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In the fecond place, every one ought to reflect how much more unhappy he might be, than he really is. The former confideration took in all thofe, who are fufficiently provided with the means to make themselves eafy; this regards fuch as actually lie under fome preffure or misfortune. These may receive great alleviation from fuch a comparison as the unhappy perfon may make between himself and others: or between the misfortune which he fuffers, and greater misfortunes which might have befallen him.

I like the ftory of the honeft Dutchman, who, upon breaking his leg by a fall from the mainmaft, told the ftanders by, it was a great mercy that it was not his neck. To which, fince I am got into quotations, give me leave to add the faying of an old philofopher, who, after having invited fome of his friends to dine with him, was ruffled by a person that came into the room in a paffion, and threw down the table that stood before them: "Every one," fays he, "has his calamity; and he is a happy man that has no greater than this." We find an infance to the fame purpose, in the life of doctor Hammond, written by bishop Fell. As this good man was troubled with a complication of diftempers, when he had the gout upon him, he used to thank God that it was not the ftone; and when he had the ftone, that he had not both thefe diftempers on him at the fame time.

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I cannot conclude this effay without obferving, that there never was any fyftem befides that of Chriftianity, which could effectually produce in the mind of man, the virtue I have been hitherto speaking of. In order to make us contented with our condition, many of the prefent philofophers tell us, that our discontent only hurts ourselves, without being able to make any alteration in our circumstances; others, that whatever evil befalls us is derived to us by a fatal neceffity, to which fuperior beings themselves are fubject; while others, very gravely, tell the man who is miferable, that it is neceffary he should be fo, to keep up the harmony of the univerfe; and that the fcheme of Providence would be troubled and perverted were he otherwise. These, and the like confiderations, rather filence than fatisfy a man. They may fhow him that his discontent is unreasonable, but they are by no means fufficient to relieve it. They rather give despair than confolation. a word, a man might reply to one of these comforters, a

In

Auguftus 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: " It is for that very reason," faid the emperor," that I grieve.”

On the contrary, religion bears a more tender regard to human nature. It prescribes to every miferable man the means of bettering 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.

SECTION XII.

ADDISON.

Rank and Riches afford no Ground for Envy.

Of all the grounds of envy among men, fuperiority in rank and fortune is the moft general. Hence the malig. nity which the poor commonly bear to the rich, as engroffing to themfelves all the comforts of life. Hence, the evil eye with which perfons of inferior station fcrutinize thofe who are above them in rank; and if they approach to that rank, their envy is generally ftrongest against fuch, as are just one step higher than themfelves. Alas! my friends, all this envious difquietude, which agitates the world, arifes from a deceitful figure which imposes on the public view. Falfe colours are hung out: the real state of men is not what it feems to be. The order of fociety requires a diftinction of ranks to take place; but in point of happiness, all men come much nearer to equality than is commonly imagined; and the circumftances, which form any material difference of happiness among them, are not of that nature which renders them grounds of envy. The poor man poffeffes not, it is true, fome of the conveniences and pafures of the rich; but in return, he is free from many embarraffments to which they are subject. By the fimplicity and uniformity of his life, he is delivered from that variety of cares, which perplex thofe who have great affairs to manage, intricate plans to pursue, many enemies, perhaps, to encounter in the purfuit. In the tranquillity of his fmall habitation, and private family, he enjoys a peace which is often unknown at courts. The gratifications of nature, which are always the most fatisfactory, are poffeffed by him to their full extent; and if he be a ftranger to the refined pleasures of the wealthy. he is unacquinted alfo with the defire of them, and by confequence, feels no want. His plain meal fatisfies his appetite, with a

relifh probably higher than that of the rich man, who fits down to his luxurious banquet. His fleep is more found; his health more firm; he knows not what fpleen, languor, and liftleffness are. His accuftomed employments or la bours are not more oppreffive to him, than the labour of attendance on courts and the great, the labours of dress, the fatigue of amusements, the very weight of idleness, frequently are to the rich. In the mean time, all the beauty of the face of nature, all the enjoyments of domestic fociety, all the gaiety and cheerfulness of an easy mind, are as open to him as to thofe of the highest rank. The fplendour of retinue, the found of titles, the appearances of high respect are indeed foothing, for a fhort time, to the great. But become familiar, they are foon forgotten. Custom effaces their impreffion. They fink into the rank of those ordinary things, which daily recur, without raifing any fenfation of joy. Let us ceafe, therefore, from looking up with difcontent and envy to those, whom birth or fortune has placed above us. Let us adjust the balance of happinefs fairly. When we think of the enjoyments we want, we should think also of the troubles from which we are free. If we allow their just value to the comforts we poffefs, we fhall find reafon to reft fatisfied, with a very moderate, though not an opulent and fplendid, condition of fortune. Often, did we know the whole, we should be inclined to pity the state of those whom we now envy.

SECTION XIII.

BLAIR

Patience under Provocations our Intereft as well as Duty. THE wide circle of human fociety is diverfified by an endless variety of characters, difpofitions, and paffions. Uniformity is, in no respect, the genius of the world. Every man is marked by fome peculiarity which distinguishes him from another: and no where can two individuals be found, who are exactly and in all refpects alike. Where fo much diverfity obtains, it cannot but happen, that, in the intercourse which men are obliged to maintain, their tempers will often be ill adjufted to that intercourfe; will jar and interfere with each other. Hence, in every station, the highest as well as the loweft, and in every condition of life, public, private and domeftic, occafions of irritation frequently arise. We are provoked, fometimes by the folly and levity of thofe with whom we are connected; fometimes, by their indifference or neglect; by the incivil

ity of a friend, the haughtiness of a fuperior, or the infolent behaviour of one in lower station., Hardly a day paffes, without fomewhat or other occurring, which ferves to ruffle the man of impatient spirit. Of course, fuch a man lives in a continual storm. He knows not what it is to enjoy a train of good humour. Servants, neighbours, friends, spouse and children, all, through the unreftrained violence of his temper, become fources of disturbance and vexation to him. In vain is affluence; in vain are health and profperity. The leaft trifle is fufficient to discompofe his mind and poifon his pleasures. His very amuments are mixed with turbulence and paffion.

I would befeech this man to confider, of what small moment the provocations which he receives, or at least imagines himself to receive, are really in themfelves; but of what great moment he makes them, by fuffering them to deprive him of the poffeffion of himself. I would befeech him to confider, how many hours of happiness he throws away, which a little more patience would allow him to enjoy; and how much he puts it in the power of the most infignificant perfons to render him miferable. "But who can expect," we hear him explain," that he is to poffefs the infenfibility of a ftone? how is it poffible for human nature to endure fo many repeated provocations? or to bear calmly with so unreasonable dehaviour?" My brother! if thou canft bear with no inftances of unreasonable behaviour, withdraw thy felf from the world. Thou art no longer fit to live in it. Leave the intercourfe of men. Retreat to the mountain, and the defert; or shut thyfelf up in a cell. For here, in the midst of fociety, offences muf come. We might as well expect, when we behold a calm atmosphere, and a clear fky, that no clouds were ever to rife, and no winds to blow, as that our life were long to proceed, without receiving provocations from human frailty. The careless and the imprudent, the giddy and the fickle, the ungrateful and the interested, every where meet us. They are the briers and thorns, with which the paths of human life are befet. He only who can hold his courfe among them with patience and equanimity, he who is prepared to bear what he must expect to happen, is worthy of the name of

a man.

If we preserved ourfelves compofed but for a moment, we fhould perceive the infignificancy of most of thofe

provocations which we magnify fo highly. When a few funs more have rolled over our heads, the ftorm will, of itself, have fubfided; the cause of our prefent impatience and disturbance will be utterly forgotten. Can we not then anticipate this hour of calmnefs to ourselves; and begin to enjoy the peace which it will certainly bring? If others have behaved improperly, let us leave them to their own folly, without becoming the victim of their caprice, and punishing ourselves on their account. Patience, in this exercise of it, cannot be too much studied by all who with their life to flow in a smooth stream. It is the reason of a man, in oppofition to the paffion of a child. is the enjoyment of peace, in oppofition to uproar and confufion.

SECTION XIV.

Moderation in our Wishes recommended.

It

BLAIR.

THE active mind of man feldom or never rests satisfied with its present condition, how profperous foever. Originally formed for a wider range of objects, for a higher fphere of enjoyments, it finds itfelf, in every fituation of fortune, ftraitened and confined. Senfible of deficiency in its state, it is ever fending forth the fond defire, the af piring wifh, after something beyond what is enjoyed at prefent. Hence that reftleffnefs which prevails fo generally among mankind. Hence, that difguft of pleasures which they have tried; that paffion for novelty that ambition of rifing to fome degree of eminence or felicity, of which they have formed to themselves an indistinct idea. All which may be confidered as indications of a certain native original greatness in the human foul, fwelling beyond the limits of its prefent condition; and pointing to the higher objects for which it was made. Happy, if these latent remains of our primitive state served to direct our wishes towards their proper destination, and to lead us into the path of true blifs!

But in this dark and bewildered state, the aspiring tendency of our nature unfortunately takes an oppofite direction, and feeds a very mifplaced ambition. The flattering appearances which here present themselves to sense; the diftinctions which fortune confers; the advantages and pleafure which we imagine the world to be capable of beftowing, fill up the ultimate wifh of moft men. Thefe

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