Page:The Works of Samuel Johnson ... A journey to the Hebrides. The vision of Theodore, the hermit of Teneriffe. The fountains. Prayers and meditations. Sermons.v. 10-11. Parliamentary debates.pdf/458

 Many things which are not pleasant may be salutary; and among them is the just estimate of human life, which may be made by all with advantage, though by few, very few, with delight. As it is the business of a traveller to view the way before him, whatever dangers may threaten, or difficulties obstruct him, and however void may be the prospect of elegance or pleasure; it is our duty, in the pilgrimage of life, to proceed with our eyes open, and to see our state; not as hope or fancy may delineate it, but as it has been in reality appointed by Divine providence. From errours, to which, after most diligent examination, the frailty of our understandings may sometimes expose us, we may reasonably hope, that he, who knows whereof we are made, will suffer no irremediable evil to follow; but it would be unreasonable to expect, that the same indulgence shall be extended to voluntary ignorance; or, that we shall not suffer by those delusions to which we resign ourselves by idleness or choice.

Nothing but daily experience could make it credible, that we should see the daily descent into the grave of those whom we love or fear, admire or detest; that we should see one generation passed, another passing, see possessions daily changing their owners, and the world, at very short intervals, altering its appearance, and yet should want to be reminded that life is short; or that we should, wherever we turn our eyes, find misfortune and distress, and have our ears daily filled with lamentations of misery; that we should often feel pain and sickness, disappointments and privations, and yet, at every respiration of momentary ease, or gleam of fugitive and uncertain joy, be elated beyond the true sense of our condition, and need the voice of salutary admonition, to make us remember that life is miserable.

But since the mind is always of itself shrinking from disagreeable images, it is sometimes necessary to recal them; and it may contribute to the repression of many unreasonable desires, and the prevention of many faults and follies, if we frequently, and attentively consider,