53O OCTOBER. 



gentlemen, their views and ambition are directed to 

 the pleasures and decorations of life, which are, in 

 their nature, boundless: objects that recede as you 

 approach phantoms which fly the grasp in the 

 moment that they seem within reach liveries 

 equipage stables servants building furnishing 

 gardening travelling London tires? and a 

 thousand et c&teras. We perpetually see men sur- 

 rounded by the comforts of life, and regarding 

 them with apathy or disgust, because some of these 

 luxuries are beyond their reach : we even see them 

 sparing and niggardly in what a farmer enjoys in 

 plenty, in order to make a better figure in these 

 endless pursuits. Thus, it will not be a bad rule, 

 in estimating human happiness, to suppose that 

 where there is most show and splendour, there is 

 least enjoyment; as the train of that expcnre 

 proves that the master's exertion is in a line where 

 completion is impossible, and moderation difficult. 

 I speak of the general mass of mankind particular 

 instances may form exceptions, but do not affect 

 the rule. If happiness consist in an equality be- 

 tween hope and gratification, in the approximation 

 of desire and enjoyment, little doubt, can be enter- 

 tained of this comparative estimate of farmers and v 

 country gentlemen. And the proof lies in one sin- 

 gular fact: if the farmer increase his income by a, 

 greater success in his business, he does not. alter 

 his plan of life, but saves. If the gentleman in- 

 creases his rents, he changes his appearance pro- 

 fortionably. Those vvha will duly consider the im- 

 portance 



