PHI LOS 0 P H Y . - Classic Works of Apologetics Online

IJunlon IItIPpil1CSJ.
It scr:-ins to be true, that no plenitude of prcr.ent
~""ratifications, can make the po~ses~or happy for a cono
tinuance, unless he have somet
h.
Ing In
·
l·eserve-·~onlething
to hope for, and look forward to. This I conclude
to be the case, from comparing the alacrity
and spitits of men, who arc engaged in any pur-.uit
which interests them, with the dejection and ennui of
almost all, \\-ho are eitl1er born to so much that they
want nothing more, or who have wed tip their fatisfactions
too soon, and drained the ~ources of them.
It is this intolerable vacuity of mind, which carries
the rich and great to the hor:-e-course and the
gaming table; and of ten_ engages them in conte~ts
and pursuits, of YJhich the success bears no propol"­
tion to the solicitude and expen~e, with \\,hich it i~
sought. An election for a disputed borough ~hall
cost the parrie~ t\venty or thirty thou·:and pound~ a
piece, to say nothing of the- anxiety, humiliation, and
fatigue of the canV~b~; when a seat in the Hou~e of
Conlmon~, of exactlv the same value, m2V be had for
~ I
a tenth part of the nloney, and ,~:itil no trouble. I
do not Inp!1cion this to blame the rich and great,
(perh&!ps they cannot do better) but in !:onfirmarion
of what 111ave :!dvanccd.
l-iope, which-thus appears to be of so mtlcll inlportance
to our happiness, is of t\\'O kinds, u,here there
is somethi!lg to be dOlle to\vards attainirJg the objE·ct
()f our hope, and wh~re there ;.~ nothing to be done.
rj"i1e first alone is of any ,'alue ,. the latter beincr ("tnt
b J
tv corrupt into impati~nce, having nothing in irs
~ower but to !'it still and wait, which ~oon grow~
'Ire!\()ll1e.
rrhe do,:trine delivel-ed under tJ1i, 11ead may l)c
readily admitted; but how to provide ('ur,elve~ "'with
a ~ucce5~ii)n of pleasurable eng(~gemeI1t~, is the difficulty.
This rf'quires two thing'; judgment in the
chOIce of ends adapted to our opportunities; .mil a
command of imagination, so as to be able, when th~
judgment has made choice of an end, to tr3nsfer a