contracting their desires, an excellent saying of Bion, the philosopher, namely, "That no man had so much care as he who endeavors after the most happiness."

* Reflect, vte

think, consider, reproach, cast back.

6 Pressure, s

11. In the second place, every one ought to reflect* how much more unhappy he might be than he really is.. The former consideration took in all those, who are safficiently provideds with the means to make themselves easy; this regards such as actually lie under some pressures of misfortune. These may receive great alleviation7 from such a comparison as the unhappy person may make between himself and others; or between the misfortunes which he 8 Misfortune, s suffers, and greater misfortunes ill luck, calamity which might have befallen him.

5 Provided.part made ready, prepared. force, impression 7 Alleviation, act of making

easy.

12. I like the story of the honest Dutchman, who, upon breaking 9 Mainmast, s his leg by a fall from the mainmast9 the chief or mid told the standers by, it was a great dle mast of a mercy it was not his neck.

To ship.

† Quotation, s

which, since I have got into quota- passages quot tions, give me leave to add the say- ed,-citations. ing of an old philosopher, who, after having invited some of bis friends to dine with him, was ruffled by a person that came into the room. in a passion, and threw down the table that stood before them: Eve. ry one,' says he has his calamity,*

* Calamity, s misfortune, tress, misery.

and he is a happy man that has no greater than this.'

13. We find an instance to the same purpose in the life of Doctor Hammond, written by bishop Fell, As this good man was troubled with a complication2 of distempers, when he had the gouts upon him, he used to thank God that it was not the stone; and when he had the stone, that he had not both these distempers on him at the same time.

2 Complication, s a mixture of many things. 3 Gouts a most

painful distem

per.

System, sa method, scheme

& Condition, e a term of agree ment. quality, rank, state

14. I cannot conclude this essay without observing that there never was any system* besides that of Christianity, which could effectu- plan, theory. ally produce in the mind of man the virtue I have been hitherto speaking of. In order to make us contented with our conditiong many ny of the present philosophers tell us, that our discontent only hurts oufselves, without being able to make any alteration in our circumstances; others, that whatever befals us is derived to us by fatal necessity, to which superior beings themselves are subject; while others, very gravely teli the man who is miserable, that it is necessary he should be so, to keep up the harmony 5 of the universe; and that the scheme of Providence would be troubled and pervorted; were he otherwise.

5 Harmony,

just proportion

of sound

A

6 Scheme, plan, a project 15. These, and the like consid erations, rather silence than satisfy a man. They may shew him that bis discontent is unreaonable, but they are by no means sufficient to relieve it. They rather give despairs than consolation. In a word, man might reply, to one of these comforters, as Augustus did to his friend, who advised him not to grieve for the death of a person whom he loved, because his grief could not fetch him again : for that very reason,' said the Emperor, that I grieve.'

It is

16. On the contrary, religion bears a more tender regard to human nature. It prescribes to every miserable man the means of bet tering his condition: nay, it shows him that bearing his afflictions as he ought to do, will naturally end in the removal of them. It makes him easy here, because it can make him happy hereafter.

Rank and Riches afford no ground for Envy.

1. Of all the grounds of envy among men, superiority in rank and fortune is the most general. Hence, the malignity2 which the

poor commonly bear to the rich, as engrossing to themselves all the comforts of life. Hence, the evil eye with which persons of inferior station scrutinize those who are

3 Scrutinize.

above them in rank; and if they ap- to examine dilproach to that rank, their envy is igently generally strongest against such as are just one step higher than themselves.

4 Disquietude, • uneasiness, want of tran

quility.

2. Alas! my friends, all this envious disquietu les which agitates the world, arises from a deceitful figure which imposes on the public view. False colors are hung out: the real state of men is not what it seems to be. The order of society requires a distinctions of ranks to 5 Distinction, take place; but in point of happi- difference, qual ity. ness, all men come much nearer to

contrived, fan

equality than is commonly imagincd;6 and the circumstances which 6 Imagined part form any material difference of happiness among them are not of that nature which render them grounds of envy.*

3. The poor man possesses not, it is true, some of the conveniences and pleasures of the rich, but in return, he is free from many embarrassments to which they are subject. By the simplicity and uniformity of his life, he is dilivered from that variety of cares which perplex9 those who have great af

cied.

• Envy, s vex-. ation at another's prosperity.

7 Embarrassment, s perplex itv.

8 Simplicity, s want of cunning

fairs to manage, intricatet plans to pursue, many enemies, perhaps to encounter2 in the pursuit.

† Intricate, a entangled, perplexed.

2 Encounter, v

to attack, to en

gage.

3 Satisfactory, a

4. In the tranquility of his small habitation, and private family, he enjoys a peace which is often unknown at courts. The gratifications of nature, which are always the most satisfactory,3 are always giving content. possessed by him to their full extent; and if he be a stranger to the refined pleasures of the wealthy, he is unacquainted also with the desires of them, and by consequence, feels no want. His plain meal satisfies his appetite, with a relish, probably, higher than that of the rich man, who sits down to his lux

urious banquet.4

4 Banquet, &

* Spleen, s

5. His sleep is more sound: his a feast. health more firm; he knows not what spleen, languor, and listlessness are. His accustomed employ- spite, anger, ments or labors are not more op- melancholy. pressives to him, than the labors of 5 Oppressive, cruel, overwhel attendance on courts and the great, ming. the labors of dress-the fatigues of amusement, the very weight of idleness, frequently are to the rich,

6. In the mean time, all the beauty of the face of nature, all the en-, joyments of domestico society, all the gaiety and cheerfulness of an easy mind, are as open to him as to those of the highest rank. The

6 Domestic, a belonging to a house, private.