conducts；　which　will　very　well　carry　on　themselves　without　our　care；　and
  leave　our　own　business　at　random；　and　Michael　much　more　our　concern　than
  man。　　Now　I　am；　indeed；　for　the　most　part　at　home；　but　I　would　be　there
  better　pleased　than　anywhere　else：
  〃Sit　meae　sedes　utinam　senectae；
  Sit　modus　lasso　maris；　et　viarum；
  Militiaeque。〃
  ＇〃Let　my　old　age　have　a　fixed　seat；　let　there　be　a　limit　to　fatigues
  from　the　sea；　journeys；　warfare。〃Horace；　Od。；　ii。　6；　6。＇
  I　know　not　whether　or　no　I　shall　bring　it　about。　　I　could　wish　that；
  instead　of　some　other　member　of　his　succession；　my　father　had　resigned　to
  me　the　passionate　affection　he　had　in　his　old　age　to　his　household
  affairs；　he　was　happy　in　that　he　could　accommodate　his　desires　to　his
  fortune；　and　satisfy　himself　with　what　he　had；　political　philosophy　may
  to　much　purpose　condemn　the　meanness　and　sterility　of　my　employment；　if　I
  can　once　come　to　relish　it；　as　he　did。　　I　am　of　opinion　that　the　most
  honourable　calling　is　to　serve　the　public；　and　to　be　useful　to　many；
  〃Fructus　enim　ingenii　et　virtutis；　omnisque　praestantiae；
  tum　maximus　capitur；　quum　in　proximum　quemque　confertur：〃
  ＇〃For　the　greatest　enjoyment　of　evil　and　virtue；　and　of　all
  excellence；　is　experienced　when　they　are　conferred　on　some　one
  nearest。〃Cicero；　De　Amicil。；　c。＇
  for　myself；　I　disclaim　it；　partly　out　of　conscience　（for　where　I　see　the
  weight　that　lies　upon　such　employments；　I　perceive　also　the　little　means
  I　have　to　supply　it；　and　Plato；　a　master　in　all　political　government
  himself；　nevertheless　took　care　to　abstain　from　it）；　and　partly　out　of
  cowardice。　　I　content　myself　with　enjoying　the　world　without　bustle；
  only…to　live　an　excusable　life；　and　such　as　may　neither　be　a　burden　to
  myself　nor　to　any　other。
  Never　did　any　man　more　fully　and　feebly　suffer　himself　to　be　governed　by
  a　third　person　than　I　should　do；　had　I　any　one　to　whom　to　entrust　myself。
  One　of　my　wishes　at　this　time　should　be；　to　have　a　son…in…law　that　knew
  handsomely　how　to　cherish　my　old　age；　and　to　rock　it　asleep；　into　whose
  hands　I　might　deposit；　in　full　sovereignty；　the　management　and　use　of　all
  my　goods；　that　he　might　dispose　of　them　as　I　do；　and　get　by　them　what　I
  get；　provided　that　he　on　his　part　were　truly　acknowledging；　and　a　friend。
  But　we　live　in　a　world　where　loyalty　of　one's　own　children　is　unknown。
  He　who　has　the　charge　of　my　purse　in　his　travels；　has　it　purely　and
  without　control；　he　could　cheat　me　thoroughly；　if　he　came　to　reckoning；
  and；　if　he　is　not　a　devil；　I　oblige　him　to　deal　faithfully　with　me　by　so
  entire　a　trust：
  〃Multi　fallere　do　cuerunt；　dum　timent　falli；
  et　aliis　jus　peccandi　suspicando　fecerunt。〃
  ＇〃Many　have　taught　others　to　deceive；　while　they　fear　to　be
  deceived；　and；　by　suspecting　them；　have　given　them　a　title　to　do
  ill。〃Seneca；　Epist。；　3。＇
  The　most　common　security　I　take　of　my　people　is　ignorance；　I　never
  presume　any　to　be　vicious　till　I　have　first　found　them　so；　and　repose　the
  most　confidence　in　the　younger　sort；　that　I　think　are　least　spoiled　by
  ill　example。　　I　had　rather　be　told　at　two　months'　end　that　I　have　spent
  four　hundred　crowns；　than　to　have　my　ears　battered　every　night　with
  three；　five；　seven：　and　I　have　been；　in　this　way；　as　little　robbed　as
  another。　　It　is　true；　I　am　willing　enough　not　to　see　it；　I；　in　some　sort；
  purposely；　harbour　a　kind　of　perplexed；　uncertain　knowledge　of　my　money：
  up　to　a　certain　point；　I　am　content　to　doubt。　　One　must　leave　a　little
  room　for　the　infidelity　or　indiscretion　of　a　servant；　if　you　have　left
  enough；　in　gross；　to　do　your　business；　let　the　overplus　of　Fortune's
  liberality　run　a　little　more　freely　at　her　mercy；　'tis　the　gleaner's
  portion。　　After　all；　I　do　not　so　much　value　the　fidelity　of　my　people　as
  I　contemn　their　injury。　　What　a　mean　and　ridiculous　thing　it　is　for　a　man
  to　study　his　money；　to　delight　in　handling　and　telling　it　over　and　over
  again！　　'Tis　by　this　avarice　makes　its　approaches。
  In　eighteen　years　that　I　have　had　my　estate　in　my；　own　hands；　I　could
  never　prevail　with　myself　either　to　read　over　my　deeds　or　examine　my
  principal　affairs；　which　ought；　of　necessity；　to　pass　under　my　knowledge
  and　inspection。　　'Tis　not　a　philosophical　disdain　of　worldly　and
  transitory　things；　my　taste　is　not　purified　to　that　degree；　and　I　value
  them　at　as　great　a　rate；　at　least；　as　they　are　worth；　but　'tis；　in　truth；
  an　inexcusable　and　childish　laziness　and　negligence。　　What　would　I　not
  rather　do　than　read　a　contract？　　or　than；　as　a　slave　to　my　own　business；
  tumble　over　those　dusty　writings？　　or；　which　is　worse；　those　of　another
  man；　as　so　many　do　nowadays；　to　get　money？　　I　grudge　nothing　but　care　and
  trouble；　and　endeavour　nothing　so　much；　as　to　be　careless　and　at　ease。
  I　had　been　much　fitter；　I　believe；　could　it　have　been　without　obligation
  and　servitude；　to　have　lived　upon　another　man's　fortune　than　my　own：　and；
  indeed；　I　do　not　know；　when　I　examine　it　nearer；　whether；　according　to　my
  humour；　what　I　have　to　suffer　from　my　affairs　and　servants；　has　not　in　it
  something　more　abject；　troublesome；　and　tormenting　than　there　would　be　in
  serving　a　man　better　born　than　myself；　who　would　govern　me　with　a　gentle
  rein；　and　a　little　at　my　own　case：
  〃Servitus　obedientia　est　fracti　animi　et　abjecti；
  arbitrio　carentis　suo。〃
  ＇〃Servitude　is　the　obedience　of　a　subdued　and　abject　mind；　wanting
  its　own　free　will。〃Cicero；　Paradox；　V。　I。＇
  Crates　did　worse；　who　threw　himself　into　the　liberty　of　poverty；　only　to
  rid　himself　of　the　inconveniences　and　cares　of　his　house。　　This　is　what　I
  would　not　do；　I　hate　poverty　equally　with　pain；　but　I　could　be　content　to
  change　the　kind　of　life　I　live　for　another　that　was　humbler　and　less
  chargeable。
  When　absent　from　home；　I　divest　myself　of　all　these　thoughts；　and　should
  be　less　concerned　for　the　ruin　of　a　tower；　than　I　am；　when　present；　at
  the　fall　of　a　tile。　　My　mind　is　easily　composed　at　distance；　but　suffers
  as　much　as　that　of　the　meanest　peasant　when　I　am　at　home；　the　reins　of　my
  bridle　being　wrongly　put　on；　or　a　strap　flapping　against　my　leg；　will
  keep　me　out　of　humour　a　day　together。　　I　raise　my　courage；　well　enough
  against　inconveniences：　lift　up　my　eyes　I　cannot：
  〃Sensus；　o　superi；　sensus。〃
  ＇〃The　senses；　O　ye　gods；　the　senses。〃＇
  I　am　at　home　responsible　for　whatever　goes　amiss。　　Few　masters　（I　speak
  of　those　of　medium　condition　such　as　mine）；　and　if　there　be　any　such；
  they　are　more　happy；　can　rely　so　much　upon　another；　but　that　the　greatest
  part　of　the　burden　will　lie　upon　their　own　shoulders。　　This　takes　much
  from　my　grace　in　entertaining　visitors；　so　that　I　have；　peradventure；
  detained　some　rather　out　of　expectation　of　a　good　dinner；　than　by　my　own
  behaviour；　and　lose　much　of　the　pleasure　I　ought　to　reap　at　my　own　house
  from　the　visitation　and　assembling　of　my　friends。　　The　most　ridiculous
  carriage　of　a　gentleman　in　his　own　house；　is　to　see　him　bustling　about
  the　business　of　the　place；　whispering　one　servant；　and　looking　an　angry
  look　at　another：　it　ought　insensibly　to　slide　along；　and　to　represent　an
  ordinary　current；　and　I　think　it　unhandsome　to　talk　much　to　our　guests　of
  their　entertainment；　whether　by　way　of　bragging　or　excuse。　　I　love　order
  and　cleanliness
  〃Et　cantharus　et　lanx
  Ostendunt　mihi　me〃
  ＇〃The　dishes　and　the　glasses　shew　me　my　own　reflection。〃
  Horace；　Ep。；　i。　5；　23＇
  more　than　abundance；　and　at　home　have　an　exact　regard　to　necessity；
  little　to　outward　show。　　If　a　footman　falls　to　cuffs　at　another　man's
  house；　or　stumble　and　throw　a　dish　before　him　as　he　is　carrying　it　up；
  you　only　laugh　and　make　a　jest　on't；　you　sleep　whilst　the　master　of　the
  house　is　arranging　a　bill　of　fare　with　his　steward　for　your　morrow's
  entertainment。　　I　speak　according　as　I　do　myself；　quite　appreciating；
  nevertheless；　good　husbandry　in　general；　and　how　pleasant　quiet　and
  prosperous　household　management；　carried　regularly　on；　is　to　some
  natures；　and　not　wishing　to　fasten　my　own　errors　and　inconveniences　to
  the　thing；　nor　to　give　Plato　the　lie；　who　looks　upon　it　as　the　most
  pleasant　employment　to　every　one　to　do　his　particular　affairs　without
  wrong　to　another。
  When　I　travel　I　have　nothing　to　care　for　but　myself；　and　the　laying　out
  my　money；　which　is　disposed　of　by　one　single　precept；　too　many　things　are
  required　to　the　raking　it　together；　in　that　I　understand　nothing；　in
  spending；　I　understand　a　little；　and　how　to　give　some　show　to　my　expense；
  which　is　indeed　its　principal　use；　but　I　rely　too　ambitiously　upon　it；
  which　renders　it　unequal　and　difform；　and；　moreover；　immoderate　in　both
  the　one　and　the　other　aspect；　if　it　makes　a　show；　if　it　serve　the　turn；
  I　indiscreetly　let　it　run；　and　as　indiscreetly　tie　up　my　purse…strings；
  if　it　does　not　shine；　and　does　not　please　me。　　Whatever　it　be；　whether
  art　or　nature；　that　imprints　in　us　the　condition　of　living　by　reference
  to　others；　it　does　us　much　more　harm　than　good；　we　deprive　ourselves　of
  our　own