SIR WALTER RALEIGH'S ADVICE TO HIS SON. 47

heart accused itself to be the cause of all these evils.

"Does he drink more sweetly that takes his beverage in an earthen vessel, than he that looks and searches into his golden chalices for fear of poison, and looks pale at every sudden noise, and sleeps in armour, and trusts nobody, and does not trust God for his safety?"

If in the course of your labours you acquire money, and use it properly, it may be a blessing to you; if otherwise, a curse. While on this subject, hear what Sir Walter Raleigh says in his "Advice to his Son :"

66

Amongst all other things of the world, take care of thy estate, which thou shalt ever preserve, if thou observe three things. First, that thou know what thou hast, what everything is worth that thou hast, and to see thou art not wasted by thy servants and officers. The second is, that thou never spend anything before thou have it; for borrowing is the canker and death of every man's estate. The third is, that thou suffer not thyself to be wounded for other men's faults, and scourged for other men's offences, which is being the surety for another; for thereby millions of men have been beggared and destroyed, paying the reckoning of other's riot, and the charge of other men's folly and prodigality. If thou smart, smart for thine own sins, and, above all things, be not made an ass to carry the burthens of other men. If any friend

desire thee to be his surety, give him a portion of what thou hast to spare; if he press thee further, he is not thy friend at all, for friendship rather chooseth harm to itself than offereth it. If thou be bound for a stranger, thou art a fool; if for a merchant, thou puttest thy estate to learn to swim; if for a churchman, he hath no inheritance; if for a lawyer, he will find an invasion by a syllable or word to abuse thee; if for a poor man thou must pay it thyself; if for a rich man, it need not; therefore from suretyship, as from a manslayer or enchanter, bless thyself, for the best profit and return will be this, that if thou force him for whom thou art bound to pay it himself, he will become thy enemy; if thou choose to pay it thyself thou wilt become a beggar. And believe thy father in this, and print it on thy thought, that what virtue soever thou hast, be it never so manifold, if thou be poor withal, thou and thy qualities shall be despised; besides, poverty is sometimes sent as a curse from God; it is a shame amongst men, an imprisonment of the mind, a vexation of every worthy spirit thou shalt neither help thyself nor others, thou shalt drown thee in all thy virtues, having no means to show them; thou shalt be a burden and an eyesore to thy friends, every man will fear thy company; thou shalt be driven basely to beg and depend on others to flatter unworthy men, to make dishonest shifts; and, to conclude, poverty provokes a man to do infamous and detested deeds; let no vanity or per

SIR WALTER RALEIGH'S ADVICE.

49

suasion draw thee to that worst of worldly miseries. If thou be rich, it will give thee pleasure in health, comfort in sickness, keep thy mind and body free, save thee from many perils, relieve thee in thy elder years, relieve the poor and thy honest friends, and give means to thy posterity to live and defend themselves and thy own fame. Where it is said in the Proverbs, 'that he shall be sore vexed who is surety for the stranger, and he that hateth suretyship is sure :' it is further said, 'the poor is hated even of his own neighbour, but the rich have many friends.' Lend not to him that his mightier than thyself, for if thou lendest him, count it best lost; be not surety above thy power, for if thou be surety think to pay it."

It must be remembered that this was written, a long time ago, by a courtier, a man of the world, who made his own way in it by the force of his talents; and his advice is just that which such a man would give. No doubt, in the course of his own life, having many enemies (who finally brought him to his melancholy end), he often experienced the want of that power which money, in those days more especially, conferred upon its possessors, when the countenance and favour of the powerful were sometimes to be had for a bribe.

But let not an avaricious disposition take hold of you; I advise you to be careful and prudent, and endeavour to save, but set not your whole mind upon acquiring riches as the chief ultimatum of life, for

E

they alone will not give happiness; try your best to make yourself contented in that station which Providence has assigned to you. There is a fine saying of one of the ancients to this effect: "If I were to prefer a prayer to Heaven, it would not be for an increase of riches, but that my desires might be limited."

We are not all destined to be rich: as the sailor's proverb goes, "All men are not born to be boatswains;" and the one who submits himself cheerfully to his lot, has all that riches can give him—a contented mind, which is a "continual feast." At the same time, one may feel contented and happy in his station, and yet act with that prudence and discretion which will ultimately secure him an improved condition; indeed, to be contented with your station, is the first step towards improving it, because you can follow your ordinary occupation with willingness and promptitude, while the discontented man, on the contrary, does only what he is quite compelled to do, and is beaten out of the field of action, which he despises and looks on with contempt, by those whose cheerful activity leads them to do their best, and make the most of each opportunity. Remember, also. that we all have our troubles and cares, and must not expect an exemption from them; these, with blessings, are much more equally distributed than we are often apt to imagine. I say again, learn to be

content.

LINES BY HORACE.

51

The following lines were written by Horace,

eighteen hundred years ago :—

"How comes it, my Mæcenas, that the lot
Which our own plans obtain, or chance presents,
Never contents us; but we always praise
Those who pursue a different course of life?
'low fortunate are merchants,' says the soldier,
Whose aged limbs are worn with early toil;
But yet the merchant, tossed by stormy seas,
Says, Warfare is far better. Why, they charge,
And in an hour comes death or victory.'

6

The lawyer thinks a country life the best,
When clients rouse him at the dawn of day.
The countryman obliged to answer bail,
And to the city dragged from home, cries out
'That they alone are blest who live in town.”
But, not to cite these numerous instances,
Hear how I'll put the question. Let a God
Come down and say, 'I will do all you wish ;
Soldier, be you a merchant; and be you
A countryman, who were just now a lawyer.
Your lots thus changed, depart your several ways."
How now you stand? They will not move a step,,
And yet they might be happy if they liked.

"But to return: should a man always praise
Those who pursue a different course of life?
Or should he pine because a neighbour's goat
Affords more milk than his, nor once contrast.
The greater crowd far poorer than himself,
But, rushing forward, labour to surpass
This one or that? He who thus hastens on

Will always find one richer in his path,

As when swift charioteers have left their bound,.
Each strains to outdo the steeds that conquer him..

On the whole, we rarely find a man to say
He has lived blissful, and who at the last,
When he has passed the appointed term of life,

As a well-sated guest, departs content."