Against Inconsistency In Our Expectations 1773 Anna Letitia Barbauld
Channel: Craig Campbell
Date: 2014-05-07

Anna Laetitia Barbauld (1743-1825) lived in England during the period known as "The Enlightenment" and wrote the following essay in 1773. "Against Inconsistency In Our Expectations"

She discusses natural philosophy, which sounds more like psychology, with special emphasis on knowing about yourself and being content with your dispositions toward gaining wealth or not, being world-famous or not, gaining an expertise in knowledge or not. 

The opening quote from Elizabeth Carter's translation of Epictetus in 1758 was omitted so I include it here.

"What is more reasonable, than that they who take pains for any thing, should get most in that particular for which they take pains? They have taken pains for power, you for right principles; they for riches, you for a proper use of the appearances of things: see whether they have the advantage of you in that for which you have taken pains, and which they neglect: If they are in power, and you not, why will not you speak the truth to yourself, that you do nothing for the sake of power, but that they do every thing? No, but since I take care to have right principles, it is more reasonable that I should have power. Yes, in respect to what you take care about, your principles. But give up to others the things in which they have taken more care than you. Else it is just as if, because you have right principles, you should think it fit that when you shoot an arrow, you should hit the mark better than an archer, or that you should forge better than a smith." 

Carter's Epictetus - slave to Nero's secretary,

Elizabeth Carter was the first person to translate Epictetus into English.