University of Virginia Library

A DIALOGUE ON CONTENTMENT.

J.
What Ills, dear Phebe, would it not prevent,
To learn this one short lesson: “Be content!”
No very hard Prescription, in effect,
This same Content; and yet, thro' its neglect,
What mighty Evils do “we human Elves,”
As Prior calls us, bring upon ourselves!
Evils that Nature never meant us for,
The Vacuums that she really does abhor.
Of all the Ways of judging Things amiss,
No Instance shows our Weakness more than this:
That Men on Earth won't set their Hearts at rest,
When God in Heaven does all Things for the best.
What strange, absurd Perverseness!

P.
Hold, good Brother!
Don't put yourself, I pray, in such a Pother;
“'Tis a fine Thing to be Content;” why, true;
'Tis just and right, we know as well as you;
And yet, to be so, after all this Rout,
Sometimes has puzzled you yourself, I doubt.
Folks in the Vigour of their Health and Strength
May rail at Discontent in Words at length,
Who yet, when disappointed of their Wishes,
Will put you off with surly “Humphs” and “Pishes.”
“Let's be content and easy!”—gen'ral Stuff!
Your happy People are content enough.
If you would reason to the Purpose, show
How they who are unhappy may be so;
How they who are in Sickness, Want, or Pain,
May get their Health, Estate, and Ease again;
How they—

J.
Nay, Phebe, don't go on so fast;
Your just Rebuke now suits yourself at last.
Methinks you wander widely from the Fact:
'Tis not how you or I or others act
That we are talking of, but how we should.
A Rule, tho' ill observ'd, may still be good.
Nor did I say that a contented Will
Would hinder all, but many Sorts of Ill.
This it will do, and, give me Leave to say,
Much lessen such as it can't take away.
You said your-self, 'twas just; I think you did—

P.
Yes, yes; I don't deny it—

J.
Sense forbid
That e'er you should! Its Practice then, perchance,
Is monstrous hard in many a Circumstance?

P.
“Monstrous?” why Monstrous? Let that Word be barr'd,
And I shan't stick to say, I think it “hard,”
And very hard; nay, I could almost add
That, in some Cases, 'tis not to be had.

J.
“Not to be had?” Content? It costs'us naught;
'Tis purchas'd only with a little Thought;
We need not fetch it from a distant Clime,
It may be found at Home at any Time;
Our very Cares contribute to its Growth,
It knows no Check but voluntary Sloth;
None but ourselves can rob us of its Fruit;
It finds, whene'er we use it, fresh Recruit;
The more we gather, still the more it thrives,
Fresh as our Hopes and lasting as our Lives:
“Not to be had” is wrong;—but, I forgot,
You did not say quite absolutely “not,”
But could “almost” have said so; the “almost”
Perhaps was meant against a florid Boast
Of such Content as, when a Trial came
Severe enough, would hardly own its Name.

P.
Perhaps it was; and, now your Fire is spent,
You can reflect, I find, that this Content,
Which you are fond of celebrating so,
May, now and then, be difficult to show:
So difficult that—

J.
Hold a bit, or ten
To one the Chance, that I shall fire again!
“'Tis just and right,” you own as well as me.
Now, for my Part, I rather choose to see
The Easiness of what is just and right,
Which makes it more encouraging to Sight,
Than scarecrow Hardships that almost declare
Content an un-come-at-able Affair,
And consequently tempt one to distrust
For Difficulties what is right and just.
Thus I object to Hardship; if you please,
Show for what Reason you object to Ease.

P.
Why, for this Reason:—tho' it should be true
That what is just and right, is easy too,
Such Ease is nothing of a talking kind,
But of right Will, that likes to be resign'd,
And cherishes a Grace which, with regard
To the unpractis'd, may sometimes be hard.
You treat Content as if it were a Weed
Of neither Cost nor Culture; when indeed
It is as fine a Flower that can be found
Within the Mind's best cultivated Ground;
Where, like a Seed, it must have light and Air
To help its Growth, according to the Care
That Owners take, whose philosophic Skill
Will much depend upon the Weather still.
Good should not make them careless, nor should bad
Discourage—

J.
Right, provided it be had.
I'll not dispute, but own, what you have said
Has hit the Nail, directly, on the Head:
Easy or hard, all Pains within our Pow'r
Are well bestow'd on such a charming Flow'r.