 me observe it, and I should always find, that the Calamities of Life
were shared among the upper and lower Part of Mankind; but that the middle
Station had the fewest Disasters, and was not expos'd to so many Vicissitudes as
the higher or lower Part of Mankind; nay, they were not subjected to so many
Distempers and Uneasinesses either of Body or Mind, as those were who, by
vicious Living, Luxury and Extravagancies on one Hand, or by hard Labour, Want
of Necessaries, and mean or insufficient Diet on the other Hand, bring
Distempers upon themselves by the natural Consequences of their Way of Living;
That the middle Station of Life was calculated for all kind of Vertues and all
kinds of Enjoyments; that Peace and Plenty were the Hand-maids of a middle
Fortune; that Temperance, Moderation, Quietness, Health, Society, all agreeable
Diversions, and all desirable Pleasures, were the Blessings attending the middle
Station of Life; that this Way Men went silently and smoothly thro' the World,
and comfortably out of it, not embarass'd with the Labours of the Hands or of
the Head, not sold to the Life of Slavery for daily Bread, or harrast with
perplex'd Circumstances, which rob the Soul of Peace, and the Body of Rest; not
enrag'd with the Passion of Envy, or secret burning Lust of Ambition for great
things; but in easy Circumstances sliding gently thro' the World, and sensibly
tasting the Sweets of living, without the bitter, feeling that they are happy,
and learning by every Day's Experience to know it more sensibly.
    After this, he press'd me earnestly, and in the most affectionate manner,
not to play the young Man, not to precipitate my self into Miseries which Nature
and the Station of Life I was born in, seem'd to have provided against; that I
was under no Necessity of seeking my Bread; that he would do well for me, and
endeavour to enter me fairly into the Station of Life which he had been just
recommending to me; and that if I was not very easy and happy in the World, it
must be my meer Fate or Fault that must hinder it, and that he should have
nothing to answer for, having thus discharg'd his Duty in warning me against
Measures which he knew would be to my Hurt: In a word, that as he would do very
kind things for me if I would stay and settle at Home as he directed, so he
would not have so much Hand in my Misfortunes,
