Withamanofalittlemorefirmness，theeffectissomewhatmorepermanent。Heendeavours，asmuchashecan，tofixhisattentionupontheviewwhichthecompanyarelikelytotakeofhissituation。Hefeels，atthesametime，theesteemandapprobationwhichtheynaturallyconceiveforhimwhenhethuspreserveshistranquillity；and，thoughunderthepressureofsomerecentandgreatcalamity，appearstofeelforhimselfnomorethanwhattheyreallyfeelforhim。Heapprovesandapplaudshimselfbysympathywiththeirapprobation，andthepleasurewhichhederivesfromthissentimentsupportsandenableshimmoreeasilytocontinuethisgenerouseffort。Inmostcasesheavoidsmentioninghisownmisfortune；andhiscompany，iftheyaretolerablywellbred，arecarefultosaynothingwhichcanputhiminmindofit。Heendeavourstoentertainthem，inhisusualway，uponindifferentsubjects，or，ifhefeelshimselfstrongenoughtoventuretomentionhismisfortune，heendeavourstotalkofitas，hethinks，theyarecapableoftalkingofit，andeventofeelitnofurtherthantheyarecapableoffeelingit。
Ifhehasnot，however，beenwellinuredtotheharddisciplineofself-command，hesoongrowswearyofthisrestraint。Alongvisitfatigueshim；and，towardstheendofit，heisconstantlyindangerofdoing，whatheneverfailstodothemomentitisover，ofabandoninghimselftoalltheweaknessofexcessivesorrow。Moderngoodmanners，whichareextremelyindulgenttohumanweakness，forbid，forsometime，thevisitsofstrangerstopersonsundergreatfamilydistress，andpermitthoseonlyofthenearestrelationsandmostintimatefriends。Thepresenceofthelatter，itisthought，willimposelessrestraintthanthatoftheformer；andthesuffererscanmoreeasilyaccommodatethemselvestothefeelingsofthose，fromwhomtheyhavereasontoexpectamoreindulgentsympathy。Secretenemies，whofancythattheyarenotknowntobesuch，arefrequentlyfondofmakingthosecharitablevisitsasearlyasthemostintimatefriends。
Theweakestmanintheworld，inthiscase，endeavourstosupporthismanlycountenance，and，fromindignationandcontemptoftheirmalice，tobehavewithasmuchgaietyandeaseashecan。
Themanofrealconstancyandfirmness，thewiseandjustmanwhohasbeenthoroughlybredinthegreatschoolofself-command，inthebustleandbusinessoftheworld，exposed，perhaps，totheviolenceandinjusticeoffaction，andtothehardshipsandhazardsofwar，maintainsthiscontrolofhispassivefeelingsuponalloccasions；andwhetherinsolitudeorinsociety，wearsnearlythesamecountenance，andisaffectedverynearlyinthesamemanner。Insuccessandindisappointment，inprosperityandinadversity，beforefriendsandbeforeenemies，hehasoftenbeenunderthenecessityofsupportingthismanhood。Hehasneverdaredtoforgetforonemomentthejudgmentwhichtheimpartialspectatorwouldpassuponhissentimentsandconduct。Hehasneverdaredtosufferthemanwithinthebreasttobeabsentonemomentfromhisattention。Withtheeyesofthisgreatinmatehehasalwaysbeenaccustomedtoregardwhateverrelatestohimself。
Thishabithasbecomeperfectlyfamiliartohim。Hehasbeenintheconstantpractice，and，indeed，undertheconstantnecessity，ofmodelling，orofendeavouringtomodel，notonlyhisoutwardconductandbehaviour，but，asmuchashecan，evenhisinwardsentimentsandfeelings，accordingtothoseofthisawfulandrespectablejudge。Hedoesnotmerelyaffectthesentimentsoftheimpartialspectator。Hereallyadoptsthem。Healmostidentifieshimselfwith，healmostbecomeshimselfthatimpartialspectator，andscarceevenfeelsbutasthatgreatarbiterofhisconductdirectshimtofeel。
Thedegreeoftheself-approbationwithwhicheveryman，uponsuchoccasions，surveyshisownconduct，ishigherorlower，exactlyinproportiontothedegreeofself-commandwhichisnecessaryinordertoobtainthatself-approbation。Wherelittleself-commandisnecessary，littleself-approbationisdue。Themanwhohasonlyscratchedhisfinger，cannotmuchapplaudhimself，thoughheshouldimmediatelyappeartohaveforgotthispaltrymisfortune。Themanwhohaslosthislegbyacannonshot，andwho，themomentafter，speaksandactswithhisusualcoolnessandtranquillity，asheexertsamuchhigherdegreeofself-command，sohenaturallyfeelsamuchhigherdegreeofself-approbation。Withmostmen，uponsuchanaccident，theirownnaturalviewoftheirownmisfortunewouldforceitselfuponthemwithsuchavivacityandstrengthofcolouring，aswouldentirelyeffaceallthoughtofeveryotherview。Theywouldfeelnothing，theycouldattendtonothing，buttheirownpainandtheirownfear；andnotonlythejudgmentoftheidealmanwithinthebreast，butthatoftherealspectatorswhomighthappentobepresent，wouldbeentirelyoverlookedanddisregarded。
TherewardwhichNaturebestowsupongoodbehaviourundermisfortune，isthusexactlyproportionedtothedegreeofthatgoodbehaviour。Theonlycompensationshecouldpossiblymakeforthebitternessofpainanddistressisthustoo，inequaldegreesofgoodbehaviour，exactlyproportionedtothedegreeofthatpainanddistress。Inproportiontothedegreeoftheself-commandwhichisnecessaryinordertoconquerournaturalsensibility，thepleasureandprideoftheconquestaresomuchthegreater；andthispleasureandpridearesogreatthatnomancanbealtogetherunhappywhocompletelyenjoysthem。Miseryandwretchednesscanneverenterthebreastinwhichdwellscompleteself-satisfaction；andthoughitmaybetoomuch，perhaps，tosay，withtheStoics，that，undersuchanaccidentasthatabovementioned，thehappinessofawisemanisineveryrespectequaltowhatitcouldhavebeenunderanyothercircumstances；yetitmustbeacknowledged，atleast，thatthiscompleteenjoymentofhisownself-applause，thoughitmaynotaltogetherextinguish，mustcertainlyverymuchalleviatehissenseofhisownsufferings。
Insuchparoxysmsofdistress，ifImaybeallowedtocallthemso，thewisestandfirmestman，inordertopreservehisequanimity，isobliged，Iimagine，tomakeaconsiderable，andevenapainfulexertion。Hisownnaturalfeelingofhisowndistress，hisownnaturalviewofhisownsituation，pressesharduponhim，andhecannot，withoutaverygreateffort，fixhisattentionuponthatoftheimpartialspectator。Bothviewspresentthemselvestohimatthesametime。Hissenseofhonour，hisregardtohisowndignity，directshimtofixhiswholeattentionupontheoneview。Hisnatural，hisuntaughtandundisciplinedfeelings，arecontinuallycallingitofftotheother。Hedoesnot，inthiscase，perfectlyidentifyhimselfwiththeidealmanwithinthebreast，hedoesnotbecomehimselftheimpartialspectatorofhisownconduct。Thedifferentviewsofbothcharactersexistinhismindseparateanddistinctfromoneanother，andeachdirectinghimtoabehaviourdifferentfromthattowhichtheotherdirectshim。Whenhefollowsthatviewwhichhonouranddignitypointouttohim，Naturedoesnot，indeed，leavehimwithoutarecompense。Heenjoyshisowncompleteself-approbation，andtheapplauseofeverycandidandimpartialspectator。Byherunalterablelaws，however，hestillsuffers；andtherecompensewhichshebestows，thoughveryconsiderable，isnotsufficientcompletelytocompensatethesufferingswhichthoselawsinflict。Neitherisitfitthatitshould。Ifitdidcompletelycompensatethem，hecould，fromself-interest，havenomotiveforavoidinganaccidentwhichmustnecessarilydiminishhisutilitybothtohimselfandtosociety；
andNature，fromherparentalcareofboth，meantthatheshouldanxiouslyavoidallsuchaccidents。Hesuffers，therefore，andthough，intheagonyoftheparoxysm，hemaintains，notonlythemanhoodofhiscountenance，butthesedatenessandsobrietyofhisjudgment，itrequireshisutmostandmostfatiguingexertions，todoso。
Bytheconstitutionofhumannature，however，agonycanneverbepermanent；and，ifhesurvivestheparoxysm，hesooncomes，withoutanyeffort，toenjoyhisordinarytranquillity。Amanwithawoodenlegsuffers，nodoubt，andforeseesthathemustcontinuetosufferduringthereminderofhislife，averyconsiderableinconveniency。Hesooncomestoviewit，however，exactlyaseveryimpartialspectatorviewsit；asaninconveniencyunderwhichhecanenjoyalltheordinarypleasuresbothofsolitudeandofsociety。Hesoonidentifieshimselfwiththeidealmanwithinthebreast，hesoonbecomeshimselftheimpartialspectatorofhisownsituation。Henolongerweeps，henolongerlaments，henolongergrievesoverit，asaweakmanmaysometimesdointhebeginning。Theviewoftheimpartialspectatorbecomessoperfectlyhabitualtohim，that，withoutanyeffort，withoutanyexertion，heneverthinksofsurveyinghismisfortuneinanyotherview。
Thenever-failingcertaintywithwhichallmen，soonerorlater，accommodatethemselvestowhateverbecomestheirpermanentsituation，may，perhaps，induceustothinkthattheStoicswere，atleast，thusfarverynearlyintheright；that，betweenonepermanentsituationandanother，therewas，withregardtorealhappiness，noessentialdifference:orthat，iftherewereanydifference，itwasnomorethanjustsufficienttorendersomeofthemtheobjectsofsimplechoiceorpreference；butnotofanyearnestoranxiousdesire:andothers，ofsimplerejection，asbeingfittobesetasideoravoided；butnotofanyearnestoranxiousaversion。Happinessconsistsintranquillityandenjoyment。Withouttranquillitytherecanbenoenjoyment；andwherethereisperfecttranquillitythereisscarceanythingwhichisnotcapableofamusing。Butineverypermanentsituation，wherethereisnoexpectationofchange，themindofeveryman，inalongerorshortertime，returnstoitsnaturalandusualstateoftranquillity。Inprosperity，afteracertaintime，itfallsbacktothatstate；inadversity，afteracertaintime，itrisesuptoit。IntheconfinementandsolitudeoftheBastile，afteracertaintime，thefashionableandfrivolousCountdeLauzunrecoveredtranquillityenoughtobecapableofamusinghimselfwithfeedingaspider。Amindbetterfurnishedwould，perhaps，havebothsoonerrecovereditstranquillity，andsoonerfound，initsownthoughts，amuchbetteramusement。
Thegreatsourceofboththemiseryanddisordersofhumanlife，seemstoarisefromover-ratingthedifferencebetweenonepermanentsituationandanother。Avariceover-ratesthedifferencebetweenpovertyandriches:ambition，thatbetweenaprivateandapublicstation:vain-glory，thatbetweenobscurityandextensivereputation。Thepersonundertheinfluenceofanyofthoseextravagantpassions，isnotonlymiserableinhisactualsituation，butisoftendisposedtodisturbthepeaceofsociety，inordertoarriveatthatwhichhesofoolishlyadmires。Theslightestobservation，however，mightsatisfyhim，that，inalltheordinarysituationsofhumanlife，awell-disposedmindmaybeequallycalm，equallycheerful，andequallycontented。Someofthosesituationsmay，nodoubt，deservetobepreferredtoothers:butnoneofthemcandeservetobepursuedwiththatpassionateardourwhichdrivesustoviolatetheruleseitherofprudenceorofjustice；ortocorruptthefuturetranquillityofourminds，eitherbyshamefromtheremembranceofourownfolly，orbyremorsefromthehorrorofourowninjustice。Whereverprudencedoesnotdirect，whereverjusticedoesnotpermit，theattempttochangeoursituation，themanwhodoesattemptit，playsatthemostUnequalofallgamesofhazard，andstakeseverythingagainstscarceanything。WhatthefavouriteofthekingofEpirussaidtohismaster，maybeappliedtomeninalltheordinarysituationsofhumanlife。WhentheKinghadrecountedtohim，intheirproperorder，alltheconquestswhichheproposedtomake，andhadcometothelastofthem；AndwhatdoesyourMajestyproposetodothen？saidtheFavourite——Iproposethen，saidtheKing，toenjoymyselfwithmyfriends，andendeavourtobegoodcompanyoverabottle——
AndwhathindersyourMajestyfromdoingsonow？repliedtheFavourite。Inthemostglitteringandexaltedsituationthatouridlefancycanholdouttous，thepleasuresfromwhichweproposetoderiveourrealhappiness，arealmostalwaysthesamewiththosewhich，inouractual，thoughhumblestation，wehaveatalltimesathand，andinourpower。exceptthefrivolouspleasuresofvanityandsuperiority，wemayfind，inthemosthumblestation，wherethereisonlypersonalliberty，everyotherwhichthemostexaltedcanafford；andthepleasuresofvanityandsuperiorityareseldomconsistentwithperfecttranquillity，theprincipleandfoundationofallrealandsatisfactoryenjoyment。Neitherisitalwayscertainthat，inthesplendidsituationwhichweaimat，thoserealandsatisfactorypleasurescanbeenjoyedwiththesamesecurityasinthehumbleonewhichwearesoveryeagertoabandon。examinetherecordsofhistory，recollectwhathashappenedwithinthecircleofyourownexperience，considerwithattentionwhathasbeentheconductofalmostallthegreatlyunfortunate，eitherinprivateorpubliclife，whomyoumayhaveeitherreadof，orheardof，orremember；
