Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1825-01-26

with danger, and a single error may
prove ruinous. We are apt to venture
on and on in pursuit of something yet
unclaimed, until, having left behind us
many pleasant and peaceful spot on
the sunny side of the hill of life, we
pass the summit and descend into the
shade. =; '.'.}..
see from my window the ruins of
large and costly mill, which neighbor
of mine erected some years ago. He
was thriving farmer, and put money
out at interest every year lived easily,
afluently, and, | believe happily but
he got it into his head that the stream
which meandered through his meadows
afforded mill seat he must build he
borrowed money, and finished the work
with great cost and infinite pains; but
the water failed, hard times came on,
the value of land deprecated. He was
well off in the world; he wanted to be
better off and he is now laborer for
his daily bread. Another, with great
care and labor, had gathered money to
buy fine plantation; he was a good
farmer, good economist, had an indus
trious, frugal family, and, one would
have supposed, would have set himself
cOntentedly down, TO enjoy the fruits of
his toll. Not so---he fancied the west
ern country held out great prospects of
making fortune. He travelled with
specuIator, and got deed for a tract
nearly ten times as large as that he liv-
ed on, and removed to Ohio. The title,
however, proved bad, and on his return,
the rogue he traded with had sold out
and gone of. The mans all was lost.
He is poor TO this day.
Instances of this general kind, are by
no means unfrequent in the world, and
will never be less frequent while the
desire to do better than 1veu, is common
and prevalent. Nor is this mischief
confined exclusively to the money max.
ing part of the community, or those
whose main pursuit in life is the accu-
mutation of wealth. 1t is very possible
for men to mistake in matters of ambi-
ton. The desire to be great has ruined
the respectability of some. All the quail
ities that constitute fiue talents are some
times to be seen embarked in crusade
against happiness; and men whose lives
might be useful, prosperous and happy,
withdraw from the peace and retire
ment of the vale, to occupy those loftier
places which court the contentious
storms that beat necessarily around the
most elevated spheres. There was
something certainly of truth in that
saying, attributed TO Roger Ascham,
q men grow tired of contentedness."
The first step of wise man is to
graduate all his desires and labors with
reference to another state of being
not to set too high value on things in
this world, and to be contented with the
measure of prosperity allowed him.
But while he should cherish none of
those inordinate. desires which arise
from mistaken view of life, he should
not, on the other hand, settle down, at
any time, in sluggish, Indifferent state.
If our great object in the accumulation
of wealth, and the requirement of pow
er, was to benefit our fellow beings
simply, we should not very often be
found hazarding the loss of our present
means of usefulness to gain greater
The truth is, the love Of power and dis
tinction, of honor and wealth, has too
generally nothing of disinterestedness
in it..
The plain and simple maxim | have
quoted at the beginning, ought often to
be required to. If your farm affords
you good living, take care how you
speculate in way that will put it in
danger-and consider long and thor
oughly before you abandon it to try
your fortune in another occupation, or
new country. Ifyou are mechanic in
tolerable business, and by industry can
get along well, be sure you have an OPP
portunity of doing better before you
leave off trade-I say be absolutely sure
of it. Apply the rule, "Let uSeu alone,"
TO every purpose before you proceed to
action, and see whether your plan con-
sists with prudence.