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Article ON DISCONTENT WITH OUR LOT IN LIFE. ← Page 2 of 3 →
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On Discontent With Our Lot In Life.
« Give me neither poverty nor riches ! " was the prayer of a wise man , who knew that by the former he mig ht be subjected to hardships which might tempt him to disbelieve , and conducted by the latter to that perfect state of earthly independence which might obliterate all thoughts about , the existence of his God . _ I repeat it , that the man who is placed by Providence . in a middle is to be dissatisfied
sphere between affluence and penury , more apt with his fortune than the poor peasant , who , while he eats the liara crust and drinks the tasteless draught , careless as unexpectant ot to-morrow ' s fare , scarcely ever thinks of a state to which he has no hope of attaining . . .,. _ „ ,. , Those who are placed in that intermediate station of life for which the shine of prosperity
the pious Agur prayed , being nearer to sun- , feel something of its heat and much of its attraction . A thousand welcome ( though deluding ) dreams suggest a thousand circumrotations of fortune ' s wheel , by which they may be p laced in happy independence . —So natural is it for hope to enter even at the smallest ^ Suppose a man employed in a situation which may produce an inand hourlhe is liable to
terne of an hundred pounds a year ; daily y accidents which make him feel his dependence ; perp lexities in his business frequently occur , and he casts an eager glance on the fortune of the master of a chariot ; or thinks he may without a crime wish for a change with the solitary independent , who on a smaller income even than his own , but who is master of his time , lives uncontrolled an easy careless life , but who , truth to say , too often leads a lite unpleasing to God , as it is not useful to man . .. The lottery naturally presents itself , and the great lottery of life ,
marriage , to his sanguine mind . Into the first'he ventures heedless with his little all , upon the weak reflection , that to some one the great prizes must be drawn ana wherefore not to him ? " Should I be fortunate ( he will say ) , the transition from this hated subordination is the work but of a moment and happiness will then be mine for ever and for ever ! B . ut-has . vain ! that destiny is not in thy weak hand ,
thou considered , man and that to be gratified in all thy blind desires would soon be thy destruction > Wishes for better fortune while you enjoy a competency are wicked and vain ; and the chances for a worse are more numerous than your covetousness will allow you to see Remember , that if you can hope by the momentary transition to be made : nch , two-fold is the probability that it may cast you from your present and
state of mediocrity into that of pining penury woe _ To change the scene , perhaps , he will turn his mind to matnmon ^ and to become independent sell for life his peace ^ ^^ fjTJ rational pleasure , for the cankered carcase of some dowered widow whose person will be his continual detestation and disgrace , and SES & too probably is the receptacle of all that is narrow ¦ M that is rancorous , and in a word all that is base . But then lie is fcdepenSnt ; he keeps a chariot , and tinselled servants watt upon
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Discontent With Our Lot In Life.
« Give me neither poverty nor riches ! " was the prayer of a wise man , who knew that by the former he mig ht be subjected to hardships which might tempt him to disbelieve , and conducted by the latter to that perfect state of earthly independence which might obliterate all thoughts about , the existence of his God . _ I repeat it , that the man who is placed by Providence . in a middle is to be dissatisfied
sphere between affluence and penury , more apt with his fortune than the poor peasant , who , while he eats the liara crust and drinks the tasteless draught , careless as unexpectant ot to-morrow ' s fare , scarcely ever thinks of a state to which he has no hope of attaining . . .,. _ „ ,. , Those who are placed in that intermediate station of life for which the shine of prosperity
the pious Agur prayed , being nearer to sun- , feel something of its heat and much of its attraction . A thousand welcome ( though deluding ) dreams suggest a thousand circumrotations of fortune ' s wheel , by which they may be p laced in happy independence . —So natural is it for hope to enter even at the smallest ^ Suppose a man employed in a situation which may produce an inand hourlhe is liable to
terne of an hundred pounds a year ; daily y accidents which make him feel his dependence ; perp lexities in his business frequently occur , and he casts an eager glance on the fortune of the master of a chariot ; or thinks he may without a crime wish for a change with the solitary independent , who on a smaller income even than his own , but who is master of his time , lives uncontrolled an easy careless life , but who , truth to say , too often leads a lite unpleasing to God , as it is not useful to man . .. The lottery naturally presents itself , and the great lottery of life ,
marriage , to his sanguine mind . Into the first'he ventures heedless with his little all , upon the weak reflection , that to some one the great prizes must be drawn ana wherefore not to him ? " Should I be fortunate ( he will say ) , the transition from this hated subordination is the work but of a moment and happiness will then be mine for ever and for ever ! B . ut-has . vain ! that destiny is not in thy weak hand ,
thou considered , man and that to be gratified in all thy blind desires would soon be thy destruction > Wishes for better fortune while you enjoy a competency are wicked and vain ; and the chances for a worse are more numerous than your covetousness will allow you to see Remember , that if you can hope by the momentary transition to be made : nch , two-fold is the probability that it may cast you from your present and
state of mediocrity into that of pining penury woe _ To change the scene , perhaps , he will turn his mind to matnmon ^ and to become independent sell for life his peace ^ ^^ fjTJ rational pleasure , for the cankered carcase of some dowered widow whose person will be his continual detestation and disgrace , and SES & too probably is the receptacle of all that is narrow ¦ M that is rancorous , and in a word all that is base . But then lie is fcdepenSnt ; he keeps a chariot , and tinselled servants watt upon