LETTERS TO BROTHER JOHN. 297 



is in possession of the entire sum of all that he 

 desires. But the entire sum of all that man desires, 

 is happiness. It is a logical sequitur, therefore, 

 That he only can be contented who is in possession 

 of hppiness ; and he only happy who is contented : 

 and this makes happiness and contentment syn- 

 onymous terms. 



Tli ere can be little happiness, therefore, where 

 there is little contentment. 



But look through society at large, as at present 

 constituted. Do you observe content or discontent 

 to be its grand characteristic ? It is idle to deny, 

 for it is impossible to conceal, that universal discon- 

 tent is one of its most prominent features. From 

 the monarch to the menial, " nemo contentus " 

 none are contented ; and therefore none are happy. 

 Our whole lives are consumed in the pursuit of an 

 unattainable object. What is that object? Hap- 

 piness. But why is it unattainable by us ? Simply, 

 because we are running after it, along paths which 

 do not lead to it. 



Look again through society; and observe our 

 innumerable Institutions for the relief of human 

 misery our Hospitals and Dispensaries our Phil- 

 anthropic Institutions our Asylums for the Desti- 

 tute our Penitentiaries our Madhouses our 

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