wn estate in other hands.
However, since I had not a penny of money to endeavour at recovering my
right with, I told my master I would consider of his proposal.

During my stay with him he used all methods to make me as easy as
possible; and frequently moralised with so much effect, that I was
almost convinced I ought to submit and be content. Amongst the rest
of his discourse, he endeavoured to show me (one day after I had been
loudly condemning my cruel fortune, and saying I was born to be unhappy)
that I was mistaken if I thought or imagined it was chance or accident
that had been against me when I complained of fortune. "For," says he,
"Peter, there is nothing done below but is at least foreknown, if not
decreed, above; and our business in life is to believe so: not that I
would have such belief make us careless, and think it to no purpose to
strive, as some do; who, being persuaded that our actions are not in our
own choice, but that, being pressed by an irresistible decree, we
are forced to act this or that, fancy we must be necessarily happy or
miserable hereafter; or, as others, who, for fear of falling upon that
shocking principle, would even deprive the Almighty of foreknowledge,
lest it should consequentially amount to a decree: for, say they, what
is foreknown, will and must be. But I would have you act so as that, let
either of these tenets be true, you may still be sure of making yourself
easy and happy; and for that purpose let me recommend to you a uniform
life of justice and piety; always choosing the good rather than the bad
side of every action: for this, say they what they will to the contrary,
is not above the power of a reasonable being to practise: and doing so,
you may without scruple say,--If there is foreknowledge of my actions,
or they are decreed, I then am one who is foreknown or decreed to be
happy. And this, without farther speculation, you will find the only
means always to keep you so; for all men, of all denominations, fully
allow this happy effect to follow good actions. Again, Peter, a person
acting in a vicious course, with such an opinion in his head as above,
must surely be very miserable, as his very actions themselves must
pronounce the decree against him: whilst, therefore, we have not heard
the decree read, you see we may easily give sentence whether it be for
good or evil to us, by the tenor and course of our own actions.

"You are not now to learn, Peter, that the crimes of t