perhaps one of a thousand, may be Pullus Jovis, in the world's
esteem, _Gallinae filius albae_, an happy and fortunate man, _ad invidiam
felix_, because rich, fair, well allied, in honour and office; yet
peradventure ask himself, and he will say, that of all others [1765]he is
most miserable and unhappy. A fair shoe, _Hic soccus novus, elegans_, as he
[1766]said, _sed nescis ubi urat_, but thou knowest not where it pincheth.
It is not another man's opinion can make me happy: but as [1767]Seneca well
hath it, "He is a miserable wretch that doth not account himself happy,
though he be sovereign lord of a world: he is not happy, if he think
himself not to be so; for what availeth it what thine estate is, or seem to
others, if thou thyself dislike it?" A common humour it is of all men to
think well of other men's fortunes, and dislike their own: [1768]_Cui
placet alterius, sua nimirum est odio sors_; but [1769]_qui fit Mecoenas_,
&c., how comes it to pass, what's the cause of it? Many men are of such a
perverse nature, they are well pleased with nothing, (saith [1770]
Theodoret,) "neither with riches nor poverty, they complain when they are
well and when they are sick, grumble at all fortunes, prosperity and
adversity; they are troubled in a cheap year, in a barren, plenty or not
plenty, nothing pleaseth them, war nor peace, with children, nor without."
This for the most part is the humour of us all, to be discontent,
miserable, and most unhappy, as we think at least; and show me him that is
not so, or that ever was otherwise. Quintus Metellus his felicity is
infinitely admired amongst the Romans, insomuch that as [1771]Paterculus
mentioneth of him, you can scarce find of any nation, order, age, sex, one
for happiness to be compared unto him: he had, in a word, _Bona animi,
corporis et fortunae_, goods of mind, body, and fortune, so had P.
Mutianus, [1772]Crassus. Lampsaca, that Lacedaemonian lady, was such
another in [1773]Pliny's conceit, a king's wife, a king's mother, a king's
daughter: and all the world esteemed as much of Polycrates of Samos. The
Greeks brag of their Socrates, Phocion, Aristides; the Psophidians in
particular of their Aglaus, _Omni vita felix, ab omni periculo immunis_
(which by the way Pausanias held impossible;) the Romans of their [1774]
Cato, Curius, Fabricius, for their composed fortunes, and retired estates,
government of passions, and contempt of the world: yet none of all these
were happy, or fr