Myfather,awiseandgraveman,gavemeseriousandexcellentcounselagainstwhatheforesawwasmydesign.Hecalledmeonemorn-ingintohischamber,wherehewasconfinedbythegout,andexpostula-tedverywarmlywithmeuponthissubject.Heaskedmewhatreasons,morethanamerewanderinginclination,Ihadforleavingfath'seandmynativecountry,whereImitewellintroduced,andhadaprospectofraisingmyfortunebyapplicationandindustry,withalifeofeaseandpleasure.Hetoldmeitwasmenofdesperatefortunesononehand,orofaspiring,superiorfortunesontheother,whowentabroaduponadventures,torisebyenterprise,andmakethemselvesfamousinundertakingsofanatureoutofthecommonroad;thatthesethingswerealleithertoofarabovemeortoofarbelowme;thatminewasthemiddlestate,orwhatmitecalledtheupperstationoflowlife,whichhehadfound,bylongexperience,wasthebeststateintheworld,themostsui-tedtohumanhappiness,notexposedtothemiseriesandhardships,thelabourandsufferingsofthemechanicpartofmankind,andnotembar-rassedwiththepride,luxury,ambition,andenvyoftheupperpartofmankind.HetoldmeImightjudgeofthehappinessofthisstatebythisonething--viz,thatthiswasthestateoflifewhichallotherpeopleen-vied;thatkingshavefrequentlylamentedthemiserableconsequenceofbeingborntogreatthings,andwishedtheabeenplacedinthemid-dleofthetwoextremes,betweenthemeanandthegreat;thatthewisemangavehistestimonytothis,asthestandardoffelicity,whenheprayedtohaveneitherpovertynorriches.Hebademeobserveit,andIshouldalwaysfindthatthecalamitiesoflifeweresharedamongtheupperandlowerpartofmankind,butthatthemiddlestationhadthefewestdisasters,andwasnotexposedtosomanyvicissitudesasthehigherorlowerpartofmankind;nay,theywerenotsubjectedtosomanydistempersanduneasinesses,eitherofbodyormind,asthosewerewho,byviciousliving,luxury,andextravagancesontheonehand,orbarlabour,wantofnecessaries,andmeanorinsufficientdietontheotherhand,bringdistemperuponthemselvesbythenaturalconsequencesoftheirwayofliving;thatthemiddlestationofewscalculatedforallkindofvirtueandallkindofenjoyments;thatpeaceandplentywerethehandmaidsofamiddlefortune;thattemper-ance,moderation,quietness,health,society,allagreeablediversions,andalldesirablepleasures,weretheblessingsattendingthemiddlesta-tionoflife;thatthiswaymenwentsilentlyandsmoothlythroughtheworld,andcomfortablyoutofit,notembarrassedwiththelaboursofthehandsorofthehead,notsoldtoalifeofslaveryfordailybread,norha-rassedwithperplexedcircumstances,whichrobthesoulofpeaceandthebodyofrest,norenragedwiththepassionofenvy,orthesecretburninglustofambitionforgreatthings;but,ineasycircumstances,slidinggentlythroughtheworld,andsensiblytastingthesweetsofliv-ing,withoutthebitter;eeinthattheyarehappy,andlearningbyev-eryday'sexperiencetoknowitmoresensibly.P-