be what it will, he is a poor Man if he does
not live within it, and naturally sets himself to Sale to any one that
can give him his Price. When _Pittacus_, after the Death of his Brother,
who had left him a good Estate, was offered a great Sum of Money by the
King of _Lydia_, he thanked him for his Kindness, but told him he had
already more by Half than he knew what to do with. In short, Content is
equivalent to Wealth, and Luxury to Poverty; or, to give the Thought a
more agreeable Turn, _Content is natural Wealth_, says _Socrates_; to
which I shall add, _Luxury is artificial Poverty_. I shall therefore
recommend to the Consideration of those who are always aiming after
superfluous and imaginary Enjoyments, and will not be at the Trouble of
contracting their Desires, an excellent Saying of _Bion_ the
Philosopher; namely, _That no Man has so much Care, as he who endeavours
after the most Happiness_.

In the second Place, every one ought to reflect how much more unhappy he
might be than he really is. The former Consideration took in all those
who are sufficiently provided with the Means to make themselves easie;
this regards such as actually lie under some Pressure or Misfortune.
These may receive great Alleviation from such a Comparison as the
unhappy Person may make between himself and others, or between the
Misfortune which he suffers, and greater Misfortunes which might have
befallen him.

I like the Story of the honest _Dutchman_, who, upon breaking his _Leg_
by a Fall from the Mainmast, told the Standers-by, It was a great Mercy
that 'twas not his _Neck_. To which, since I am got into Quotations,
give me leave to add the Saying of an old Philosopher, who, after having
invited some of his Friends to dine with him, was ruffled by his Wife
that came into the Room in a Passion, and threw down the Table that
stood before them; _Every one_, says he, _has his Calamity, and he is a
happy Man that has no greater than this_. We find an Instance to the
same Purpose in the Life of Doctor _Hammond_, written by Bishop _Fell_.
As this good Man was troubled with a Complication of Distempers, when he
had the Gout upon him, he used to thank God that it was not the Stone;
and when he had the Stone, that he had not both these Distempers on him
at the same time.

I cannot conclude this Essay without observing that there was never any
System besides that of Christianity, which could effectually produce in
the Mind of Man the Virtue