THE JOYFUL HEART

BY

ROBERT HAVEN SCHAUFFLER

AUTHOR OF THE MUSICAL AMATEUR, SCUM O' THE EARTH
AND OTHER POEMS, ROMANTIC AMERICA, ETC.

Jean Finot: The Science of Happiness.

BOSTON AND NEW YORK

HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY

The Riverside Press Cambridge

1914

COPYRIGHT, 1914 BY ROBERT HAVEN SCHAUFFLER

TO

MY WIFE

[vii]

FOREWORD

his is a guide-book to joy. It is for the use of the sad, the bored,the tired, anxious, disheartened and disappointed. It is for the useof all those whose cup of vitality is not brimming over.

The world has not yet seen enough of joy. It bears the reputation ofan elusive sprite with finger always at lip bidding farewell. Incertain dark periods, especially in times of international warfare, itthreatens to vanish altogether from the earth. It is then the firstduty of all peaceful folk to find and hold fast to joy, keeping it intrust for their embattled brothers.

Even if this were not their duty as citizens of the world, it would betheir duty as patriots. For Jean Finot is right in declaring that"people who are nobly happy constitute the power, the beauty and thefoundation of the state."[viii]

This book is a manual of enthusiasm—the power which drives theworld—and of those kinds of exuberance (physical, mental andspiritual) which can make every moment of every life worth living. Itaims to show how to get the most joy not only from traveling hopefullytoward one's goal, but also from the goal itself on arrival there. Iturges sound business methods in conducting that supreme business, theinvestment of one's vitality.

It would show how one may find happiness all alone with his betterself, his 'Auto-Comrade'—an accomplishment well-nigh lost in thiscrowded age. It would show how the gospel of exuberance, by offeringthe joys of hitherto unsuspected power to the artist and his audience,bids fair to lift the arts again to the lofty level of the Pericleanage. It would show the so-called "common" man or woman how to developthat creative sympathy which may make him a 'master by proxy,' andthus let him know the conscious happiness of playing an essential partin the creation of works[ix] of genius. In short, the book tries to showhow the cup of joy may not only be kept full for one's personal use,but may also be made hospitably to brim over for others.

To the Atlantic Monthly thanks are due for permission to reprintchapters I, III and IV; to the North American Review, for chapterVIII; and to the Century, for chapters V, VI, IX and X.

R. H. S.

Geeenbush, Mass.

August, 1914.

[1]

CONTENTS