第1章

MyLord，1736

YouhaveengagedmeonasubjectwhichinterruptstheseriesofthoselettersIwaswritingtoyou;butitisone，which，Iconfess，Ihaveverymuchatheart。Ishallthereforeexplainmyselffully，norblushtoreasononprinciplesthatareoutoffashionamongmen，whointendnothingbyservingthepublic，buttofeedtheiravarice，theirvanity，andtheirluxury，withoutthesenseofanydutytheyowetoGodorman。

Itseemstome，thatinordertomaintainthemoralsystemoftheworkedatacertainpoint，farbelowthatofidealperfection（forwearemadecapableofconceivingwhatweareincapableofattaining），buthoweversufficientuponthewholetoconstituteastateeasyandhappy，orattheworsttolerable:

Isay，itseemstome，thattheauthorofnaturehasthoughtfitminglefromtimetotime，amongthesocietiesofmen，afew，andbutafewofthose，onwhomheisgraciouslypleasedtobestowalargerproportionofthetheetherealspiritthanisgivenintheordinarycourseofhisprovidencetothesonsofmen。Thesearetheywhoengrossalmostthewholereasonofthespecies，whoareborntoinstruct，toguide，andtopreserve;whoaredesignedtobethetutorsandtheguardiansofhumankind。Whentheyprovesuch，theyexhibittousexamplesofthehighestvirtue，andthetruestpiety:andtheydesiretohavetheirfestivalskept，insteadofthatpackofanchoritesandenthusiasts，withwhosenamesthecalendariscrowdedanddisgraced。Whenthesemenapplytheirtalentstootherpurposes，whentheystrivetobegreatanddespisebeinggood，theycommitamostsacrilegiousbreachoftrust;

theypervertthemeans，theydefeatasfarasliesinthemthedesignsofprovidence，anddisturbinsomesortthesystemofinfinitewisdom。Tomisapplythesetalentsisthemostdiffused，andthereforethegreatestofcrimesinitsnatureandconsequence;buttokeepthemunexerted，andunemployed，isacrimetoo。Lookaboutyou，myLord，fromthepalacetothecottage;

youwillfindthatthebulkofmankindismadetobreathetheairofthisatmosphere，toroamaboutthisglobe，andtoconsume，likethecourtiersofAlcinous，thefruitsoftheearth。Nosnumerussumusetfrugesconsumerenati。Whentheyhavetrodthisinsipidroundacertainnumberofyears，andbegototherstodothesameafterthem，theyhavelived;andiftheyhaveperformed，insometolerabledegree，theordinarymoraldutiesoflife，theyhavedonealltheywereborntodo。Lookaboutyouagain，myLord，naylookintoyourownbreast，andyouwillfindthattherearesuperiorspirits，menwhoshowevenfromtheirinfancy，thoughitbenotalwaysperceivedbyothers，perhapsnotalwaysfeltbythemselves，thattheywerebornforsomethingmore，andbetter。ThesearethementowhomthepartImentionedisassigned。

Theirtalentsdenotetheirgeneraldesignation;andtheopportunitiesofconformingthemselvestoit，thatariseinthecourseofthings，orthatarepresentedtothembyanycircumstancesofrankandsituationinthesocietytowhichtheybelong，denotetheparticularvocationwhichitisnotlawfulforthemtoresist，noreventoneglect。Thedurationofthelivesofsuchmenastheseistobedetermined，Ithink，bythelengthandimportanceofthepartstheyact，notbythenumberofyearsthatpassbetweentheircomingintotheworld，andtheirgoingoutofit。Whetherthepiecebeofthree，oroffiveacts，thepartmaybelong:andhewhosustainsitthroughthewholemaybesaidtodieinthefulnessofyears;whilsthe，whodeclinesitsooner，maybesaidnottoliveouthalfhisdays。

Ihavesometimesrepresentedtomyselfthevulgar，whoareaccidentallydistinguishedbythetitlesofkingandsubject，oflordandvassal，ofnoblemenandpeasant;andthefewwhoaredistinguishedbynaturesoessentiallyfromtheherdofmankind，that（figureapart）theyseemtobeofanotherspecies，inthismanner。TheformercomeintotheworldandcontinueinitlikeDutchtravellersinaforeigncountry。Everythingtheymeethasthegraceofnovelty:

andtheyarefondalikeofeverythingthatisnew。Theywanderaboutfromoneobjecttoanother，ofvaincuriosity，orinelegantpleasure。Iftheyareindustrious，theyshowtheirindustryincopyingsigns，andcollectingmottoesandepitaphs。Theyloiter，ortheytrifleawaytheirwholetime:

andtheirpresenceortheirabsencewouldbeequallyunperceived，ifcapriceoraccidentdidnotraisethemoftentostations，whereintheirstupidity，theirvices，ortheirfollies，makethemapublicmisfortune。Thelattercomeintotheworld，oratleastcontinueinitaftertheeffectsofsurpriseandinexperienceareover，likemenwhoaresentonmoreimportanterrands。

Theyobservewithdistinction，theyadmirewithknowledge。Theymayindulgethemselvesinpleasure;butastheirindustryisnotemployedabouttrifles，sotheiramusementsarenotmadethebusinessoftheirlives。Suchmencannotpassunperceivedthroughacountry。Iftheyretirefromtheworld，theirsplendouraccompaniesthem，andenlightenseventheobscurityoftheirretreat。

Iftheytakeapartinpubliclife，theeffectisneverindifferent。Theyeitherappearlikeministersofdivinevengeance，andtheircoursethroughtheworldismarkedbydesolationandoppression，bypovertyandservitude:

ortheyaretheguardianangelsofthecountrytheyinhabit，busytoaverteventhemostdistantevil，andtomaintainortoprocurepeace，plenty，andthegreatestofhumanblessings，liberty。