TheHandsomeandDeformedLeg
本傑明·富蘭克林/BenjaminFranklin
Therearetwosortsofpeopleintheworld,whowithequaldegreesofhealthandwealth,andtheothercomfortsoflife,become,theonehappy,andtheothermiserable.Thisarisesverymuchfromthedifferentviewsinwhichtheyconsiderthings,persons,andevents;andtheeffectofthosedifferentviewsupontheirownminds.
InwhateversituationMencanbeplaced,theymayf?indconveniencesandinconveniences:Inwhatevercompany,theymayf?indpersonsandconversationmoreorlesspleasing;Atwhatevertable,theymaymeetwithmeatsanddrinksofbetterandworsetaste,dishesbetterandworsedressed;Inwhateverclimatetheywillf?indgoodandbadweather;Underwhatevergovernment,theymayf?indgoodandbadlaws,andgoodandbadadministrationofthoselaws.Ineverypoemorworkofgeniustheymayseefaultsandbeauties.Inalmosteveryfaceandeveryperson,theymaydiscoverf?inefeaturesanddefects,goodandbadqualities.
Underthesecircumstances,thetwosortsofpeopleabovementionedf?ixtheirattention,thosewhoaretobehappy,ontheconvenienciesofthings,thepleasantpartsofconversation,thewell-dresseddishes,thegoodnessofthewines,thef?ineweather;andetc.,andenjoyallwithchearfulness.Thosewhoaretobeunhappythinkandspeakonlyofthecontraries.Hencetheyarecontinuallydiscontentedthemselves,andbytheirremarkssourthepleasuresofsociety,offendpersonallymanypeople,andmakethemselveseverywheredisagreeable.Ifthisturnofmindwasfoundedinnature,suchunhappypersonswouldbethemoretobepitied.Butasthedispositiontocriticize,andbedisgusted,isperhapstakenuporiginallybyimitation,andisunawaresgrownintoahabit,whichthoughatpresentstrongmayneverthelessbecuredwhenthosewhohaveitareconvincedofitsbadeffectsontheirfelicity;Ihopethislittleadmonitionmaybeofservicetothem,andputthemonchangingahabit,whichthoughintheexerciseitischief?lyanactofimaginationyethasseriousconsequencesinlife,asitbringsonrealgriefsandmisfortunes.Forasmanyareoffendedby,nobodywelllovesthissortofpeople,nooneshowsthemmorethanthemostcommoncivilityandrespect,andscarcelythat;andthisfrequentlyputsthemoutofhumour,anddrawsthemintodisputesandcontentions.Iftheyaimatobtainingsomeadvantageinrankoffortune,nobodywishesthemsuccess,orwillstirastep,orspeakaword,tofavourtheirpretensions.Iftheyincurpubliccensureordisgrace,noonewilldefendorexcuse,andmanyjointoaggravatetheirmisconduct,andtenderthemcompletelyodious.Ifthesepeoplewillnotchangethisbadhabit,andcondescendtobepleasedwithwhatispleasing,withoutfrettingthemselvesandothersaboutthecontraries,itisgoodforotherstoavoidanacquaintancewiththem;whichisalwaysdisagreeable,andsometimesveryinconvenient,especiallywhenonef?indsone』sselfentangledintheirquarrels.