THe common people of this Country have a Tradition, that ‘tis a lucky thing to find a Horse-shoe. And though ‘twas to make my self merry with this fond conceit of the superstitious Vulgar, I stoop’d to take this up; yet now I observe in it a Circumstance that may, for ought I know, somewhat justifie the Tradition. For I take notice, that though Horse-shoes are by travelling worn out, yet if they had a sense of their own condition, it might afford them some consolation in it, that the same Journeys that waste them make them both useful and bright. Whereas, though the Horse-shoe I have taken up have not been consum’d upon the account of travelling, it has been eaten up by rust, which wastes it as well as Attrition would have done, but does not give it the lustre it would have receiv’d from that. I meet with many, who, very unmindful that He who was justly styl’d the Wise-man, whose counsel it was, that what ever our hand finds to do, we should do it with all our might, &c. make it the main business of their life merely to lengthen it, that are far more sollicitous to live long, than well, and would not undergo the least labour, or endure the least hardship, to do the greatest Good, but had rather lose an hundred opportunities of serving God, or obliging Men, than one Entertainment, or an hours sleep, and all this under the pretence of minding their Health, and complying with the Dictates of Self-preservation. But I have often observ’d too, that ev’n these jolly People that seldome have a serious Thought, but how to avoid serious Imployments, may, by making their whole Lives a Succession of Divertisements, or rather a constant Diversion from the true end of them, make their Lives indeed thereby useless, but not at all immortal. And truly, Feavers, Plurisies, and other acute Diseases, that are home-bread, besides those numerous fatal ones that are caught by Contagion, and a multitude of Casualties, do cut off so many before they reach old Age, in comparison of those, that the Diligence, and Industry, impos’d by Religion, or Curiosity, destroy, that I think so great a fear of using the Body for the interests of the Soul, and of him to whom we owe both, do’s very little become his Disciples, who said, That ‘twas his Meat to do the Will of God that sent him, (Joh. 4. 34) and to accomplish his Work. The trouble of Thirsting, and Sweating, and Undressing, would to an ingenious Man be but just recompenc’d by the bare pleasures of Eating, and Drinking, and Sleeping, to confine an honest and inquisitive Person from those, which he looks upon as the almost onely Manly employments, the exercise of Virtue, and the pursuit of Knowledge, by telling him, that such a forbearance may protract his Life, is, to promise a thing upon a condition that destroys the end and use of it; and he will look upon it, as if you should offer him a Horse, provided he will not ride him, or a Perspective-glass, upon condition he shall not draw it out, for fear the Air should, as it sometimes do’s, impair the Glasses. A Heaven-born Soul would scarce think it worth while to stay here below, if its work must be, not to imploy the Body, but to tend it. Those that are so unreasonably afraid to spend their Spirits, are in some regards less excusable than Misers themselves; for though both hoard up things that cannot be better injoy’d than by being parted with, the chief uses for which they were intrusted with them; yet in this, those I blame are more censurable than the Covetous themselves, since these, by their Niggardliness, can avoid spending their Money, but the others, by their Laziness, cannot avoid the Consumption of their time. I know a Man may be Prodigal of himself, as well as his Estate, and that both those Profusions are faults, and therefore fit to be declin’d. But if I could not shun both the Extremes, certainly, since we all must Dye, and the question is not whether or no we will Live for ever, (for the most that can be hop’d for, is not to be priviledg’d from Death, but onely to be longer repriv’d) but whether we will rather indeavour to lead a Life, mean, and unprofitable, a few more days, or a glorious Life, for a somewhat less number of them? I should rather chuse to spend my Life quickly, than uselessly; for he that lays out himself for Eternity, if he lose any Portion of his time upon that account, is the sooner put into possession of an Inexhaustible stock of it; whereas those, who, that they may Live long, meanly forgo the ends of Living, and seek, by Laziness, to protract an insignificant stay on Earth, would, should they reach their Aim, add rather to their Years than to their Life.
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