Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

S. Austin Allibone, comp. Prose Quotations from Socrates to Macaulay. 1880.

Recreation

Recreation is intended to the mind as whetting is to the scythe, to sharpen the edge of it, which otherwise would grow dull and blunt. He, therefore, that spends his whole time in recreation is ever whetting, never mowing; his grass may grow and his steed starve: as, contrarily, he that always toils and never recreates is ever mowing, never whetting; labouring much to little purpose. As good no scythe as no edge. Then only doth the work go forward when the scythe is so reasonably and moderately whetted that it may cut, and so cut that it may have the help of sharpening.

The great men among the ancients understood how to reconcile manual labour with affairs of state, and thought it no lessening to their dignity to make the one the recreation to the other.

He that will make a good use of any part of his life must allow a large portion of it to recreation.

It must always be remembered that nothing can come into the account of recreation that is not done with delight.

Nor is that man less deceived that thinks to maintain a constant tenure of pleasure by a continual pursuit of sports and recreations: for all these things, as they refresh a man when weary, so they weary him when refreshed.

Let not your recreations be lavish spenders of your time, but choose such as are healthful, recreative, and apt to refresh you: but at no hand dwell upon them.