ENNUI.

Otago Witness, Issue 2086, 15 February 1894, Page 46

ENNUI.

For ennui ia a growth of English root, Though nameless in our language ; wo retort The fact for words, and let the French translate That awful yawn, which sleep cannot abate.

—Byron.

There is no word in tho English language which expresses that feeling of weariness which cannot be dispelled by rest. Eanui is absolutely unknown among the toilers of the earth, but is exclusively the property of those who have little else to do than to amuse themselves, and who have too much time to do it in. The honest, wholesome weariness — physical or mental — of men and women who toil for their daily bread is a very different thing from the fretful discontent of the individual afflicted with ennui, who is tired without knowing why, and to whom even to think is a bore.

The breadwinners have no time to think of whether they are tired or not until their day's work is done, and when at leDgth they lie down to rest, they aro (under ordinary conditions of course) soon under the influence of sleep, and are able to rise refreshed and reinvigorated, ready for the struggle which commences with the newborn day. But the ennuyeux lounges from one resting place to another, rouses himself from a recliniDg position one moment, only to collapse the next, and fiads rest nowhere. He is not really tired; neither head nor limbs ache; and yet exertion, even in the mildest form, is too much for him. Nothing has the power to charm ; his whole being is impregnated with a vague, indescribable un-

rest, and yet nothing interests him, simply because he is satiated with pleasure, and he feels that there is nothing new under the sun. He gets into such a state that the very excitement that was once food and drink to him fails to rouse him, and while it lasts all energy and interest in life is gone.

On the other hand, note what a capacity for enjoyment the toiling portion of humanity possesses. How the working classes look forward to and make their armngements for a holiday months ahead, and when it comes how they live every minute of the day, and even derive pleasure from thinking and talking about it afterwards.

Ennui is certainly the child of Idleness — the outcome of want of profitable occupation for mind and body. The man cr woman who, af lvt a busy day either in business or in the fulfilment of household duties, goes to rest thoroughly tired out, has, at least, the satisfaction of feeling that the day has not been wasted, and that there is something to show for the energy expended. Bat what satisfaction can the one suffering from ennui derive from thinking of how the day has been spent ? A piece of work taken up, but thrown aside the next moment ; some writing commenced, but the pen laid down, and not taken up again, while the writer tried to stifle a yawn ; minutes that seemed like hours spent in gazing listlessly out of the window, and yet at the end of the day — too tired to sleep I

The best way of gettiDg rid of this troublesome complaint is to cultivate a hobby — to take an interest io something altogether apart from the frivolous and empty side of life. Hobbies are usually expensive ia the long run. but as the rich only can afford to suffer from ennui, the remedy is within their reach. Let the hobby be of come benefit to others, and, given the patient is not altogether wrapped up in self, the cure will be all the more speedy and complete. Women are really more afflicted in this way than men, perhaps, because they ar6 more often left to themselves, and have more frequently to fall back upon their own resources for diversion ; but they have dozens of ways even in their own homes of overcoming the depressing effects

of ennui. For instance, a woman with plenty of time on her hands, and a wellstocked wardrobe, might put in many an hour, otherwise spent in wondering how she should drag through the day, iv converting some of her cast-off clothes into little garments, which would be only too thankfully received by any of the societiea formed for distribution of clothing among the poor ; or to make the occupation more interesting, she might herself look round for worthy objects upon whom to bestow her charity. If this sort of occupation is not to her taste, there is gardening, poultry-keeping, beekeeping, and numerous other hobbies which could be made profitable, and the profits devoted to many a deserving cause. Onse interested in any really useful employment, ennui would soon be only a memory, and besides being happier one in oneself would be ou better terms with the world at large. Spade Guinea.