Manythingsseemgreaterbyimaginationthantheyareineffect;Ihavepassedagoodpartofmylifeinaperfectandentirehealth;Isay，notonlyentire，but，moreover，sprightlyandwanton。Thisstate，sofullofverdure，jollity，andvigour，madetheconsiderationofsicknesssoformidabletome，thatwhenIcametoexperienceit，IfoundtheattacksfaintandeasyincomparisonwithwhatIhadapprehended。OfthisIhavedailyexperience;ifIamundertheshelterofawarmroom，inastormyandtempestuousnight，Iwonderhowpeoplecanliveabroad，andamafflictedforthosewhoareoutinthefields:ifIamtheremyself，Idonotwishtobeanywhereelse。ThisonethingofbeingalwaysshutupinachamberIfanciedinsupportable:butIwaspresentlyinuredtobesoimprisonedaweek，nayamonthtogether，inaveryweak，disordered，andsadcondition;andIhavefoundthat，inthetimeofmyhealth，Imuchmorepitiedthesick，thanIthinkmyselftobepitiedwhenIamso，andthattheforceofmyimaginationenhancesnearone—halfoftheessenceandrealityofthething。IhopethatwhenIcometodieIshallfinditthesame，andthat，afterall，itisnotworththepainsItake，somuchpreparationandsomuchassistanceasIcallin，toundergothestroke。
But，atallevents，wecannotgiveourselvestoomuchadvantage。
Inthetimeofourthirdorsecondtroubles（Idonotwellrememberwhich），goingonedayabroadtotaketheair，aboutaleaguefrommyownhouse，whichisseatedintheverycentreofallthebustleandmischiefofthelatecivilwarsinFrance;thinkingmyselfinallsecurityandsoneartomyretreatthatIstoodinneedofnobetterequipage，Ihadtakenahorsethatwentveryeasyuponhispace，butwasnotverystrong。
Beinguponmyreturnhome，asuddenoccasionfallingouttomakeuseofthishorseinakindofservicethathewasnotaccustomedto，oneofmytrain，alusty，tallfellow，mounteduponastrongGermanhorse，thathadaveryillmouth，freshandvigorous，toplaythebraveandsetonaheadofhisfellows，comesthunderingfullspeedintheverytrackwhereI
was，rushinglikeaColossusuponthelittlemanandthelittlehorse，withsuchacareerofstrengthandweight，thatheturnedusbothoverandover，topsy—turvywithourheelsintheair:sothattherelaythehorseoverthrownandstunnedwiththefall，andItenortwelvepacesfromhimstretchedoutatlength，withmyfaceallbatteredandbroken，myswordwhichIhadhadinmyhand，abovetenpacesbeyondthat，andmybeltbrokenalltopieces，withoutmotionorsenseanymorethanastock。