Relationship excites envy. We rarely envy the good fortune of those with whom we are little acquainted; it is those who are nearer to us, in the same school, college, or regiment; or with whom we are intimately related, or associated in the same business, or who are in the same rank in life with ourselves, whose superior success disturbs us. For the success of persons very much superior to us rarely gives rise to this detestable and tormenting passion, which undermines the health, and when in excess occasions melancholy, and even madness. «As a moth gnaws a garment», Saint Chrysostom says, «so doth envy consume a man».

––––«If she but tastes
The slenderest pittance of commended virtue,
She surfeits of it».

In the same spirit Swift says,

«To all my foes, O Fortune send
Thy gifts, but never to a friend
I scarcely can endure the first,
But this with envy makes me burst».

You are kicking against the pricks, may be said to persons, who, impatient under any affliction or injury, by attempting to avenge themselves, increase their misfortune; or who contend with persons capable of inflicting a much severer punishment, than that which they are suffering. «Paul, Paul, why persecutes thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks». The adage takes its rise from the custom of goading oxen, to make them go forward, with sticks, having sharp points. If they are restive and push backwards, they force the points of the sticks into their flesh.

Striving against the stream, which those may be said to do who attempt to convince obstinately perverse persons of the impropriety of any thing they have once resolved to defend, or of undertaking any project they have determined to accomplish.

Let not care corrode and gnaw your heart, lest you should fall into a state of despondency, and to avenge some disappointment or trouble, throw away all the blessings you enjoy, and with them your life. To this purport the Psalmist, «Fret not thyself, lest thou be moved to do evil». Por mucho madrugar, no amanece mas aína. The Spaniards say, early rising makes it not day the sooner, or too much anxiety and care will not enable you the sooner to obtain your point; and the Italians Cento carre di pensieri, non pagaranno un'oncia di debito an hundred cartloads of care will not pay an ounce of debt. Cura facit canos, care brings gray hairs, and «care», we say, «killed the cat». But who is without care, or can escape its fangs! «Man that is born of a woman is of short continuance, and full of trouble; all his days are sorrow, and his travels grief, his heart also taketh not rest in the night». And «you may as soon», Burton says, «separate weight from lead, heat from fire, moistness from water and brightness from the sun, as misery, discontent, care, calamity, and danger from man». Such being the state of man, and as we are assured, «that it is as natural for him to suffer, as for sparks to fly upwards», we should bear our afflictions with patience, by which alone the heaviest of them will be in some degree softened, and appeased. «Si gravis brevis, si longus levis». If the pain be very severe, it cannot last; if it be moderate and of longer duration, it may be borne. «Nullum est malum majus, quam non posse ferre malum», no greater misfortune can happen to us, than not to be able to bear misfortune.

To live a debauched and voluptuous life, like the Corinthians. Corinth of old, like Venice in modern times, was famed for entertaining multitudes of courtezans, and for the great homage that was paid to them. They served as decoys to attract to the city, the most wealthy of the inhabitants from all parts of Greece, to the great emolument of the artizans and traders, and improvement of the revenue of the state. Lais, one of the courtezans, was esteemed to be the most beautiful and accomplished woman of the age in which she lived. She drew visitors from the most distant countries, to whom she sold her favours at a very high price. Of Demosthenes, who wished to pass an evening with her, she required ten thousand drachmas. Astonished at the boldness and largeness of the demand, he quitted her, «not choosing», he said, «to buy repentance at so dear a rate».

The crow seizing on a scorpion, and thinking he had got a delicate morsel, was stung to death. The adage is applicable to persons, who, meditating mischief to others, find the evil recoil upon themselves with redoubled force.

A Corycæan has been listening. This was said when any one found that a transaction to which he thought no one was privy, had been discovered. The Corycæans, a band of robbers inhabiting a mountain of that name, contrived, in order that they might know where to levy contributions with certainty, to mix among the merchants and traders, and by listening to their discourse, learned what sort of goods each of them carried with them, where they were going, and at what time they meant to set out on their journey; when taking with them as many associates as they thought necessary, they met, and robbed them.