Theserviceofourcountryisnochimerical，butarealduty。Hewhoadmitstheproofsofanyothermoralduty，drawnfromtheconstitutionofhumannature，orfromthemoralfitnessandunfitnessofthings，mustadmittheminfavourofthisduty，orbereducedtothemostabsurdinconsistency。Whenhehasonceadmittedthedutyontheseproofs，itwillbenodifficultmattertodemonstratetohim，thathisobligationtotheperformanceofitisinproportiontothemeansandtheopportunitieshehasofperformingit;andthatnothingcandischargehimfromthisobligationaslongashehasthesemeansandtheseopportunitiesinhispower，andaslongashiscountrycontinuesinthesamewantofhisservices。Theseobligationsthentothepublicservicemaybecomeobligationsforlifeoncertainpersons。Nodoubttheymay:andshallthisconsiderationbecomeareasonfordenyingorevadingthem？Onthecontrary，sureitshouldbecomeareasonforacknowledgingandfulfillingthem，withthegreatestgratitudetotheSupremeBeing，whohasmadeuscapableofactingsoexcellentapart，andoftheutmostbenevolencetomankind。
Superiortalents，andsuperiorrankamongstourfellowcreatures，whetheracquiredbybirth，orbythecourseofaccidents，andthesuccessofourownindustry，arenobleprerogatives。Shallhewhopossessesthemrepineattheobligationtheylayhimunder，ofpassinghiswholelifeinthenoblestoccupationofwhichhumannatureiscapable？Towhathigherstation，towhatgreaterglorycananymortalaspire，thantobe，duringthewholecourseofhislife，thesupportofgood，thecontrolofbadgovernment，andtheguardianofpublicliberty？Tobedrivenfromhencebysuccessfultyranny，bylossofhealthorofparts，orbytheforceofaccidents，istobedegradedinsuchamannerastodeservepity，andnottoincurblame:buttodegradeourselves，todescendvoluntarily，andbychoice，fromthehighesttoalower，perhapstothelowestrankamongthesonsofAdam;toabandonthegovernmentofmenforthatofhoundsandhorses，thecareofakingdomforthatofaparish，andasceneofgreatandgenerouseffortsinpubliclife，foroneoftriflingamusementsandlowcares，ofslothandofidleness，whatisit，myLord？IhadratheryourLordshipshouldnameitthanI。Willitbesaidthatitishardtoexactfromsomemen，infavourofothers，thattheyshouldrenounceallthepleasuresoflife，anddrudgealltheirdaysinbusiness，thatothersmayindulgethemselvesinease？Itwillbesaidwithoutgrounds。
Alifededicatedtotheserviceofourcountryadmitsthefulluse，andnolifeshouldadmittheabuse，ofpleasures:theleastareconsistentwithaconstantdischargeofourpublicduty，thegreatestarisefromit。Thecommon，thesensualpleasurestowhichnaturepromptsus，andwhichreasonthereforedoesnotforbid，thoughsheshouldalwaysdirect，aresofarfrombeingexcludedoutofalifeofbusiness，thattheyaresometimesnecessaryinit，andarealwaysheightenedbyit:thoseofthetable，forinstance，maybeorderedsoastopromotethatwhichtheelderCatocallsvitaeconjunctionem。
Inthemidstofpublicduties，privatestudies，andanextremeoldage，hefoundtimetofrequentthesodalitates，orclubsoffriendsatRome，andtositupallnightwithhisneighboursinthecountryoftheSabines。Cato\'svirtueoftenglowedwithwine:andtheloveofwomendidnothinderCaesarfromformingandexecutingthegreatestprojectsthatambitioneversuggested。
ButifCaesar，whilsthelabouredtodestroythelibertiesofhiscountry，enjoyedtheseinferiorpleasuresoflife，whichamanwholabourstosavethoselibertiesmayenjoyaswellashe;therearesuperiorpleasuresinabusylifethatCaesarneverknew，those，Imean，thatarisefromafaithfuldischargeofourdutytothecommonwealth。NeitherMontaigneinwritinghisessays，norDescartesinbuildingnewworlds，norBurnetinframinganantediluvianearth，nonorNewtonindiscoveringandestablishingthetruelawsofnatureonexperimentandasublimergeometry，feltmoreintellectualjoys，thanhefeelswhoisarealpatriot，whobendsalltheforceofhisunderstanding，anddirectsallhisthoughtsandactions，tothegoodofhiscountry。Whensuchamanformsapoliticalscheme，andadjustsvariousandseeminglyindependentpartsinittoonegreatandgooddesign，heistransportedbyimagination，orabsorbedinmeditation，asmuchandasagreeablyas。they。andthesatisfactionthatarisesfromthedifferentimportanceoftheseobjects，ineverystepofthework，isvastlyinhisfavour。Itisherethatthespeculativephilosopher\'slabourandpleasureend。Buthewhospeculatesinordertoact，goeson，andcarrieshisschemeintoexecution。Hislabourcontinues，itvaries，itincreases;butsodoeshispleasuretoo。Theexecutionindeedisoftentraversed，byunforeseenanduntowardcircumstances，bytheperversenessortreacheryoffriends，andbythepowerormaliceofenemies:butthefirstandthelastoftheseanimate，andthedocilityandfidelityofsomemenmakeamendsfortheperversenessandtreacheryofothers。Whilstagreateventisinsuspense，theactionwarms，andtheverysuspense，madeupofhopeandfear，maintainsnounpleasingagitationinthemind。Iftheeventisdecidedsuccessfully，suchamanenjoyspleasureproportionabletothegoodhehasdone;apleasureliketothatwhichisattributedtotheSupremeBeing，onasurveyofhisworks。Iftheeventisdecidedotherwise，andusurpingcourts，oroverbearingpartiesprevail;suchamanhasstillthetestimonyofhisconscience，andasenseofthehonourhehasacquired，tosoothehismind，andsupporthiscourage。Foralthoughthecourseofstate—affairsbetothosewhomeddleinthemlikealottery，yetitisalotterywhereinnogoodmancanbealoser。hemaybereviled，itistrue，insteadofbeingapplauded，andmaysufferviolenceofmanykinds。Iwillnotsay，likeSeneca，thatthenoblestspectaclewhichGodcanbehold，isavirtuousmansuffering，andstrugglingwithafflictions:butthisIwillsay，thatthesecondCatodrivenoutoftheforum，anddraggedtoprison，enjoyedmoreinwardpleasure，andmaintainedmoreoutwarddignity，thantheywhoinsultedhim，andwhotriumphedintheruinoftheircountry。ButtheveryexampleofCatomaybeurgedperhapsagainstwhatIhaveinsistedupon:itmaybeasked，whatgoodhedidtoRome，bydedicatinghiswholelifetoherservice，whathonourtohimselfbydyingatUtica？Itmaybesaid，thatgovernmentshavetheirperiodslikeallthingshuman;thattheymaybebroughtbacktotheirprimitiveprinciplesduringacertaintime，butthatwhentheseprinciplesarewornout，inthemindsofmen，itisavainenterprisetoendeavourtorenewthem:thatthisisthecaseofallgovernments，whenthecorruptionofthepeoplecomestoagreatpitch，andisgrownuniversal:thatwhenahousewhichisold，andquitedecayed，thoughoftenrepaired，notonlycracks，buttottersevenfromthefoundations，everymaninhissensesrunsoutofit，andtakesshelterwherehecan，andthatnonebutmadmencontinueobstinatetorepairwhatisirreparable，tilltheyarecrushedintheruin。Justso，thatwemustcontentourselvestoliveunderthegovernmentweliketheleast，whenthatformwhichwelikethemostisdestroyed，orwornout;accordingtothecounselofDolabellainoneofhisletterstoCicero。But，myLord，ifCatocouldnotsave，heprolongedthelifeofliberty:thelibertiesofRomewouldhavebeenlostwhenCatilineattackedthem，abettedprobablybyCaesarandCrassus，andtheworstcitizensofRome;andwhenCicerodefendedthem，abettedbyCatoandthebest。ThatCatoerredinhisconduct，bygivingwaytoomuchtothenaturalroughnessofhistemper，andbyallowingtoolittleforthatoftheRomans，amongwhomluxuryhadlongprevailed，andcorruptionwasopenlypractised，ismosttrue。Hewasincapableofemployingthoseseemingcompliancesthatarereconcilabletothegreateststeadiness，andtreatedunskilfullyacrazyconstitution。