Tuesday 26 January 2016

Dark days and good advice for low spirits








If you have suffered from ' lowness of spirits',  life can seem like a dark tunnel with any light ahead an unimaginable distance away.
I have had my battles with the 'black dog' in the past but am generally feeling content and happy at present.  Today however, the late January weather has dampened even my relentless optimism and cheerfulness.
I have recently re-discovered these wonderful words with their sound advice and I am sharing them if you too are finding yourself down-hearted and gloomy due to  endlessly pouring rain, wild winds and dark days.

 
In 1820, English writer Sydney Smith wrote a letter to an unhappy friend, Lady Morpeth, in which he offered her tips for cheering up. His suggestions are as sound now as they were almost 200 years ago.

“1st. Live as well as you dare.
2nd. Go into the shower-bath with a small quantity of water at a temperature low enough to give you a slight sensation of cold, 75 or 80 degrees.
3rd. Amusing books.
4th. Short views of human life—not further than dinner or tea.
5th. Be as busy as you can.
6th. See as much as you can of those friends who respect and like you.
7th. And of those acquaintances who amuse you.
8th. Make no secret of low spirits to you friends, but talk of them freely—they are always worse for dignified concealment.
9th. Attend to the effects tea and coffee produce upon you.
10th. Compare your lot with that of other people.
11th. Don’t expect too much from human life—a sorry business at the best.
12th. Avoid poetry, dramatic representations (except comedy), music, serious novels, melancholy, sentimental people, and everything likely to excite feeling or emotion, not ending in active benevolence.
13th. Do good, and endeavour to please everybody of every degree.
14th Be as much as you can in the open air without fatigue.
15th. Make the room where you commonly sit gay and pleasant.
16th. Struggle by little and little against idleness.
17th. Don’t be too severe upon yourself, or underrate yourself, but do yourself justice.
18th. Keep good blazing fires.
19th. Be firm and constant in the exercise of rational religion.
20th. Believe me, dear Lady Georgiana.”


I love the writings of Sydney Smith and read the above piece at my Father's funeral, as I felt it was just the sort of advice he would be giving us all in our sadness.

(With thanks to my son Sam Arnold: I snaffled his beautiful photograph of Venice)

26 comments:

  1. Good advice, all of it. I am so affected by my surroundings, that I particularly appreciated #15!

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    1. I like that one too, I love the feeling when I've tidied a room and treated myself to a bunch of flowers

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  2. Wise words. Now I must go and light the fire!

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  3. All very good advice, Jane. We will ge through these dark times and like you say there are always others worse off than us. God will see us through. Blessings, Diane

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    1. Thank you Diane, I thought you might like these wise words

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  4. Hello Jane,
    Hope the sun will shine tomorrow. It will be spring time soon and the birds will be singing and the spring flowers blooming.
    This is a wonderful letter. The language amuses "live as well as you dare" ....I will keep that commandment.
    Have a great week
    Helen

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    1. Hello Helen, I love the language too and it's full of such sensible non-sanctimonious advice. May you have a sunshiny week ahead!

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  5. Such sound advice. I do find it reassuring that people struggled in the past and also had great advice. I hope the mood lightens for all those who need it. xx

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    1. His words seem so sensible today and so cheering. What a good friend he must have been.

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  6. These are lovely, so fresh and human - though I think I'd stop short of the nearly cold shower!

    No 11 reminded me of something Francesca Martinez said in a live act I saw recently 'I've discovered the secret of happiness, lower your expectations!'

    In fact I've enjoyed this January more than many I can remember, since I've indulged in kind of busy, stay-at-home idleness (or an idle busy-ness, not sure which!), which I know much come to an end at a certain point because there are firm commitments and plans on the horizon. Remembering to be in the open air (without fatigue!) is important though.

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    1. I agree about the shower, although I'm a bit of a winter sea swimmer!

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  7. I hope you feel better soon. One of those special lights might help, it's surprising how being in very bright light can be cheering. Or at least I've found it so. I don't know why!

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    1. I've just bought one of those lights for David, now we must actually use it. I agree that standing outside in the sunshine really does make me feel happy.

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  8. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  9. I love this list except for the shower temperature. :) Yikes!!

    I found you in the comment list on Terra's Blog.

    You have a very nice blog...thanks for sharing this post.

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My Blog



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    1. Hello Elizabeth, Thank you for reading my blog. I love finding like minded people on 'blog-friend's' posts! I would swop the chilly showers for a hot bath I think!

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  10. Beautiful, meaning words. Love the photo too!

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  11. Hello Jen, I'm glad you enjoyed this post. I love my son's haunting photos of Venice, so couldn't resist borrowing one

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  12. Oh sorry to hear you've been under the weather Jane, it gets to us all, especially at this time of year. I love those wise words from Sidney Smith, except the business of the cold bath..bbrrr! No thank you!I went to school in Surrey and it was in a Georgian building that had belonged at one time to Clive of India, he had a special bath installed in the basement so that he could take cold baths.I occasionally had to be a guide to visitors on weekends, and always shuddered at the thought of his bathtime routine! I like the stuff about blazing fires, good friends and cups of tea, that'll do me! Big hugs and lots of love, Linda. (Oh and thank you for visiting me and commenting. I love your jugs of flowers, especially your garden roses, we have that to look forward to!) xx

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    1. Lovely to hear from you Linda, I went to a school with un unheated outside swimming pool and my gosh was that a shock to the system! You're right, it's lovely to think of all the spring and summer flowers ahead, lots of love, Jane xxx

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  13. Still good advice. It's freezing in New York today, and I'd love to take the advice for a blazing fire.

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  14. Hello again - just saw your comment on my post. I guess you'd call a white cake something like a sponge - eggs, flour, butter, sugar. Seven minute frosting is cooked frosting - egg white, corn syrup, sugar, water beaten over a double boiler until it fluffs up. Very good!

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  15. It's amazing that those recommendations are still useful today! Hope that with the days beginning to lighten so are your feelings. Sarah x

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