we had finished, and conclude by deciding that there was not so very much to camplain of after all, and that as far as liberty, opportunity, love, comfort, intellect, creative effort, fine men and beautiful women go. the present epoch makes the reign of good Queen Bess appear provincial.