ONe that, not knowing what Ails me, should come in, and see me in this soft Bed, not only cover’d, but almost oppress’d, with Cloaths, would confidently conclude, that, whether or no I be distress’d by the contrary Quality, I cannot at least be troubled with Cold; and if he himself were so, he will be apt to Envy me. And if instead of coming in my Cold fit, he should Visit me in my Hot one, and see me with my Shoulders and Arms quite uncover’d, and nothing but the single Sheet on the rest of my Body; he would be apt to think, that I must lye very cool. But alas! in spight of all that lies upon me, an internal Frost has so diffus’d it self through every Part, that my Teeth chatter, and my whole Body does shake strongly enough to made the Bed it self do so; and, though I still wish for more Cloaths, yet those that are heap’d on me, can so little controle this praeternatural Cold, that a Pile of them might sooner be made great enough to Crush than to VVarm me: So that when I Travell’d ev’n in frosty Nights, the VVinter had nothing near so strong an Operation on me. And as that external Cold was far more supportable whilst it lasted, so it was incomparably more easie for me, by Exercise, and otherwise, to deliver my self from it.
Thus, when a Great or Rich Man’s mind is distemper’d with Ambition, Avarice, or any immoderate Affection, though the Bystanders, that see not what disquiets him, but see what great store of Accommodations fortune has provided for him, may be drawn to Envy his Condition, and be kept very far from suspecting that he can want that Contentment, the means of which they see him so Richly supply’d with: And yet alas! as the Colder heat of the external Air is much less troublesome to a Man in Health, though furnished with an ordinary proportion of Cloaths, than the Cold or Hot fit of an Ague, with a pile of Blankets first, and then a single Sheet; so to a Vigorous and Healthy constitution of mind, External inconveniences are much more supportable than any Accommodations can make the condition of a distemper’d Soul. Let us not then judge of Men’s happiness, so much by what they have, as by what they are, and consider both, that Fortune can but give much, and it must be the Mind that makes that much enough: And that, as ‘tis more easie to endure Winter, or the Dog-days in the Air, than in the Blood; so a Healthfull mind, in spight of Outward inconveniences, may afford a Man a condition preferrable to all External accommodations without that.
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