There is not any thing in this world, perhaps, that is more talked of, and less understood, than the business of a happy life. It is every man’s wish and design; and yet not one of a thousand that knows wherein that happiness consists. We live, however, in a blind and eager pursuit of it; and the more haste we make in a wrong way, the further we are from our journey’s end. Let us therefore, first, consider “what it is we should be at;” and, secondly, “which is the readiest way to compass it.” If we be right, we shall find every day how much we improve; but if we either follow the cry, or the track, of people that are out of the way, we must expect to be misled, and to continue our days in wandering in error. Wherefore, it highly concerns us to take along with us a skilful guide; for it is not in this, as in other voyages, where the highway brings us to our place of repose; or if a man should happen to be out, where the inhabitants might set him right again: but on the contrary, the beaten road is here the most dangerous, and the people, instead of helping us, misguide us. Let us not therefore follow, like beasts, but rather govern ourselves by reason, than by example. It fares with us in human life as in a routed army; one stumbles first, and then another falls upon him, and so they follow, one upon the neck of another, until the whole field comes to be but one heap of miscarriages. And the mischief is, “that the number of the multitude carries it against truth and justice;” so that we must leave the crowd, if we would be happy: for the question of a happy life is not to be decided by vote: nay, so far from it, that plurality of voices is still an argument of the wrong; the common people find it easier to believe than to judge, and content themselves with what is usual, never examining whether it be good or not. By the common people is intended the man of title as well as the clouted shoe: for I do not distinguish them by the eye, but by the mind, which is the proper judge of the man. Worldly felicity, I know, makes the head giddy; but if ever a man comes to himself again, he will confess, that “whatsoever he has done, he wishes undone;” and that “the things he feared were better than those he prayed for.”
Perhaps nothing in this world is talked about more and understood less than living a happy life. Everyone wants it and aims for it, yet not one person in a thousand knows what happiness actually is. We live in blind, eager pursuit of it. The more we rush down the wrong path, the further we get from our destination. So let's first consider what we should be aiming for. Second, let's figure out the best way to achieve it. If we're on the right track, we'll see daily improvement. But if we follow the crowd or the path of people who are lost, we can expect to be misled. We'll spend our days wandering in confusion. This is why we desperately need a skilled guide. This journey isn't like other trips where the main road leads to our destination. It's not like getting lost in a place where locals can point you in the right direction. Here, the beaten path is actually the most dangerous. Instead of helping us, people mislead us. Let's not follow like animals. Let's use reason instead of just copying others. Human life is like a retreating army. One person stumbles first, then another falls on top of him. They keep falling, one after another, until the whole battlefield becomes a pile of failures. The problem is that the majority wins out over truth and justice. So we must leave the crowd if we want to be happy. The question of a happy life can't be decided by vote. In fact, having the majority on your side usually means you're wrong. Common people find it easier to believe than to think. They're satisfied with what's normal, never questioning whether it's actually good. By "common people," I mean both the titled nobleman and the simple worker. I don't judge them by appearance but by their minds, which is the true measure of a person. I know worldly success makes people dizzy with pride. But when someone finally comes to their senses, they'll admit two things: they wish they could undo everything they've done, and the things they feared were actually better than what they prayed for.
The true felicity of life is to be free from perturbations, to understand our duties towards God and man: to enjoy the present without any anxious dependence upon the future. Not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears, but to rest satisfied with what we have, which is abundantly sufficient; for he that is so, wants nothing. The great blessings of mankind are within us, and within our reach; but we shut our eyes, and, like people in the dark, we fall foul upon the very thing which we search for without finding it. “Tranquillity is a certain equality of mind, which no condition of fortune can either exalt or depress.” Nothing can make it less: for it is the state of human perfection: it raises us as high as we can go; and makes every man his own supporter; whereas he that is borne up by any thing else may fall. He that judges aright, and perseveres in it, enjoys a perpetual calm: he takes a true prospect of things; he observes an order, measure, a decorum in all his actions; he has a benevolence in his nature; he squares his life according to reason; and draws to himself love and admiration. Without a certain and an unchangeable judgment, all the rest is but fluctuation: but “he that always wills and nills the same thing, is undoubtedly in the right.” Liberty and serenity of mind must necessarily ensue upon the mastering of those things which either allure or affright us; when instead of those flashy pleasures, (which even at the best are both vain and hurtful together,) we shall find ourselves possessed of joy transporting and everlasting. It must be a sound mind that makes a happy man; there must be a constancy in all conditions, a care for the things of this world, but without trouble; and such an indifferency for the bounties of fortune, that either with them, or without them, we may live contentedly. There must be neither lamentation, nor quarrelling, nor sloth, nor fear; for it makes a discord in a man’s life. “He that fears, serves.” The joy of a wise man stands firm without interruption; in all places, at all times, and in all conditions, his thoughts are cheerful and quiet. As it never came in to him from without, so it will never leave him; but it is born within him, and inseparable from him. It is a solicitous life that is egged on with the hope of any thing, though never so open and easy, nay, though a man should never suffer any sort of disappointment. I do not speak this either as a bar to the fair enjoyment of lawful pleasures, or to the gentle flatteries of reasonable expectations: but, on the contrary, I would have men to be always in good humor, provided that it arises from their own souls, and be cherished in their own breasts. Other delights are trivial; they may smooth the brow, but they do not fill and affect the heart. “True joy is a serene and sober motion;” and they are miserably out that take laughing for rejoicing. The seat of it is within, and there is no cheerfulness like the resolution of a brave mind, that has fortune under his feet. He that can look death in the face, and bid it welcome; open his door to poverty, and bridle his appetites; this is the man whom Providence has established in the possession of inviolable delights. The pleasures of the vulgar are ungrounded, thin, and superficial; but the others are solid and eternal. As the body itself is rather a necessary thing, than a great; so the comforts of it are but temporary and vain; beside that, without extraordinary moderation, their end is only pain and repentance; whereas a peaceful conscience, honest thoughts, virtuous actions, and an indifference for casual events, are blessings without end, satiety, or measure. This consummated state of felicity is only a submission to the dictate of right nature; “The foundation of it is wisdom and virtue; the knowledge of what we ought to do, and the conformity of the will to that knowledge.”
True happiness in life means being free from worry and understanding our duties to God and others. It means enjoying the present without anxiously depending on the future. We shouldn't entertain ourselves with hopes or fears, but rest satisfied with what we have, which is more than enough. Anyone who does this lacks nothing. The great blessings of humanity are within us and within our reach. But we shut our eyes and, like people stumbling in the dark, we trip over the very thing we're searching for without finding it. "Peace of mind is a steady balance that no twist of fortune can either lift up or knock down." Nothing can diminish it, because it represents human perfection. It raises us as high as we can go and makes every person self-sufficient. Anyone supported by something else might fall. The person who judges correctly and sticks to it enjoys constant calm. He sees things as they truly are. He maintains order, balance, and proper behavior in all his actions. He has a kind nature. He lives according to reason and draws love and admiration to himself. Without firm and unchanging judgment, everything else just wavers. But "the person who always wants and rejects the same things is undoubtedly right." Freedom and peace of mind naturally follow when we master the things that either tempt or frighten us. Instead of those flashy pleasures (which even at their best are both empty and harmful), we'll find ourselves filled with joy that's both overwhelming and lasting. A sound mind makes a happy person. There must be consistency in all situations, care for worldly things but without worry, and such indifference to fortune's gifts that we can live contentedly either with them or without them. There must be no lamenting, quarreling, laziness, or fear, because these create discord in a person's life. "The person who fears becomes a servant." A wise person's joy stands firm without interruption. In all places, at all times, and in all situations, his thoughts are cheerful and quiet. Since it never came to him from outside, it will never leave him. It's born within him and can't be separated from him. Any life driven by hope for something is anxious, no matter how open and easy that something might be, even if a person never suffers disappointment. I'm not saying this to discourage fair enjoyment of lawful pleasures or the gentle comfort of reasonable expectations. On the contrary, I want people to always be in good spirits, as long as it comes from their own souls and is nurtured in their own hearts. Other delights are trivial. They may smooth the forehead, but they don't fill and move the heart. "True joy is a calm and steady emotion." Those who mistake laughing for rejoicing are terribly wrong. The source of joy is within, and there's no cheerfulness like the determination of a brave mind that has fortune under his feet. The person who can look death in the face and welcome it, open his door to poverty, and control his desires—this is the person whom Providence has given unshakeable delights. The pleasures of common people are baseless, shallow, and superficial. But the others are solid and eternal. Just as the body itself is more necessary than great, the comforts it provides are temporary and empty. Besides, without extraordinary self-control, they only end in pain and regret. But a peaceful conscience, honest thoughts, virtuous actions, and indifference to random events are blessings without end, without getting tired of them, and without limit. This perfect state of happiness is simply submitting to what right nature tells us. "Its foundation is wisdom and virtue—knowing what we should do and making our will conform to that knowledge."