Iincitemycouragetopatience，butIreinitasmuchasIcantowardsdesire。Ihaveasmuchtowishforasanother，andallowmywishesasmuchlibertyandindiscretion;butyetitneverbefellmetowishforeitherempireorroyalty，ortheeminencyofthosehighandcommandingfortunes:Idonotaimthatway;Ilovemyselftoowell。WhenIthinktogrowgreater，’tisbutverymoderately，andbyacompelledandtimorousadvancement，suchasisproperformeinresolution，inprudence，inhealth，inbeauty，andeveninrichestoo;butthissupremereputation，thismightyauthority，oppressmyimagination;and，quitecontrarytothatother，——[JuliusCaesar。]——Ishould，peradventure，ratherchoosetobethesecondorthirdinPerigordthanthefirstatParisatleast，withoutlying，ratherthethirdatParisthanthefirst。Iwouldneitherdisputewithaporter，amiserableunknown，normakecrowdsopeninadorationasIpass。Iamtraineduptoamoderatecondition，aswellbymychoiceasfortune;andhavemadeitappear，inthewholeconductofmylifeandenterprises，thatIhaveratheravoidedthanotherwisetheclimbingabovethedegreeoffortunewhereinGodhasplacedmebymybirth;allnaturalconstitutionisequallyjustandeasy。Mysoulissuchapoltroon，thatImeasurenotgoodfortunebytheheight，butbythefacility。
Butifmyheartbenotgreatenough，’tisopenenoughtomakeamends，atanyone’srequest，freelytolayopenitsweakness。ShouldanyoneputmeuponcomparingthelifeofL。ThoriusBalbus，abraveman，handsome，learned，healthful，understanding，andaboundinginallsortsofconveniencesandpleasures，leadingaquietlife，andallhisown，hismindwellpreparedagainstdeath，superstition，pain，andotherincumbrancesofhumannecessity，dying，atlast，inbattle，withhisswordinhishand，forthedefenceofhiscountry，ontheonepart;andontheotherpart，thelifeofM。Regulus，sogreatandhighasisknowntoeveryone，andhisendadmirable;theonewithoutnameandwithoutdignity，theotherexemplaryandglorioustoawonder。Ishoulddoubtlesssay，asCicerodid，couldIspeakaswellashe。
[Cicero，DeFinibus，ii。20，givesthepreferencetoRegulus，andproclaimshimthehappierman。]
ButifIwastocomparethemwithmyown，Ishouldthenalsosaythatthefirstisasmuchaccordingtomycapacity，andfromdesire，whichI
conformtomycapacity，asthesecondisfarbeyondit;thatIcouldnotapproachthelastbutwithveneration，theotherIcouldreadilyattainbyuse。