andyouwillfindthatthemisfortunesofbyfarthegreaterpartofthemhavearisenfromtheirnotknowingwhentheywerewell，whenitwasproperforthemtositstillandtobecontented。Theinscriptionuponthetomb-stoneofthemanwhohadendeavouredtomendatolerableconstitutionbytakingphysic；’Iwaswell，I
　　wishedtobebetter；hereIam；maygenerallybeappliedwithgreatjustnesstothedistressofdisappointedavariceandambition。
　　Itmaybethoughtasingular，butIbelieveittobeajustobservation，that，inthemisfortuneswhichadmitofsomeremedy，thegreaterpartofmendonoteithersoreadilyorsouniversallyrecovertheirnaturalandusualtranquillity，asinthosewhichplainlyadmitofnone。Inmisfortunesofthelatterkind，itischieflyinwhatmaybecalledtheparoxysm，orinthefirstattack，thatwecandiscoveranysensibledifferencebetweenthesentimentsandbehaviourofthewiseandthoseoftheweakman。Intheend，Time，thegreatanduniversalcomforter，graduallycomposestheweakmantothesamedegreeoftranquillitywhicharegardtohisowndignityandmanhoodteachesthewisemantoassumeinthebeginning。Thecaseofthemanwiththewoodenlegisanobviousexampleofthis。Intheirreparablemisfortunesoccasionedbythedeathofchildren，oroffriendsandrelations，evenawisemanmayforsometimeindulgehimselfinsomedegreeofmoderatedsorrow。Anaffectionate，butweakwoman，isoften，uponsuchoccasions，almostperfectlydistracted。Time，however，inalongerorshorterperiod，neverfailstocomposetheweakestwomantothesamedegreeoftranquillityasthestrongestman。Inalltheirreparablecalamitieswhichaffecthimselfimmediatelyanddirectly，awisemanendeavours，fromthebeginning，toanticipateandtoenjoybefore-hand，thattranquillitywhichheforeseesthecourseofafewmonths，orafewyears，willcertainlyrestoretohimintheend。
　　Inthemisfortunesforwhichthenatureofthingsadmits，orseemstoadmit，ofaremedy，butinwhichthemeansofapplyingthatremedyarenotwithinthereachofthesufferer，hisvainandfruitlessattemptstorestorehimselftohisformersituation，hiscontinualanxietyfortheirsuccess，hisrepeateddisappointmentsupontheirmiscarriage，arewhatchieflyhinderhimfromresuminghisnaturaltranquillity，andfrequentlyrendermiserable，duringthewholeofhislife，amantowhomagreatermisfortune，butwhichplainlyadmittedofnoremedy，wouldnothavegivenafortnight’sdisturbance。Inthefallfromroyalfavourtodisgrace，frompowertoinsignificancy，fromrichestopoverty，fromlibertytoconfinement，fromstronghealthtosomelingering，chronical，andperhapsincurabledisease，themanwhostrugglestheleast，whomosteasilyandreadilyacquiescesinthefortunewhichhasfallentohim，verysoonrecovershisusualandnaturaltranquility，andsurveysthemostdisagreeablecircumstancesofhisactualsituationinthesamelight，or，perhaps，inamuchlessunfavourablelight，thanthatinwhichthemostindifferentspectatorisdisposedtosurveythem。
　　Faction，intrigue，andcabal，disturbthequietoftheunfortunatestatesman。extravagantprojects，visionsofgoldmines，interruptthereposeoftheruinedbankrupt。Theprisoner，whoiscontinuallyplottingtoescapefromhisconfinement，cannotenjoythatcarelesssecuritywhichevenaprisoncanaffordhim。Themedicinesofthephysicianareoftenthegreatesttormentoftheincurablepatient。Themonkwho，inordertocomfortJoannaofCastile，uponthedeathofherhusbandPhilip，toldherofaKing，who，fourteenyearsafterhisdecease，hadbeenrestoredtolifeagain，bytheprayersofhisafflictedqueen，wasnotlikely，byhislegendarytale，torestoresedatenesstothedistemperedmindofthatunhappyPrincess。Sheendeavouredtorepeatthesameexperimentinhopesofthesamesuccess；resistedforalongtimetheburialofherhusband，soonafterraisedhisbodyfromthegrave，attendeditalmostconstantlyherself，andwatched，withalltheimpatientanxietyoffranticexpectation，thehappymomentwhenherwishesweretobegratifiedbytherevivalofherbelovedPhilip。3*
　　Oursensibilitytothefeelingsofothers，sofarfrombeinginconsistentwiththemanhoodofself-command，istheveryprincipleuponwhichthatmanhoodisfounded。Theverysameprincipleorinstinctwhich，inthemisfortuneofourneighbour，promptsustocompassionatehissorrow；inourownmisfortune，promptsustorestraintheabjectandmiserablelamentationsofourownsorrow。Thesameprincipleorinstinctwhich，inhisprosperityandsuccess，promptsustocongratulatehisjoy；inourownprosperityandsuccess，promptsustorestrainthelevityandintemperanceofourownjoy。Inbothcases，theproprietyofourownsentimentsandfeelingsseemstobeexactlyinproportiontothevivacityandforcewithwhichweenterintoandconceivehissentimentsandfeelings。
　　Themanofthemostperfectvirtue，themanwhomwenaturallyloveandreverethemost，ishewhojoins，tothemostperfectcommandofhisownoriginalandselfishfeelings，themostexquisitesensibilitybothtotheoriginalandsympatheticfeelingsofothers。Themanwho，toallthesoft，theamiable，andthegentlevirtues，joinsallthegreat，theawful，andtherespectable，mustsurelybethenaturalandproperobjectofourhighestloveandadmiration。
　　Thepersonbestfittedbynatureforacquiringtheformerofthosetwosetsofvirtues，islikewisebestfittedforacquiringthelatter。Themanwhofeelsthemostforthejoysandsorrowsofothers，isbestfittedforacquiringthemostcompletecontrolofhisownjoysandsorrows。Themanofthemostexquisitehumanity，isnaturallythemostcapableofacquiringthehighestdegreeofself-command。Hemaynot，however，alwayshaveacquiredit；anditveryfrequentlyhappensthathehasnot。Hemayhavelivedtoomuchineaseandtranquillity。Hemayhaveneverbeenexposedtotheviolenceoffaction，ortothehardshipsandhazardsofwar。Hemayhaveneverexperiencedtheinsolenceofhissuperiors，thejealousandmalignantenvyofhisequals，orthepilferinginjusticeofhisinferiors。When，inanadvancedage，someaccidentalchangeoffortuneexposeshimtoallthese，theyallmaketoogreatanimpressionuponhim。Hehasthedispositionwhichfitshimforacquiringthemostperfectself-command；buthehasneverhadtheopportunityofacquiringit。exerciseandpracticehavebeenwanting；andwithoutthesenohabitcaneverbetolerablyestablished。Hardships，dangers，injuries，misfortunes，aretheonlymastersunderwhomwecanlearntheexerciseofthisvirtue。Buttheseareallmasterstowhomnobodywillinglyputshimselftoschool。
　　Thesituationsinwhichthegentlevirtueofhumanitycanbemosthappilycultivated，arebynomeansthesamewiththosewhicharebestfittedforformingtheausterevirtueofself-command。Themanwhoishimselfateasecanbestattendtothedistressofothers。Themanwhoishimselfexposedtohardshipsismostimmediatelycalledupontoattendto，andtocontrolhisownfeelings。Inthemildsunshineofundisturbedtranquillity，inthecalmretirementofundissipatedandphilosophicalleisure，thesoftvirtueofhumanityflourishesthemost，andiscapableofthehighestimprovement。But，insuchsituations，thegreatestandnoblestexertionsofself-commandhavelittleexercise。Undertheboisterousandstormyskyofwarandfaction，ofpublictumultandconfusion，thesturdyseverityofself-commandprospersthemost，andcanbethemostsuccessfullycultivated。But，insuchsituations，thestrongestsuggestionsofhumanitymustfrequentlybestifledorneglected；
　　andeverysuchneglectnecessarilytendstoweakentheprincipleofhumanity。Asitmayfrequentlybethedutyofasoldiernottotake，soitmaysometimesbehisdutynottogivequarter；andthehumanityofthemanwhohasbeenseveraltimesunderthenecessityofsubmittingtothisdisagreeableduty，canscarcefailtosufferaconsiderablediminution。Forhisownease，heistooapttolearntomakelightofthemisfortuneswhichheissooftenunderthenecessityofoccasioning；andthesituationswhichcallforththenoblestexertionsofself-command，byimposingthenecessityofviolatingsometimestheproperty，andsometimesthelifeofourneighbour，alwaystendtodiminish，andtoooftentoextinguishaltogether，thatsacredregardtoboth，whichisthefoundationofjusticeandhumanity。Itisuponthisaccount，thatwesofrequentlyfindintheworldmenofgreathumanitywhohavelittleself-command，butwhoareindolentandirresolute，andeasilydisheartened，eitherbydifficultyordanger，fromthemosthonourablepursuits；and，onthecontrarymenofthemostperfectself-command，whomnodifficultycandiscourage，nodangerappal，andwhoareatalltimesreadyforthemostdaringanddesperateenterprises，butwho，atthesametime，seemtobehardenedagainstallsenseeitherofjusticeorhumanity。
　　Insolitude，weareapttofeeltoostronglywhateverrelatestoourselves:weareapttoover-ratethegoodofficeswemayhavedone，andtheinjurieswemayhavesuffered:weareapttobetoomuchelatedbyourowngood，andtoomuchdejectedbyourownbadfortune。Theconversationofafriendbringsustoabetter，thatofastrangertoastillbettertemper。Themanwithinthebreast，theabstractandidealspectatorofoursentimentsandconduct，requiresoftentobeawakenedandputinmindofhisduty，bythepresenceoftherealspectator:anditisalwaysfromthatspectator，fromwhomwecanexpecttheleastsympathyandindulgence，thatwearelikelytolearnthemostcompletelessonofself-command。
　　Areyouinadversity？Donotmourninthedarknessofsolitude，donotregulateyoursorrowaccordingtotheindulgentsympathyofyourintimatefriends；return，assoonaspossible，totheday-lightoftheworldandofsociety。Livewithstrangers，withthosewhoknownothing，orcarenothingaboutyourmisfortune；donotevenshunthecompanyofenemies；butgiveyourselfthepleasureofmortifyingtheirmalignantjoy，bymakingthemfeelhowlittleyouareaffectedbyyourcalamity，andhowmuchyouareaboveit。
　　Areyouinprosperity？Donotconfinetheenjoymentofyourgoodfortunetoyourownhouse，tothecompanyofyourownfriends，perhapsofyourflatterers，ofthosewhobuilduponyourfortunethehopesofmendingtheirown；frequentthosewhoareindependentofyou，whocanvalueyouonlyforyourcharacterandconduct，andnotforyourfortune。Neitherseeknorshun，neitherintrudeyourselfintonorrunawayfromthesocietyofthosewhowereonceyoursuperiors，andwhomaybehurtatfindingyoutheirequal，or，perhaps，eventheirsuperior。Theimpertinenceoftheirpridemay，perhaps，rendertheircompanytoodisagreeable:butifitshouldnot，beassuredthatitisthebestcompanyyoucanpossiblykeep；andif，bythesimplicityofyourunassumingdemeanour，youcangaintheirfavourandkindness，youmayrestsatisfiedthatyouaremodestenough，andthatyourheadhasbeeninnorespectturnedbyyourgoodfortune。
　　Theproprietyofourmoralsentimentsisneversoapttobecorrupted，aswhentheindulgentandpartialspectatorisathand，whiletheindifferentandimpartialoneisatagreatdistance。
　　Oftheconductofoneindependentnationtowardsanother，neutralnationsaretheonlyindifferentandimpartialspectators。Buttheyareplacedatsogreatadistancethattheyarealmostquiteoutofsight。Whentwonationsareatvariance，thecitizenofeachpayslittleregardtothesentimentswhichforeignnationsmayentertainconcerninghisconduct。Hiswholeambitionistoobtaintheapprobationofhisownfellow-citizens；
　　andastheyareallanimatedbythesamehostilepassionswhichanimatehimself，hecanneverpleasethemsomuchasbyenragingandoffendingtheirenemies。Thepartialspectatorisathand:
　　theimpartialoneatagreatdistance。Inwarandnegotiation，therefore，thelawsofjusticeareveryseldomobserved。Truthandfairdealingarealmosttotallydisregarded。Treatiesareviolated；andtheviolation，ifsomeadvantageisgainedbyit，shedsscarceanydishonourupontheviolator。Theambassadorwhodupestheministerofaforeignnation，isadmiredandapplauded。