The legislator beholds with anguish and amazement the suffrages of his countrymen given eagerly to a rival candidate devoid of knowledge and integrity; but skilled in flattering the base passions of men, and deterred by no hesitations of conscience, and no fears of infamy, from saying and doing anything which may secure his election.

The merchant often beholds with a despairing eye his own ships sunk in the ocean; his debtors fail; his goods unsold, his business cramped; and himself, his family and his hopes ruined; while a less skilful but more successful neighbor sees wealth blown to him by every wind, and floated on every wave.

The crops of the farmer are stinted; his cattle die; his markets are bad; and the purchaser of his commodities proves to be a cheat, who deceives his confidence and runs away with his property.

Thus the darling schemes and fondest hopes of man are daily frustrated by time.  While sagacity contrives, patience matures, and labor industriously executes, disappointment laughs at the curious fabric, formed by so many efforts and gay with so many brilliant colors, and while the artists imagine the work arrived at the moment of completion, brushes away the beautiful web, and leaves nothing behind.

The designs of men, however, are in many respects not infrequently successful.  The lawyer and physician acquire business and fame; the statesman, votes; and the farmer, wealth.  But their real success, even in this case, is often substantially the same with that already recited.  In all plans, and all labors, the supreme object is to become happy.  Yet, when men have actually acquired riches and honor, or secured to themselves popular favor, they still find the happiness, which they expected, eluding their grasp.  Neither wealth, fame, office, nor sensual pleasure can yield such good as we need.  As these coveted objects are accumulated, the wishes of man always grow faster than his gratifications.  Hence, whatever he acquires, he is usually as little satisfied as before, and often less.

A principal design of the mind in laboring for these things is to become superior to others.  But almost all rich men are obliged to see, and usually with no small anguish, others richer than themselves; honorable men, others more honorable; voluptuous men, others who enjoy more pleasure.  The great end of the strife is therefore unobtained; and the happiness expected never found.  Even the successful competitor in the race utterly misses his aim.  The real enjoyment existed, altho it was unperceived by him, in the mere strife for superiority.  When he has outstript all his rivals the contest is at an end:  and his spirits, which were invigorated only by contending, languish for want of a competitor.