as have more than once driven men mad? Let the dweller in private and humble life reflect on these things, and he will rather be thankful to Providence for the peace and quiet which obscurity brings him. Nevertheless, the public man, whom the All-wise Creator has endowed with a mind suited to such duties, finds in them his enjoyment, and would not perhaps be so happy in a different sphere. Thus are there persons for all places; minds variously constituted for all the different spheres, professions, and occupations of life. The great secret of happiness is to find that place in life, and that sphere and class of uses, for which the mind is suited and constituted: in that and that only, can there be content and enjoyment. Such place, too, when found, will be the most truly honorable, as well as the most useful and happy: as the poet long ago and wisely said,
"Honor and shame from no condition rise:
Act well your part, there all the honor lies."
One great cause of the discontent prevalent in the world, is that men interfere with the arrangements of a good Providence intended for their happiness, by striving after some fancied good; by ambitiously seeking to rise out of their own appropriate sphere, to some place or state of worldly height and distinction, in which they imagine more happiness is to be found. Let this false idea be banished from the mind,—let men but clearly understand and feel that in the Divine sight all stations are equally honorable,—that there are minds formed for all the various places and uses in life, and that the truly wise course is to discover that one for which each is best fitted, and therein to be con-
