Chrestomathia Author:Jeremy Bentham Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: No. II. i Fatal Effects of Ennui—the Disease of an unfurnished Mind —illustrated byanexample.— Account of John Beardmore, Esq.—From the Obituary of the Month... more »ly Magazine, for April 1, 1814, p. 270. After having passed his grand climacteric with less visitation from indisposition of mind or body than happens to mankind in general, at his house in Owen's-rovv, Islington, John Beardmore, JEffj. formerly of the great porter-brewing firm of Calvert and Co. in Red Cross-street, London, He was born in dependent circumstances, and of humble parentage, in the country. The theatre of life was his school and university; and, in it, he passed through all his degrees with increasing honours. For many years after his residence in London, he acted as a clerk in the brewery in which he finally became a partner. When it was deemed proper to transfer the concern from Red Cross-street, and to consolidate it with that in Champion-lane, Upper Thames-street, Mr. B. withdrew himself entirely from business, and retired to Islington. Mr. B. possessed a memory richly stored with pleasant anecdotes, sprightly remarks, and useful information on a vast variety of topics, derived not from books, but from living studies. From the hour in which he quitted business, he grew insensibly more and more the victim of listlessness and ennui. With high animal spirits—with a mind still active, and a body still robust—with confirmed health, independent property, an amiable wife, numerous friends, a plentiful table, and a social neighbourhood, Mr. B. was no longer ' at home,' as it were, in his own house. The main spring of action was nowstopped. In all his pleasures, in all his engagements, for the day, for the week, or for the month, he was conscious of a vacuum. Want of customary application brought on relaxation...« less