CHAP, xxi.] THE FIFTH DAY. 20$ 



therefore, be thankful for health and a competence ; and above 

 all, for a quiet conscience. 



Let me tell you, Scholar, that Diogenes walked on a day, with 

 his friend, to see a country fair ; where he saw ribbons, and 

 looking-glasses, and nut-crackers, and fiddles, and hobby-horses, 

 and many other gimcracks ; and, having observed them, and all 

 the other finnimbruns that make a complete country fair, he said 

 to his friend, " Lord, how many things are there in this world ot 

 which Diogenes hath no need ! " And truly it is so, or might be 

 so, with very many who vex and toil themselves to get what they 

 have no need of. Can any man charge God, that he hath not 

 given him enough to make his life happy? No, doubtless; 

 for nature is content with a little. And yet you shall hardly 

 meet with a man that complains not of some want ; though he, 

 indeed, wants nothing but his will ; it may be, nothing but his 

 will of his poor neighbour, for not worshipping, or not flattering 

 him : and thus, when we might be happy and quiet, we create 

 trouble to ourselves. I have heard of a man that was angry with 

 himself because he was no taller ; and of a woman that broke 

 her looking-glass because it would not show her face to be as 

 young and handsome as her next neighbour's was. And I knew 

 another to whom God had given health and plenty ; but a wife 

 that nature had made peevish, and her husband's riches had made 

 purse-proud ; and must, because she was rich, and for no other 

 virtue, sit in the highest pew in the church ; which being denied 

 her, she engaged her husband into a contention for it, and at last 

 into a lawsuit with a dogged neighbour who was as rich as he, 

 and had a wife as peevish and purse-proud as the other : and 

 this lawsuit begot higher oppositions, and actionable words, and 

 more vexations and lawsuits ; for you must remember that both 

 were rich, and must therefore have their wills. Well ! this wilful, 

 purse-proud lawsuit lasted during the life of the first husband ; 

 after which his wife vext and chid, and chid and vext, till she also 

 chid and vext herself into her grave : and so the wealth of these 

 poor rich people was curst into a punishment, because they wanted 

 meek and thankful hearts ; for those only can make us happy, 

 I knew a man that had health and riches ; and several houses, all 

 beautiful, and ready furnished ; and would often trouble himself 

 and family to be removing from one house to another : and being 

 asked by a friend why he removed so often from one house to 

 another, replied, " It was to find content in some one of them." But 

 his friend, knowing his temper, told him, " If he would find con- 



