But here a new project comes in to his relief. He is now living upon herbs, and running about the country, to get himself in as good wind as any running footman in the kingdom.
6. I have been thus circumstantial in so many foolish particulars, because I hope that every particular folly that you here see, will naturally turn itself into an argument for the wisdom and happiness of a religious life.
If I could lay before you a particular account of all the circumstances of terror and distress, that daily attend a life at sea, the more particular I was in the account, the more I should make you feel and rejoice in the happiness of living upon the land.
In like manner, the more I enumerate the follies, anxieties, delusions, and restless desires which go thro’ every part of a life devoted to worldly enjoyments, the more you must be affected with that peace, and rest, and solid content, which religion gives to the souls of men.
7. But you will perhaps say, that the ridiculous, restless life of Flatus, is not the common state of those who neglect the strict rules of religion; and that therefore it is not so great an argument of the happiness of a religious life.
I answer, that I am afraid it is one of the most general characters in life; and that few people can read it, without seeing something in it that belongs to themselves. For where shall we find that wise and happy man, who has not been eagerly pursuing different appearances of happiness, sometimes thinking it was here, and sometimes there?
And if people were to divide their lives into particular stages, and ask themselves what they were pursuing, or what it was which they had chiefly in view, when they were twenty years old, what at twenty-five, what at thirty, what at forty, what at fifty, and so on, till they were brought to their last bed, numbers of people would find, that they had pursued as many different appearances of happiness, as are to be seen in the life of Flatus.
And thus it must be, more or less, with all who propose any other happiness, than that which arises from a strict and regular piety.
8. But, secondly, let it be granted, that the generality of people are not of such restless, fickle tempers as Flatus, the difference is only this, Flatus is continually changing and trying something new, but others are content with some one state; they don’t leave gaming, and then fall to hunting, but follow one or the other all their life. Some have so much steadiness in their tempers, that they seek after no other happiness, but that of heaping up riches; others grow old in the sports of the field; others are content to drink themselves to death, without the least enquiry after any other happiness.
Now, is there any thing more happy or reasonable, in such a life as this, than in the life of Flatus? Is it not as wise and happy, to be constantly changing from one thing to another, as to be nothing else but a gatherer of money, a hunter, a gamester, or a drunkard, all your life?