74 tTbe Garden 



mortal men ; yet none could ever answer the 

 naked Indian, why one man should take pains, 

 and run hazards by sea and land all his life, 

 that his children might be safe and lazy all 

 theirs ; and the precept of taking no care for to- 

 morrow, though never minded as impracticable 

 in the world, seems but to reduce mankind to 

 their natural and original condition of life. How- 

 ever, by these ways and degrees, the endless in- 

 crease of riches seems to be grown the perpetual 

 and general amusement or business of mankind. 

 Some few in each country make these higher 

 flights after honor and power, and to these ends 

 sacrifice their riches, their labor, their thought, 

 and their lives ; and nothing diverts nor busies 

 men more than these pursuits, which are 

 usually covered with the pretences of serving a 

 man's country, and of public good. But the 

 true service of the public is a business of so 

 much labor and so much care, that though a 

 good and wise man may not refuse it, if he be 

 called to it by his prince or his country, and 

 thinks he can be of more than vulgar use, yet 

 he will seldom or never seek it, but leaves it 

 commonly to men who, under the disguise of 

 public good, pursue their own designs of 

 wealth, power, and such bastard honors as 

 usually attend them, not that which is the true, 

 and only true reward of virtue. 



