The-Conquest-of-Happiness-by-Bertrand-Russell

of these misfortunes - the former if he uses his
powers, the latter if he does not. This has not been
the case always and everywhere. There have been
times when even good artists, even when they were
young, were thought well of. Julius II, though he
might ill-treat Michael Angelo, never supposed
him incapable of painting pictures. The modern
millionaire, though he may shower wealth upon
elderly artists after they have lost their powers,
never imagines that their work is as important as
his own. Perhaps these circumstances have
something to do with the fact that artists are on the
average less happy than men of science.
It must, I think, be admitted that the most intelligent
young people in Western countries tend to have
that kind of unhappiness that comes of finding no
adequate employment for their best talents. This,
however, is not the case in Eastern countries. The
intelligent young at the present day are probably
happier in Russia than anywhere else in the world.
They have there a new world to create, and an
ardent faith in accordance with which to create it.