The Art of Being Happy

The Art of Being Happy - In a Series of Letters from a Father to His Children: with Observations and Comments

There are about seventy Notes at the back of the book. These are referenced in the text by a numeric anchor eg [1] or [15]; some anchors have an a suffix eg [15a] or [21a]. There are two Footnotes in the main text, whose anchors are [A] and [B]. There are six Footnotes in the Notes section, whose anchors are [C] to [H]. All eight Footnotes have been placed at the back of the book after the Notes section. The text, upon which the following observations and comments are based, does not assume to be a literal translation of the celebrated work of Droz. The original is strongly idiomatic; and the author has carried an uncommon talent of being laconic sometimes to the point of obscurity. I have often found it impossible to convey to the English reader a sentiment, perfectly obvious in the original, in as few words as are there used. The French, in its more numerous articles, more allowable and bold personifications, and arbitrary use of gender, has, in the hand of certain writers, this advantage over our language. When the doctrines of the book are compared one with the other, and each with the general bearing of the work, the inculcation, namely, of the truth that virtue is happiness, there will be found nothing immoral or reprehensible in it. The author, on the whole, leans to the Epicurean philosophy. Unfavorable, though erroneous impressions have been very generally entertained of that philosophy. In deference to that opinion, I have altogether omitted the few sentences, which seemed appropriate to some of the dogmas of the Epicureans. Nothing can be[iv] more remote from their alleged impiety, than the general tenor of this work. One of its most eloquent and impressive chapters is that upon religion. There is a distinct class in France, both numerous and important, the literatures. Many of the remarks of the author, bearing chiefly upon that class, seemed inapplicable, or unintelligible in our country, where there is no such class to address. I have passed over many passages and parts of chapters, which had an almost exclusive reference to persons in that walk in life. I have added members of sentences, and even whole sentences to the text, where such additions seemed necessary to develope the doctrine to an English reader. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 56869
Author: Droz, Joseph
Release Date: Mar 29, 2018
Format: eBook
Language: English

Contributors

Translator: Flint, Timothy, 1780-1840