I look
on him as a successful man, whom adversity could not bring down from the
level of his lofty nature."

Dr. Maudsley tells us that the aims which chiefly predominate--riches,
position, power, applause of men--are such as inevitably breed and foster
many bad passions in the eager competition to attain them. Hence, in
fact, come disappointed ambition, jealousy, grief from loss of fortune,
all the torments of wounded self-love, and a thousand other mental
sufferings,--the commonly enumerated moral causes of insanity. They are
griefs of a kind to which a rightly developed nature should not fall a
prey. There need be no envy nor jealousy, if a man were to consider that
it mattered not whether he did a great thing or some one else did it,
Nature's only concern being that it should be done; no grief from loss of
fortune, if he were to estimate at its true value that which fortune can
bring him, and that which fortune can never bring him; no wounded
self-love, if he had learned well the eternal lesson of
life,--self-renunciation.

Soon after his establishment in Philadelphia Franklin was offered a piece
for publication in his newspaper. Being very busy, he begged the
gentleman would leave it for consideration. The next day the author
called and asked his opinion of it. "Well, sir," replied Franklin, "I am
sorry to say I think it highly scurrilous and defamatory. But being at a
loss on account of my poverty whether to reject it or not, I thought I
would put it to this issue: At night, when my work was done, I bought a
two-penny loaf, on which I supped heartily, and then, wrapping myself in
my great coat, slept very soundly on the floor till morning, when another
loaf and mug of water afforded a pleasant breakfast. Now, sir, since I
can live very comfortably in this manner, why should I prostitute my
press to personal hatred or party passion for a more luxurious living?"

One cannot read this anecdote of our American sage without thinking of
Socrates' reply to King Archelaus, who had pressed him to give up
preaching in the dirty streets of Athens, and come and live with him in
his splendid courts: "Meal, please your Majesty, is a half-penny a peck
at Athens, and water I get for nothing!"

During Alexander's march into Africa he found a people dwelling in peace,
who knew neither war nor conquest. While he was interviewing the chief
two of his subjects brought a case before him for judgment. The dispute
was this: