how far the means of grace have been afforded him, and how he has improved or neglected them; that sees the force of every passion, knows the power of every prejudice, attends to every conflict of the mind, and marks all the struggles of imperfect virtue. He only, who gave us our faculties and abilities, knows when we err by insurmountable ignorance, or when we deviate from the right by negligence or presumption. He only, that knows every circumstance of life, and every motion of the mind, can tell how far the crimes, or virtues, of each man are to be punished or rewarded. No man can say that he is better than another, because no man can tell how far the other was enabled to resist temptation, or what incidents might concur to overthrow his virtue. Nor are we able to decide, with much greater certainty, upon the happiness of others. We see only the superficies of men, without knowing what passes within. Splendour, equipage, and luxury, are not always accompanied by happiness; but are more frequently the wretched solaces of a mind distracted with perplexities, and harassed with terrours. Men are often driven, by reflection and remorse, into the hurries of business, or of pleasure, and fly from the terrifying suggestions of their own thoughts to banquets and to courts.
Prosperity and happiness are very different, though by those who undertake to judge of the state of others they are always confounded. It is possible to know that another is prosperous, that his revenues increase, that his dependents grow more numerous, that his schemes succeed, and his reputation advances. But we cannot tell how much all these promote his happiness, because we cannot judge how much they may engage his care, or inflame his desires; how much he may fear his enemies, or suspect his friends. We know not how much this seeming felicity may be impaired by his folly, or his guilt; and, therefore, he that murmurs at the inequality of human happiness, or accuses providence of partiality, forgets his own imperfections, and determines rashly where he cannot judge.
